Power Train. Review the 231 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 136 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 85 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports3 fire reports5 injury reports

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

2 reports

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86,000 miles · Oct 25, 2010

Parking BrakeService Brakes, Hydraulic

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MY VEHICLE HAS DEGRADED BRAKING PERFORMANCE. I INVESTIGATED AND DISCOVERED GEAR-OIL LEAKING FROM REAR AXLE ONTO BREAK ROTORS. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALS THIS IS AN EPIDEMIC. NHTSA ITEM NUMBER 10033306 INDICATES THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM FOR 2007 NISSAN XTERRA. INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE AND DEGRADED BREAKING PERFORMANCE HAS PROBABLY CONTRIBUTED TO NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS ALREADY. IT MAY HAVE ALREADY RESULTED IN FATALITIES. AS A REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER, I URGE YOU TO INITIATE A RECALL OF ALL VEHICLES PRONE TO THIS DEFECT. IT CAN BE ELIMINATED BY SIMPLY REPLACING DEFECTIVE REAR-AXLE SEALS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10362310

5,795 miles · Oct 5, 2007

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

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THE BRAKES ON MY 2007 NISSAN XTERRA WOULD NOT FULLY ACTIVATE AND ALMOST CAUSED ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. I WAS ENTERING I-95 SOUTHBOUND AND TRAFFIC WAS STOPPED ON THE RAMP FROM LEM TURNER ROAD. I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. THERE WAS A LIGHT RAIN AND I HAD RECENTLY DRIVEN THROUGH STANDING WATER WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY ONE INCH DEEP. THE VEHICLE TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY EIGHT CAR LENGTHS, DURING WHICH TIME I HAD THE BRAKE PEDAL FULLY DEPRESSED, BEFORE COMING TO A STOP WITHIN A FEW FEET OF A STOPPED CAR. I DID NOT DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL FULLY UNTIL I FOUND THAT THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING IN A NORMAL MANNER. I EXITED THE INTERSTATE, AND ATTEMPTED TO DUPLICATE THE SYMPTOMS IN A VACANT PARKING LOT AT ROOSEVELT MALL, BUT WAS UNABLE. AFTER CONTINUING HOME, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN AS I ATTEMPTED TO STOP TO ENTER RAMP ONTO 20TH ST EXPRESSWAY FROM MAIN STREET. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 5800 MILES ON IT. I HAVE A CLEAN MOTOR VEHICLE RECORD AND AM CONSIDERED A SAFE DRIVER BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA. THIS VERY WELL COULD HAVE ENDED MUCH DIFFERENTLY HAD I NOT BEEN DRIVING DEFENSIVELY. I AM GOING TO CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP IN THE MORNING, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 06, 2007 IN ORDER TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM ADDRESSED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10205114

Official recalls

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.

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