2003 NISSAN XTERRA Complaints

CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO CHANGE A TIRE. THE SPARE TIRE RUBBER WAS BURNED IN THREE OR MORE PLACES FROM THE HEAT SPREADING UNDER THE VEHICLE, AND THE CHAR/MELTING/BURNING WENT THROUGH THE VEHICLE BODY FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE OUTSIDE TO THE FLOOR INSIDE. THE MAN CHANGING MY TIRE SUGGESTED IT WAS A FIRE WAITING TO HAPPEN AND THAT THERE COULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS SORT OF ISSUE. I CHECKED AND DO NOT SEE ANYTHING LISTED. MY TIRED IS NOW DAMAGED FROM THE HEAT MELTING THE RUBBER, AND MY VEHICLE IS CHARRED IN PLACES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN XTERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS FAILED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THE EGR SYSTEM FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

WE WERE DRIVING ON VACATION AND THE CAR STOPPED. IT STARTED BACK UP AND THEN AFTER A COUPLE OF MILES STOPPED AGAIN. WE WERE STRANDED AND DIDN'T GET HOME FOR THREE DAYS.I HAVE TAKE CODES OFF THE ENGINE AND IT SHOWED A 0462 CODE. WENT BACK TO GET XTERRA WITH A CAR DOLLY AND DOLLY BROKE AND CAR CAME UNDONE. THIS UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT WAS A DIRECT RESULT OF A BAD SENDING UNIT. *TR

RADIATOR IS FALLING OUT OF TRUCK ,DUE TO SERIOUS RUST ON FRAMING, HOOD LATCH IS STARTING TO BREAK FREE HOOD COULD FLY UP ONTO WINDSHIELD . *TR

DURING A DRIVE HOME FROM A WEEKEND IN THE COUNTRY, MY XTERRA BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. A FAINT POP, LIKE A BACKFIRE, HAPPENED. AFTER I HEARD THE NOISE, A CONSISTENT TICKING OR PINGING SOUND STARTED COMING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE OF MY XTERRA. THE SOUND IS CONSISTENT WITH THE ACCELERATION. ONCE I GOT HOME, I STARTED TO RESEARCH THE ISSUE ONLINE. FOUND THAT 2000-2004 XTERRAS HAVE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKING DUE TO WEAK MATERIAL. I AM AN ACTIVE MEMBER ON WWW.CLUBXTERRA.ORG AND MANY OTHER MEMBERS REPORT THE SAME ISSUE. THIS IS QUITE A SET BACK FOR MOST PEOPLE AND CAN CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE IF IT IS NOT TAKEN CARE OF IN A TIMELY MANNER. NISSAN SHOULD RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURING FAULT AND ISSUE A RECALL. EVERYONE I KNOW THAT OWNS AN XTERRA HAS OR HAD THIS ISSUE. *TR

WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR THE ADJUSTER FOR THE STEERING WHEEL LEVER TO LOWER OR LIFT UP THE WHEEL IS STUCK IN THE DOWN POSITION & WON'T MOVE. THE WHEEL IS HARD TO MOVE BUT THE STEERING FLUID IS FULL. *TR

DRIVING 30 MPH ON STREET AND HIT A POTHOLE AND THE CAR GEARED TOWARDS THE RIGHT AND WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAD TO HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL WITH TWO HANDS WITH CONSTANT PRESSURE TO HOLD IT IN A STRAIGHT POSITION. I ARRIVED AT MY BROTHERS HOUSE AFTER TEN MINUTES BUT I WAS UNABLE TO PARK IN THEIR DRIVEWAY. THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN LEFT AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS VERY STIFF. ABOUT TWO MONTHS PRIOR MY HUSBAND CHECKED THE POWER STEERING FLUID CAUSE I COULD PARK ON THE LEFT OF ANY STREET. BECAUSE OF THE STIFF STEERING WHEEL AND CRANKING NOISE COMING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE. I FEEL LIKE I WILL BE LOSING CONTROL OF THE CAR SOON. SO I WILL BE TAKING IT TO OUR MECHANIC ON MONDAY. *TR

I WAS PUMPING GAS AND IT BACKED UP AND SPLASHED ALL OVER MY EXPOSED SKIN AND CLOTHING. BECAUSE THE FUEL PUMP FUEL LEVEL SENDER IS MALFUNCTIONING GAS SPILLS WHEN I ATTEMPT TO FILL MY TANK. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ALONG A SLIGHTLY SNOW COVERED ROAD WITH A LITTLE BIT OF ICE. MY SPEED WAS LOW ABOUT 15-20 MILES PER HOUR. THE CAR STARED SLIDING SIDEWAYS TOWARD ANOTHER CAR HEADING TOWARD ME. MY FOUR-WHEELED DRIVE WAS ENGAGED WHILE DRIVING. I MANAGED TO STEER THE CAR OUT OF THE WAY OF THE OTHER CAR BUT I COULD NOT GAIN CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE. THE BRAKES DID NOT HELP AND THE STEERING WOULD NOT RESPOND. I TRAVELED AT LEAST 80 FEET HITTING TREES AND BUSHES UNTIL A SET OF TREES STOPPED MY CAR. THE CRASH TOTALED MY CAR. *TR

ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN 09. VEHICLE FAILED EMISSIONS DUE TO PROBLEM WITH EVAC SYSTEM. GASKET AT FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED. WITHIN A YEAR, ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. THERE WAS ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH THE EVAC SYSTEM. AFTER $ 862.00 DOLLARS THAT WERE SPENT ON VEHICLE FOR O RING AND GASKET REPAIRS, VEHICLE PASSED EMISSIONS. WITHIN 8 MONTHS, ENGINE LIGHT WAS BACK ON DUE TO EVAC SYSTEM. MECHANIC STATES THAT THERE IS MAJOR CORROSION OF THE FUEL TANK AND THAT HE HAS SEEN THE SAME THING ON MANY NISSAN VEHICLES OF THIS AGE DUE TO THE MATERIAL USED TO CONSTRUCT THE FUEL TANK AND BELIEVES THAT IT IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED AND THAT NISSAN STARTED USING A DIFFERENT MATERIAL ONCE THE PROBLEM WAS KNOWN. THE ENTIRE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE SMELLS OF GASOLINE AND MECHANIC STATES THAT ANYONE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY OF VEHICLE COULD CAUSE AN EXPLOSION IF A SPARK WAS CREATED. *TR