2005 Nissan Xterra

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A STEEP HILL, I TURNED OFF THE OVERDRIVE AND THE DASHBOARD DISPLAY SHOWED THE VEHICLE HAD SHIFTED INTO 4TH GEAR BUT IN FACT IS WAS STILL IN OD (5TH) GEAR. UPON ACTIVATING THE BUTTON TO SHIFT BACK TO OD, THE VEHICLE NOW SHIFTED DOWN INTO 3RD GEAR BUT DISPLAYED THAT IT WAS IN OD (5TH) GEAR. I LIVE IN THE SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND I NEED TO DOWNSHIFT TO SLOW THE VEHICLE WHEN GOING DOWNHILL AND TO AVOID OVERHEATING THE BRAKES WITH A POSSIBILITY OF BRAKE FAILURE. I HAVE VISITED TWO DIFFERENT NISSAN DEALERS ON A TOTAL OF FOUR OCCASIONS TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM AND THEY TELL ME THAT IS THE WAY THE VEHICLE FUNCTIONS AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO FIX IT. ALTHOUGH I THOUGHT I WAS BUYING A VEHICLE WITH FIVE GEARS, IN FACT WHEN GOING DOWN HILL IT DOES NOT HAVE A 4TH GEAR. UPDATED 02/14/11 *BF

BEGINNING SUMMER 2010 2005 NISSAN XTERRA (PURCHASED NEW IN 2005) BEGAN MAKING RUMBLING NOISE (AS IF GOING OVER RUMBLE STRIPS) WHILE DRIVING. INCIDENT OCCURRED FREQUENTLY AT DIFFERING SPEEDS FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS. NO OTHER PROBLEMS WERE EVIDENT AT THAT TIME. IN NOVEMBER 2010 WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY VEHICLE BEGAN OVERHEATING, BLOWING HOT AIR THROUGH AIR CONDITIONER, AND REGISTERING HOT ON GAUGE. VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN TO LOCAL MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE PROBLEM. THE NEXT DAY VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP WHERE CAR WAS PURCHASED AND TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO RADIATOR FLUID LEAK. AFTER RESEARCH AND FINDING THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE THE OWNER DECIDED NOT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE FIXED AT HER EXPENSE AND IS NOT DRIVING THE VEHICLE UNTIL AN AGREEMENT IS MADE WITH NISSAN. WHILE THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR ACCIDENTS IN THIS INCIDENCE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF TRANSMISSION FAILURES IN TRAFFIC EITHER CAUSING OR ALMOST CAUSING ACCIDENTS. NISSAN'S FAILURE TO ALERT 05 XTERRA OWNERS OF THIS PROBLEM THAT THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF IS NEGLIGENCE AND RISKS HEALTH AND SAFETY. FURTHER, IT CAN BE FOUND THAT THE PROBLEM CANNOT BE FIXED BY SIMPLY REPLACING THE ORIGINAL PARTS AS THE PARTS AND DESIGN WERE DEFECTIVE TO BEGIN WITH. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT AFTER BEING "FIXED" BY THE DEALERSHIP THE PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED AGAIN. *TR

ON SATURDAY DECEMBER 18, 2010 I NOTICED A VIBRATION IN MY 2005 NISSAN XTERRA. THE FOLLOWING MONDAY I TOOK IT TO A DEALER FOR SERVICE. I WAS TOLD THAT MY RADIATOR HAD FAILED AND THAT IT HAD LEAKED COOLANT INTO MY TRANSMISSION, CAUSING BOTH COMPONENTS TO NEED IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE FAILURE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND THAT IT OCCURS WITH NO WARNING...NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, NO NOTICEABLE DETERIORATION OF PERFORMANCE, IT JUST HAPPENS. HE SAID THAT IN A WORST-CASE SCENARIO, THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION COULD SEIZE CAUSING AN IMMEDIATE STOP AND LOSS OF CONTROL. WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURRED ON MY XTERRA, I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE TRAVELING 60-70MPH. NISSAN KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE RADIATOR BY 20,000 MILES (TO 80K FROM 60K) BUT THEY REFUSE TO ISSUE A RECALL EVEN THOUGH THIS PROBLEM AFFECTS ALL OF THEIR MID-SIZED TRUCKS AND SUVS MANUFACTURED IN 2005. FURTHERMORE, NISSAN ISSUED THIS EXTENSION TO DEALERSHIPS AND NOT DIRECTLY TO CONSUMERS. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THE CHANGE OR ANY POTENTIAL PROBLEM. AS SUCH, I HAVE BEEN DRIVING A TICKING TIME-BOMB THAT LUCKILY DID NOT GO OFF AND HARM MYSELF OR MY FAMILY. *TR

THE ENGINE IN MY 2005 NISSAN XTERRA (4WD) BEGAN MAKING A SLIGHT WHINING NOISE. I WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE NOISE WAS A DRIVE BELT. AFTER REPLACING THAT ITEM, A SLIGHT KNOCKING COULD BE HEARD. AS I WAS TRAVELING ALONG A MAJOR HIGHWAY MY VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND FORCED ME TO AVOID A COLLISION AND COAST OFF THE ROADWAY. I LEARNED THAT THE NOISE WAS FROM A TIMING CHAIN INSIDE MY ENGINE. THE MECHANIC ADVISED MULTIPLE NISSAN VEHICLES HAD BEEN GETTING THE TIMING CHAIN REPLACED, AND THAT THIS WAS VERY UNUSUAL FOR A VEHICLE LIKE MINE WITH ONLY 70,000 MILES. THE REPAIRS FOR THIS COST OVER $1000 INCLUDING A TOW CHARGE, RENTAL CAR ETC. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN XTERRA 4.0. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL INDICATING THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,100.

