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2002 Nissan XterraProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 157 owner complaints about the 2002 Nissan Xterra, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 5 safety recalls.

2002 Nissan Xterra
48
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.1× the Xterra median · #5 of 15 years by complaints
Safety recalls5Free fix at dealersOwner complaints15741 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage52kEngine and engine cooling, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 8, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: Ethan Llamas, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2002 Nissan Xterra has problems

157 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine and engine cooling241
Steering226
Air bags199
Electrical system133
Suspension130
Service brakes, hydraulic121
Vehicle speed control114
Fuel system, gasoline91
Service brakes83
18 other systems6915

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

5 recalls

2002 Nissan Xterra recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Steering: column

Recall 10V-554 · Nov 11, 2010 · 500,552 vehicles

Risk. THE SHAFT MAY BREAK WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL DURING THESE LOW SPEED MANEUVERS INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Delivery: fuel pump

Recall 04V-230 · May 24, 2004 · 586,196 vehicles

Risk. IF CORROSION OCCURS, THE TERMINAL STRIP COULD EVENTUALLY BREAK CAUSING THE FUEL PUMP TO STOP OPERATION.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Driver side: inflator module

Recall 03V-061 · Feb 27, 2003 · 64,562 vehicles

Risk. THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 1 more recall

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Nissan.

Best & worst years

2002 vs. every other Xterra year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Xterra median. How we score

'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2002 Nissan Xterra safety ratings

2002 Nissan Xterra 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2002 Nissan Xterra frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
2002 Nissan Xterra side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Rollover: 2 stars (0.0% risk)
  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2002 Nissan Xterra, and the recalls they led to.

  1. BRAKE ROTOR WARPAGEDP03005 · closed Jul 29, 2003
    No recall
  2. DRIVER'S AIR BAG SYSTEM FAILUREEA02020 · closed Mar 3, 2003
    Led to recall 03V-061
  3. DRIVER'S AIR BAG SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONPE02038 · closed Aug 29, 2002
    No recall
In owners' words

What Xterra owners report

Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

MY 2002 XTERRA ENGINE STALLS WHEN AT IDLE SPEED, IT STARTS BACK BUT WILL STALL ALMOST EVERYTIME I STOP AT A LIGHT,STOP SIGN OR IN TRAFFIC. ENGINE LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON AND THERE IS NO CODES. I SPOKE TO A NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND WHEN I ASKED THEM ABOUT A RECALL ON THE 2004 MODEL FOR THIS PROBLEM THAT…
Complaint 10413939 · Jul 21, 2011 · 90,000 miles
2002 NISSAN XTERRA, UNIT 1 WAS TRAVELING EASTBOUND ON THE OHIO TURNPIKE WHEN THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. *BF (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0086-91) UPDATED 03/29/11 *BF
Complaint 10393172 · Mar 21, 2011
BOTH OF THE VEHICLES EXHAUST MANIFOLDS HAVE DEVELOPED CRACKS AND HAD TO BE REPLACES BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL EXHAUST FUMES ENTERING THE DRIVERS CABIN. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN AND COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH 00-02 NISSAN XTERRAS. NISSAN CHANGED THE MANIFOLD DESIGN IN 03 WHICH ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THEY RECOGNIZED…
Complaint 10233619 · Jul 9, 2008 · 89,000 miles

Own a 2002 Xterra?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.