What Owners Report NHTSA ODI · 2,175,102 complaints · MY1998–2026

2005 Nissan Xterra

Typical pattern

0.8% of complaints about the 2005 Nissan Xterra came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2005 vehicle — around the middle of the 245 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 7.7 yr in service. The most-reported system is power train (418 complaints), typically at 8.6 yr or about 104,000 miles.

Complaints
1,175
Median age at failure
7.7 yr
Median mileage
93,000 n=1075
Crash / fire / tow
2.3% of reports
Safety recalls
6

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

System
0y2y4y6y8y10y12y14y
Power train
418 reports · 104,000 mi
8.6 yr
1.4%
Fuel system
244 reports · 61,500 mi
5.2 yr
0.4%
Engine cooling
168 reports · 97,500 mi
7.6 yr
1.2%
Engine
114 reports · 108,000 mi
9.5 yr
1.8%
Fuel system, other
49 reports · 59,357 mi
5.0 yr
2%
Electrical system
39 reports · 84,000 mi
7.9 yr
7.7%
Fuel / propulsion
32 reports · 84,765 mi
8.5 yr
0%
Other
25 reports · 112,000 mi
10.8 yr
0%
Air bags
20 reports · 80,000 mi
9.8 yr
20%

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

10V517000 2010-10-28
Engine cooling

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 ARMADA, TITAN, INFINITI QX56 AND MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 FRONTIER, PATHFINDER AND XTERRA VEHICLES. THE INTELLIGENT POWER DISTRIBUTION MODULE (IPDM) ASSEMBLY CONTAINS AN ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) RELAY THAT HAS A DIODE FOR ELECTRICAL CURRENT NOISE REDUCTION. THE ECM RELAY MAY ALLOW SILICON VAPOR TO FORM AND, OVER TIME, THE SILICON EVAPORATES FROM THE DIODE MOLDING WHICH CAUSES SILICON OXIDE TO DEVELOP ON THE ECM RELAY CONTACT DUE TO ARCING.

THIS COULD CAUSE ENGINE STALLING INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

10E019000 2010-05-20
Suspension:front:control arm:lower arm

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN FRONT AND REAR LOWER LINKS, P/NOS. 54501ZQ00A, 54500ZQ00A, 551A1ZQ00A, 551A0ZQ00A , 54501EA00A, 54500EA00A, 551A1EA500, 551A0EA500, 54501ZR00A, AND 54500ZR00A, SOLD BETWEEN NOVEMBER 25, 2009 AND MAY 14, 2010 AS REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR MODEL YEAR 2004 THROUGH 2010 TITAN, ARMADA, AND QX56, AND MODEL YEARS 2005 THROUGH 2010 FRONTIER, XTERRA, AND PATHFINDER VEHICLES. THE LOWER CONTROL LINK ASSEMBLY HAS TWO CYLINDRICAL COLLARS FORMING THE INBOARD ATTACHMENT POINTS TO THE CHASSIS. DUE TO AN IMPROPER WELDING PROCESS SOME COLLARS MAY CONTAIN WELDS THAT DO NOT MEET STRENGTH

IF THE COLLAR WELD SEPARATES, THE VEHICLE HANDLING WILL DETERIORATE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

08V690000 2008-12-29
Air bags:frontal

NISSAN IS RECALLING 242,720 MY 2005-2009 PATHFINDER, FRONTIER AND XTERRA VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN THOSE AREAS OF THE COUNTRY WHICH USE HEAVY CONCENTRATIONS OF ROAD SALT IN THE WINTER, A MIXTURE OF SNOW/WATER AND SALT CAN ENTER INTO THE FRONT CRASH ZONE SENSOR (CZS) HOUSING. IF THIS OCCURS, THE CZS MAY

THIS ISSUE COULD RESULT IN THE NON-DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAGS IN A CRASH, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

07E046000 2007-07-03
Equipment

CERTAIN HOPKINS AFTERMARKET TRAILER BRAKE CONTROL CONNECTION HARNESSES SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN MODELS OF NISSAN VEHICLES WHICH ARE LISTED ABOVE. THE INTERNAL PART NUMBERS WITHIN HOPKINS ARE: 1010476025, 1040376025, 1110476025, 1170376025, 1290376025, 1010476035, 1040376035, 1110476035, 1170376035, AND 1290376035. A WIRE MAY HAVE BEEN PLACED IN AN INCORRECT POSITION IN THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR HOUSING. THIS RESULTS IN AN INCORRECT ROUTING OF WIRES BETWEEN THE TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER AND THE TOWING VEHICLE WIRING SYSTEM.

