Power Train. Review the 412 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 242 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 167 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

7 crash reports6 fire reports6 injury reports

Power Train complaints

412 reports

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119,000 miles · Jan 2, 2013

Power Train

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MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE DURING THE AFTERNOON ON A SUNNY DAY. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE SHE WAS EXITING THE ENTRANCE RAMP ONTO I-75 NORTH FROM BUSINESS I-75. WHILE ACCELERATING TO MERGE (APPROXIMATELY 60MPH) THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO FAIL, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO "JERK AND HESITATE" MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE ENTRANCE RAMP ENTERS THE FREEWAY IN THE LEFT LANE, SHE WAS ABLE TO AVOID THE OTHER CARS AND GET HER VEHICLE OFF TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER BUT THERE WAS A NEAR MISS. UPON CONTACTING NISSAN THEY INFORMED ME THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT THEY DIDN'T FEEL THEY NEEDED TO REPORT THE DEFECT TO ME, AND THEREFORE ENDANGERING ME AND MY FAMILY, BECAUSE NHTSA HAD NOT FORCED THEM TO INTO A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10490834

158,000 miles · Dec 23, 2012

Power Train

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION COMES OUT OF GEAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10489568

98,240 miles · Dec 22, 2012

EnginePower Train

RADIATOR LEAK, HEATER TEMP DROPPING, ROUGH GEAR VIBRATION FROM TRANSMISSION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10489532

108,000 miles · Dec 16, 2012

Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

A CRACK IN RADIATOR ASSEMBLY CAUSES A TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10488896

121,000 miles · Dec 13, 2012

Power Train

TRANSMISSION SLIPPED WHILE DRIVING, THEN WOULD NOT SHIFT AT ALL. HAD TO BE TOWED. TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT, BUT GOES INTO "LIMP MODE" AFTER A FEW MILES OF DRIVING, WITH A STRONG ODOR OF HOT FLUID. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10488676

93,000 miles · Dec 11, 2012

Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

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I RECENTLY HAD TO REPLACE MY RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION DUE TO THE KNOWN 2005 NISSAN XTERRA RADIATOR PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM STARTED OFF AS HEAVY VIBRATION WHEN GEARS SHIFTED, AND THE HEATER WAS NOTICEABLY NOT AS WARM AS IT HAD BEEN. AFTER A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME WITH THE VIBRATION ISSUES, THE TRANSMISSION GOT TO A POINT WHERE THE VIBRATIONS WOULD LAST LONGER, MEANING THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SHIFTING GEARS REASONABLY. THIS BECAME A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE WHEN I WAS MERGING ONTO THE INTERSTATE ONE DAY AND MY OVERDRIVE COMPLETELY MISSED, LEAVING ME IN BASICALLY NEUTRAL AT APPROX 50MPH WITH NO ABILITY TO ACCELERATE WITH A CAR ALMOST SLAMMING INTO THE REAR OF ME SINCE IT COULD NOT MOVE OUT OF THE LANE TO AVOID ME. FOR THIS NOT TO BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE IS VERY RIDICULOUS. A FAILING TRANSMISSION IS MOST CERTAINLY A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN IT FAILS WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING. NISSAN MAY HAVE AGREED TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED FOR FREE FOR VEHICLES UNDER 80000 MILES, BUT THE LIKELIHOOD OF THIS PROBLEM OCCURRING IS PAST 80000 MILES. NISSAN SHOULD NOT ONLY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THIS REPAIR, BUT NISSAN SHOULD ALSO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR LETTING OWNERS KNOW OF THE SYMPTOMS, PROBLEMS, AND ASSOCIATED SAFETY CONCERNS WITH A FAILING TRANSMISSION. AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED, NISSAN HAS FAILED IN EVERY ASPECT OF DEALING WITH SUCH A COSTLY ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10487963

140,000 miles · Dec 9, 2012

Power Train

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 45 MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR STARTED SLOWING DOWN. WHEN I PULLED OVER THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO MY HOUSE AND IT HASN'T STARTED SINCE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10487796