FIRST PROBLEM - WHEN I HAD 53,000 MI ON IT, IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY, IT STARTED CUTTING OUT AND WOULDN'T ACCELERATE AT ALL, HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALER TO FIND OUT THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS BAD. THEY SAID THAT HE RADIATOR LEAKED, FLOODING MY TRANSMISSION WITH COOLANT AND RUINED MY TRANSMISSION. THEY REFUSED TO HONOR THE WARRANTY STATING THAT "THE TRANMISSION DID NOT FAIL - THE RADIATOR DID (WHICH WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY) THEREFORE THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT COVERED". I HAD TO LET THEM REPLACE THE RADIATOR AND FLUSH THE TRANSMISSION 3 TIMES - IT COST ME $1,400 OUT OF POCKET - NOW HERE I AM 30,000 MILES LATER AND MY REVERSE WILL NOT WORK AT ALL, MY TRANSMISSION NEEDS REPLACED. SO I HAD PAID 1,400 JUST TO BUY MYSELF AN YEAR & A HALF AND NOW I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. 2ND PROBLEM - I HAVE THE FUEL GAUGE/SENSOR PROBLEM, ALSO. I FILLED UP ONE DAY, GOT IN MY CAR AND GAUGE READ EMPTY & CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. I HAD A RIP-OFF MECHANIC CHARGE ME $170 TO REPLACE THE SENSOR - NOTHING EVER CHANGED, GAUGE IS STILL BROKE AND LIGHT IS STILL ON. NISSAN IS SO WRONG FOR NOT HANDLING THEIR PROBLEMS, CONSUMERS DESERVE TO BE TREATED FAIRLY. THERE SHOULD BE A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST THEM - JUST READ THESE COMPLAINT BOARDS. SOMEHOW I HAVE BOTH OF THE MOST COMMON PROBLEMS WITH THESE VEHICLES.

2005 NISSAN XTERRA 4WD--VEHICLE HAS VIBRATION IN STEERING AND GEAR SHIFT ACCOMPANIED WITH A LOW RUMBLE; MECHANIC REPORTS PROBLEM IS IN FRONT U-JOINT;-BEST TO REPLACE BOTH U-JOINTS; ALSO BEING REPORTED BY NISSAN SERVICE DEPARTMENT -- MOST LIKELY WILL BE A RECALL; ENTIRE DRIVE SHAFT MUST BE REPLACED, NOT JUST THE U-JOINT; ADDITIONALLY NISSAN SERVICE DEPARTMENT IS REPORTING PART IS NOT AVAILABLE. I HAVE A CAR WITH A PROBLEM IN DRIVE TRAIN THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED, A MANUFACTURER REPORTING A POTENTIAL RECALL AND NO PARTS AVAILABLE. MY OPTIONS ARE--PARK CAR UNTIL PARTS ARE AVAILABLE (NO ETA ON THE PARTS), DRIVE CAR WITH A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM, OR HAVE A USED PART PLACED INTO THE CAR. *TR

2005 XTERRA SE. WHEN DRIVING AT 1.5 TO 2 RPMS TRUCK RUMBLES UNDERNEATH LIKE IT IS GOING OVER THE RUMBLE STRIPS ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. ACCELERATION OR DECELERATION STOPS THE NOISE. REAR DIFFERENTIAL ISSUES HAVE BEEN RAISED ON MANY NISSAN AND TRUCK FORUMS DISCUSSING THE LATER 2000 XTERRA MODELS. NISSAN SAID I NEED THE NEW REAR DIFFERENTIAL. CURIOUS IF THIS IS A WIDE RANGE PROBLEM. *TR

2005 NISSAN XTERRA- TRANSMISSION FAILURE DUE TO LEAKAGE OF RADIATOR FLUID FROM TRANSMISSION COOLING LINE INFILTRATING INTO TRANSMISSION AND CAUSING IT TO FAIL. TRANSMISSION WHEN FAILS WILL CAUSE SEVERE VIBRATIONS OR WILL SEIZE UP. DEALERSHIP HAS NO SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT TECHNICAL BULLETINS BUT SERVICE PERSONS (OFF RECORD) CONFIRM INCREASING NUMBER OF UNITS BEING PRESENTED FOR REPAIR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN XTERRA. THE CONTACT WAS ACCELERATING 5 MPH FROM A TRAFFIC STOP WHEN THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY LOST POWER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND LEFT. ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER IN REGARDS TO AN UNUSUAL RUMBLING IN THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS LEAKING INTO THE RADIATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,500.