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

Unknown Or Other complaints

25 reports

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62,000 miles · Mar 4, 2014

Unknown Or Other

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I WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65-70MPH ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY. TRAFFIC WAS HEAVY AND CARS WERE AT THAT RATE AND FASTER. MY VEHICLE BEGINNING SLOWING DOWN, I IMMEDIATELY PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED SLOWING DOWN. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN MAKING MY WAY OVER TO THE BREAKDOWN LANE. MY LIGHTS BEGAN FLICKERING (BOTH HEADLIGHTS AND INSIDE LIGHTS). MY BRAKE LIGHT, ABS LIGHT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, ETC ALL POPPED UP ON THE DASH. AS I MADE IT TO THE BREAK DOWN LANE THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND IN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR, IT WOULD NOT GO FORWARD. NEXT THE VEHICLE THEN SHUTOFF COMPLETELY AND WOULD NOT START. I HAD NO WARNING THIS WAS GOING TO TAKE PLACE. LUCKY FOR ME, I HADN'T GONE INTO THE FAST LANE BECAUSE I NEVER WOULD HAVE MADE IT INTO THE BREAKDOWN LANE WITHOUT A SERIOUS ACCIDENT BECAUSE IT CAME TO A SUDDEN HALT.

NHTSA ODI #10567275

149,000 miles · Sep 14, 2013

EnginePower TrainUnknown Or Other

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WHEN I DROVE IT TO WORK, THERE WERE A FEW DELAYS WHILE SHIFTING GEARS. AFTER HALF HOUR DRIVING IT, I HEARD WATER SPLASHING SOUNDS. I TURNED OFF THE RADIO AND I HEARD THE SPLASHING SOUNDS EVEN MORE CLEAR. IN THE SAME TIME, I SMELLED ELECTRONIC BURNT LIKE SMELLS. SINCE I WAS ON THE EXPRESS WAY, I COULDN'T STOP RIGHT AWAY. THEN, 15 MINUTES LATER OR A TOTAL OF 45 MINUTES DRIVING IT, THERE WERE SMOKES FROM THE FRONT. I WAS SO SHOCK AND WORRY IF THE CAR WAS GOING TO BLOW UP. I FELT PANIC BECAUSE I COULDN'T JUST STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DRIVING LANES. THANKFULLY, OTHER CARS SLOWED DOWN FOR ME AND LET ME PASSED. I PULLED UP IN THE NEARBY DAIRY DEPOT'S PARKING LOT, BUT I WAS 20 MINUTES AWAY FROM MY WORKPLACE'S CITY. IT WAS SO COLD AND WINDY, BUT SINCE I WAS WORRY IF THE CAR WOULD BLOW UP, I GOT OUT AND STOOD IN THE COLD. ALSO, THE TOW TRUCK WAS DELAYED FOR 2 HOURS AND I HAD TO MISSED WORK. THE CAR SHOP TOLD ME THAT THE RADIATOR CAUSES THE TRANSMISSION ISSUES AND ALL FLUIDS ARE MIXED TOGETHER. WHEN I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE, I CAME ACROSS MANY OTHERS WHO HAD THE SAME ISSUE. I AM SHOCKED THAT IT'S VERY COMMON. I FEEL SO DISCOURAGE TO EVER TRUST NISSAN AGAIN. THIS CAR WAS MY INVESTMENT AS I HAVE $7000 LOAN REMAINING ON IT AND I JUST FIXED ALL FOUR SHAFTS FOR $1000. I HAVE ALWAYS DONE COMPREHENSIVE MAINTENANCE TO IT. SO, WHERE DID I GO WRONG? HOW CAN NISSAN DOES THIS? WHY THERE WAS NO RECALL THAT WOULD HAVE REGAINED CUSTOMERS' TRUST THAT IT IS SAFE TO DRIVE NISSAN??? WHY NISSAN HAS TO WAIT FOR A MOUNTAIN OF COMPLAINTS BEFORE AGREED TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY AND EVEN THAT WAS ONLY FOR THOSE UNDER 100K MILEAGE? DOES IT MEAN THAT NISSAN CAN'T MAKE A CAR THAT LAST MORE THAN 100K??? NOT ONLY NISSAN JEOPARDIZES MY SAFETY AND OTHERS, NOW MY INVESTMENT IN NISSAN HAS TURNED INTO A CHUNK OF DEBT FOR ME. THIS IS SO WRONG!!! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10543612

