2005 Nissan Xterra Engine Problems
Owners have filed 114 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2005 Nissan Xterra, 13% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 108,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “transmission fluid” (24% of reports).
- 114engine complaints
- 108,000median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 32%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 fluid: mentioned in 27 of 114 complaints (24%)
- Radiator leaked: mentioned in 7 of 114 complaints (6%)
- Service engine: mentioned in 6 of 114 complaints (5%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 105 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 114 complaints, 2 a fire.
Nissan Xterra engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 Xterra | 1 | 10% | 147 |
| 2013 Xterra | 2 | 50% | 14,717 |
| 2012 Xterra | 4 | 25% | 1,540 |
| 2011 Xterra | 5 | 21% | 54,000 |
| 2010 Xterra | 4 | 11% | 37,200 |
| 2009 Xterra | 3 | 16% | 103,500 |
| 2008 Xterra | 23 | 19% | 90,000 |
| 2007 Xterra | 85 | 15% | 113,000 |
| 2006 Xterra | 104 | 13% | 112,117 |
| 2005 Xterra | 114 | 13% | 108,000 |
| 2004 Xterra | 8 | 10% | 134,000 |
| 2003 Xterra | 6 | 8% | 124,500 |
| 2002 Xterra | 8 | 5% | 144,750 |
| 2001 Xterra | 6 | 4% | 110,000 |
| 2000 Xterra | 2 | 1% | 152,000 |
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 while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle was losing motive power. The service engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle stalled with the accelerator pedal depressed. The contact stated that the vehicle moved forward and stopped suddenly…
I have a 2005 Nissan Xterra. I am the original owner and have been driving it over 16 years. Two years ago, in 2020 while driving my car on the road and with kids inside (with a 1 year old and a 6 year old child), the car began to shake and turned off (we were stranded in the middle of the road, at…
Bought vehicle from used from private owner a year ago and noticed less then two weeks later while driving including on the freeway the engine just turns off with no steering control, almost no brake control, and sometimes takes a few minutes to start up again just to get out of the way of other…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2005 Nissan Xterras have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 114 owner complaints about engine for the 2005 Nissan Xterra (13% 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?
Yes: 1 safety recall list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 108,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2005 Nissan Xterra?
The most frequent phrase is “transmission fluid”, in 27 of 114 complaints, followed by “radiator leaked” (7).
Other 2005 Nissan Xterra problems
See all 2005 Nissan Xterra problems or engine problems across all Xterra years.