Nissan Xterra
Owners filed 3,099 complaints across 17 model years of the Nissan Xterra. The 2005 drew the most (845).
Model years17
Complaints3,099
Recalls59
Fires36
Deaths4
Which Nissan Xterra years should you avoid?
Going by 3,099 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the Nissan Xterra years to avoid are 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2002.
- 2005845 complaints, 5.5× a typical Xterra year, most often about the transmission.
- 2006780 complaints, 5.1× a typical Xterra year, most often about the fuel system.
- 2007557 complaints, 3.6× a typical Xterra year, most often about the transmission.
- 20022.3× the usual share of fires, crashes and deaths for a car of its age (7 fires, 21 crashes, 2 deaths).
How this is worked out: each year is compared with a typical year of the same model, which takes most of the difference in sales out of it, and its share of serious failures is compared with every other car of the same model year, because older cars were complained about differently. A year needs 25 complaints to be judged at all. Complaints are unverified owner reports. Full method →
Every Nissan Xterra model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 10 | 0 | — | — | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2014 | 10 | 0 | — | — | Suspension | Routine | |
| 2013 | 4 | 0 | — | 1 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2012 | 16 | 2 | — | — | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2011 | 24 | 2 | — | — | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2010 | 38 | 6 | — | 4 | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2009 | 19 | 5 | — | — | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2008 | 119 | 8 | 3 | 9 | Power Train | Routine | |
| 2007Avoid | 557 | 2 | 3 | 3 | Power Train | Above average | |
| 2006Avoid | 780 | 5 | 3 | 12 | Power Train | Fatalities reported | |
| 2005Avoid | 845 | 6 | 6 | 7 | Power Train | Above average | |
| 2004 | 84 | 3 | 3 | 10 | Steering | Routine | |
| 2003 | 72 | 3 | 2 | 16 | Steering | Routine | |
| 2002Avoid | 157 | 6 | 7 | 21 | Steering | Fatalities reported | |
| 2001 | 150 | 5 | 5 | 15 | Visibility › Power Window Devices and Controls | Routine | |
| 2000 | 214 | 5 | 4 | 25 | Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump | Fatalities reported | |
| 1999 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | Routine |
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, October 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.