90,000 miles · Nov 28, 2012

Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

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LIKE MANY OTHER XTERRA OF THIS YEAR, THE RADIATOR WAS FAULTY AND LEAKED ANTIFREEZE INTO THE TRANSMISSION. CONSEQUENTLY I HAD TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR, HAVE IT SERVICED FOR 1177.00 DOLLARS AND THEN WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED BECAUSE IT WAS NOT A SAFETY RECALL EVEN WITH A HIGH FAILURE RATE FOR THIS MODEL. THINKING THE RADIATOR WAS THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE VEHICLE DRIVING PROBLEMS I WAS ASSURED NOTHING ELSE WAS WRONG WITH THE XTERRA. I CONTINUED TO RESEARCH THIS PROBLEM AS I HAD CONTINUED TROUBLE WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND BEING TOWED SEVERAL TIMES. I WAS TOLD THAT THE RADIATOR LEAKED ANTIFREEZE INTO THE TRANSMISSION RENDERING IT INOPERATIVE AND NEEDING A FULL REPLACEMENT. I THEN PAID 3550.00 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. AGAIN, I WAS TOLD BY NISSAN THAT THIS WAS NOT COVERED BY ANY WARRANTY AND THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND YEAR. AFTER MORE RESEARCH, I DISCOVERED THERE WAS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE COMPLAINT OF THE SAME ISSUE AND NISSAN TELLING THEIR CUSTOMERS THAT IT WAS OUT OF THERE HANDS AND NOT IN HIGH ENOUGH INCIDENCE FOR A RECALL. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR CUSTOMERS TO BE REPAID FOR THESE REPAIRS AND MY FAMILY AND I HOPE NISSAN DOES THE RIGHT THING AND PAY THEIR CUSTOMERS BACK FOR THEIR MISTAKE AND FAULTY PARTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10486386

105,236 miles · Nov 26, 2012

Power TrainService Brakes

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LEFT AND RIGHT REAR AXLE SEALS BLEW OUT AND LEAKED DIFFERENTIAL FLUID. DIFFERENTIAL FLUID LEAKING ON REAR BRAKE ROTORS WHICH COULD CAUSE BRAKE FAILURE, WHICH WAS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN TO ME. AT TIME OF FAILURE NO SUSPENSION MODIFICATIONS HAD BEEN DONE TO VEHICLE. ALSO, THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL OIL WILL SLOWLY LEAK AND CAUSE THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL TO LOSE FLUID AND FAIL. THE LEAKING DIFFERENTIAL FLUID HAS ALSO CONTAMINATED THE PARKING/EMERGENCY BRAKE SHOES AND THEY WILL NOT HOLD OR SLOW VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10486084

97,500 miles · Nov 22, 2012

Power Train

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JANUARY 2012 ONE MORNING I WAS DRIVING AT HWY SPEED ON THE FREEWAY WHEN OUT OF NOWHERE LOST TOTAL POWER. I STEPPED ON THE GAS AND MY TRUCK WENT FROM 60 TO 10 MILES AN HOUR. THANK GOD IT WAS CLOSE TO AN OFF REAP AND I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY. I TOOK THE CAR TO NEAREST AUTO REPAIR SHOP. AFTER EXAMINATION OF TRANSMISSION THEY FOUND LARGE AMOUNT OF WHITE SUBTEND IN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID BUT THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE WHAT THAT WAS. NEXT DAY I DROVE THE TRUCK TO NISSAN DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE OF THE DEFECT IN THE RADIATOR THE ANTI-FREEZE WAS LEAKING TO THE TRANSMISSION AND CAUSING IT TO SEIZE AND BOTH COMPONENTS NEED TO IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE FAILURE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND THAT IS OCCURS WITH NO WARNING, NO ENGINE LIGHT, NO NOTICEABLE DETERIORATION OF PERFORMANCE, IT JUST HAPPENS. SINCE I WAS NOT IN ANY POSITION TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR, I TOOK MY TRUCK HOME AND TRY TO CONTACT NISSAN FOR HELP. ON JANUARY 16, I CONTACT THE NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS AGAIN AND REQUESTED AN EXCEPTION TO THE 80K MILES LIMITATION. NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS TOOK 2 WEEKS TO REVIEW MY CASE BEFORE DENYING IT. THE FAILURE OF NISSAN TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS, PARTICULARLY WHEN THE PROBLEM REPRESENTS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN AND ATTRIBUTABLE TO A DESIGN FLAW, IS INEXCUSABLE. NISSAN DENIES THAT THERE IS A SAFETY CONCERN, WHEREAS THEY SHOULD HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ERROR AND ISSUED A RECALL. HOW MANY ACCIDENTS OR FATALITIES NEED TO OCCUR OVER THE COMING YEARS BEFORE NISSAN IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR NEGLIGENCE? MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALER ESTIMATED IT WOULD COST $5368 TO REPAIR MY XTERRA. THIS REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL BURDEN AND HARDSHIP -- ESPECIALLY ON A VEHICLE WITH JUST OVER 100K MILES. HOW MANY NISSAN OWNERS HAVE TO EXPERIENCE THIS TYPE OF FINANCIAL HARDSHIP BEFORE NISSAN IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10485787

Official recalls

10V517000 · Engine And Engine Cooling

Oct 28, 2010

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.

Consequence & remedy

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

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ECM RELAY INSIDE THE IPDM ASSEMBLY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 6, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

08V690000 · Air Bags:frontal

Dec 29, 2008

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 INTERNALLY RUST RESULTING IN A SIGNAL INTERRUPTION. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE RED AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE TO ALERT THE VEHICLE OPERATOR.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT CZS WITH A REDESIGNED SENSOR. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 26, 2009. OWNERS IN THE OTHER STATES WILL RECEIVE EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR THE SENSOR TO 10 YEARS. THESE OWNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE WARRANTY EXTENSION BY MAIL AND WILL RECEIVE A STICKER TO PLACE IN THEIR WARRANTY BOOKLET EXPLAINING THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

05V458000 · Trailer Hitches

Oct 5, 2005

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.

Consequence & remedy

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

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TOW HITCHES. ON OCTOBER 17, 2005, OWNERS WERE SENT AN INTERIM LETTER ADVISING THEM NOT TO USE THE TOW HITCH UNTIL IT CAN BE REPAIRED. ANOTHER LETTER WAS SENT OUT ON NOVEMBER 21, 2005, NOTIFYING THEM TO BRING THEIR VEHICLES IN FOR REPAIR. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

DP12004 · Transmission Failures

Opened Jun 11, 2012 · Closed Oct 22, 2016

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train; Power Train:automatic Transmission; Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm); Power Train:automatic Transmission:cooling Unit And Lines; Power Train:automatic Transmission:torque Converter

On February 29, 2012 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter petitioning the agency to conduct a defect investigation into MY 2005-2010 Nissan Pathfinder, Frontier, and Xterra vehicles [the subject vehicles] for automatic transmission failures related to failed transmission coolers.NHTSA conducted a comprehensive review of data related to this subject. Our report, documenting this review, is available in the document file for this defect petition.It will also be published in the Federal Register. Of the 2,505 referenced complaints, 638 relate to a potential hazard (unable to maintain speed, no motive power, engine stall) and 1,867 concern customer satisfaction issues including, but not limited to, repair cost, vehicle shudder and shake, and engine overheating.Taking into account the allocation of agency resources and priorities and the likelihood that additional investigation would result in a finding that an unreasonable risk to highway safety exists, we conclude that further investigation is not warranted and deny the petition.ODI Complaint ID numbers are referenced on the next page.

Additional source detail variants (5)

Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

Power Train:automatic Transmission:cooling Unit And Lines

Power Train:automatic Transmission

Power Train:automatic Transmission:torque Converter

Power Train