2005 Nissan Xterra Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 167 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the 2005 Nissan Xterra, 20% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 97,750 miles. The words owners use most often: “transmission radiator” (21% of reports).
- 167engine and engine cooling complaints
- 97,750median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 36%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Transmission radiator: mentioned in 35 of 167 complaints (21%)
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 154 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 167 complaints, 1 a fire.
Nissan Xterra engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Xterra | 1 | 4% | 140,000 |
| 2010 Xterra | 1 | 3% | 83,800 |
| 2009 Xterra | 1 | 5% | 60,000 |
| 2008 Xterra | 8 | 7% | 104,000 |
| 2007 Xterra | 75 | 13% | 99,000 |
| 2006 Xterra | 106 | 14% | 102,410 |
| 2005 Xterra | 167 | 20% | 97,750 |
| 2004 Xterra | 6 | 7% | 33,000 |
| 2003 Xterra | 7 | 10% | 66,500 |
| 2002 Xterra | 24 | 15% | 52,214 |
| 2001 Xterra | 11 | 7% | 70,500 |
| 2000 Xterra | 33 | 15% | 71,319 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Engine and engine cooling
Problem: Nissan is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 armada, titan, infiniti qx56 and model year 2005-2006 frontier, pathfinder and xterra vehicles. The intelligent power distribution module (ipdm) assembly contains an engine control module (ecm) relay that has a diode for electrical current noise reduction. The ecm relay may allow silicon vapor to form and, over time, the silicon evaporates from the diode molding which causes silicon oxide to develop on the ecm relay contact due to arcing.
Risk: This could cause engine stalling increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the ecm relay inside the ipdm assembly. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on december 6, 2010. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Xterra. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled inadvertently on several occasions. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road on several occasions. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted…
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 nissan xterra. While driving approximately 40 mph, the vehicle lost power and stalled. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and restarted, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to a mechanic who diagnosed that the radiator fluid mixed with the…
Dear nhtsa, hope you are doing well. The reason of my message is to call to your attention an issue regarding nissan's radiator -transmission problem that has been reported before by other nissan drivers. I own a 2005 x-terra and it wasn't until this year that i had a serious problem with my car…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2005 Nissan Xterras have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 167 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the 2005 Nissan Xterra (20% of the 845 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2005 Nissan Xterra engine and engine cooling?
Yes: 1 safety recall list engine and engine cooling. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems start?
The median reported mileage is 97,750 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the 2005 Nissan Xterra?
The most frequent phrase is “transmission radiator”, in 35 of 167 complaints.
Other 2005 Nissan Xterra problems
- Power Train problems (412)
- Fuel System, Gasoline problems (242)
- Engine problems (114)
See all 2005 Nissan Xterra problems or engine and engine cooling problems across all Xterra years.