Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Nissan Xterra submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 31 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 31, in the owner's own words
THE RADIATOR HAS TAKEN IN FLUIDS FROM THE TRANSMISSION OR? THE RADIATOR FLUID APPEARS MILKY AND LOTION LIKE CONSISTENCY FROM THE RADIATOR AND OVERFLOW TANK IT HAS BEEN SHIFTING VERY LOUD AND HARD..
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAYED FALSE READINGS. THE GAUGE SHOWED THAT THE FUEL TANK HAD LESS FUEL THAN WHAT WAS ACTUALLY PRESENT. ALSO, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT IMMEDIATELY STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT NO FAILURES WERE FOUND. LATER, WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED AFTER DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.
COOLANT LEAKING INTO TRANSMISSION CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO HIS HOME. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE AND 4WD WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC CAME TO THE CONTACT'S HOME AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR. THE CONTACT INSTALLED THE RADIATOR. THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,316.
WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE SURGES AND SPUTTERS AND RPMS SKYROCKET AND THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER AND SHUTS DOWN. THIS HAPPENS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, TOWN STREETS AND COUNTY ROADS. THE VEHICLE WILL ALSO LOSE POWER AND SHUT DOWN WHILE IDLING AT A STOP SIGN OR TRAFFIC LIGHT. THERE IS NO WAY TO STEER OR RESTART WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND I HAVE DEPENDED ON HAZARD FLASHERS TO WARN OTHER DRIVERS OF DISABLED VEHICLE UNTIL I CAN GET ASSISTANCE TO GET VEHICLE OFF OF HIGHWAY. AFTER 20 MINUTES OF BEING DEAD, VEHICLE WILL SOMETIMES RESTART AND GO A FEW MORE MILES BEFORE SAME THING HAPPENS AGAIN. AFTER 3 WEEKS AT A DEALERSHIP AND A COST SO FAR OF $3,000, THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN PINPOINTED AND FIXED. DEALERSHIP HAS CONTACTED NISSAN CUSTOMER SERVICE WHO HAS TWO OPEN CASES OF THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE SAME MODEL VEHICLE. I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS IN ONLINE FORUMS OF THE SAME ISSUE SAME MODEL AND STILL NO FIX FOUND FOR THE ISSUE. I HAVE NOW OPENED MY OWN CASE WITH NISSAN NORTH AMERICA CUSTOMER CARE AND AM AWAITING FURTHER INVESTIGATION FROM THEM. MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD.
THE VEHICLE KEEPS STALLING AND RUNNING ROUGH WHILE DRIVING AFTER NUMEROUS REPAIRS AND SEVERAL TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIPS THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO PERSISTENT. THE MECHANICS SEEM NOT TO UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF THE ISSUE ANY ASSISTANCE WOULD BE APPRECIATED
VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION (HIGHWAY DRIVING). I BEGAN TO HEAR A WHINNING SOUND AT ANY RATE OF SPEED.THE SOUND NEVER WENT AWAY. IT BECAME LOUDER DURING ACCELERATION. I CHECKED ANY RECALLS ON THE XTERRA MODELS AND FOUND OUT THAT IT HAS A FAULTY TIMMING CHAIN ISSUE. I HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED AND INDEED, THE PROBLEM WAS THE TIMING CHAIN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE IT BEGAN TO SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEAD GASKET FAILED AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED ROYAL NISSAN AT (225) 924-0400 (LOCATED AT 9325 AIRLINE HWY, BATON ROUGE, LA 70815) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 34416631. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
TIMING CHAIN NOISE UPON STARTING ENGINE GETTING VIBRATIONS AND NOISE--SIMILAR TO SPEED BUMPS ON ROADWAY-- IN VEHICLE DRIVE TRAIN AROUND 40 TO 50 MPH (TRANSMISSION?)
