2004 Nissan Xterra Engine Problems

Water pump went out replace water pump motor blown

NHTSA ID

11665169

Incident

Jun 1, 2025

WHEN DRIVING MY XTERRA, IT LOSES POWER AND CUTS OUT ON ME. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND CUTS COMPLETELY OFF WHEN I'M ACCELERATING. THERE IS A DECLARATION AND THEN THE VEHICLE WON'T CRANK OR START LEAVING ME STRANDED. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME OVER YEARS THAT THE XTERRA HAS CUT OFF ON ME. ALL DASHBOARD SYSTEMS STOP COMPLETELY WHEN IT HAPPENS. I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE CAR WHEN IT HAPPENS.

NHTSA ID

11343229

Incident

Aug 3, 2020

Mileage

220,715 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 145,000.

NHTSA ID

11165126

Incident

Dec 21, 2018

Mileage

145,000 mi

2004 XTERRA HAD BEEN LOW ON RADIATOR FLUID AND NEEDED TOPPING UP EACH WEEK, THEN EACH DAY. AFTER FILLING WITH WATER AND COOLANT NIGHT BEFORE CAR BEGAN TO OVERHEAT ON HWY. CAR SAT IN SUN ALL DAY, THEN OVERHEATED IN TRAFFIC. HAD TOWED TO WORK ON IT. REPLACED SPLIT RADIATOR HOSE WHERE DRIPPING OCCURS AND REFILLED CAR RADIATOR, NO LEAKING APPARENT. NEXT DAY, DROVE ON HWY TO WORK. AT 65-75 MPH CAR BEGAN MAKING CLICKING/TAPPING NOISES FROM ENGINE. WENT UPHILL TOWARDS INTERCHANGE AND CAR SHOOK VIOLENTLY, STEAM (OR SMOKE) CAME FROM UNDER HOOD AS I CAREFULLY CROSSED FREEWAY TO EXIT, ALL LIGHTS CAME ON ON DASH AND SMOKE OR STEAM POURED INTO THE CAR THROUGH AIR VENTS. I HAD LOST ALL POWER AND POWER STEERING, BUT I STEERED IT SAFELY TO HWY SERVICE ROAD STREET WITH PARKING LOT. CAR WAS SMOKING UNDER HOOD, STEAM OR SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF VENTS AND ALL LIGHTS REMAINED ON ON THE DASH. UNDER THE HOOD, THE A/C CONDENSER OR RADIATOR HAS A 5" BREAK ON TOP OF IT. WHEN I PUT WATER IN THE RADIATOR IT POURS THROUGH SEVERAL PLACES WHERE HOSES CONNECT (GASKETS AND SEALS, I PRESUME). HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME AND I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE IT EVER AGAIN, BUT NOW I CAN'T GET TO WORK OR PICK MY KIDS UP FROM SCHOOL ANYMORE AND I CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX IT OR PAY FOR REPAIRS SINCE I CAN'T GET TO WORK.

NHTSA ID

11097726

Incident

May 22, 2018

Mileage

116,000 mi

JUNE 12 2016 AT THE TRI-PAR IN SLINGER, WI I WAS FILLING UP THE GAS TANK, WHEN GAS BEGAN SPILLING OUT OF THE VEHICLE'S WHEEL WELL. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED IT AFTER I NOTICED IT. THE STATION ALONG WITH THE SLINGER FIRE DEPARTMENT ESTIMATED A GALLON WAS SPILT. IT APPEARS THE GAS TANK NECK HAS RUSTED OUT, CAUSING THE SPILL. THEY DEEMED THE VEHICLE NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND RECOMMEND WE HAVE IT TOWED HOME, WHICH WE DID.

NHTSA ID

10873777

Incident

Jun 12, 2016

THE LOWER RADIATOR SUPPORT BAR FOR MY NISSAN XTERRA HAS RUSTED OUT. THIS CAUSES THE MAIN RADIATOR TO SINK WHICH HAS SINCE HIT THE MAIN FAN. ONLY REPLACEMENT IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE RADIATOR BRACE. AS A MAIN STRUCTURE COMPONENT OF THE VEHICLE THIS SHOULD NOT BE RUSTING OUT.

NHTSA ID

10806572

Incident

Aug 7, 2015

Mileage

80,000 mi

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY STARTER 3 TIMES IN 4 YEARS. I HAVE ALL OF THE RECEIPTS TO SHOW ALSO. I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE MY RADIATOR BECAUSE OF A CRACK NEAR THE CAP. I HAD A HOSE THAT GOES THROUGH MY DASH WITH THE HOT WATER EXPLODE ON ME AND BURN MY HAND PRETTY BAD. MY RADIATOR SEEMS TO EVAPORATE COOLING FLUID ON A REGULAR BASIS. I HAVE HAD A PRESSURE TEST IT IS HOLDING PRESSURE. AND NOW MY WARNING BELL IS NO LONGER WORKING. MY BATTERY HAS GONE DEAD 5 TIMES BECAUSE NO WARNING SOUND TO TELL ME I LEFT MY LIGHTS ON.

