2005 NISSAN XTERRA Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN X TERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO STATED THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY DUE TO THE MILEAGE AND THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V690000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG WAS EFFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

ON SEPTEMBER 18, I TOOK MY NISSAN XTERRA TOT HE DEALERSHIP AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT BECAUSE IT HAD A HORRIBLE SHIFTING VIBRATION AND WAS JUMPING IN BETWEEN GEARS. HOWEVER, AFTER MAKING THE APPOINTMENT FOR THE NEXT DAY, I WAS REAR-ENDED AND HAD TO HAVE BODY REPAIRS MADE. I GOT THE CAR BACK. THE VIBRATION WAS STILL THERE, OF COURSE, BECAUSE THE VIBRATION HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BODY. I WAS IN TOWN WHERE THE DEALERSHIP IS LOCATED ON OCTOBER 18. I WAS PULLING OUT OF A DRIVE ONTO A BUSY ROAD. NO POWER, THE CAR ONLY MOVED WITH GRAVITY ROLLING TOWARD THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE REVVED WITH THE GAS. I STOPPED QUICK ENOUGH TO AVOID ROLLING ONTO THE ROAD WHICH HAS A 45 MILE AN HOUR SPEED LIMIT WHERE I WAS. I SHUT THE CAR OFF. I STARTED IT BACK UP AND WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE I RAN THE SHIFTER THROUGH THE GEARS. WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE, IT HAD SOME POWER, BUT IT WAS CLEARLY DIMINISHED. I HEADED FOR THE DEALERSHIP. THE CAR WAS JERKING SO HARD THAT IT CLUNKED MY TEETH TOGETHER AND MADE MY NECK AND BACK HURT. I GOT TO THE DEALERSHIP. IT APPEARS THAT MY RADIATOR RUSTED OR CRACKED AND LEAKED THE FLUID INTO MY TRANSMISSION CAUSING IT TO DESTROY MY TRANSMISSION. ALL TOTAL, THE REPAIRS WOULD BE ABOUT $6,300. THE CAR SITS AT THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I AM UNEMPLOYED AND CANNOT PAY THAT ON A CAR THAT I HAVE MANAGED WHILE BEING UNEMPLOYED SINCE FEBRUARY TO CONTINUE $482.58/MO PAYMENTS ON AND HAVING ONLY 6 LEFT!!! NISSAN REFUSES TO HELP ME BECAUSE I HAVE OVER 100,000 MILES ON THE CAR. HOW WOULD THEY HAVE LIKED IT IF I HAD ROLLED INTO TRAFFIC AND GOTTEN KILLED OR HURT? AND, THE PERSON FROM NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD JUST EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 100,000 BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. SO, THEY EVEN KNOW IT IS A MAJOR PROBLEM. *TR

TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO LEAKAGE OF COOLANT FROM RADIATOR INTO THE TRANSMISSION. THIS APPEARS TO BE SYSTEMIC TO THIS MODEL AND YEAR OF VEHICLE. NISSAN HAS ONLY TAKEN ACTION AFTER THE FILING OF A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. NISSAN HAS CLEARLY BEEN AWARE OF THIS ISSSUE FOR AT LEAST FOUR YEARS AND HAS ONLY SENT A VAGUE LETTER REGARDING AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE RADIATOR, NOT NOTING THE POSSIBILITY OF A CATASTROPHIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE, NOR A CAMPAIGN TO FIX THE ISSUE. *TR

HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE REST OF THE 2005 NISSAN XTERRA OWNERS - TRANSMISSION & RADIATOR FAILED; COOLANT LOOKS LIKE CHOCOLATE MILK....LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION & I NOW HAVE TRANSMISSION FAILURE! TALKED TO NISSAN ABOUT THIS, THEY ONLY COVER CERTAIN VIN NUMBERS & MINE WAS NOT ONE OF THEM! SERIOUSLY?!?!?! GOD WILLING, THERE WILL BE NO MORE NISSAN'S FOR MY HOUSEHOLD! *TR

MY PROBLEMS STARTED IN NOVEMBER OF 2010 WITH WHISTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. AFTER TAKING THE TRUCK TO NISSAN DEALER THEY SAID THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND NISSAN HAS SENT OUT A SERVICE BULLETIN TO THE FACT THAT THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE TIMING CHAIN THAT CAUSES THE NOISE. AFTER CONTACTING NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIR FOR TWO WEEKS AT THE END, THEY RULED THAT SINCE I WAS OVER THE STANDARD WARRANTY OF 60K, THEY WERE NOT TO COVER THE COST OF THIS REPAIR EVEN THOUGH THEY KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND NEVER SENT OUT NOTICE TO OWNERS TO HAVE THIS FIXED. SO I HAD TO SPEND THE $1063 WITH I DID NOT HAVE TO FIX THE REPAIR. AGAIN THIS LAST DECEMBER, ONE MORNING I WAS DRIVING AT 55 MILES ON THE FREEWAY WHEN OUT OF NO WHERE LOST TOTAL POWER. I STEPPED ON THE GAS AND MY TRUCK WENT FROM 55 TO 10 MILES AN HOUR. THANK GOD IT WAS CLOSE TO A OFF RAMP AND I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE FREEWAY AND WHEN STRAIGHT TO THE DEALER CLOSE BY. THE DETERMINED THAT THE DEFECT IS THE RADIATOR THE ANTI- FREEZE IN LEAKING TO THE TRANSMISSION AND CAUSING IT TO SEIZE. AFTER SOME RESEARCH ON-LINE, I FOUND OUT THAT THIS PROBLEM IS PLAGUING MANY OTHER OWNERS OF NISSAN XTERRA, PATHFINDER FROM 2005-2010. NISSAN HAS ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS AND EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FROM 60K TO 80K. HOWEVER I HAVE NOT YET FOUND ONE OWNER THAT DID NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM HAPPENING BEFORE 80K. AS FAR AS I SEE IT IS NISSAN TRYING TO HIDE THE FACE THAT THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL. I JUST CAME FROM NISSAN DEALER AND THEY GAVE ME AN ESTEEMED OF $4925.73 TO FIX THE TRANNY & THE RADIATOR. I HAVE CONTACTED NISSAN AND THEY HAVE DECIDED NOT TO HELP ME IN THIS MATTER. SO I HAVE NOW HAVE A TRUCK THAT I CAN'T DRIVE OR CAN AFFORD TO FIX. I AM GOING TO LOOK IN TO OTHER OPTIONS TO DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEMS. I WILL FIGHT THIS TO THE END. *TR

