Problems · by component
2005 Nissan Xterra power train problems
412 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2005 Nissan Xterra cite power train, 49% of all 845 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
412
49% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the power train
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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.”
“The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Xterra. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated she was able to restart the vehicle however, the vehicle stalled after driving 50 feet. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the transmission to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact towed the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was also informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 149,000.”
“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.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY AND DID NOT SHIFT GEARS. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED A BYPASS AND FLUSHED THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO SPECIALIZED IN TRANSMISSION SERVICE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS FLUSHED AND THE FILTER WAS CHANGED. THE TECHNICIAN ALSO LOCATED FAILURE CODES 1754 AND 1759. THE CONTACT CALLED ROSEN NISSAN OF MADISON (LOCATED AT 2510 W BELTLINE HWY, MADISON, WI 53713) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED THE BYPASS WRECKED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 95,000.”
“ON 3/14 I WENT TO WORK AS I WORK WHERE I LIVE WHEN TO DRIVE THE TRUCK AND IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. WAS LIKE BEING IN 4TH GEAR EVEN THOUGH I WAS IN FIRST GEAR. I THEN NOTICED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I BORROWED A CODE READER AND GOT THE CODE P1769 CALLED THE MECHANIC AND THEY CAME AND TOWED TO SHOP. THE CODE WASN'T WHAT WAS WRONG THE RADIATOR LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND IT DESTROYED THE TRANSMISSION. THE MECHANIC REBUILT ENTIRE TRANNY RE RAN COOLING LINES AND ADDED TWO COOLING FANS. HE HAD TO BUY A BRAND NEW VALVE BODY AND REBUILD ENTIRE TRANSMISSION AS IT WAS DESTROYED BY THE ANTIFREEZE. WE DID SEE THIS WAS A PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR NISSAN AND NO RECALL WAS EVER DONE. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE SHOP FOR ALMOST 8 WEEKS AND THE AMOUNT IT COST TO REPAIR WAS A MONTHS WORTH OF BRING HOME PAY FOR MY SELF AND WIFE WHO IS DISABLED. THE TRUCK IS REPAIRED NOW THANKFULLY BUT WOULD OF BEEN NICE TO HAVE NISSAN FOOT SOME OF THIS BILL FOR SURE”
“RADIATOR CRACKS ALLOWED TRANSMISSION FLUID AND ENGINE COOLANT TO MIX AS A DIRECT CAUSE FOR TRANSMISSION DESTRUCTION! CAR WILL NO LONGER MOVE AND NO WARNING SIGNS OR RECALLS. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BY NISSAN FOR YEARS AND NO RECALL? WHO GOT PAID AT HERE TO ALLOW NISSAN TO GET AWAY WITH THAT FOR SO MANY MODEL VEHICLES FOR YEARS! CAR STALLED AND DIED WHILE IN MOTION ALMOST CAUSING A MAJOR ACCIDENT WITH MY 2 KIDS ABOARD!”
Showing 6 of 412 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.