Problems · NHTSA complaints
2000 Nissan Xterra problems
Owners filed 230 complaints about the 2000 Nissan Xterra with NHTSA between Feb 2000 and Sep 2024. The most-cited component is fuel system, gasoline (50).
Complaints
230
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
27
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
30
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Fuel system, gasoline50
- Electrical system36
- Engine and engine cooling36
- Power train23
- Air bags17
- Wheels12
- Service brakes, hydraulic12
- Fuel system, other11
- Vehicle speed control10
- Suspension9
- Structure8
- Visibility8
- Fuel/propulsion system7
- Tires7
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
13
19
16
61
39
26
8
10
8
4
4
3
3
3
0
4
1
0
0
1
3
0
1
0
3
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 13 |
| 2001 | 19 |
| 2002 | 16 |
| 2003 | 61 |
| 2004 | 39 |
| 2005 | 26 |
| 2006 | 8 |
| 2007 | 10 |
| 2008 | 8 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 3 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Fuel system, gasoline
50 reports1 crash1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE CONTACT AND HE NOTICED THAT THE FUEL PUMP MAY BE DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED AND HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 143,000.”
Electrical system
36 reports3 crashes3 fires
“The engine service soon have been on for quite some time now. I tried to take it to several Smog places to get it smogged , and the mechanic have told me that the Smog scanner cannot read the computer of my car.”
Engine and engine cooling
36 reports
“DRIVING APPROX. 5 MINUTES WHEN CAR WARNING LIGHTS (CHECK ENGINE) AND ALL DASH WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON IMMEDIATELY THERE AFTER, CAR ENGINE SHUTS OFF. CAR ENGINE WOULD TURN ON WHEN STARTED BUT AS SOON AS YOU ENGAGE THE TRANSMISSION BY MOVING FROM PARK TO DRIVE, AND PRESS THE GAS PEDAL, CAR ENGINE WOULD AGAIN CUT OFF. AT NO OTHER TIME PRIOR TO THIS DID CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON, OIL LIGHT, OR WATER TEMPERATURE GAGE SHOW ANY MALFUNCTION. THE PROFESSIONAL MECHANIC THAT CHECKED MY CAR AND RAN DIAGNOSTIC TESTING CAN'T FIND ANY PROBLEMS. HE SAYS HE HAS DRIVEN THE CAR BUT, CAN'T GUARANTEE THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. *TR”
Power train
23 reports3 crashes1 related recall
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 NISSAN XTERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP OUT OF GEAR. WHENEVER THE FAILURE OCCURRED IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK. WHEN THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE IN THE SAME GEAR AS SHOWN ON THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED, BUT THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER 00V288000, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS IDENTICAL TO HIS FAILURE AND IT WAS ALSO RELATED TO THE CABLE LOCK PLATE ON THE TRANSMISSION. THE MANUFACTURER TOLD THE CONTACT THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 190000.”
Air bags
17 reports16 crashes
“MY DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION WHEN A DRUNK DRIVER HIT HER WHILE DRIVING ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD. HIS AIRBAGS DEPLOYED BUT NOT MY DAUGHTERS NISSAN XTERRA. *TR”
Wheels
12 reports1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 NISSAN XTERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE CRACKS IN THE WHEELS OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.