LESS THAN 45,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, NO ENGINE LIGHTS WERE ON AND NO OTHER ISSUES PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. TRAVELING ON I75 AT ABOUT 65MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND RAPIDLY SLOWS DOWN AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. GOT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TRIED TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY GO ABOUT 25-30MPH SO I HAD IT TOWED HOME. I LATER HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER AND PAID FOR A DIAGNOSIS, THE SERVICE TECH SAID AN AFTERMARKET MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR CAUSED THE ALL THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS TO GO BAD AND THEY WANTED $3,500 TO REPLACE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS AND EXHAUST MANIFOLDS BEFORE THEY WOULD CONTINUE DIAGNOSING THE VEHICLE. I CALLED MY SAE CERTIFIED MECHANIC AND HAD IT TOWED TO HIM. HE SAID THE MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR WAS THE FACTORY SENSOR THAT CAME ON THE CAR, AND SHOULDN'T HAVE CAUSED A FAILURE IN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS ESPECIALLY WITHOUT A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. HE SAID THAT NISSAN HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH CATALYTIC CONVERTERS GOING BAD AND CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE, SO UPON FURTHER INSPECTION THE ENGINE HAS DAMAGE TO THE CYLINDERS AND VALVES AND WILL NEED REPLACED OR AT LEAST OVERHAULED. I DON'T BELIEVE I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR AN ENGINE AND CATALYTIC CONVERTERS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH A RECALL AND PREVENTED THE ENTIRE ISSUE. NISSAN HAS AN INTERNAL BULLETIN ABOUT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILURES AND ENGINE DAMAGE PROVING THEY HAD PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF THE ISSUES INCLUDING ISSUES WITH THE TIMING CHAINS THAT FAIL WHICH IS ANOTHER ISSUE WITH THIS ENGINE THAT I HAVEN'T COME ACROSS YET.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN XTERRA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED AN UNKNOWN MANUFACTURER RECALL NOTIFICATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BILL ROBERTSON NISSAN (928 N 28TH AVE, PASCO, WA 99301, (509) 545-3000) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS PROVIDED A RENTAL. THE CONTACT THEN RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALER STATING THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REPAIR AND HE NEEDED TO RETURN THE RENTAL. TWO WEEKS LATER, WHILE DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND THE RADIATOR OVERHEATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE REPAIRED AT A NISSAN DEALER RATHER THAN AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE CONTACT WAS PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 29163686. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.
I'M HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS DUE TO THE KNOWN DESIGN FLAW IN THE 2008 XTERRA RADIATORS THAT CAUSES COOLANT TO MIX WITH TRANSMISSION FLUID. NISSAN ADMITTED THE FLAW AND YET THE NHTSA, WHO IS SUPPOSED TO HELP PROTECT US, HAS CONCLUDED THAT NISSAN ISN'T LIABLE FOR THESE PROBLEMS. WHAT PROTECTION DOES A CONSUMER HAVE BESIDES TRYING TO TAKE A MULTI-NATIONAL COMPANY TO COURT IF THE GOVERNMENT BODY WHO LOOKS INTO THIS WON'T ACT? PLEASE REVISIT THIS "RADIATOR INTERMIX" PROBLEM!