NHTSA ID

10717539

Incident

Jan 13, 2015

VEHICLE OVERHEATED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. UPON INSPECTION, AN APPROXIMATELY 4IN CRACK WAS NOTICED ON THE TOP OF THE RADIATOR, PASSENGER SIDE, NEAR THE THERMOSTAT. REPLACEMENT OF THE RADIATOR WAS REQUIRED.

NHTSA ID

10690533

Incident

Feb 23, 2015

Mileage

134,000 mi

EVER SINCE I HAD MY 2004 X-TERRA I HAVE TOLD THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT LOUD ENGINE NOISE. SOUNDS LIKE A LIFTER OR VALVE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE. EACH TIME THEY TELL ME ITS NORMAL. I T HAS GOTTEN LOUDER AND YET THEY SAY THEY ALL MAKE THE SOUND....THE ENGINE IS LAKE A WASHING MACHINE ITS SO BAD AND LOUD.... *TR

NHTSA ID

10280787

Incident

Aug 6, 2009

Mileage

33,000 mi

NISSAN USES FAULTY EQUIPMENT IN THEIR VEHICLES AND ASHLY AT THEIR CONSUMER AFFAIRS DEPT ACTUALLY TOLD ME THAT NISSAN ONLY EXPECTS THEIR VEHICLES TO LAST THE 3 YRS OR 36K MILES!! SINCE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE I HAVE HAD THE A/C COMPRESSOR REPLACES, ALL HEATER HOSSES REPLACED, OIL LEAKS, COOLANT LEAKS, DRIVE BELTS REPLACED AND THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED. MY CAR LITERALLY BROKE DOWN IN MY DRIVEWAY. I WAS RETURNING FROM VACATION WITH MY SON, MY DOG AND MY CAT-IF MY TRIP WOULD HAVE 15 MINS. LONGER I WOULD HAVE BROKE DOWN ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. NISSAN DOES NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS AT ALL AND DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THE CONSUMER OR THEIR SAFETY!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10272677

Incident

May 29, 2009

Mileage

62,640 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN XTERRA. AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED FOR APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES, THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE. APPROXIMATELY ONE MINUTE AFTER EXITING THE VEHICLE, SHE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. SHE THEN NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM THE SAME LOCATION UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 76,000.

NHTSA ID

10236653

Incident

Jul 26, 2008

Mileage

76,000 mi

SINCE WEEK I BOUGHT THIS SUV I HAVE MADE COMPLAINTS ABOUT IN PARK AND IN DRIVE YOU HEAR A LIFTER TYPE TICKING NOISE AT THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THIS XTERRA. I FOR SURE THINK IT IS A LIFTER TICK BUT THE DEALER HAS ALWAYS SAID IT IS NOTHING AND NO NOT WORRY ABOUT IT. IT HAS NOT GOTTEN LOADER BUT INSIDE BY THE WHEEL WELL AND ALSO INSIDE RIGHT ENGINE SIDE YOU CAN HEAR IT. AS I DRIVE YOU CAN ALSO HEAR IT WITH THE WINDOWS UP. THEY AGREE THEY HEAR IT BUT THEY STATE ALL OTHER XTERRA MAKE THE SAME. THEY CLAM IT IS THE NORMAL INJECTOR. I THINK IT IS LIFTERS OR LOSE VALVE THAT THE V6 IS NOTED FOR. I STILL SAY A ENGINE OF THIS PRICE SHOULD BE VERY QUIET AND NOT SOUND LIKE LIFTER NOISE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10161398

Incident

Jun 12, 2006

Mileage

500 mi

FROM THE ONSET OF THE PURCHASE I HAVE BEEN HEARING A KNOCKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE THE MECHANICS AT THE NISSAN REPAIR SHOPS STATES THAT NOTHING IS WRONG , HOWEVER THE NOISE GETS WORST WHEN YOU DRIVE THE CAR , FOR LONGER PERIODS , I HAVE HAD NISSAN SERVICE THE CAR BUT ALL THEY DO IS TIGHTEN THE FAN, THE TIMING TENSIONER PULLEY , YET THE NOISE IS STILL THERE, NISSAN NORTH AMERICA HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND SO HAS THE DEALER TO THIS DAY THEY CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM , NOR ARE HAVE THEY BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE SOURCE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10146051

Incident

Nov 23, 2005

Mileage

100 mi

WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS AN ENGINE FIRE. CONSUMER INDICATED THAT A FAULTY FUEL CLAMP WAS USED WHICH DISENGAGED, CAUSING FUEL TO SPILL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID

10114883

Incident

Nov 23, 2004