Problems · by component

2005 Nissan Xterra engine problems

114 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2005 Nissan Xterra cite engine, 13% of all 845 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
114
13% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Xterra. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle was losing motive power. The service engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle stalled with the accelerator pedal depressed. The contact stated that the vehicle moved forward and stopped suddenly intermittently. On another occasion, the A/C became inoperable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and unknown repairs were performed. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was not insured due to the several failures, and the not being able to be repaired. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23E012000 (AIR BAGS). The vehicle was not repaired for the recent failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 10, 2025Air bags, EngineODI 11647503
“I have a 2005 Nissan Xterra. I am the original owner and have been driving it over 16 years. Two years ago, in 2020 while driving my car on the road and with kids inside (with a 1 year old and a 6 year old child), the car began to shake and turned off (we were stranded in the middle of the road, at a traffic light). Since it was my only means of transportation I kept driving it (no kids inside anymore--which was another HUGE inconvenience having to coordinate and at times pay for babysitters). During my continued usage, it will continue to fail to accelerate causing great danger on the freeway and or on public roads. After a while, I managed to drive it to a transmission shop, who told me they had to either hold onto the car or have it towed--as it was deemed unsafe to drive. Upon inspection, the transmission shop confirmed "coolant bypassed into transmission," among other issues (vehicle does not accelerate, chick engine light is on, etc.) I paid with credit card, $4359.34. Once paid and transmission shop fixed issue, I continued to drive the car with family inside. Now two years later July 2022--I am experiencing the same "vehicle does not accelerate" issue.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 4, 2022Power train, Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 11477659
“Bought vehicle from used from private owner a year ago and noticed less then two weeks later while driving including on the freeway the engine just turns off with no steering control, almost no brake control, and sometimes takes a few minutes to start up again just to get out of the way of other vehicles. Now it’s overheating and leaking coolant on front passenger side floor along with the ground now shutting off more frequently . Also shortly after I bought the vehicle I could hear squeaking noises from under vehicle while driving over the smallest bump and every turn and is so loud it’s heard from 2 small streets away and feels like any second the body might separate from the wheels. I’m not sure about the rest.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 7, 2021Suspension, Power train, EngineODI 11428187
“AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON THEN ABOUT A MONTH AGO IT STARTED STALLING AND DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE OFF ALMOST GOT ME KILLED. AND NOW THE O2 SENSORS BLINK IS ON AND SHIFT SOLENOID WHAT'S NEXT I LOVE MY NISSAN BUT IT'S ALMOST GOTTEN ME KILLED 4 TIMES.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 27, 2021Air bags, Service brakes, EngineODI 11405180
“TL* THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF HER NEIGHBOR WHO OWNS THE 2005 NISSAN XTERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE DRIVER WAS DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WOULD MAKE A WHINING NOISE AS IF THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF FUEL. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WHEN THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE AND ON ANOTHER OCCASION WHILE THE DRIVER WAS DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND A UNKNOWN SECURITY WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 247,352.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 26, 2020EngineODI 11351361
“ON 8/2542018 I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 NISSAN XTERRA DOWN A HIGHWAY IN THE SUBURBS OF PHOENIX, AZ AND WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY BEGAN TO JERK AND GO OUT OF GEAR AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THERE WAS NO WARNING ON MY DASH THAT WOULD TELL ME THERE WAS AN ISSUE AND I HAD TO WAIT IN THE CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS IN THE 105 DEGREE HEAT FOR A TOW TRUCK WITHOUT WATER. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID HAD BEEN MIXING WITH MY COOLANT WHICH WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE DESIGN OF THAT YEAR AND NISSAN TRIED TO WIPE THIS UNDER THE RUG. I AM IN NEED OF AN ENTIRE NEW TRANSMISSION AND MY CAR HAS 82K MILES ON IT AND IS NOW 13 YEARS OLD. NISSAN AGREED TO PAY FOR THE COST FOR A PERIOD OF TIME BUT IF A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED, THIS PROBLEM COULD HAVE BEEN FIXED FOR UNDER "$150. I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR ASSISTANCE IN HELPING ME RECOVER THE DAMAGES THAT SHOULD BE PAID FOR BY NISSAN AS THEY WERE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND DID NOTHING TO ASSIST ME .”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 27, 2018EngineODI 11122726

Showing 6 of 114 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.