2006 Nissan Xterra problems
Owners have filed 1,034 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Nissan Xterra. Fuel system is the most reported problem area, at 36% of complaints. Next are drivetrain & axles (24%) and engine (18%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 1,034 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Fuel system 37% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 18 and 3
- Injuries and deaths
- 27 and 1
- Typical mileage
- 90,000 miles 945 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 39 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 72 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 163 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 123 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 168 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 155 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 105 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 62 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 29 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 12 |
| 200k+ miles | 17 |
What the data shows
Of the 945 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 90,000 miles. For fuel system specifically, the median reported mileage is about 60,000 miles (354 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 18 complaints mention a crash; 3 complaints mention a fire; 27 injuries reported; 1 death reported. Its complaints are less severe on average than those of 88% of model years in our database.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2006 ranks 1st most-complained-about out of 12 model years of the Nissan Xterra with enough data (413 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 3 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Tl* the contact owned a 2006 nissan xterra. While driving approximately 65 MPH, the driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed. The vehicle rolled over several times and was destroyed; however, the air bags did not deploy. The driver sustained broken ribs and abdominal/torso contusions. The driver was pregnant and the unborn child was fatally injured due to the injuries. The driver received medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed. The cause of the failure was not determined.
I had a head on collision in the 2006 nissan xterra. While driving approximately 40 MPH when I hit the side of a pickup truck. Neither the driver's or passenger's air bags deployed. The fire department said that with this type of impact they should have deployed. The nissan body shop where the car was located also said they were shocked that with the extent of the damage that they didn't deploy.
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.
Fuel sending pump fails to register how much gas is in the tank at any given time. This caused the "service engine soon" light to come on. This is acknowledged defect in other 2006 xterras but I was told that my VIN is not qualified because I have one of the "new pumps" that isn't defective. However, the dealership told me that the pumps is defective and that is why is needs to be replaced. But my VIN doesn't qualify.
This car was purchased in california, I have had this car serviced at nissan dealers from california to connecticut, from universal city nissan in los angeles to bruce bennett in wilton, ct with stops in between. In a normal service check, it states on all invoices that fluids are checked. Today sir, I found out that fluids are not checked and due to nissan's negligence my radiator and transmission are now married (intermix) and since that marriage a new radiator and transmission are being required.