PURCHASED A 2008 NISSAN XTERRA X VIN [XXX] MILEAGE 77107 ON JUNE 6, 2015. AFTER OWNING THIS VEHICLE FOR JUST OVER 2 YEARS WE HAD VERY BAD EXPERIENCE MY WIFE WAS DOING HER DAILY ERRANDS AS SHE WAS RETURNING HOME WITH OUR CHILD IN THE BACK SEAT HERE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AND LOOSE ACCELERATION POTENTIALLY CAUSING HER TO BE ACCIDENT. WHEN SHE RETURNED HOME THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T EVEN TURN OVER I HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC AND HE INFORMED ME THAT THIS HAS A DEFECTIVE RADIATOR COOLER TANK THAT RUPTURES AND FORCES COOLANT INTO THE TRANSMISSION THROUGH THE COOLER LINES AND SUBSEQUENTLY I WAS LOOKING AT OVER $3500 DOLLARS IN REPAIRS. FOR A KNOW PROBLEM REPORTED NISSAN HAS BEEN AWARE OF. ITS VERY DISHEARTENING $3500 IN REPAIRS FOR A KNOW PROBLEM IT HURTS IN FACT ITS AFFECTED EVEN MY SURROUNDING FAMILY MEMBERS, MY MOTHER IS OR WAS PROUD OWNER OF NISSAN ALTIMA 2015. I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND I DON'T HAVE PROBLEM MAINTAINING A VEHICLE OR SPENDING MONEY FOR REPAIRS THAT ARE STANDARD THAT COMES WITH OWNING ANY VEHICLE BUT THIS IS JUST OUTRAGEOUS. HOW DOES START UP FAMILY...1ST FAMILY CAR END UP IN THIS POSITION. IS THERE ANYTHING NISSAN CAN DO TO HELP ME AND MY FAMILY. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
I PURCHASED MY 2008 NISSAN XTERRA ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO AND DID NOT KNOW ABOUT ALL THE DEFECTS THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR HAD. I AM HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS NISSAN. IT LEFT ME STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD JUST SUDDENLY WITH NO WARNING. WORST PART WAS THAT IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WITH A PARTY OF 5. THE CONDITIONS WERE UNSAFE AND HAD TO WAIT FOR DAYLIGHT TO BE ABLE TO BE TOWED. ITS IS VERY UNFORTUNATE THAT I CAN NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS BAD VEHICLE AND IT WILL COST ME CLOSE TO 4K TO HAVE MY VEHICLE REPAIRED. AT THIS POINT IM JUST STILL IN DEBT SINCE I HAVE NOT FINISHED PAYING THIS OFF AND CAR LESS. ITS VERY UNFORTUNATE THAT NISSAN WILL NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE HORRIBLE AND UNSTABLE VEHICLE THEY CREATED.
THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS IN THE ENGINE OF THIS CAR BEGAN MAKING A LOUD WHINING SOUND, WHICH IS A TYPICAL PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES. NISSAN WAS AWARE OF THESE FAULTY TENSIONERS BACK IN 2004, WHEN THEY ISSUES A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. HTTP://WWW.NISSANPROBLEMS.COM/TRENDS/TIMING-CHAIN/
I WAS TOLD THE TIMING BELT TENSIONERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IT ONLY HAS 60,800 MILES ON IT. THE DEALER QUOTED ME 1400.00. THERE IS A HIGH PITCHED WHINE FROM THE ENGINE, MOST NOTICEABLE AT LOW SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE RUNS OK BUT I'M AFRAID IF THE TENSIONERS FAIL, SO WILL THE TIMING BELT AND SO WILL THE ENGINE.
CRACKED RADIATOR LEAKED COOLANT INTO THE TRANSMISSION COOLER DESTROYING THE TRANSMISSION, TRANSMISSION COOLER, AND RADIATOR AT ABOUT 109,000 MILES IN TRAFFIC. APPARENTLY, THIS IS A KNOW ISSUE WITH 2005-2010 NISSAN XTERRAS, FRONTIERS, AND PATHFINDERS. AS PART OF A SETTLEMENT TO A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT, NISSAN OFFERED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY UP TO 10 YEARS / 100,000 MILES, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST (ALTHOUGH AN INTERNET SEARCH SAYS THE AVERAGE MILEAGE AT WHICH THIS PROBLEM OCCURS IS 95,000 MILES). NISSAN NOR ITS DEALERSHIP NEVER NOTIFIED ME OF THE DEFECT OR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY SO NOW I'M TRYING TO DECIDE IF I FORK OUT $6100 FOR THE REPAIRS OR TRADE-IN THE VEHICLE.
