2006 Nissan Xterra Owner Complaints

I have a lot of ticking and stalling lights are blinking I think it’s may be the transmission and I smell gas inside the vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11719075

Incident

Feb 5, 2025

17

NHTSA ID

11676217

Incident

Jul 25, 2025

The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Xterra. The contact stated that there was an abnormal sound coming from the front passenger's side air bag intermittently. The front passenger's side air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was provided a cost for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

NHTSA ID

11619155

Incident

Sep 26, 2024

Mileage

145,000 mi

THE TIMING CHAIN HAS CAUSED MY VEHICLE TO DIE ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY HIGHWAY I WAS ALMOST HIT BY A FEW CARS. i HAD TO DRIVE MY CAR GOING ONLY 40 MPH ALL THE WAY BECASUE THAT IS ALL IT WOULD DO. IT HAS A VERY LOUD NOISE AND IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE ON THE ROAD ANYMORE. I HAVE READ AND NISSAN SHOULD REPLACE THESE BECAUSE ALOT OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEM YES MY CAR IS AVAILABLE FOR IMSPECTION i HAVE REGULAR KEPT MAINTENENCE ON IT NO THERE WERE NO WARNING LAMPS AT ALL JUST LOUD NOISE AND THEN NO COMPRESSION

NHTSA ID

11585719

Incident

Apr 28, 2024

The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Xterra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23E012000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID

11553070

Incident

Nov 1, 2023

The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Xterra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23E012000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID

11552800

Incident

Oct 31, 2023

Timing chains making noises and I have change my oil and it still making the noise...

NHTSA ID

11546089

Incident

Aug 31, 2023

Car just shut off in traffic loosing all power and braking causing me to crash into the back of a stopped car at a red-light. After inspection from a mechanic shop, they informed me that something in the computer had fried causing the car to shut off, and it had also caused the transmission control unit module to go bad making the car not drive able.

NHTSA ID

11519825

Incident

May 17, 2018

Engine noise: - Noise coming from time belt support - The timing chain guide wore out fast. - Timing chain guide inner plastic wore out causing chain to rely metal bracket then the metal causing noise and eventually break the the timing chain.

NHTSA ID

11515117

Incident

Apr 5, 2022

Check engine light is on and fuel gauge does not work Can go from full to empty Stays on empty even though I know there is gasoline in tank Has caused us to run out of gas middle of nowhere

NHTSA ID

11481923

Incident

Aug 11, 2021

The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Xterra. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle was shaking. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the catalytic converter; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed back to the independent mechanic, who diagnosed that there was an engine misfire and the other catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 136,900.

NHTSA ID

11480769

Incident

Aug 23, 2022

Mileage

136,900 mi

On the invoice/receipt the part of automobile is Plenium Seal CK WP. The remarks/labor description on invoice indicates repairing vacuum hose at read of throttle. My car simply stalled while driving on a main busy street. Fortunately, it was on a holiday (Feb 21, 2022) and there were no school crossings on this day!. I was shaken up, anxious. There was a nearby (with in a quarter mile or so) an independent auto repair/service shop and I was able to have them fix the issue. I feel this is a safety issue, as this could have been worse, and stalled while driving on the freeway. I will be writing to the manufacturer to inform them what has happened. There were no other warning signs prior to the vehicle stalling while driving.

NHTSA ID

11462934

Incident

Feb 21, 2022

The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Xterra. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled with the fuel level warning light illuminated. The fuel gauge failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was towed to a parking lot. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer nor independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 159,000.

NHTSA ID

11457690

Incident

Sep 20, 2021

Mileage

159,000 mi

My engine self destruct because Nissan used cheap made plastic tensioners that shredded metal into my engine causing it to self destruct. Nissan knew about this problem and continued installing these tensioners from 2005-2015. I could have crashed into anything while driving or someone could have hit me if my engine would’ve died while driving. My safety was not prioritized by Nissan. The warning light was a whining noise coming from the engine while startup and pressing on the gas pedal. So they knew the problem existed but didn’t care.

