RoadVitals

2013 Nissan Xterra Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
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Latest Jun 4, 2019
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
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Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
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What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2013 Nissan Xterra, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Engine228.6%
  • Brakes114.3%
  • Driver assistance114.3%
  • Fuel system114.3%
  • Powertrain (other)114.3%
  • Suspension114.3%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

WHILE TRAVELING ON A FREEWAY, DISENGAGED SPEED CONTROL USING BRAKE, BUT DID NOT ORIGINALLY TURN IT OFF TO BE ABLE TO MANEUVER BETTER IN TRAFFIC NEAR A CITY. VEHICLE ORIGINALLY SLOWED DOWN, BUT AFTER RELEASING BRAKE IN 3 SECONDS, CAR SPED UP ON ITS OWN WITH AN ACCELERATION PROFILE GREATER THAN THE ONE WHEN YOU ARE SETTING THE SPEED. TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO GET IT TO QUIT WITH THIS BEHAVIOR AND FINALLY HIT THE CANCEL AND OFF BUTTON ON THE STEERING WHEEL. ALL CRUISE CONTROL LIGHTS ON THE DASH WERE OFF AND NO CHECK ENGINE WARNINGS WERE ON. THIS DID NOT HELP THE SITUATION. WHEN BRAKE WAS ON, VEHICLE QUIT ACCELERATION, SO WITH BRAKE ON, PULLED ON TO SHOULDER AND PLACED VEHICLE IN PARK AND IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE ENGINE OFF WITH KEY IN FULL OFF POSITION. WAITED 20 SECONDS AND RESTARTED CAR AND MADE WAY BACK TO FREEWAY. DID NOT USE SPEED CONTROL ANYMORE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP. AT THE TIME THE ODOMETER WAS SHOWING ABOUT 19150 ACTUAL MILES. MADE APPT WITH NISSAN DEALER AND TOOK IT IN. ON WAY TO DEALER, I PUSHED ACCELERATOR HALF-WAY TO THE FLOOR TO SPEED UP QUICKLY AND THE ACCELERATOR SLAMMED ITS WAY TO THE FLOOR. I APPLIED BRAKE AND VEHICLE QUIT ACCELERATING. I DID NOT QUIT BRAKING UNTIL VEHICLE WAS BELOW 40. VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE AGAIN WILDLY THE REST OF THE 30 MILE TRIP TO THE DEALER AND I DID NOT PUSH THE PEDDLE VERY HARD THE REST OF THE WAY. KEEP IN MIND THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCHES WERE NOT PUSHED AT ALL DURING THIS INCIDENT AND NONE OF THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHTS WERE LIT ON THE DASH; THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS NOT ON EITHER. THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND SAID THEY SHOULD REPLACE THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH ASSEMBLY ON THE DASH. I PERSONALLY CONSIDER THIS A VERY DANGEROUS FAILURE MODE.

NHTSA ID 11130508 · filed Sep 20, 2018

MY 2013 NISSAN XTERRA PRO4X ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN WITH ME STANDING NEXT TO IT. IT IS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ON. IT REVERSED RAPIDLY AND CAUGHT ME UNDER IT. I SUFFERED PERMANENT NERVE DAMAGE IN MY ARM AND EXTREME SCARING ON BOTH LEGS. AFTER IT RAN ME OVER, IT CRASHED INTO MY GARAGE. NISSAN REFUSED TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT HAPPENED AND NOW I AM STUCK WITH A VEHICLE THAT I AM AFRAID OF. *TR