THIS HARNESS WOULD RESULT IN POWER FROM THE TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER GOING TO THE TOWING VEHICLE DASH LIGHT CIRCUIT RATHER THAN THE TRAILER BRAKES. THIS RESULT WOULD BE THE LACK OF TRAILER BRAKING WHEN THE TOWING VEHICLE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. IT WOULD ALSO RESULT IN THE TOWING VEHICLES DASH LIGHTS BEING ACTIVATED WHEN THE VEHICLE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE FAILURE OF THE APPLICATION OF THE TRAILER

05V458000 2005-10-05
Trailer hitches

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A NISSAN ACCESSORY TOW HITCH, INADEQUATE QUALITY OF SOME WELDED JOINTS IN THE HITCH ASSEMBLY MAY RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE HITCH FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN BEING USED TO TOW.

THIS COULD RESULT IN THE TRAILER SEPARATING FROM THE VEHICLE AND CAUSE A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

05E062000 2005-09-30
Trailer hitches

CERTAIN VALLEY INDUSTRIES HITCH-CLASS III RECEIVER TRAILER HITCHES P/N 82850 MANUFACTURED BETWEEN MARCH AND SEPTEMBER 2005 SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR 2005 NISSAN XTERRA PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO INSUFFICIENT WELD STRENGTH, UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE HITCHES MAY BREAK WHILE IN USE.

THE TRAILER OR ITEM IN TOW MAY RELEASE PARTIALLY OR WHOLLY FROM THE MOTOR VEHICLE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

In owners’ own words

Air bags mileage not reported 1.4 yr in service crash / fire / tow
ON FEBRUARY 11, 2006, I WAS DRIVING NOT FAR FROM MY HOUSE, WHEN MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL. WE ROLLED FIVE TIMES BEFORE WE HIT THE FIRST TREE. WE WENT RIGHT OVER THAT TREE. THEN WE ROLLED ANOTHER THREE TIMES BEFORE WE WERE STOPPED BY A CHAIN LINK FENCE WITH A EUCALYPTUS TREE. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT GO OFF. MY VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *NM
Air bags 26,000 mi 2.7 yr in service
AIRBAG SYSTEM FAILURE LIGHT GOES OFF AND PASSENGER AIRBAG DOES NOT ACTIVATE WHEN PASSENGER IS IN FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. AIRBAG MAY NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. FIRST TIME I WAS TOLD IT WAS A LOSE CONNECTOR SECOND TIME I WAS TOLD THE COMPUTER HAD TO BE RESET. THIRD TIME I WAS TOLD THE COMPUTER WAS REPLACED. IT IS NOW BACK IN NISSAN SERVICE FOR THE FORTH TIME. *TR
Air bags 50,000 mi 5.4 yr in service
DEFECTIVE AIRBAG SENSOR FOR 2005 NISSAN XTERRA. RECALL ON NHTSA ID # 08V690000, DATED 12/18/2008. HAD SENSOR REPLACED BY NISSAN DEALERSHIP ON APRIL 9 OR 10, 2009. ON 02/24/2010 AIRBAG LIGHTS FOR DRIVER AND PASSENGER CAME ON, OWNERS MANUAL STATES THE AIRBAG IS NON-OPERATIONAL AND NEEDS SERVICED. WILL THIS BE ON THE PRIOR RECALL? WILL THIS BE A NEW RECALL? WILL I NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY DUE TO A PRIOR RECALL? *TR
Engine cooling 54,000 mi 3.8 yr in service
ERROR CODE ON 2005 NISSAN XTERRA - P0643 HAS SHOWN UP ON MANY MODELS WITH THIS ENGINE. NOTED ON AN EMISSION INSPECTION FOR ANNUAL TX INSPECTION. *TR

Other Xterra model years

20082007200620052004200220012000

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