Problems · by component

2005 Nissan Xterra engine and engine cooling problems

167 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2005 Nissan Xterra cite engine and engine cooling, 20% of all 845 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
167
20% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine and engine cooling

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Xterra. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled inadvertently on several occasions. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road on several occasions. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted, and the contact continued driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the Intelligent Power Distribution Module (IPDM) needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 10V517000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The dealer and the manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 25, 2026Engine and engine cooling, Electrical systemODI 11720443
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE RADIATOR FLUID MIXED WITH THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 13, 2016Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10935101
“DEAR NHTSA, HOPE YOU ARE DOING WELL. THE REASON OF MY MESSAGE IS TO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION AN ISSUE REGARDING NISSAN'S RADIATOR -TRANSMISSION PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED BEFORE BY OTHER NISSAN DRIVERS. I OWN A 2005 X-TERRA AND IT WASN'T UNTIL THIS YEAR THAT I HAD A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH MY CAR. IT STARTED EARLIER THIS YEAR WHEN MY CAR SIMPLY STALLED IN A PARKING LOT. AFTER SPENDING MORE THAN $200 IN TOWING PLUS $1500 IN FIXING THE TRANSMISSION COMPUTER I THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. IN MAY, DRIVING BACK FROM TAMPA TO MIAMI, THE CAR STARTED TO ACT AGAIN BUT THEN IT WENT AWAY. ABOUT A MONTH AGO MY CAR HAD ANOTHER EPISODE OF 'LOOSING' POWER. I BROUGHT MY CAR TO A NISSAN DEALER IN MIAMI FOR THEM TO TAKE A LOOK AND THEY SUGGESTED TAKING IT TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST AS THEIR PROTOCOL FOR CASES LIKE THIS CALLS FOR AN EXPENSIVE TRANSMISSION CHANGE. THE WEEKEND OF OCTOBER 7TH, I WAS HEADED TOWARDS MY PARENTS HOME AND MY CAR STALLED AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST IN CORAL SPRINGS AND $4,600 LATER, I HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR. HE GAVE ME THE EXPLANATION ABOUT THE RADIATOR LEAKING INTO THE TRANSMISSION. MY BROTHER POINTED TO MY ATTENTION…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 17, 2016Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10916692
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT MANEUVERED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT RADIATOR COOLANT LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CHAMBER AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000. UPDATED 10/18/16*LJ *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 7, 2016Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10904297
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN XTERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND THE VEHICLE JERKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT RADIATOR FLUID LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE FAILED. THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW IF THE FUEL TANK WAS FULL OR EMPTY. THE FUEL GAUGE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 23, 2016Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Electrical systemODI 10851215
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE IDLED HIGHLY AND MADE AN ABNORMAL SOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE RADIATOR FLUID LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED INTO THE RADIATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 2, 2015Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10761002

Showing 6 of 167 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

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

1 recall on this component

Engine and engine cooling

Free remedy

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 ARMADA, TITAN, INFINITI QX56 AND MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 FRONTIER, PATHFINDER AND XTERRA VEHICLES. THE INTELLIGENT POWER DISTRIBUTION MODULE (IPDM) ASSEMBLY CONTAINS AN ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) RELAY THAT HAS A DIODE FOR ELECTRICAL CURRENT NOISE REDUCTION. THE ECM RELAY MAY ALLOW SILICON VAPOR TO FORM AND, OVER TIME, THE SILICON EVAPORATES FROM THE DIODE MOLDING WHICH CAUSES SILICON OXIDE TO DEVELOP ON THE ECM RELAY CONTACT DUE TO ARCING.

Engine and engine coolingReported Oct 28, 2010NHTSA 10V517000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 8, 2026

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