Nissan Xterra: which model years draw the most owner complaints?
3,095 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Nissan Xterra, model years 2000 to 2015. 4 model years stand out for the engine or transmission: 2005 (engine 23×, transmission 41×); 2006 (engine 17×, transmission 27×); 2007 (engine 13×, transmission 23×); 2008 (transmission 4.6×). Quietest mature years by complaint count: 2011, 2010, 2003. Counts of unverified owner reports, compared only with other years of the same model; not failure rates.
Complaints by model year
| MODEL YEAR | COMPLAINTS | VS OTHER YEARS | STANDS OUT | RECALLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 Xterra | 213 | — | 5 | |
| 2001 XterraFEW REPORTS | 149 | — | 5 | |
| 2002 Xterra | 157 | — | 6 | |
| 2003 XterraFEW REPORTS | 72 | quiet: 3 of 11 | 3 | |
| 2004 XterraFEW REPORTS | 84 | quiet: 4 of 11 | 3 | |
| 2005 Xterra | 845 | engine 23×, transmission 41× | 6 | |
| 2006 Xterra | 780 | engine 17×, transmission 27× | 5 | |
| 2007 Xterra | 557 | engine 13×, transmission 23× | 2 | |
| 2008 XterraFEW REPORTS | 118 | transmission 4.6× | 8 | |
| 2009 XterraFEW REPORTS | 19 | — | 5 | |
| 2010 XterraFEW REPORTS | 38 | quiet: 2 of 11 | 6 | |
| 2011 XterraFEW REPORTS | 23 | quiet: 1 of 11 | 2 | |
| 2012 XterraFEW REPORTS | 16 | — | 2 | |
| 2013 XterraFEW REPORTS | 4 | — | 0 | |
| 2014 XterraFEW REPORTS | 10 | — | 0 | |
| 2015 XterraFEW REPORTS | 10 | — | 0 |
"Stands out" = 40 or more complaints naming that system and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share seen across every vehicle of that model year. Newer years have had less time on the road. "Quiet" ranks only years with 7+ years on the road and 20+ complaints. NHTSA data through November 2026.
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Other Nissan models
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Source: NHTSA public complaints, recalls, service bulletin and investigation databases, data received through November 2026. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not failure rates: sales volumes are unknown, so a model year is only compared with other years of the same model. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Year pages: 20002002200520062007