NHTSA ID 10655082 · filed Nov 14, 2014

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

VERY SOFT BRAKE PEDAL OBSERVED PROGRESSIVELY GETTING WORSE OVER PERIOD OF ABOUT 15K / 1 MONTH TRIGGERING INCREASED BRAKING DISTANCE ESPECIALLY DURING WET CONDITIONS AND AT HIGHER SPEEDS OCCASIONALLY PEDAL GOES ALMOST TO THE FLOOR PRIOR TO VEHICLE COMING TO COMPLETE STOP. HOT PADS/ROTORS OBSERVED DURING EVEN COLD AND OR WET CONDITIONS ABOVE NORMAL UNTIL AT HIGHWAY SPEED BRAKES OVERHEATED TRIGGERING CALIPERS TO CEASE UP AT A STOP AT APPROX. 90K (3+ WEEKS AFTER ORIGINAL OBSERVATION OF OCCASIONAL SOFT PEDAL) AT LOW SPEEDS PEDAL APPEARED TO BE SLIGHTLY SOFT, HOWEVER AT HIGHER SPEEDS ABOVE 35-40 UPWARDS OF 60-65 THE ISSUE BECAME VERY NOTICEABLE ESPECIALLY DURING HEAVY RAIN OR WET ROAD CONDITIONS OR IF VEHICLE SAT FOR MORE THAN A FEW HOURS. ISSUE WITH SOFT PEDAL STARTED AROUND 75K AND CONTINUED UNTIL ABOUT 90K UNTIL CALIPERS CEASED ON ROTORS AS NOTED. HAD I NOT EXITED AND CAME TO A STOP VEHICLE COULD HAVE LOCKED UP ALL 4 WHEELS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY. SHOP DIAGNOSED ISSUE TO BE FAULTY HCU WITHIN THE ABS MODULE MANUFACTURED BY ATE. A VERY SIMILAR ISSUE WITH A RECALL NOTED ALREADY BY NISSAN IN 16/18 SELECT MODEL VEHICLES WHERE HCU CAN LEAK CAUSING A SHORT IN THE ECU TRIGGERING A FIRE BUT THIS ISSUE IS NOT OBSERVED OR RECOGNIZED ON PRIOR MODEL YEAR OR VEHICLES NOR DOES NISSAN RECOGNIZE THAT THE HCU APPEARS TO BE THE ROOT CAUSE DUE TO FAULTY SEALS. FINAL DIAGNOSIS: A FAULTY ABS SEAL ON ONE OF THE VALVES CAUSED THE PISTON TO STICK AND THE VALVE TO REMAIN IN THE OPEN POSITION REDUCING PRESSURE THAT WOULD NORMALLY GO BACK INTO THE MAIN LINES DOWN TO THE CALIPERS WHICH IN TURN CAUSED THE SOFT PEDAL SYNDROME. THE MIL ON THE DASH FOR THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL NEVER TURNED ON UNTIL AFTER FAILURE AND CEASE UP OF CALIPERS. ABS MODULE MANUFACTURED BY ATE. FORD ALSO NOTES A VERY SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH SAME MANUFACTURED ABS MODULES BY ATE .

NHTSA ID 11174396 · filed Feb 5, 2019

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Driver assistance

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

WHILE TRAVELING ON A FREEWAY, DISENGAGED SPEED CONTROL USING BRAKE, BUT DID NOT ORIGINALLY TURN IT OFF TO BE ABLE TO MANEUVER BETTER IN TRAFFIC NEAR A CITY. VEHICLE ORIGINALLY SLOWED DOWN, BUT AFTER RELEASING BRAKE IN 3 SECONDS, CAR SPED UP ON ITS OWN WITH AN ACCELERATION PROFILE GREATER THAN THE ONE WHEN YOU ARE SETTING THE SPEED. TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO GET IT TO QUIT WITH THIS BEHAVIOR AND FINALLY HIT THE CANCEL AND OFF BUTTON ON THE STEERING WHEEL. ALL CRUISE CONTROL LIGHTS ON THE DASH WERE OFF AND NO CHECK ENGINE WARNINGS WERE ON. THIS DID NOT HELP THE SITUATION. WHEN BRAKE WAS ON, VEHICLE QUIT ACCELERATION, SO WITH BRAKE ON, PULLED ON TO SHOULDER AND PLACED VEHICLE IN PARK AND IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE ENGINE OFF WITH KEY IN FULL OFF POSITION. WAITED 20 SECONDS AND RESTARTED CAR AND MADE WAY BACK TO FREEWAY. DID NOT USE SPEED CONTROL ANYMORE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP. AT THE TIME THE ODOMETER WAS SHOWING ABOUT 19150 ACTUAL MILES. MADE APPT WITH NISSAN DEALER AND TOOK IT IN. ON WAY TO DEALER, I PUSHED ACCELERATOR HALF-WAY TO THE FLOOR TO SPEED UP QUICKLY AND THE ACCELERATOR SLAMMED ITS WAY TO THE FLOOR. I APPLIED BRAKE AND VEHICLE QUIT ACCELERATING. I DID NOT QUIT BRAKING UNTIL VEHICLE WAS BELOW 40. VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE AGAIN WILDLY THE REST OF THE 30 MILE TRIP TO THE DEALER AND I DID NOT PUSH THE PEDDLE VERY HARD THE REST OF THE WAY. KEEP IN MIND THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCHES WERE NOT PUSHED AT ALL DURING THIS INCIDENT AND NONE OF THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHTS WERE LIT ON THE DASH; THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS NOT ON EITHER. THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND SAID THEY SHOULD REPLACE THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH ASSEMBLY ON THE DASH. I PERSONALLY CONSIDER THIS A VERY DANGEROUS FAILURE MODE.

