Problems · NHTSA complaints
2002 Nissan Xterra problems
Owners filed 172 complaints about the 2002 Nissan Xterra with NHTSA between Dec 2001 and Jul 2025. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (29).
Complaints
172
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
22
Reported by owners
Fires
7
Reported by owners
Injuries
28
People reported injured
Deaths
17
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine and engine cooling29
- Steering22
- Air bags21
- Service brakes, hydraulic16
- Electrical system15
- Suspension13
- Vehicle speed control11
- Fuel system, gasoline9
- Service brakes8
- Engine8
- Tires8
- Visibility8
- Equipment8
- Power train7
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
4
19
31
18
18
6
7
7
3
6
12
2
2
8
9
3
4
2
2
4
3
0
0
1
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 4 |
| 2002 | 19 |
| 2003 | 31 |
| 2004 | 18 |
| 2005 | 18 |
| 2006 | 6 |
| 2007 | 7 |
| 2008 | 7 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2010 | 6 |
| 2011 | 12 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 8 |
| 2015 | 9 |
| 2016 | 3 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
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
Engine and engine cooling
29 reports1 fire
“MY 2002 XTERRA ENGINE STALLS WHEN AT IDLE SPEED, IT STARTS BACK BUT WILL STALL ALMOST EVERYTIME I STOP AT A LIGHT,STOP SIGN OR IN TRAFFIC. ENGINE LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON AND THERE IS NO CODES. I SPOKE TO A NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND WHEN I ASKED THEM ABOUT A RECALL ON THE 2004 MODEL FOR THIS PROBLEM THAT HAS TO DO WITH THE IPDM RELAY, THEY SAID THAT IS PROBABLY WHAT IS WRONG WITH MINE. THE DEALERSHIP ALSO SAID THERE IS AN ONGOING CAMPAIGN FOR THIS ISSUE WITH THE 2002 MODEL. I HAVE ALREADY HAD IT IN THE SHOP FOR THIS PROBLEM HAD SPARK PLUGS,DISTRIBUTOR,PLUG WIRES,FUEL FILTER ,MAF SENSOR AND THE THROTTLE BODY REPLACED $1300.00 LATER I STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *KB”
Steering
22 reports6 crashes1 related recall
“MY 2002 NISSAN XTERRA'S AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY IN A COLLISION WITH A TELEPHONE POLE AT APX. 45 MPH. THE ACCIDENT WAS ON A BADLY MAINTAINED CITY STREET, THE STEERING HAS BEEN PROBLEMATIC EVEN THOUGH I HAD AN ALIGNMENT DONE APX. 6 MO.S AGO.”
Air bags
21 reports10 crashes1 related recall
“VEHICLE WAS WRECKED ON A DIRT ROAD. THE VEHICLE ROLLED FOUR TIMES AND WAS TOTALED; THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER WAS THE ONLY PERSON IN THE CAR SO PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOYING IS NOT A SURPRISE. DRIVER WAS SEVERELY INJURED FROM ACCIDENT, INCURRING SIGNIFICANT MEDICAL COSTS AS WELL AS JOB LOSS.”
Service brakes, hydraulic
16 reports2 crashes
“PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER OF 2006 AND IN MAY 2008 AS I WAS ATTEMPTING TO STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT IN THE CITY ONLY DOING ABOUT 10 MPH. THE WHEEL JERKED REALLY FUNNY AND THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE BRAKES. UPON ATTEMPTING TO GO MY CAR WOULDN'T PICK UP SPEED AND WAS MAKING A RUBBING NOISE. LIMPED INTO GARAGE WHERE THEY SHOWED ME MY CALIPERS WERE LOCKED UP. HAD BOTH CALIPERS, BRAKES AND ROTORS REPLACED. OCTOBER 2009, DRIVING AT 55 MPH, STARTED SMELLING BURNT RUBBER SMELL, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SO I PULLED OVER TO HAVE IT TOWED. THOUGHT IT WAS OVERHEATING EVEN THOUGH GAUGE DID NOT INDICATE THAT. GARAGE STATED I NEEDED A NEW BRAKE LINE SO HAD IT REPLACED AND ON THE WAY HOME I BEGAN SMELLING THAT HORRIBLE SMELL AGAIN SO I DECIDED TO TAKE TO ANOTHER GARAGE WHERE THEY SHOWED ME MY CALIPER WAS LOCKED UP JUST ENOUGH TO HEAT THE ROTOR UP. HAD CALIPER AND BRAKES REPLACED. APRIL 2010, JUST FROM PAST EXPERIENCES I KNEW WHAT THE RUBBING NOISE AND LOSS OF POWER MEANT. SURE ENOUGH DRIVER'S SIDE CALIPER WAS LOCKED UP. HAD CALIPER, BRAKES AND NEW BRAKE HOSE PUT ON. JULY 2011, YET AGAIN MY CALIPER IS LOCKED UP. SO AS I AM TYPING THIS ITS BACK IN FOR THE USUAL. IN ALMOST…”
Electrical system
15 reports1 crash2 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRES UNDERNEATH THE STEERING COLUMN WERE BURNT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 204,391.”
Suspension
13 reports1 related recall
“THE MAIN LEAF SPRING IN THE REAR SUSPENSION SHEARED OFF NEXT TO THE AXLE WHILE DRIVING. I WAS THE ONLY PERSON IN THE CAR AND THE TOTAL LOAD IN THE REAR OF THE CAR WAS APPROXIMATELY 100LBS. THE SPRING CAUGHT ON THE BRAKE LINE AS IT BROKE. MY ABS LIGHT CAME ON. THE REPAIRS HAVE NOT BEEN MADE YET. *TR”
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.