Problems · by component
2006 Nissan Xterra power train problems
268 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2006 Nissan Xterra cite power train, 34% of all 780 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
268
34% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
2
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
Reported by owners
What owners say about the power train
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“Car just shut off in traffic loosing all power and braking causing me to crash into the back of a stopped car at a red-light. After inspection from a mechanic shop, they informed me that something in the computer had fried causing the car to shut off, and it had also caused the transmission control unit module to go bad making the car not drive able.”
“The transmission was destroyed because a factory default with the radiator leaking antifreeze and transmission fluid into the transmission causing my transmission to self destruct. my safety was not safe since Nissan knew about the defect and I could have ceased into Anything at any time. There was no warning lights it just self destruct. Nissan has done nothing to inspect their failure. It is a well known problem.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN XTERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MOVE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE REVVED UP BETWEEN 2,000 - 3,000 RPM HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AND INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT COOLANT HAD LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO THE COOLANT CONTAMINATION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. NEITHER A DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED OR NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000.”
“I WAS REQUIRED TO REPLACE THE OEM RADIATOR DUE TO APPEARANCE OF CROSS-CONTAMINATION BETWEEN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID AND ENGINE COOLANT. THE DISCOVERY WAS MADE EARLY ENOUGH TO AVOID BEING STRANDED. IT IS UNKNOWN WHETHER THE AMOUNT OF CONTAMINATION THAT PRECEDED THE REPLACEMENT HAS CAUSED PERMANENT DAMAGE, BUT THE VEHICLE IS FUNCTIONING NORMALLY AS OF THIS MOMENT. I AM AWARE THAT NISSAN HAS BEEN CHALLENGED ON THE TOPIC OF EXTENDED WARRANTY SUPPORT AND/OR RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE OVER A SPAN OF YEARS, AND THIS REPORT IS FILED TO ADD A DATA POINT.”
“I PURCHASED A 2006 NISSAN XTERRA WITH 36K MILES. MAY 15TH, 2009. I CURRENTLY HAVE 112K MILES ON IT AND HAVE A NOT START A/T CONT FUSE BLOWN ISSUE. MY SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON AND TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THERE WAS A CODE STATING A SPEED DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN THE FRONT AND REAR OF THE TRANSMISSION. SOON AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION, MY MECHANIC VERIFIED RADIATOR FLUID LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND I WILL NEED TO REPLACE BOTH MY RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION TO THE APPROX COST OF $5500. NEEDLESS TO SAY, NOT ONLY IS THE EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED, BUT I WILL HAVE TO PAY THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE REPAIR OUT OF POCKET SINCE THE LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST NISSAN CONCERNING THIS ISSUE EXPIRED IN 2013. BUYER BEWARE!!! BE CAREFUL IF YOU PURCHASE A NISSAN XTERRA FROM 2005-2010 UNLESS YOU ARE PREPARED TO FORK OUT MORE MONEY THAN EXPECTED TO PAY FOR A DEFECT THAT NISSAN KNEW ABOUT BUT WILL NO LONGER SUPPORT.”
“MY TRANSMISSION AND DRIVE SHAFT WENT OUT OF MY VEHICLE TODAY OUT OF NOWHERE. I HAVE A NEW JOB TO GET TO AND NO MONEY TO FIX OR REPLACE THIS VEHICLE. IT'S RIDICULOUS CONSIDERING IT ONLY HAS 136,000 MILES ON IT. I WAS 2 MILES FROM MY HOUSE AND DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20MPH AND IT JUST STOPPED ACCELERATING. I WAS STUCK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN 5 DEGREE WEATHER. I AM BEYOND DISMAYED AND COMPLETELY WITHOUT OPTIONS.”
Showing 6 of 268 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.