2006 Nissan Xterra Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Xterra years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 16 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 780 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Nissan Xterra. That ranks 2nd out of 16 Xterra model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (268 complaints, 34%), typically at around 109,000 miles. Complaints mention 12 crashes, 3 fires, 19 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
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- 780owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 12complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2006 Nissan Xterra problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train problems | 268 | 34% | 109,000 | “transmission fluid” (25%) | $6,450 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 237 | 30% | 53,094 | “fuel gauge” (43%) | $770 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 106 | 14% | 102,410 | “radiator transmission” (19%) | — |
| Engine problems | 104 | 13% | 112,117 | “timing chain” (19%) | $2,550 |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 94 | 12% | 90,000 | “fuel gauge” (55%) | — |
| Electrical System | 41 | 5% | 66,812 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 40 | 5% | 47,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 26 | 3% | 103,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 22 | 3% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 20 | 3% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 14 | 2% | 112,056 | — | — |
| Suspension | 12 | 2% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 7 | 1% | 58,600 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 6 | 1% | 111,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 1% | 95,007 | — | — |
| Structure | 5 | 1% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 4 | 1% | 58,600 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 0% | 38,622 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 0% | 125,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 0% | 34,750 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 0% | 15,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 0% | 46,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 0% | 102,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2006 Nissan Xterra recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
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.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:auxillary tank
Problem: Nissan is recalling certain model year 2006 and model year 2008 frontier, xterra and pathfinder vehicles. The molded fuel tank shells can deform, causing the fuel sender float arm to contact an embossment molded into the tank shell causing the instrument panel fuel gauge to show that the vehicle has approximately one quarter tank when the fuel tank is empty.
Risk: This could cause the vehicle to run out of gas and stall in traffic, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel level sending unit inside the fuel tank with a new one that has a modified float arm. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before march 22, 2010. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: Nissan is recalling 242,720 my 2005-2009 pathfinder, frontier and xterra vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. In those areas of the country which use heavy concentrations of road salt in the winter, a mixture of snow/water and salt can enter into the front crash zone sensor (czs) housing. If this occurs, the czs may internally rust resulting in a signal interruption. If this happens, the red air bag warning light will illuminate to alert the vehicle operator.
Risk: This issue could result in the non-deployment of the driver and passenger front air bags in a crash, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the front czs with a redesigned sensor. The recall began on january 26, 2009. Owners in the other states will receive extended warranty coverage for the sensor to 10 years. These owners will be notified of the warranty extension by mail and will receive a sticker to place in their warranty booklet explaining the extended warranty coverage. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Transmission Failures (DP12004) — opened Jun 11, 2012, closed Oct 22, 2016.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I have a lot of ticking and stalling lights are blinking I think itâs may be the transmission and I smell gas inside the vehicle.
17
The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Xterra. The contact stated that there was an abnormal sound coming from the front passenger's side air bag intermittently. The front passenger's side air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was provided a cost for…
THE TIMING CHAIN HAS CAUSED MY VEHICLE TO DIE ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY HIGHWAY I WAS ALMOST HIT BY A FEW CARS. i HAD TO DRIVE MY CAR GOING ONLY 40 MPH ALL THE WAY BECASUE THAT IS ALL IT WOULD DO. IT HAS A VERY LOUD NOISE AND IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE ON THE ROAD ANYMORE. I HAVE READ AND NISSAN…
The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Xterra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23E012000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of…
Other Nissan Xterra years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 Xterra | 10 | 0 |
| 2014 Xterra | 10 | 0 |
| 2013 Xterra | 4 | 0 |
| 2012 Xterra | 16 | 2 |
| 2011 Xterra | 24 | 2 |
| 2010 Xterra | 38 | 4 |
| 2009 Xterra | 19 | 3 |
| 2008 Xterra | 119 | 6 |
| 2007 Xterra | 557 | 1 |
| 2006 | 780 | 3 |
| 2005 Xterra | 845 | 3 |
| 2004 Xterra | 84 | 2 |
| 2003 Xterra | 72 | 3 |
| 2002 Xterra | 157 | 5 |
| 2001 Xterra | 150 | 3 |
| 2000 Xterra | 214 | 3 |
See all Nissan Xterra problems by year, every Nissan model, or the Nissan VIN decoder.
Similar Nissan models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Nissan Xterra?
Owners most often report power train, fuel system, gasoline, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 268 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2006 Nissan Xterra?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2006 Nissan Xterra a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Xterra model years, the 2006 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.