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

Structure complaints

5 reports

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45,000 miles · Apr 28, 2015

Fuel/propulsion SystemService BrakesStructure

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THESE VEHICLES SEEM TO HAVE A SAFETY FLAW. WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL THE AMOUNT OF TRAVEL IS SUCH THAT IT IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE TO DEPRESS THE GAS PEDAL AT THE SAME TIME CAUSING THE CAR TO LURCH FORWARD. I HAVE HAD TWO DIFFERENT NISSAN DEALERS (HENDERSON, NEVADA AND BOISE, IDAHO) INSPECT MY VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD IN BOTH CASES THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE...ITS THE WAY THE AUTOMOBILE WAS MANUFACTURED. DURING MY LAST DEALER INSPECTION IN BOISE, IDAHO THE MECHANIC BROUGHT A NEW 2015 MODEL INTO THE GARAGE AND PUT THE TWO CARS SIDE BY SIDE. THE DIFFERENCE IN BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL WAS APPROXIMATELY 1/8 OF AN INCH, SO THE PROBLEM HAS EVIDENTLY NEVER BEEN ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER. TODAY, MY VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD WHEN BRAKING BECAUSE THE GAS PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED WHILE BRAKING. IT IS PARAMOUNT THAT ONE'S FOOT IS CENTERED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL; IF YOUR FOOT IS OFF TO THE RIGHT SIDE JUST A LITTLE, THE GAS PEDAL WILL BE DEPRESSED WHILE BRAKING CAUSING AN UNSAFE SITUATION. I HAVE HAD MANY VERY CLOSE CALLS BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10713487

132,500 miles · Dec 22, 2014

Electrical SystemStructure

REAR PASSENGER DOORS KEEP LOCKING AND WON'T OPEN/UNLOCK AT ALL. OEM PARTS WERE USED FOR ACTUATOR AND OTHER ISSUES, HOWEVER IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN. VERY UNSAFE, AS IF THEY JAM, WE CAN'T EXIT THE VEHICLE AND HAVE TO CLIMB TO THE REAR HATCH OR THROUGH THE FRONT SEATS. IF THERE WERE AN ACCIDENT, IT WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10667672

6,900 miles · Sep 21, 2014

Structure

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DEPENDING ON THE TEMPERATURE (70 DEGREES F OR BELOW) THE HYDRAULIC SUPPORT ARM FOR THE REAR LIFT GATE FAILS TO HOLD THE LIFT GATE IN THE OPEN POSITION RESULTING IN HEAD AND NECK BEING STRUCK BY SAID LIFT GATE. PLEASE NOTE THAT AS THE TEMP. DECREASES - THE LIFT GATE SUPPORT DECREASES. I HAVE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS SPOKE WITH VARIOUS NISSAN DEALERSHIPS WHO HAVE ADMITTED THIS PROBLEM BUT REFUSED TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION - "WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED AN OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION REQUIRING A DEALERSHIP TO MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS." OTHER OWNERS OF THIS MODEL AND YEAR CONFIRM MY OBSERVATIONS. WITH ALL THE RECENT RECALLS BEING ISSUED INDUSTRY WIDE, MAYBE THIS PROBLEM WILL BE ADDRESSED. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10637791

105,000 miles · Jan 28, 2013

Structure

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TRIED TO OPEN REAR DRIVERS SIDE PASSENGER DOOR, AND WILL NOT OPEN FROM OUTSIDE OR INSIDE OF VEHICLE. CHECKED LOCKS, OPENED WITH THE KEY FOB AND INTERNAL UNLOCK BUTTON AND YOU CAN HEAR IT DISENGAGE, YET DOOR WILL NOT RELEASE. THIS IS A THE SECOND TIME WE'VE HAD THIS ISSUE WITH A NISSAN XTERRA; ONCE BEFORE ON ANOTHER XTERRA, MODEL YEAR 2006 AS WELL, AND NOW THIS 2006 THAT WE PURCHASED USED 4 YEARS AGO. IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN AND NOT KNOW IT; AND HAD TO VACATE THE VEHICLE IN A HURRY; WOULD PRESENT A SAFETY ISSUE IN THAT MOST TIMES OUR CHILDREN ARE IN THIS REAR SEAT. THAT IT HAS HAPPENED ON TWO SEPARATE VEHICLES WE'VE OWNED, THE PRIOR ONE IT HAPPENED WITHIN THE FACTORY WARRANTY TIME, AND NOW THIS ONE, AND UPON READING ABOUT IT ONLINE, IT IS HAPPENING TO OTHERS WITH THIS MODEL YEAR. WE WERE TOLD IT WAS THE ACTUATOR ON THE OTHER ONE, BUT SEEMS TO BE A PART THAT IS AN ISSUE, AND NOT NECESSARILY BASED ON THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10494930

1,373 miles · Apr 11, 2006

Structure

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I PURCHASED MY 2006 XTERRA ON FEB 18TH, 2006. WITHIN 2 WEEKS I NOTICED IT WAS LEAKING DURING RAIN SHOWERS WHEN PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO RECREATE THE PROBLEM. I TOOK THE VEHICLE HOME AND IT LEAKED ONCE AGAIN. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIX IT. I TOOK IT HOME AND IT LEAKED AGAIN SO I TOOK IT TO A NEW DEALER AND THEY CONCLUDED, WITH THE HELP OF NISSAN ENGINEERS, THAT A DESIGN FLAW IN THE XTERRA ALLOWS WATER TO ENTER THE VEHICLE WHEN PARKED ON AN UPHILL INCLINE. THE WATER ENTERS THROUGH THE AIR VENTS UNDER THE COWLING AND DROPS ONTO THE BLOWER MOTOR UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE DASHBOARD. THE WATER THEN EXITS THE BLOWER MOTOR THROUGH AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR AND ONTO THE FRONT PASSENGER CARPET. NISSAN HAS OFFERED NO REMEDY FOR THE PROBLEM. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10155051

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.

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

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