MY NISSAN XTERRA STARTED VIBRATING VIOLENTLY WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEED ON THE INTERSTATE. I SENT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT FIXED. THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM IS A FAULTY TRANSMISSION COOLER THAT LEAKS WATER INTO THE TRANSMISSION. AFTER SOME RESEARCH I FIND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL VEHICLE. HERE IS THE REFERENCE # DP12004. *TR

IN 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. HE SAID THAT IN A WORST-CASE SCENARIO, THE VEHICLE?S TRANSMISSION COULD SEIZE CAUSING AN IMMEDIATE STOP AND LOSS OF CONTROL. 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. *TR

WHILE OUT OF TOWN AT A FAMILY WEDDING I NOTICED A SHUTTERING NOISE WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 NISSAN XTERRA. FROM TIME TO TIME THERE WAS A LOSS IN ACCELERATION. ALTHOUGH WE WERE NOT INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENTS WE WERE LUCKY TO HAVE NOT BEEN REAR ENDED FROM LOSING SPEED ON THE FREEWAY. AFTER SOME RESEARCH ON THIS ISSUE I HAVE COME ACROSS NUMEROUS REPORTS ON A PROBLEM WITH THE RADIATOR LEAKING INTO THE TRANSMISSION. I WENT TO HAVE MY TRUCK LOOKED AT AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. NISSAN KNOWS ABOUT THIS BECAUSE OF THE NUMEROUS REPORTS, BUT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL. THE ONLY THING DONE WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. FROM WHAT I CAN TELL - BY THE TIME YOU START EXPERIENCING THESE PROBLEMS YOU ARE WAY OVER THE WARRANTY. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, THANKFULLY IT WASN'T. NOW WE, THE CONSUMERS, ARE LEFT WITH PAYING FOR NISSAN'S FAULTY PARTS...THAT COULD POSE A SERIOUS RISK OF AN AUTO ACCIDENT. *TR

VEHICLE FUEL GAUGE ABRUPTLY DROPPED FROM APPROXIMATELY 1/2 FULL TO COMPLETELY EMPTY WITH LOW FUEL LIGHT ILLUMINATION WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. FUEL GAUGE REMAINED AT EMPTY WITH LIGHT ON AFTER REFUELING AND MAINTAINED THIS STATUS FOR THE REMAINDER OF TRAVEL (APPROX. 1 HOUR, 50 MILES). VEHICLE WAS THEN PARKED FOR 1 HOUR AND UPON RESTART, GAUGE SHOWED 6/8 LEVEL. VEHICLE WAS AGAIN REFUELED TO ENSURE ADEQUATE FUEL AND GAUGE LEVEL DID NOT CHANGE. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES GAUGE AGAIN ABRUPTLY DROPPED TO EMPTY AND REMAINED THERE. *TR

OUR DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HOME, LATE AT NIGHT, WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN MAKING STRANGE SOUNDS AND LURCHING AT ABOUT 50 MPH. SHE WAS ONLY A FEW BLOCKS FROM HOME, SO DROVE HOME VERY SLOWLY. ON LATER INSPECTION, MY HUSBAND FOUND THE RADIATOR/TRANSMISSION ISSUE AND LOOKED ON THE INTERNET TO SEE IF OTHERS HAD THIS PROBLEM. WE WERE HORRIFIED TO DISCOVER THAT MANY, MANY, MANY NISSAN OWNERS HAVE THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM OF COOLANT IN THE TRANSMISSION. (OUR XTERRA HAS JUST OVER 100,000 MILES.) THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A WELL KNOWN ISSUE WITH NISSAN, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. WE SPOKE WITH A REGIONAL MANAGER WITH NISSAN WHO LISTENED POLITELY, SAID SHE'D LOOK INTO IT, AND HAD HER ASSISTANT FINALLY CALL US OVER A WEEK LATER (SHE PROMISED FOUR DAYS) TO SAY NOTHING COULD BE DONE. SOMETHING CAN BE DONE! I ENCOURAGE ANYONE WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM TO WRITE TO NISSAN, SEND A CC TO YOUR BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU, AND SUBMIT COMPLAINTS TO CONSUMER AWARENESS GROUPS TO DOCUMENT THIS PROBLEM AND GET NISSAN TO ACT RESPONSIBLY FOR THEIR FAULTY RADIATOR. THIS IS A MAJOR, COSTLY, POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ISSUE THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE OCCURRED IN THE FIRST PLACE. WE LOVE OUR XTERRA, FAITHFULLY CHANGE THE OIL, AND HAVE RECOMMENDED IT TO SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE. IT FEELS LIKE A SLAP IN THE FACE THAT NISSAN WILL NOT ADMIT THEIR ROLE IN THIS PROBLEM AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! *TR UPDATED IVOQ 11/19/12