Problems · by component

2006 Nissan Xterra engine and engine cooling problems

106 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2006 Nissan Xterra cite engine and engine cooling, 14% of all 780 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
106
14% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
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 2006 Nissan Xterra. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle was shaking. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the catalytic converter; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed back to the independent mechanic, who diagnosed that there was an engine misfire and the other catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 136,900.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 23, 2022Engine and engine coolingODI 11480769
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE RADIATOR FRACTURED AND THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK. THE CONTACT, AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL COOLER WITHIN THE RADIATOR WAS FAULTY. A DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 77,000. *TT *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 20, 2018Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 11121077
“TLA* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO MEADOWLANDS NISSAN IN HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, NJ WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE RADIATOR LEAKED AND CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 108,000. UPDATED 09/06/17*LJ ..UPDATED 09/11/17 *BF UPDATED 09/20/17*LJ *CN CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT AN INDEPENDENT SHOP. TRANSMISSION FAILURE DUE TO RADIATOR LEAK. UPDATED 10/4/18*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 9, 2017Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 11014006
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 12, 2016Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10864661
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL ON ITS OWN. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE RADIATOR FRACTURED AND CONTAMINATED THE TRANSMISSION. THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY SIX TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 29, 2016Engine and engine coolingODI 10862252
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS UNABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS CONTAMINATION OF RADIATOR FLUID AND THAT THE RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 1, 2016Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10852876

Showing 6 of 106 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.