2000 Nissan XTERRA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
214 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
72,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2000 model year. Data snapshot: . 126 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump is the most frequently named component, appearing in 30 of 214 complaints (14.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system concerns | 33 | 15.4% |
| Engine operation | 29 | 13.6% |
| Braking behavior | 24 | 11.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 17 | 7.9% |
| Transmission and shifting | 15 | 7.0% |
| Steering behavior | 7 | 3.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | 30 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe | 15 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 14 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 12 |
| Electrical System | 12 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 8 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 7 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery | 7 |
Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump: 30; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe: 15; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 14; Air Bags:Frontal: 12; Electrical System: 12; Fuel System, Gasoline: 8; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 7; Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery: 7
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 4 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 17 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 48 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 25 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 21 |
| 150,000 and above | 11 |
Under 25,000: 4; 25,000 to 49,999: 17; 50,000 to 74,999: 48; 75,000 to 99,999: 25; 100,000 to 149,999: 21; 150,000 and above: 11
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (48). 88 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 13 |
| 2001 | 19 |
| 2002 | 15 |
| 2003 | 61 |
| 2004 | 33 |
| 2005 | 21 |
| 2006 | 7 |
| 2007 | 7 |
| 2008 | 8 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2024 | 3 |
2000: 13; 2001: 19; 2002: 15; 2003: 61; 2004: 33; 2005: 21; 2006: 7; 2007: 7; 2008: 8; 2009: 4; 2010: 4; 2011: 3; 2012: 3; 2013: 3; 2015: 4; 2016: 1; 2019: 1; 2020: 3; 2022: 1; 2024: 3
Pattern summary
Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 33 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 29 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 24 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10000535 · 2003-01-05 (January 5, 2003)
THE FUEL PUMP ON MY WIFE'S 2000 NISSAN XTERRA FAILED WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING IT. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND FAILED TO RESTART. IT WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION FOR REPAIR. THE SERVICE TECH CALLED NISSAN AND ORDERED THE PART FUEL PUMP, WHICH WAS ON BACK ORDER. NISSAN SAID THEY HAD A NUMBER OF FAILURES BUT NOT RECALLED THE PUMP. NISSAN ALSO SAID TO REPLACE THE FILTER AND REGULATOR. THE COST WAS OVER $500. THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT SINCE FUEL PUMP FAILURE SHUTS THE VEHICLE OFF.
Owner-reported narrative. 62,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000535 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10000673 · 2003-01-01 (January 1, 2003)
OUR 2000 NISSAN XTERRA SE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER WHILE TRAVELLING AT HIGH SPEEDS ON A HIGHWAY. WE WERE IN THE RIGHT LANE AND WERE ABLE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER, BUT IF WE WERE IN ANY OF THE OTHER LANES, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN SERIOUS TROUBLE. THE CAR COULD NOT BE RESTARTED AND WE WERE STUCK. THE PROBLEM WAS DIFFICULT TO ASSESS... THE BATTERY WAS FULLY CHARGED, THE GAS TANK WAS FULL, THE GAS CAP WAS TIGHTLY SECURED AT THE MOST RECENT FILLING, THE SERVICE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD NEVER CAME ON INDICATING A POTENTIAL PROBLEM... IT WAS VE…
Owner-reported narrative. 52,397 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000673 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10039359 · 2003-09-23 (September 23, 2003)
I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65MPH. WHEN ENCOUNTERING SLOWER MOVING TRAFFIC I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN BY APPLYING MY BRAKES.THE VEHCILE WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN. I TRIED AGAIN IT WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN. I STEERED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. I PLACED THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE ROARED THE RPM INDICATOR WAS IN THE RED ZONE AND WOLD NOT COME DOWN AS THE VEHICLE CONTINUED DOWN THE BERM OF THE FREEWAY. I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND THE VEHCILE EVENTUALLY SLOWED TO A STOP.TREMBLING I CALLED MY FATHER, WHEN HE ARRIVED HE CH…
Owner-reported narrative. 62,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10039359 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10042124 · 2003-10-01 (October 1, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED BRAKES FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO CHECKED AND INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. SIX MONTHS LATER VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING SOME LOUD GRINDING NOISES AND WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT ROTORS WERE WARPED/PADS HAD DISINTEGRATED, AND THE CALIPERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. MANUFACTURER WILL BE INFORMED OF THE PROBLEM.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10042124 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10007572 · 2003-02-16 (February 16, 2003)
AS I WAS MERGING INTO TRAFFIC ON A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY MY 2000 NISSAN XTERRA'S ENGINE CUT OUT. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO ROLL OFF THE ROAD INTO A GAS STATION WITHOUT CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART AND SEEMED AS THOUGH IT WAS OUT OF GAS EVEN THOUGH THE TANK WAS FULL. THE PART THAT FAILED IS THE FUEL SENDING UNIT (NISSAN PART # 25060-4S415) WHICH HAS WIRING THAT CORRODES. WHEN THE SENDING UNIT FAILS THE FUEL PUMP IS TURNED OFF, WHICH IN TURN SHUTS THE ENGINE OFF. THE FAILURE OF THE FUEL SENDING UNIT IS VERY SERIOUS. THE…
Owner-reported narrative. 72,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007572 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10081526 · 2004-07-08 (July 8, 2004)
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED TRANSMISSION SLIPPED. AS A RESULT, CONSUMER LOST CONTROL. NO IMPACT REPORTED. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10081526 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10098989 · 2005-02-18 (February 18, 2005)
CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE WILL NOT GO INTO FIRST GEAR. ABOUT ONE MONTH AGO WHEN CONSUMER WOULD PUT VEHICLE INTO FIRST GEAR IT MADE A LOT OF NOISE. THEN, IT WOULD GO INTO GEAR, BUT IT WOULD SLIP OUT AGAIN. ABOUT A WEEK LATER, SHE HAD TO HOLD IT IN GEAR. CURRENTLY, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT GO INTO FIRST GEAR. CONSUMER WILL BE TAKING THIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT FELT THIS VEHICLE WAS TOO NEW FOR TRANSMISSION TO MALFUNCTION. *AK AFTER THE TESTING THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND THE CLUTCH WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. *TC
Owner-reported narrative. 52,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10098989 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10011668 · 2003-03-13 (March 13, 2003)
THE ENGINE STALLED, WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF POWER STEERING. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10011668 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10078317 · 2004-06-16 (June 16, 2004)
I SAW A NEWS RELEASE TODAY WHERE HONDA IS RECALLING SOME VEHICLES DUE TO HEAT BUILDUP IN THE IP CAUSING THE IP LIGHTS TO GO OUT. THIS HAS BEEN A PERSISTENT PROBLEM FOR YEARS IN BOTH MY 1996 NISSAN 200SX AND MY 2000 NISSAN XTERRA. USUALLY I JUST HAVE TO FIND THE DIMMER DIAL ON THE DASH SOMEWHERE ON THE LEFT UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL AND ADJUST IT A BIT TO GET THE LIGHTS TO COME BACK ON, BUT THE SWITCH IS ALWAYS VERY HOT WHEN I TOUCH IT. NO ACCIDENTS OR FIRES HAVE RESULTED IN MY EXPERIENCE.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10078317 at NHTSA ↗