2005 Nissan Xterra Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 412 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2005 Nissan Xterra, 49% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 104,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “transmission fluid” (25% of reports).
- 412power train complaints
- 104,000median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $5,850typical repair cost reported by owners
- 37%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 103 of 412 complaints (25%)
- Class action: mentioned in 22 of 412 complaints (5%)
- Engine coolant: mentioned in 21 of 412 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 2005 Nissan Xterra at $5,850, and half of them between $4,600 and $7,750.
Based on 35 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2010–2018), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 388 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 412 complaints, 2 a fire, 1 an injury.
Nissan Xterra power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Xterra | 6 | 60% | 61,000 |
| 2014 Xterra | 1 | 10% | 86,000 |
| 2013 Xterra | 1 | 25% | 10,284 |
| 2012 Xterra | 6 | 38% | 12,708 |
| 2011 Xterra | 1 | 4% | 22,000 |
| 2010 Xterra | 11 | 29% | 66,400 |
| 2009 Xterra | 6 | 32% | 101,300 |
| 2008 Xterra | 47 | 39% | 106,500 |
| 2007 Xterra | 231 | 41% | 110,000 |
| 2006 Xterra | 268 | 34% | 109,000 |
| 2005 Xterra | 412 | 49% | 104,000 |
| 2004 Xterra | 6 | 7% | 6,000 |
| 2003 Xterra | 2 | 3% | 114,500 |
| 2002 Xterra | 6 | 4% | 22,000 |
| 2001 Xterra | 6 | 4% | 100,000 |
| 2000 Xterra | 22 | 10% | 76,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists power train for the 2005 Nissan Xterra. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I have a 2005 Nissan Xterra and the transmission failed due to my transmission fluid and radiator fluid mixed
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…
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Xterra. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated she was able to restart the vehicle however, the vehicle stalled after driving 50 feet. The vehicle was not drivable. The…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2005 Nissan Xterras have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 412 owner complaints about power train for the 2005 Nissan Xterra (49% 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 power train?
No recall currently lists power train for this vehicle.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 104,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 2005 Nissan Xterra?
Owners report a typical cost of $5,850 (half paid between $4,600 and $7,750), from 35 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2005 Nissan Xterra?
The most frequent phrase is “transmission fluid”, in 103 of 412 complaints, followed by “class action” (22).
Other 2005 Nissan Xterra problems
See all 2005 Nissan Xterra problems or power train problems across all Xterra years.