2001 Nissan XTERRA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
150 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
65,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: . 85 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls is the most frequently named component, appearing in 34 of 150 complaints (22.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system concerns | 16 | 10.7% |
| Braking behavior | 15 | 10.0% |
| Engine operation | 10 | 6.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 10 | 6.7% |
| Steering behavior | 9 | 6.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 0.7% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls | 34 |
| Wheels | 10 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | 9 |
| Electrical System | 8 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 8 |
| Engine | 6 |
| Unknown Or Other | 6 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 5 |
Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls: 34; Wheels: 10; Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump: 9; Electrical System: 8; Fuel/Propulsion System: 8; Engine: 6; Unknown Or Other: 6; Air Bags:Frontal: 5
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 7 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 29 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 13 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 22 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 11 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 7; 25,000 to 49,999: 29; 50,000 to 74,999: 13; 75,000 to 99,999: 22; 100,000 to 149,999: 11; 150,000 and above: 3
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (29). 65 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 | 1 |
| 2001 | 16 |
| 2002 | 14 |
| 2003 | 38 |
| 2004 | 22 |
| 2005 | 11 |
| 2006 | 7 |
| 2007 | 8 |
| 2008 | 5 |
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2011 | 4 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 5 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
2000: 1; 2001: 16; 2002: 14; 2003: 38; 2004: 22; 2005: 11; 2006: 7; 2007: 8; 2008: 5; 2009: 2; 2010: 4; 2011: 4; 2012: 2; 2013: 3; 2014: 5; 2015: 2; 2016: 1; 2017: 1; 2018: 1; 2019: 1; 2021: 1; 2022: 1
Pattern summary
Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 16 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 15 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 10 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 10013659 · 2003-03-29 (March 29, 2003)
I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK AND ON RT17 WHICH IS VERY BUSY AROUND RUSH HOUR WITH TRACTOR TRAILERS AND PLENTY OF CARS, ALL OF A SUDDEN MY 2001 XTERRA STALLED OUT AT THE STOP LIGHT, THEN WOULD NEVER START AGAIN, IT TOOK 30 MINUTES TO GET THE TRUCK OF THE ROAD BECAUSE THERE WAS SO MUCH TRAFFIC, I HAD IT TOWED TO RADLEY CHEVROLET BECAUSE I CALLED NISSAN, AND THEY ADVISED ME MY WARRANTY RAN OUT AND IT WOULD BE AT LEAST 200.00 BEFORE THEY COULD EVEN LOOK AT IT? ONCE TO THE DEALER WHICH MY WARRANTY JUST RAN OUT, AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRO…
Owner-reported narrative. 36,850 miles reported. Look up ODI 10013659 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10020754 · 2003-05-30 (May 30, 2003)
MY GAS TANK NEVER SHOWS FULL WHEN IT IS FILLED. WHEN FILL MY XTERRA WITH GAS, IT OVERFLOWS EVERYTIME UNLESS I MANUALLY STOP THE PROCESS BY GUESSING HOW MANY GALLONS I HAVE PUT IN. AT THAT POINT THE GAS SPLASHES OUT AND OVERFLOWS. THEN WHEN I START MY CAR. THE GAS GAUGE ONLY SHOWS 3/4 TANK FULL, NEVER COMPLETELY FILLED. WHEN I FIRST BOUT THIS VEHICLE IN OCTOBER OF 2000, THIS PROBLEM WAS PRESENT BUT THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIX IT. THEN I READ ABOUT THE RECALL 2 YEARS LATER ON THE INTERNET AND DECIDED TO TAKE IT IN AGAIN. THE SECOND TIME, …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10020754 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10000163 · 2002-12-17 (December 17, 2002)
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME THE PEDAL WILL SINK APPROXIMATELY 1 - 2 INCHES. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES TO THE DEALER SINCE I PURCHASED IT. THE FIRST TIME I WAS TOLD THAT THEY REPLACE THE BAKE BOOSTER. THE SYMPTOMS CONTINUED. WHEN I RETURN TO THE DEALER I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. THE PROBLEM CONTINUES EVERY TIME THAT I HAVE TO APPLY THE BRAKES FOR MORE THAT A FEW SECONDS. TS
Owner-reported narrative. 150 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000163 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10022142 · 2003-06-03 (June 3, 2003)
NHTSA#02-V-299-000: ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, WATER MAY ENTER THE REAR AXLE HOUSING DUE TO INADEQUATE SEALING OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS) SENSOR. CONSUMER HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. DEALER HAS INSPECTED FOUR TIMES AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10022142 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10020979 · 2003-06-03 (June 3, 2003)
I WAS DRIVING MY 2001 XTERRA ON INTERSTATE 495 WHEN THE CAR ABRUPTLY LOST POWER AND STALLED WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH. AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO START THE CAR, IT STARTED AFTER 20 MINUTES. I LET THE CAR RUN FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES BEFORE REENTERING THE HIGHWAY. ABOUT TWO MILES DOWN THE ROAD THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER, STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. I HAD THE CAR TOWED AND A BAD FUEL PUMP/FUEL SENDING UNIT WAS DIAGNOSED. THE FUEL INJECTORS WERE DRY, AS IF THE CAR HAD RUN OUT OF GAS, BUT I HAD THREE QUARTERS OF A TANK. IT IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10020979 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10048860 · 2003-11-30 (November 30, 2003)
FUSE #11 WHICH PROTECTS THE ALTERNATOR/CHARGING CIRCUT AND 4WD/ATP WARNING LIGHT CIRCUTS KEPT BLOWING. WHEN THIS FUSE BLOWS THE ALTERNATOR STOPS WORKING AND THE VEHICLE THEN RUNS OFF THE BATTERY. AND WHEN THE BATTERY DIES 30 MINUTES LATER SO DOES YOUR XTERRA!*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 33,995 miles reported. Look up ODI 10048860 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10056778 · 2004-02-08 (February 8, 2004)
FUEL TANK SENDING UNIT FAILED AT 38,800 MILES (OUT OF WARRANTY). A CRACK FORMS IN THE UNIT AND EVENTUALLY CORROSION SETS IN CAUSING A SHORT IN THE WIRING. WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE TRUCK STALLS AND YOU LOSE MOST OF YOUR STEERING AND BRAKING ABILITY. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED SINCE THE 1999 NISSAN FRONTIER ACCORDING TO YOUR WEB SITE, SO THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE WITH NISSAN TRUCKS. IT'S TIME FOR AN INVESTIGATION AND RECALL!*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 38,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10056778 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10048744 · 2003-11-28 (November 28, 2003)
STEERING WHEEL IS SEPARATING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN, CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO HAVE TO MUCH PLAY IN IT. VEHICLE IS AT DEALERS SHOP AT THIS TIME FOR ANALYSIS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 27,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10048744 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 890312 · 2001-06-13 (June 13, 2001)
WHEN CONSUMER DRIVES UP A HILL ENGINE WILL STALL. CONSUMER HAS CALLED DEALER, AND DEALER HAS NOT CALLED BACK YET.*AK TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE SPEEDOMETER GOES BACK AND FORTH. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON DUE TO CANISTER LEAK, DEALER REPLACED CANISTER AND VALVE ASSEMBLY. *YH
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 890312 at NHTSA ↗