CRACKED RADIATOR LEAKING FLUID INTO TRANSMISSION. I WAS DRIVING WHEN I FELT A SLIP I PARKED THE CAR AND WITH IN MINUTES A CREME COLORED FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. TOOK CAR TO MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME IT WAS A GOOD THING I TOOK IT THEN BECAUSE IF IT WOULD HAVE CONTINUED TO LEAK IT WOULD HAVE DAMAGED MY TRANSMISSION. I NOW HAVE TO HAVE NEW RADIATOR PUT IN THERMOSTAT PUT IN AND ENGINE FLUSHED THIS DOES NOT GUARANTEE I WILL NOT HAVE ANY MORE PROBLEMS. VOICING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY PEOPLE WITH THIS ISSUE AND DEALER SHIPS AND MANUFACTURERS DO NOT DO MUCH ABOUT IT. THEY TAKE OUR MONEY BUT DON'T CARE WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE FACT. I LOVE THIS VEHICLE BUT WILL NEVER BUY A NISSAN AGAIN VERY SAD.
WAS DRIVING XTERRA 4X4 ON THE STREET WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE SHUT ITSELF OFF. WAS ABLE TO LUCKILY TURN THE VEHICLE BACK ON BUT WHEN WE ARRIVED HOME THE VEHICLE WOULD NO LONGER START. HAD IT TOWED TO NISSAN WHO DISCOVERED THE CAR HAS A DEFECTIVE ECM UNIT. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY VERY DANGEROUS AND I BELIEVE MANY OTHER NISSAN XTERRA/FRONTIERS/PATHFINDERS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED AS EVIDENT BY SEARCHING GOOGLE REGARDING THIS ISSUE. NISSAN WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE FREE OF CHARGE AND WANTED 1400 DOLLARS TO REPLACE ECM. THIS DAY AND AGE AN ECM SHOULD LAST MUCH MUCH LONGER AND SHOULD NOT SHUT DOWN THE VEHICLE NOR, IMPAIR ITS ABILITY TO DRIVE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN XTERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, THE TRANSMISSION HESITATED TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS TRANSMISSION FLUID IN THE RADIATOR, AND THE RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE VALVE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
WITHOUT WARNING THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND CAR WAS SMOKING (OVERHEATED) DUE TO A RADIATOR LEAK INTO THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS NEARLY KILLED ON THE JAMES RIVER BRIDGE. I BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW AND HAVE KEPT THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. *TR
CAR'S HEATER BLOWS COLD AIR WHEN CAR IS IDLING. NISSAN SERVICE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THIS WAS CAUSED "BY AN AIR POCKET" FORMING IN THE COOLING SYSTEM? THE AIR POCKET HAS TO BE REMOVED - WHICH OF COURSE COSTS MONEY. WE OWN TWO 2008 XTERRAS. THIS ALSO HAPPENED WITH OUR OTHER 2008 XTERRA. *TR
WHILE DRIVING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION, MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER CAUSING ME TO GET REAR ENDED. VERY MINIMAL DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE BUT MY DAUGHTER WAS IN THE CAR WITH ME. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION AT A SHOP IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE LOSS OF POWER WAS DUE TO A FAILURE IN THE TEAMS FLUID COOLER CAUSING RADIATOR FLUID TO ENTER THE TRANSMISSION. *TR
TIMING CHAIN.I WOULD LIKE TO SEND OUT A LETTER OF COMPLAINT ON MY 2008 XTERRA. I'M ONE OF THE HUNDREDS WITH THE PREMATURE WEAR OF THE TIMING CHAIN SHOE AND TENSIONERS MENTIONED IN YOUR 2009 SERVICE BULLETIN EM09-007; NTB09-128; NOV. 16, 2009. SUBSTANDARD PARTS. YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS NO CUSTOMER SERVICE. *TR
CROSS CONTAMINATION ON TRANSMISSION/RADIATOR COOLANT CAUSING TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE. I WILL JOIN THE CLASS ACTION SUIT CURRENTLY ON GOING....I HOPE NISSAN GETS HIT WITH A HUGE PENALTY FOR THIS TRAVESTY. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .