2005 NISSAN XTERRA Complaints

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 45 MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR STARTED SLOWING DOWN. WHEN I PULLED OVER THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO MY HOUSE AND IT HASN'T STARTED SINCE. *TR

LIKE MANY OTHER XTERRA OF THIS YEAR, THE RADIATOR WAS FAULTY AND LEAKED ANTIFREEZE INTO THE TRANSMISSION. CONSEQUENTLY I HAD TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR, HAVE IT SERVICED FOR 1177.00 DOLLARS AND THEN WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED BECAUSE IT WAS NOT A SAFETY RECALL EVEN WITH A HIGH FAILURE RATE FOR THIS MODEL. THINKING THE RADIATOR WAS THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE VEHICLE DRIVING PROBLEMS I WAS ASSURED NOTHING ELSE WAS WRONG WITH THE XTERRA. I CONTINUED TO RESEARCH THIS PROBLEM AS I HAD CONTINUED TROUBLE WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND BEING TOWED SEVERAL TIMES. I WAS TOLD THAT THE RADIATOR LEAKED ANTIFREEZE INTO THE TRANSMISSION RENDERING IT INOPERATIVE AND NEEDING A FULL REPLACEMENT. I THEN PAID 3550.00 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. AGAIN, I WAS TOLD BY NISSAN THAT THIS WAS NOT COVERED BY ANY WARRANTY AND THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND YEAR. AFTER MORE RESEARCH, I DISCOVERED THERE WAS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE COMPLAINT OF THE SAME ISSUE AND NISSAN TELLING THEIR CUSTOMERS THAT IT WAS OUT OF THERE HANDS AND NOT IN HIGH ENOUGH INCIDENCE FOR A RECALL. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR CUSTOMERS TO BE REPAID FOR THESE REPAIRS AND MY FAMILY AND I HOPE NISSAN DOES THE RIGHT THING AND PAY THEIR CUSTOMERS BACK FOR THEIR MISTAKE AND FAULTY PARTS. *TR

LEFT AND RIGHT REAR AXLE SEALS BLEW OUT AND LEAKED DIFFERENTIAL FLUID. DIFFERENTIAL FLUID LEAKING ON REAR BRAKE ROTORS WHICH COULD CAUSE BRAKE FAILURE, WHICH WAS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN TO ME. AT TIME OF FAILURE NO SUSPENSION MODIFICATIONS HAD BEEN DONE TO VEHICLE. ALSO, THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL OIL WILL SLOWLY LEAK AND CAUSE THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL TO LOSE FLUID AND FAIL. THE LEAKING DIFFERENTIAL FLUID HAS ALSO CONTAMINATED THE PARKING/EMERGENCY BRAKE SHOES AND THEY WILL NOT HOLD OR SLOW VEHICLE. *TR

JANUARY 2012 ONE MORNING I WAS DRIVING AT HWY SPEED ON THE FREEWAY WHEN OUT OF NOWHERE LOST TOTAL POWER. I STEPPED ON THE GAS AND MY TRUCK WENT FROM 60 TO 10 MILES AN HOUR. THANK GOD IT WAS CLOSE TO AN OFF REAP AND I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY. I TOOK THE CAR TO NEAREST AUTO REPAIR SHOP. AFTER EXAMINATION OF TRANSMISSION THEY FOUND LARGE AMOUNT OF WHITE SUBTEND IN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID BUT THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE WHAT THAT WAS. NEXT DAY I DROVE THE TRUCK TO NISSAN DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE OF THE DEFECT IN THE RADIATOR THE ANTI-FREEZE WAS LEAKING TO THE TRANSMISSION AND CAUSING IT TO SEIZE AND BOTH COMPONENTS NEED TO IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE FAILURE IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND THAT IS OCCURS WITH NO WARNING, NO ENGINE LIGHT, NO NOTICEABLE DETERIORATION OF PERFORMANCE, IT JUST HAPPENS. SINCE I WAS NOT IN ANY POSITION TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR, I TOOK MY TRUCK HOME AND TRY TO CONTACT NISSAN FOR HELP. ON JANUARY 16, I CONTACT THE NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS AGAIN AND REQUESTED AN EXCEPTION TO THE 80K MILES LIMITATION. NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS TOOK 2 WEEKS TO REVIEW MY CASE BEFORE DENYING IT. THE FAILURE OF NISSAN TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS, PARTICULARLY WHEN THE PROBLEM REPRESENTS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN AND ATTRIBUTABLE TO A DESIGN FLAW, IS INEXCUSABLE. NISSAN DENIES THAT THERE IS A SAFETY CONCERN, WHEREAS THEY SHOULD HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ERROR AND ISSUED A RECALL. HOW MANY ACCIDENTS OR FATALITIES NEED TO OCCUR OVER THE COMING YEARS BEFORE NISSAN IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR NEGLIGENCE? MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALER ESTIMATED IT WOULD COST $5368 TO REPAIR MY XTERRA. THIS REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL BURDEN AND HARDSHIP -- ESPECIALLY ON A VEHICLE WITH JUST OVER 100K MILES. HOW MANY NISSAN OWNERS HAVE TO EXPERIENCE THIS TYPE OF FINANCIAL HARDSHIP BEFORE NISSAN IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE? *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE 73N FREEWAY IN ORANGE COUNTY, MY CAR STARTED SHUDDERING. THE TEMP GAUGE WAS TA THE MAX SO I PULLED OVER. I WAS TOWED IN TO A NISSAN DEALERSHIP WHERE THE MASTER MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY THE TRANSMISSION COOLER IN THE RADIATOR FAILING CAUSING RADIATOR FLUID AND TRANSMISSION FLUID TO MIX RENDERING BOTH INOPERABLE. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT THIS IS A GROWING PROBLEM WITH NISSAN AND HE HAS PERSONALLY SEEN MANY SUCH CASES. HE SAID THAT NISSAN IS USING DEFECTIVE RADIATORS WHICH IS THE MAIN CAUSE OF THIS. *TR

ON OCTOBER 30, 2012 WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE TRANSMISSION ON OUR 2005 NISSAN XTERRA GAVE OUT. WE TOOK IT TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP WHO INFORMED US THAT NISSAN'S HAD AN INHERENT PROBLEM WITH THE COOLING SYSTEM LEAKING INTO THE TRANSMISSION. WE WERE INFORMED IT WOULD BE 6K TO FIX THE VEHICLE. WE HAVE CONTACTED NISSAN AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT A WARRANTY EXTENSION HAS BEEN GRANTED TO 80,000 FOR FULL RESTITUTION AND UNDER 100,000 FOR 50% RESTITUTION. EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE BARELY OVER 100,000 MILES, IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR THE PURE NEGLIGENCE OF NISSAN NOT DOING A RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES WHEN THEY BECAME AWARE OF THE RAMPANT PROBLEM, OUR VEHICLE WOULD NOT HAVE SUFFERED A COMPLETE TRANSMISSION/COOLANT SYSTEM FAILURE WHICH HAS RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL LOSS. WE REQUEST THAT NISSAN CHANGE THEIR EXTENSION OF THE WARRANTY TO A COMPLETE RECALL AND REIMBURSE US FOR ANY LOSS. WE FEEL THIS IS FAIR BASED ON THE FACT THEY KNEW OF THE PROBLEM AND NEGLIGENTLY FAILED TO ACT UPON IT. *TR

VEHICLE STARTED MAKING A JERKING WHILE SHIFTING INTO MODERATE SPEED OF 65 OR LOWER. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE TECHNITIAN INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS TRANSMISSION OIL IN THE RADIATOR, CAUSING THE PROPER ENGAGING OF GEARS. EXTENDED WARRANTY IS EXPIRED AND THE EXTENDED WARRANTY OF THE RADIATOR ISSUE IS ALSO EXPIRED. NISSAN WAS MADE AWARE OF THE MALFUNCTION AND DENIED ASSISTANCE UNLESS I WANTED TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP OFFERED TO FIX PROBLEM AT A COST OF $5000! CAR IS STILL BEING PAID FOR UNTIL 2015! *TR

I BOUGHT THE NISSAN XTERRA BRAND NEW IN APRIL 2005. MY XTERRA BEGAN TO HAVE MINOR ISSUES SINCE BUYING IT,(BAD BATTERY,FUEL SENDING UNIT, OIL PRESSURE GAUGE,DEFECTIVE RADIO). AS OF OCTOBER 2011 THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS WENT BAD CAUSING MY "SERVICE ENGINE" LIGHT TO COME ON. MY LOCAL NISSAN SERVICE CENTER WILL NOT OFFER ANY HELP WITH THE ISSUE. THEIR COST TO REPLACE THE CONVERTERS EXCEEDS $1800.00. NOW I'M FACING A NEW MAJOR ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION. MY XTERRA ONLY HAS 120,000 MILE AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I'VE BEEN READING A LOT OF REVIEWS FROM FELLOW NISSAN XTERRA OWNERS FACING THE SAME EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE ISSUE AS I AM AT THIS MOMENT. I'M HOPING THAT NISSAN WILL SOON OFFER A RECALL FOR THESE ISSUES. I'VE HAD SEVERAL QUOTES ON HAVING BOTH ISSUES REPAIRED AND THE COST EXCEEDS $5000.00. AGAIN NISSAN WILL NOT OFFER ANY HELP WITH THE PARTS OR LABOR. I THINK THIS IS A ISSUE THAT IS EFFECTING A LOT OF NISSAN OWNERS AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO CORRECT THESE ISSUES. *TR

RECENTLY THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TURNING OFF WHILE IN USE (DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD) AND WE HAVE TO THROW IT IN NEUTRAL, CRANK BACK UP, THEN PUT IT BACK IN GEAR. THIS IS NOT SAFE. TOOK IT IN TO GET IT DIAGNOSED AND THE SCAN CAME BACK READING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS COULD BE GOING OUT (2 ON EACH SIDE, PRETTY SURE ONLY ONE SIDE IS AFFECTED). THEN WERE TOLD ABOUT AN ECM RELAY RECALL. MECHANICS HAVE TOLD US THAT THIS CAN CAUSE THE CATS TO FAIL. NISSAN SAID TO TAKE IT TO A DEALERSHIP AND SEE WHAT THEY SAY. WHAT?! OF COURSE THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP IS GOING TO REPLACE ONLY THE ECM COMPONENT OF THE RECALL AND SAY IT WON'T AFFECT THE CATS, WHILE OTHER MECHANICS AT NON DEALER AFFILIATED SHOPS HAVE MORE THAN A FEW TIMES SAID IT CAN BE A DIRECT EFFECT OF THE ECM. SO WE HAVE A "CASE" NUMBER WITH NISSAN AND NISSAN WILL "INVESTIGATE" AND LET US KNOW IF THEY ARE WILLING TO PAY ANY TOWARDS THE REPAIR, OR IF A RECALL IS ISSUED IN THE NEAR FUTURE WE'LL GET REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIR... HOW ABOUT YOU JUST MAKE A VEHICLE WITHOUT FAULTY PARTS AND IF A FAULTY PART CONTRIBUTES TO ANOTHER PART GOING OUT, YOU REPAIR THE PARTS AFFECTED. *TR

TWO YEARS AGO MY 2005 NISSAN XTERRA BEGAN RATTLING, SHAKING AND NOT HEATING WHEN IDLING. I TOOK IT FOR DIAGNOSTICS AT MY MECHANIC HE THOUGHT IT MAY BE A U JOINT OR TIRE PROBLEM. RECENTLY, THIS PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AFTER SEARCHING THE NISSAN WEBSITE WHICH HAS RECENTLY POSTED AN EXTENSION OF THE RADIATOR/TRANSMISSION WARRANTY DUE TO THE MANY REPORTED PROBLEMS OF RADIATOR FLUID LEAKING INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND DESTROYING THE TRANSMISSION. MY XTERRA HAS 84000 MILES ON IT. I WAS JUST TOLD BY NISSAN THAT THEY WILL REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE MANUFACTURING, HOWEVER I MUST PAY A CO PAY OF 2500.00 DOLLARS SINCE I AM OVER THE 80,000 MILES. THIS IS RIDICULOUS. THEY SAY IT IS DANGEROUS FOR ME TO DRIVER IF I DON'T PAY TO REPLACE IT. WHY ISN'T THIS A RECALL ITEM ? HOW CAN ANYONE JUSTIFY NOT RECALLING A DEFECTIVE RADIATOR/TRANSMISSION ON A CAR WITH LESS THAT 100,000 MILES ON IT ? THIS MUST BE STOPPED. NISSAN MUST BE FORCED TO MAKE RIGHT THE DEFECTIVE ENGINEERING USED IN IT'S AUTOMOBILES. THE CUSTOMER WHO PAID FULL PRICE FOR A NEW CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE TO BEAR ANY OF THE COST FOR THIS DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS WORKMANSHIP. *TR