NHTSA ID 11130508 · filed Sep 20, 2018

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Fuel system

Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

WHILE TRAVELING ON A FREEWAY, DISENGAGED SPEED CONTROL USING BRAKE, BUT DID NOT ORIGINALLY TURN IT OFF TO BE ABLE TO MANEUVER BETTER IN TRAFFIC NEAR A CITY. VEHICLE ORIGINALLY SLOWED DOWN, BUT AFTER RELEASING BRAKE IN 3 SECONDS, CAR SPED UP ON ITS OWN WITH AN ACCELERATION PROFILE GREATER THAN THE ONE WHEN YOU ARE SETTING THE SPEED. TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO GET IT TO QUIT WITH THIS BEHAVIOR AND FINALLY HIT THE CANCEL AND OFF BUTTON ON THE STEERING WHEEL. ALL CRUISE CONTROL LIGHTS ON THE DASH WERE OFF AND NO CHECK ENGINE WARNINGS WERE ON. THIS DID NOT HELP THE SITUATION. WHEN BRAKE WAS ON, VEHICLE QUIT ACCELERATION, SO WITH BRAKE ON, PULLED ON TO SHOULDER AND PLACED VEHICLE IN PARK AND IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE ENGINE OFF WITH KEY IN FULL OFF POSITION. WAITED 20 SECONDS AND RESTARTED CAR AND MADE WAY BACK TO FREEWAY. DID NOT USE SPEED CONTROL ANYMORE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP. AT THE TIME THE ODOMETER WAS SHOWING ABOUT 19150 ACTUAL MILES. MADE APPT WITH NISSAN DEALER AND TOOK IT IN. ON WAY TO DEALER, I PUSHED ACCELERATOR HALF-WAY TO THE FLOOR TO SPEED UP QUICKLY AND THE ACCELERATOR SLAMMED ITS WAY TO THE FLOOR. I APPLIED BRAKE AND VEHICLE QUIT ACCELERATING. I DID NOT QUIT BRAKING UNTIL VEHICLE WAS BELOW 40. VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE AGAIN WILDLY THE REST OF THE 30 MILE TRIP TO THE DEALER AND I DID NOT PUSH THE PEDDLE VERY HARD THE REST OF THE WAY. KEEP IN MIND THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCHES WERE NOT PUSHED AT ALL DURING THIS INCIDENT AND NONE OF THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHTS WERE LIT ON THE DASH; THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS NOT ON EITHER. THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND SAID THEY SHOULD REPLACE THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH ASSEMBLY ON THE DASH. I PERSONALLY CONSIDER THIS A VERY DANGEROUS FAILURE MODE.

NHTSA ID 11130508 · filed Sep 20, 2018

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Powertrain (other)

Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

MY 2013 NISSAN XTERRA PRO4X ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN WITH ME STANDING NEXT TO IT. IT IS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ON. IT REVERSED RAPIDLY AND CAUGHT ME UNDER IT. I SUFFERED PERMANENT NERVE DAMAGE IN MY ARM AND EXTREME SCARING ON BOTH LEGS. AFTER IT RAN ME OVER, IT CRASHED INTO MY GARAGE. NISSAN REFUSED TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT HAPPENED AND NOW I AM STUCK WITH A VEHICLE THAT I AM AFRAID OF. *TR

NHTSA ID 10655082 · filed Nov 14, 2014

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Suspension

Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

THIS VEHICLE WAS NEVER HEAVILY LOADED AND WAS ALWAYS DRIVEN ON PAVED ROADS. THE BOTTOM LEAF IN EACH OF THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS BROKE WITHIN ONE YEAR OF ONE ANOTHER. THE FIRST TIME I NOTICED THE BROKEN LEAF AND HAD IT REPAIRED BEFORE THE BROKEN PIECE OF LEAF COULD COME OUT OF THE ASSEMBLY. THE SECOND TIME THE BROKEN PIECE OF LEAF CAME OUT OF THE ASSEMBLY WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELLING STRAIGHT ON A PAVED CITY STREET. THE BROKEN PIECE MUST HAVE HIT THE TIRE BECAUSE IT FLEW UP AND STRUCK THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE. THIS COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A TIRE TO BLOW OUT, HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE, OR HIT A PEDESTRIAN. THE BROKEN PIECE OF LEAF WAS 13.5 INCHES LONG AND WEIGHED ABOUT 2.5 POUNDS - CERTAINLY DANGEROUS IF IT HIT A PEDESTRIAN. THE PICTURE SHOWS THE LEAF ASSEMBLY WITH THE BROKEN PIECE OF THE BOTTOM (I.E., THIRD) LEAF RE-INSERTED AND SLIGHTLY ROTATED TOWARD THE TIRE AS IT MAY HAVE APPEARED BEFORE THE PIECE CAME OUT OF THE LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY.

NHTSA ID 11217863 · filed Jun 4, 2019

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

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.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .