2006 Nissan Xterra Powertrain (other) Problems

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

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

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

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

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

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

I PURCHASED A 2006 NISSAN XTERRA WITH 36K MILES. MAY 15TH, 2009. I CURRENTLY HAVE 112K MILES ON IT AND HAVE A NOT START A/T CONT FUSE BLOWN ISSUE. MY SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON AND TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THERE WAS A CODE STATING A SPEED DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN THE FRONT AND REAR OF THE TRANSMISSION. SOON AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION, MY MECHANIC VERIFIED RADIATOR FLUID LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND I WILL NEED TO REPLACE BOTH MY RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION TO THE APPROX COST OF $5500. NEEDLESS TO SAY, NOT ONLY IS THE EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED, BUT I WILL HAVE TO PAY THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE REPAIR OUT OF POCKET SINCE THE LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST NISSAN CONCERNING THIS ISSUE EXPIRED IN 2013. BUYER BEWARE!!! BE CAREFUL IF YOU PURCHASE A NISSAN XTERRA FROM 2005-2010 UNLESS YOU ARE PREPARED TO FORK OUT MORE MONEY THAN EXPECTED TO PAY FOR A DEFECT THAT NISSAN KNEW ABOUT BUT WILL NO LONGER SUPPORT.

NHTSA ID

11302468

Incident

Nov 29, 2019

Mileage

112,800 mi

MY TRANSMISSION AND DRIVE SHAFT WENT OUT OF MY VEHICLE TODAY OUT OF NOWHERE. I HAVE A NEW JOB TO GET TO AND NO MONEY TO FIX OR REPLACE THIS VEHICLE. IT'S RIDICULOUS CONSIDERING IT ONLY HAS 136,000 MILES ON IT. I WAS 2 MILES FROM MY HOUSE AND DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20MPH AND IT JUST STOPPED ACCELERATING. I WAS STUCK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN 5 DEGREE WEATHER. I AM BEYOND DISMAYED AND COMPLETELY WITHOUT OPTIONS.

NHTSA ID

11279698

Incident

Nov 12, 2019

Mileage

136,000 mi

I PURCHASED A 2006 NISSAN XTERRA AFTER-MARKET IN AUGUST 2019, MILEAGE 144K. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF A PROBLEM DURING A TEST-DRIVE, AND IT OTHERWISE APPEARED TO BE IN GOOD CONDITION. THREE DAYS LATER, DURING CITY DRIVING, THE CAR BEGAN TO STRAIN TO ENTER FIRST GEAR FROM A STOPPED POSITION (STOP SIGN, TRAFFIC LIGHT), FIRST A LITTLE, AND THEN SIGNIFICANTLY, AND BEGAN OBSTRUCTING TRAFFIC-FLOW, AND BEGAN OVERHEATING AFTER MULTIPLE STOP/STARTS. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET THE CAR HOME (4 MILES) WITHOUT HAVING TO PULL OVER AND CALL A TOW-TRUCK. A TRIP TO THE TRANSMISSION SHOP ON THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY CONFIRMED NOT JUST A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, BUT WAS TOLD IT WAS DUE TO A KNOWN DEFECT IN NISSAN SUV-TYPE VEHICLES FROM THIS TIME-PERIOD. THE CAR FROM THE USED DEALER CAME WITH "CAR PROTECTION PLUS" COVERAGE SPECIFICALLY FOR POWER-TRAIN ISSUES, WHO DENIED THAT THEY WOULD COVER THIS PARTICULAR TRANSMISSION PROBLEM FOR THIS REASON. I NOW OWN A VERY EXPENSIVE PAPERWEIGHT, OR PAY A REPAIR BILL OF $3K-$4K TO FIX A TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR THAT IS MORE THAN THE VALUE OF THE CAR.

NHTSA ID

11244803

Incident

Aug 10, 2019

Mileage

144,000 mi

THE METAL TUBES THAT SEPARATE ENGINE COOLANT FROM THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CRACK. COOLANT AND TRANSMISSION FLUID MIXES AND CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. THE SUBSTANCE IS MILKY, AND CLOUDY LIKE A MILK SHAKE. CAR WAS IN MOTION ON THE CITY WE WERE COMING FROM THE STORE.

NHTSA ID

11242717

Incident

Jul 25, 2019

Mileage

2 mi

I HAVE AN NISSAN XTERRA WITH A BAD RADIATOR , IT IS LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID, ACCORDING TO THE INTERNET NISSAN HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS DEFECT FOR OVER 13 YEARS AND HAS NEVER ISSUED A RECALL, I THINK IT NEEDS TO RECALLED DUE TO BAD RADIATORS THAT LEAK TRANSMISSION FLUID AND ANTIFREEZE TOGETHER, NISSAN IS AWARE OF THE DEFECT BUT HAS DONE NOTHING TO FIX OR ADRESS THE ISSUES ALL NISSAN XTERRA OWNERS HAD DUE TO THE DEFECT, INCLUDING REPLACEMENT OF TRANSMISSIONS AND RADIATORS AND OTHER PARTS RELATED TO THE DEFECT, IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE IF THE TRANSMISSION LOCKS UP ON THE ROADWAY AT ANY SPEED LIMIT..

NHTSA ID

11232584

Incident

Jul 15, 2019

Mileage

104,000 mi

RADIATOR COOLANT LEAKED INTO TRANSMISSION AND WE ONLY HAVE 70,000 MILEAGE. PURCHASED EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT NISSAN SERVICE SAID THEY DON'T COVERE THE REPAIR AND OUR EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED. WE SAVED THIS CAT FOR OUR 16 YEARS OLD SON FOR HIS COLLEGE SOON ANG PREPARING FOR DMV. WE SAVE MONEY FOR HIS CAR SO WE DON'T NEED TO WORRY. NOW, WE ARE WORRIED BECAUSE IT WILL COST US$8,000 FOR REPAIR BY REPLACING TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR. BESIDES THIS I HAVE TO PAY $190.00 FOR DIAGNOSTIC FEE. WE ARE NOT RICH AND WE PREPARED THIS CAR FOR OUR SON, FOR HIS SAFETY, NOW HIS 16 YEARS OLD THIS JUNE 2019 AND READY TO TAKE THE WHEELS, THIS CAR IS HIS CAR FOR COLLEGE. NOW, I'M HEARTBREAKING BECAUSE IT'S GARAGE KEPT CAR WITH BLANKET ALL THE TIME. 70K MILEAGE ONLY. SECURITY PLUS SAYS 72 MONTHS/75,000 ON ODOMETER. WE REALLY NEED HELP FOR REPAIR.

NHTSA ID

11221980

Incident

Jun 14, 2019

Mileage

70,388 mi

TRANSMISSION FAILURE DUE TO KNOWN ISSUE INVOLVING COOLING FLUID LEAKING INTO TRANSMISSION DUE TO FAULTY LINES IN RADIATOR THAT CRACK AT 100,000 MILES. QUOTED $6000 REPAIR COST, CAR IS TOTALED.,

NHTSA ID

11219737

Incident

Jun 13, 2019

Mileage

101,000 mi

APRIL 5, 2019 I PURCHASED A 2006 NISSAN XTERRA WITH 126K MILES. MAY 15TH, 2019 MY SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON AND TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THERE WAS A CODE STATING A SPEED DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN THE FRONT AND REAR OF THE TRANSMISSION. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO AAMCO AND AFTER INSPECTION, THEY VERIFIED WATER FROM THE RADIATOR LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND I WILL NEED TO REPLACE BOTH MY RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION TO THE APPROX COST OF $5800. NEEDLESS TO SAY, NOT ONLY IS THE EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED, BUT I WILL HAVE TO PAY THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE REPAIR OUT OF POCKET SINCE THE LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST NISSAN CONCERNING THIS ISSUE EXPIRED IN 2013. BUYER BEWARE!!! DO NOT PURCHASE A NISSAN XTERRA FROM 2005-2010 UNLESS YOU ARE PREPARED TO FORK OUT MORE MONEY THAN EXPECTED TO PAY FOR A DEFECT THAT NISSAN KNEW ABOUT BUT WILL NO LONGER SUPPORT.

NHTSA ID

11209950

Incident

May 15, 2019

Mileage

126,000 mi

I BOUGHT A USED 2006 XTERRA AND I HAD NO IDEA THAT THE TRANSMISSION COOLERS FAIL PREMATURELY. ALL SEEMED OK FOR 2 WEEKS. ONE DAY DRIVING BACK FROM DROPPING MY 2 DAUGHTERS OFF AT THEIR MOTHERS HOUSE, I WAS ON AN INCLINE, IN A BLIND CURVE, AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED PULLING COMPLETELY. WHILE STOPPED I TRIED TO CHECK THE TRANS FLUID AND WAS ALMOST RAN OVER BY A TRACTOR AND TRAILER BECAUSE HE COULDNT SEE THROUGH THE CURVE TO KNOW I WAS BROKE DOWN IN THE ROAD. THEN 10 MINUTES OR SO GOES BY AND A MINIVAN COMES AROUND THE CURVE AND HAD TO LOCK HIS BRAKES UP TO KEEP FROM RUNNING INTO ME. I WAS ALMOST HIT 2 TIMES IN A MATTER OF 20 - 30 MINUTES WAITING FOR HELP TO ARRIVE.

NHTSA ID

11202989

Incident

Mar 10, 2019

Mileage

239,000 mi

DEFAULT SHIFTER CABLE

NHTSA ID

11182429

Incident

Jan 2, 2019

TAKATA RECALL. TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT.. MECHANIC STATES DUE TO RADIATOR COOLANT ISSUES.

NHTSA ID

11154467

Incident

Nov 22, 2018

Mileage

160,000 mi

2006 NISSAN XTERRA SE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO TRANSMISSION SAFETY RECALL AND REIMBURSEMENT FOR REPLACEMENT OF PART. *AS *JS

NHTSA ID

11143228

Incident

Mar 16, 2018

TRANSMISSION COOLER INSIDE RADIATOR FAILED, CAUSING ANTIFREEZE TO MIX WITH TRANSMISSION FLUID. CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. AT 91,000 MILES.

NHTSA ID

11142377

Incident

Oct 10, 2018

Mileage

91,000 mi

THE RADIATOR HAS CRACKED INTERNALLY AND MIXED THE ENGINE COOLANT INTO THE TRANSMISSION REAULTING IN SEVERLY DAMAGES FLUID LEADING TO TRANSMISSION DAMAGE AND SHIFTING DAMAGE.

NHTSA ID

11141685

Incident

Oct 20, 2018

WHILE DRIVING MY "CHECK ENGINE SOON" LIGHT APPEAR, TODAY I TOOK IT TO A NISSAN DEALERSHIP TO GET A DIAGNOSTIC TO FIX IT. TO MAKE SHORT THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR NEEDS REPLACEMENT ($4,600.00 DLLS)BECAUSE THERE'S ANTIFREEZE IN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. ONLINE I FOUND OUT THAT THIS PROBLEM IS COMMON TO 2006 XTERRAS, FUNNY THING IS NISSAN KNOW ALL ABOUT IT, BUT SO FAR HASN'T CALL A RECALL TO FIX THEIR OWN MESS. ANOTHER THING, I'VE GOT SERVICED MY VEHICLE AT TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP S AND NEVER EVER MAKE A SIMPLE COMMENT OR ADVISED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WITH THE RADIATOR TO ME ON MY PRIOR VISITS. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THEY ARE RECKLESS FOR HOLDING CRITICAL INFO ABOUT PREVENTABLE ISSUES, SPECIALLY SINCE THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW ON THEIR PART

NHTSA ID

11129425

Incident

Sep 9, 2018

Mileage

154,346 mi

VEHICLE RADIATOR RUSTED INTERNALLY, THEREFORE INTERMIX COOLANT AND TRANSMISSION FLUID. AUTOMOBILE CONSTANTLY SERVICED AT NISSAN DEALERS, NO WARNING FROM NISSAN.

NHTSA ID

11124369

Incident

Jul 27, 2018

Mileage

178,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE RADIATOR FRACTURED AND THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK. THE CONTACT, AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL COOLER WITHIN THE RADIATOR WAS FAULTY. A DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 77,000. *TT *JB

NHTSA ID

11121077

Incident

Aug 20, 2018

Mileage

77,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND PREVENTED THE VEHICLE FROM GOING INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT COOLANT LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11119882

Incident

Aug 2, 2018

Mileage

165,000 mi

THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED IN CALIFORNIA, I HAVE HAD THIS CAR SERVICED AT NISSAN DEALERS FROM CALIFORNIA TO CONNECTICUT, FROM UNIVERSAL CITY NISSAN IN LOS ANGELES TO BRUCE BENNETT IN WILTON, CT WITH STOPS IN BETWEEN. IN A NORMAL SERVICE CHECK, IT STATES ON ALL INVOICES THAT FLUIDS ARE CHECKED. TODAY SIR, I FOUND OUT THAT FLUIDS ARE NOT CHECKED AND DUE TO NISSAN'S NEGLIGENCE MY RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION ARE NOW MARRIED (INTERMIX) AND SINCE THAT MARRIAGE A NEW RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION ARE BEING REQUIRED. IF YOU HAD PERFORMED THE PROPER FLUID CHECKS, THEN THE MARRIAGE COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED AND NO REPLACEMENT NECESSARY. I WANT COMPENSATION, I.E. RADIATOR/TRANSMISSION ON THIS 12 YEAR XTERRA.

NHTSA ID

11114713

Incident

Jul 27, 2018

Mileage

183,000 mi