Is the 2005 Nissan Murano a bad year?
987 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Murano years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2005 Nissan Murano are in line with other Murano years. Seats, visibility and wipers and latches and locks stand out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2005 Murano owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 67,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| SeatsSTANDS OUT | 456 (46%) | 51k–85k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipersSTANDS OUT | 142 (14%) | 48k–74k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Latches and locksSTANDS OUT | 118 (12%) | 50k–80k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Electrical system | 102 (10%) | 50k–121k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 56 (6%) | 65k–109k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Air bags | 52 (5%) | 28k–98k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Engine | 46 (5%) | 38k–138k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Body structure | 35 (4%) | 57k–119k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 33 (3%) | 11k–95k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Brakes | 14 (1%) | 14k–95k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Steering | 14 (1%) | 42k–98k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Suspension | 16 (2%) | 95k–140k miles · ahead | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Speed control | 12 (1%) | 80k–148k miles · ahead | — |
| Equipment | 15 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 67,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 987 complaints: 12 mention a crash · 1 mentions a fire · 16 report an injury · 4 say the car was towed.
1 complaint was filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Sep 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Squealing noise coming from car, took in and paid $100+ for Nissan to diagnose the problem as internal transmission failure.
At a speed of 40 MPH the transmission started to make a terrible ticking noise and vibrated through the cabin of the vehicle.
I started hearing a rattle when under acceleration and could never find the culprit.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 67,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2005 Nissan Murano: 6
The intake air ducts, which are connected to the intermediate resonator in the air intake system of the engine, may separate from the resonator with engine movement. This separation occurs due to the premature aging of the material used in the intake air ducts which causes excessive shrinking. Engine may stall increasing the risk of a crash.
Certain sport utility vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 114, "Theft protection." If the key is turned to the "Off" Position without the transmission being in the "Park" Position, it is possible that the steering wheel can lock when turned to the right.
On certain sport utility vehicles, a fitting for vapor recirculation, which is welded on the fuel tank, may come off the fuel tank because incorrect material was used. This could result in the malfunction indicator light in the instrument panel coming on and may result in some fuel leakage. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
On some sport utility vehicles, in certain high speed frontal crashes, the webbing of a rear outboard seat belt may contact the rear seat back hinge where it can be cut by the sharp edge of the metal portion of the hinge. If the webbing is completely separated, it can increase the risk of injury to an occupant in a crash.
On certain sport utility vehicles, due to the location of the forward edge of the fuel tank, in the event that a vehicle front tire runs over a small, sharp object in the road, catches it and propels it towards the rear of the vehicle, it may strike and puncture the fuel tank. A punctured tank could increase the risk of a fire.
On certain sport utility vehicles, there is a possibility that a wire breaking inside the alternator could stop the battery from charging. If this happens, the charger warning and brake warning lamps will immediately come on and the battery will begin to discharge. After a short time, the engine will go into a "Fall safe" Condition which will limit vehicle speed.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Nissan: 38
Repair instructions Nissan sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2005 Nissan Murano. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Abnormal noise, vibration and/or binding feeling from rear differential
If a customer describes lack of power or poor acceleration, perform the following checks before attempting any repair: * Check for stored DTCs. * Check if…
Vehicle key not detected / authenticated, engine will not start
Nissan; fuel tank is extremely difficult to fill
NHTSA defect investigations: 2
Driver seat anchor failure
Fuel tank punctures from road debris
Neighbouring years
2004 Murano: 678 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission · 2006 Murano: 803 complaints, keep it.
Every Nissan Murano year
2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Murano years side by side
Other Nissan models: Nissan 350Z · Nissan 370Z · Nissan Altima · Nissan Armada · Nissan Cube · Nissan Frontier · Nissan Juke · Nissan Kicks · Nissan Leaf · Nissan Maxima · Nissan Pathfinder · Nissan Quest · Nissan Rogue · Nissan Rogue Sport · Nissan Sentra · Nissan Titan · Nissan Titan XD · Nissan Versa · Nissan Versa Note · Nissan Xterra. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2005 Nissan Murano a bad year?
987 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Murano years. At 67,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Nissan Murano?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: seats (456), visibility and wipers (142), latches and locks (118), electrical system (102), transmission and drivetrain (56).
How many recalls does the 2005 Nissan Murano have?
6 recall campaigns list this model year: Engine (NHTSA 09V-169), Steering (NHTSA 06V-401), Fuel system (NHTSA 06V-054), Seat belts (NHTSA 06V-048) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.