IllustrationI HAVE A 2006 NISSAN XTERRA AND THE FUEL GAUGE ISN'T READING AFTER WE FILL THE TANK UP. THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT KEEPS APPEARING ALSO. WE HAVE BEEN DOING SOME RESEARCH TO TRY TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND WE DISCOVERED THAT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM IN 05/06 MODELS AND THE MANUFACTURER ISN'T COVERING IT. *TR
2006 Nissan Xterra
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Xterra years
Owner complaints for the 2006 Nissan Xterra are substantially higher than the model-year median of 78.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Xterra years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
380–25K
13625–50K
14750–75K
14775–100K
191100–150K
61150K+
720 reports with mileage · 60 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 268 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 237 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 106 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
12 crash reports3 fire reports11 injury reports
Fuel System, Gasoline complaints
237 reportsGAS SENDING UNIT IS FAILING. VEHICLE IDLES ROUGHLY, AND SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. GAS GAUGE TAKES FOREVER TO SHOW FULL TANK AFTER FILL UP. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND THE DEALER IS CHARGING $700 TO FIX IT. *TR
I'M HAVING A PROBLEM WITH MY 2006 XTERRA. I FILL MY GAS TANK, THE GAUGE FALLS TO THE BOTTOM AND THE LIGHT COMES ON, AT ABOUT A HALF A TANK OF GAS THE NEEDLE MOVES TO A FULL TANK, ..MY GAS NEEDLE IS NOT WORKING.... *TR
I FILLED UP MY 2006 NISSAN XTERRA WITH GAS LAST NIGHT AND NOW THE GAS GAUGE ONLY GOES UP TO 3/4 TANK AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 24,000 MILES ON IT AND I HAVE READ THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SEVERAL NISSAN MODELS DATING BACK SEVERAL YEARS. I PURCHASED MY NISSAN XTERRA FROM NILES IN KEY WEST…
Read full complaint
I FILLED UP MY 2006 NISSAN XTERRA WITH GAS LAST NIGHT AND NOW THE GAS GAUGE ONLY GOES UP TO 3/4 TANK AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 24,000 MILES ON IT AND I HAVE READ THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SEVERAL NISSAN MODELS DATING BACK SEVERAL YEARS. I PURCHASED MY NISSAN XTERRA FROM NILES IN KEY WEST FL AND HAVE HAD ZERO PROBLEMS WITH IT UNTIL NOW. *TR
I DRIVE A 2005 XTERRA OFF-ROAD - IT SEEMS AS IF MY FUEL LEVEL SENSOR IS ACTING UP - FROM WHAT I READ AT OTHER FORUMS, THIS IS A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM WITH XTERRA, PATHFINDERS, FRONTIERS. I WAS WANDERING IF NISSAN WILL HAVE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR
FAULTY FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT ON A 2006 NISSAN XTERA.. FUEL GAUGE WILL INDICATE A LOW FUEL LEVEL, AND UPON FILLING WITH FUEL , GAUGE WILL REMAIN AT LOW LEVEL. AFTER A FEW MILES GAUGE WILL BEGIN TO MOVE UNTIL REACHING PROPER LEVEL AND THEN OPERATE CORRECTLY UNTIL NEXT REQUIRED FILL UP. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON TO INDICATE …
Read full complaint
FAULTY FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT ON A 2006 NISSAN XTERA.. FUEL GAUGE WILL INDICATE A LOW FUEL LEVEL, AND UPON FILLING WITH FUEL , GAUGE WILL REMAIN AT LOW LEVEL. AFTER A FEW MILES GAUGE WILL BEGIN TO MOVE UNTIL REACHING PROPER LEVEL AND THEN OPERATE CORRECTLY UNTIL NEXT REQUIRED FILL UP. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON TO INDICATE PROBLEM AND SERVICE PERSON SAYS SENDING UNIT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH XTERAS AND IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. IT SEEMS COMMON ENOUGH THAT THIS FAULTY PART IS A BAD DESIGN AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR
MY 2006 XTERRA FUEL GAUGE WILL NOT RISE WHEN I FILL THE TANK. AFTER DRIVING A FEW MILES AFTER THE FILL UP THE NEEDLE DROPS TO EMPTY AND FUEL LIGHT COMES ON. THEN THE NEXT TIME I START MY TRUCK THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON UNTIL MY FUEL TANK IS BELOW HALF FULL. *TR
GAS GAGE IS WRONG - ALWAYS -- AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON. I FOUND OUT IT'S GOING TO COST ME OVER $400 TO FIX THIS ISSUE. TOO MANY OTHERS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. *TR
THE GAS GAUGE IN OUR 2006 NISSAN X-TERRA HAS STOPPED WORKING AND IS CAUSING OUR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON. IF THERE IS A FULL TANK OF GAS, THE GAUGE IS ON EMPTY AND THE LIGHT COMES ON. IT GRADUALLY COMES BACK UP BUT NEVER GOES ABOVE 3/4 FULL TANK. WE WERE QUOTED $800 TO FIX IT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE SENSOR HAS TO BE REPLACED…
Read full complaint
THE GAS GAUGE IN OUR 2006 NISSAN X-TERRA HAS STOPPED WORKING AND IS CAUSING OUR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON. IF THERE IS A FULL TANK OF GAS, THE GAUGE IS ON EMPTY AND THE LIGHT COMES ON. IT GRADUALLY COMES BACK UP BUT NEVER GOES ABOVE 3/4 FULL TANK. WE WERE QUOTED $800 TO FIX IT BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE SENSOR HAS TO BE REPLACED. *TR
I HAVE A 2006 NISSAN XTERRA. EVERY TIME I FILL MY GAS TANK THE GAS GAUGE DROPS TO THE BOTTOM AND THE LIGHT COMES ON. AFTER CRANKING THE CHECK ENGINE SOON LIGHT COMES ON. AFTER DRIVING A SHORT WAYS THE GAUGE GRADUALLY BEGINS TO MOVE BACK UP TO THE TOP. AFTER SEVERAL DRIVING TRIPS THE CHECK ENGINE SOON LIGHT WILL TURN ITSELF O…
Read full complaint
I HAVE A 2006 NISSAN XTERRA. EVERY TIME I FILL MY GAS TANK THE GAS GAUGE DROPS TO THE BOTTOM AND THE LIGHT COMES ON. AFTER CRANKING THE CHECK ENGINE SOON LIGHT COMES ON. AFTER DRIVING A SHORT WAYS THE GAUGE GRADUALLY BEGINS TO MOVE BACK UP TO THE TOP. AFTER SEVERAL DRIVING TRIPS THE CHECK ENGINE SOON LIGHT WILL TURN ITSELF OFF. THIS HAPPENS EACH TIME I FILL MY TANK WHETHER THE TANK IS 3/4, 1/2, 1/4, OR EMPTY. *TR
Official recalls
310V517000 · 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.
10V075000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:auxillary Tank
Mar 3, 2010
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006 AND MODEL YEAR 2008 FRONTIER, XTERRA AND PATHFINDER VEHICLES. THE MOLDED FUEL TANK SHELLS CAN DEFORM, CAUSING THE FUEL SENDER FLOAT ARM TO CONTACT AN EMBOSSMENT MOLDED INTO THE TANK SHELL CAUSING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FUEL GAUGE TO SHOW THAT THE VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY ONE QUARTER TANK WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS EMPTY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO RUN OUT OF GAS AND STALL IN TRAFFIC, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT INSIDE THE FUEL TANK WITH A NEW ONE THAT HAS A MODIFIED FLOAT ARM. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE MARCH 22, 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.
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
1DP12004 · 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)
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.
Power Train:automatic Transmission:cooling Unit And Lines
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.
Power Train:automatic Transmission
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.
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.
Power Train
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.