NHTSA ID

11442624

Incident

Dec 1, 2021

The transmission was destroyed because a factory default with the radiator leaking antifreeze and transmission fluid into the transmission causing my transmission to self destruct. my safety was not safe since Nissan knew about the defect and I could have ceased into Anything at any time. There was no warning lights it just self destruct. Nissan has done nothing to inspect their failure. It is a well known problem.

NHTSA ID

11442623

Incident

Jul 1, 2020

WHEN I TURN THE KEY IN THE ON POSITION ALL LIGHTS COME ON AND THE MOTOR DOES TURN OVER. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE STARTER AND A WEEK LATER IT DOES THE SAME SO I RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND P0181 CODE AND 3RD COIL PACK MISFIRE COMES ON. WHEN I CONTACT NISSAN MECHANIC HE SAID THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE IPDM AND THATS WHY I'M CONTACTING YOU ALL

NHTSA ID

11407603

Incident

Apr 8, 2021

GOT INTO ACCIDENT WITH MY 2006 NISSAN XTERRA OFF ROAD. WAS DRIVING AT 8:05 PM AT 30 MPH DOWN PONCE DE LEON PASSING 207 IN ST. AUGUSTINE FLORIDA. A 2016 NISSAN PATHFINDER WAS STOPPED WHILE TRAFFIC WAS MOVING I TRIED TO AVOID THE NISSAN, NO TIME TO BRAKE, IT CLIPPED THE BACKSIDE OF THE PATHFINDER WITH MY XTERRA. MY DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER AIRBAG WENT OFF. (EXPLODED?) IT BROKE MY PASSENGERS ARM AND UNKNOWN OBJECT IN PASSENGERS EYE. AIRBAGS BLOWN OUT DESTROYED MY DASH AIR BAG IS RIPPED LIKE IT HAD A BABY. BOTH MY PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELTS BOTH RELEASED THE SEAT BELTS THEY DIDN'T LOCK DURING THE ACCIDENT USUALLY THEY LOCK AND WON'T RELEASE MY DRIVER SIDE IS NOT LOCKING IN PLACE AS THE PASSENGER. DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT MY PASSENGER HAD HER (2003 NISSAN SENTRA)RECALLED FOR THE TAKATA RECALL , INSPECTED WAS POSITIVE FOR THE RECALL AND REPLACED IT WAS DESCRIBING THE SITUATION FOR THIS ACCIDENT I WAS TOLD BY A LAWYER TO REPORT THIS TO NHTSA. SUSPECTED TAKATA AIRBAGS. I PULLED THE VIN NO RECALL I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK MAYBE A MONTH PRIOR. I'M COMPLETELY UNKNOWN OF THIS SITUATION. INSURANCE COMPANY WANTED TO TOTAL THE XTERRA I TOOK IT HOME I STILL HAVE THE VEHICLE INSIDE WITH AIRBAGS BOTH INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE PROGRESSIVE THE DRIVER V02 HAD NO LICENSE THE OFFICER WAS TOO BUSY TO PROCEED WITH THE INVESTIGATION OF HOW THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED. THE DAMAGES WAS NOT BAD TO BREAK A BONE WITH AN AIRBAG AT THE SPEED AND IMPACT THIS CAR ACCIDENT HAD.

NHTSA ID

11390905

Incident

Dec 5, 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN XTERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MOVE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE REVVED UP BETWEEN 2,000 - 3,000 RPM HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AND INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT COOLANT HAD LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO THE COOLANT CONTAMINATION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. NEITHER A DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED OR NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000.

NHTSA ID

11387708

Incident

Jan 4, 2021

Mileage

111,000 mi

THE GAS GAUGE DOESN'T WORK

NHTSA ID

11387352

Incident

Jan 10, 2020

Mileage

200,000 mi

TRANSMISSION STARTED JERKING AND RADIATOR BLEW AT THE SAME TIME

NHTSA ID

11374746

Incident

Aug 17, 2020

Mileage

148,000 mi

THERE WAS A SAFETY RECALL FOR RADIATORS IN NISSAN XTERRAS IN 2019 , I WAS NEVER INFORMED ABOUT THIS RECALL OR SERVICE BULLETINS EVEN THOUGH NISSAN KNOWS I OWN THE VEHICLE IN THEIR DATABASE ALSO THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE IPDM BOX WHICH IS DEFECTIVE ACCORDING TO THE NISSAN PAGES ON FACEBOOK AND OTHER SITES, WHERE THE WHITE IPDM BOX IS DEFECTIVE AND CAUSES POWER LOSS AND LIGHTS NOT WORKING ALONG WITH CAR STALLING WHILE DRIVING, IT IS APPARENTLY A DEFECT AND THE COST TO REPLACE IT IS OVER I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THE XTERRA TRANSMISSION COOLER DEFECT OR RECALL BACK IN 2019, IVE OWNED THIS XTERRA SINCE 2008 AND ITS BEEN TO THE DEALER FOR ANOTHER PREVIOUS RECALL, ALSO THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE WHITE IPDM BOX, (FUSE BOX) WHICH SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED, PER THE NISSAN OWNERS FACEBOOK PAGE, AND OTHER BLOGS THE IPDM CAUSES STALLING AND SHUTDOWNS OF ALL FUNCTIONS IN THE 2005-2014 NISSANS, CONSUMERS ARE HAVING TO PAY UPWARDS OF $600 TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THESE DEFECTIVE IPDM BOXES, THERE IS A KNOWN DEFECT WHICH WAS RECALLED YEARS AGO ABOUT A RELAY FOR THAT BOX, I BELIEVE MY XTERRA RELAY WAS FIXED, BUT I AM HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE VDC/ SLIP LIGHT COMING ON AND MY HEADLIGHTS GO ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE WEBSITES IT HAS TO DO WITH THE WHITE IPDM BOX UNDERNEATH WHERE THE WIRES ARE HARNESSED, THIS NEEDS TO BE ADRESSED IT IS A SAFETY HAZZARD WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY OR IN TOWN BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS TOTALLY DISABLED AND WILL CAUSE INJURY/DEATH IVE BEEN READING NISSAN PAGES TO FIND OUT WHY MY LIGHTS ARE GOING ON AND OFF, IVE REPALCED THE CAMSHAFT AND CRANKSHAFT POS SENSORS, NISSANS PREVIOUS RECALL FOR A DIODE APPARANTLY THIS DIDNT FIX IT, IT JUST MASKED THE SITUATION, READ UP ON NEWX.ORG ABOUT THIS PROBLEM

NHTSA ID

11374660

Incident

Nov 14, 2020

Mileage

100,000 mi

RADIATOR FAILED, COOLANT MIXED/LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. GAS GAUGE QUIT WORKING PROPERLY

NHTSA ID

11374496

Incident

Apr 7, 2020

Mileage

170,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN XTERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 15 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER RIVERSIDE NISSAN (8330 INDIANA AVE, RIVERSIDE, CA 92504) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AND DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V075000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) AS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION TO THE FAILURE HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THE VIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000.

NHTSA ID

11349035

Incident

Aug 4, 2020

Mileage

80,000 mi

I WAS REQUIRED TO REPLACE THE OEM RADIATOR DUE TO APPEARANCE OF CROSS-CONTAMINATION BETWEEN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID AND ENGINE COOLANT. THE DISCOVERY WAS MADE EARLY ENOUGH TO AVOID BEING STRANDED. IT IS UNKNOWN WHETHER THE AMOUNT OF CONTAMINATION THAT PRECEDED THE REPLACEMENT HAS CAUSED PERMANENT DAMAGE, BUT THE VEHICLE IS FUNCTIONING NORMALLY AS OF THIS MOMENT. I AM AWARE THAT NISSAN HAS BEEN CHALLENGED ON THE TOPIC OF EXTENDED WARRANTY SUPPORT AND/OR RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE OVER A SPAN OF YEARS, AND THIS REPORT IS FILED TO ADD A DATA POINT.

NHTSA ID

11338611

Incident

Jul 8, 2020

Mileage

98,000 mi

VEHICLE HAS STALLED MULTIPLE TIMES, BOTH IN MOTION AND PARKED. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNALS, STRANGE NOISES, OR OTHER INDICATORS TO POINT TO THE ISSUE. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN TRYING TO USE THE OBD PORT TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE, THE OBD PORT WILL NOT READ AND ONLY GIVES AN ERROR. *TR

NHTSA ID

11324594

Incident

May 12, 2020

Mileage

225,000 mi