Problems · NHTSA complaints
2004 Nissan Xterra problems
Owners filed 84 complaints about the 2004 Nissan Xterra with NHTSA between Sep 2004 and Aug 2025. The most-cited component is steering (20).
Complaints
84
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
10
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
7
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Steering20
- Suspension11
- Electrical system11
- Engine8
- Power train6
- Fuel system, gasoline6
- Engine and engine cooling6
- Fuel/propulsion system5
- Service brakes, hydraulic5
- Visibility5
- Air bags4
- Wheels3
- Vehicle speed control3
- Equipment3
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
10
3
3
5
10
3
10
0
3
2
8
4
2
2
6
3
1
1
1
1
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 4 |
| 2005 | 10 |
| 2006 | 3 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 5 |
| 2009 | 10 |
| 2010 | 3 |
| 2011 | 10 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 8 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 2 |
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
Steering
20 reports1 crash1 related recall
“THE STEERING WEAL IT'S BECOMING STIFF AND IS BECOMING HARD TO MANEUVER AROUND AND IT MIGHT AFFECT MY DRIVING AND I'M SCARED I MIGHT CRASH AND THIS IS THE ONLY VEHICLE I HAVE AND OWN AND HAVE NO OTHER MEANS TO PURCHASE ANOTHER CAR. I WAS HEADING TO WORK AND I TRIED TURNING ON THE CORNER AND IT JUST BECAME HARD TO STEER THE STEERING WEAL.”
Suspension
11 reports
“I TOOK MY VECHICLE TO ACE AUTO AND HE CLAIM HE FIXED IT GAVE ME A LIST THE SECOND TIME BUT NOT THE FIRST TIME IT SAT THERE FOR A YEAR THAN I GOT IT OUT FOR 2 MONTHS BACK IN AGAIN ITS GOES REAL SLOW BACK FIRES NOW AND STERRING WHEEL LOCKED ONE DAY NOW ITS ACTING LIKE IT DONT HAVE POWER TO IT.EVERYTIME YOU GO SPPEED LIMIT THE STEERING LOCKS IT SHAKES AND NOT ENOUGH POWER TO GO BARELY GO UP THE HILL TOO.”
Electrical system
11 reports1 fire
“WHEN DRIVING MY XTERRA, IT LOSES POWER AND CUTS OUT ON ME. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND CUTS COMPLETELY OFF WHEN I'M ACCELERATING. THERE IS A DECLARATION AND THEN THE VEHICLE WON'T CRANK OR START LEAVING ME STRANDED. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME OVER YEARS THAT THE XTERRA HAS CUT OFF ON ME. ALL DASHBOARD SYSTEMS STOP COMPLETELY WHEN IT HAPPENS. I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE CAR WHEN IT HAPPENS.”
Engine
8 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 145,000.”
Power train
6 reports3 crashes
“COOLANT IN TRANSMISSION! BOUGHT NEW IN MARCH OF 2015. WAS DRIVING ON I-10 IN BILOXI AND IT STARTED SMELLING LIKE A BURNT RUBBER SMELL AND IT STARTED SMOKING! PULLED OVER AND GOT OUT OF IT! LEFT ME AND MY DAUGHTER STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY! *TR”
Fuel system, gasoline
6 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 NISSAN XTERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A FUEL LEAK AND THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 158,000.”
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.