101,985 miles · Feb 4, 2013

Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainUnknown Or Other

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I HAVE A 2005 NISSAN XTERRA WHICH OVER THE YEARS MY ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON FOR ALL PERIODS OF TIME AND THEN GO OFF. THE FIRST TIME IT CAME ON I RAN TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I COULD NOT AFFORD TO BE BROKE DOWN. NO DIAGNOSIS WAS FOUND (PHANTOM LIGHT - $300 TO TELL NO THERE WAS NO PROBLEM) SO AFTER THAT I DID NOT RUN TO THE DEALER EVERYTHING THE LIGHT COME ONE WHICH WAS MOST OF THE TIME. STARTING IN JANUARY 2012 MY 2005 XTERRA WOULD SEEM TO HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME CHANGING OVER AT CERTAIN SPEEDS ESPECIALLY 40-45 AND 55-60 MPH. I MAINLY DRIVE HIGHWAY SO I KNEW THIS WAS NOT NORMAL FOR MY CAR. SINCE THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING AND I HAD A STATE INSPECTION COMING UP IN MARCH-APRIL 2012 I WANTED TO WAIT BECAUSE I CANNOT BE WITHOUT A CAR. THE ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON FROM JANUARY UNTIL APRIL WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP. FINALLY IN EARLY APRIL 2012 I REALIZED THAT THE HEATS WAS NOT WORKING. AT THE APRIL 10, 2012 INSPECTION THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW RADIATOR ($999.45). THEY TOLD ME THE RADIATOR LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSIONS BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CAR SEEMED TO WORK FINE AFTER THE REPAIR, NO DIFFICULTLY CHANGING OVER AT CERTAIN SPEEDS UNTIL OCTOBER 18, 012 WHEN I LEFT WORK AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. AAA CAME AND TRIED TO JUMP IT TO NO AVAIL. TOWED TO LOCAL MECHANIC (NOT GOING BACK TO DEALERSHIP AGAIN) AND FOUND OUT ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION COOLING PROBLEM ($1,950.98) AND TWO WEEKS WITHOUT A CAR AND $100 TOWING BILL. NOW I GET A LETTER FROM ABOUT LAWSUIT WITH NISSAN BUT MY VEHILES DIAGNOSIS OCCURRED 1,985 MILES AFTER THE ALLOTTED MILEAGE (100,000). SO, I AM OUT $2950.45 PLUS THE COST OF TOWING AND RENT A CARS WITH THE VEHIILE THAT I AM NEVER GOING TO BE ABLE TO TRADE IN BECAUSE NO DEALER WOULD PURCHASE IT FROM ME KNOWING THE PROBLEMS WITH 2005 NISSAN XTERRA. I WILL NEVER BUY NISSAN AGAIN.

NHTSA ODI #10497201

22,000 miles · Jan 29, 2012

Engine And Engine CoolingUnknown Or Other

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THERE WAS A LOUD RUMBLE AND JERKING WHILE DRIVING AT 35MPH. FLUID WAS LEAKING BADLY ALSO. I TOOK THE CAR TO NISSAN ON ON APRIL 21, 2008. THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. AGAIN, THE CAR STARTED JERKING AND MAKING LOUD RUMBLES. I TOOK IT BACK TO NISSAN AND THEY SAID THE U JOINTS WERE BAD AND REPLACED THEM. AS SOON AS I PULLED OUT OF THEIR PARKING AREA, THE CAR DID THE SAME THING. SO, I TOOK IT BACK AGAIN. THIS TIME, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE RADIATOR WAS COMING APART AND LEAKING ANTIFREEZE INTO TRANSMISSION. THEY CHARGED ME $1285.89 TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR AND FLUSH THE TRANSMISSION. IT IS NOW 2012 AND THE CAR IS DOING THE SAME THING AGAIN. THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER FIXED PROPERLY TO BEGIN WITH. I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION AT A HIGH PRICE. ANYONE READING THIS SHOULD PHONE ME AT SO THAT WE CAN START A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT AGAINST NISSAN. LETS INFORM EVERYONE WHO HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM. FROM WHAT I HAVE BEEN READING, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL AS A COSTLY PROBLEM. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *TT

NHTSA ODI #10445735

108,000 miles · Jan 5, 2012

Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, GasolineUnknown Or Other

RADIATOR CORROSION LEAKING FLUID INTO TRANSMISSION. REPLACING RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION. REPLACED VAPORIZER SOLENOID AND THE IPDM UNIT (VOLUNTARY RECALL) WHICH CAUSED STALLING WHILE DRIVING. FUEL SENSOR REPLACED. MANDATORY RECALL ON THE ECM UNIT. NO NOTIFICATION ON VOLUNTARY OR MANDATORY RECALLS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10442553

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