2006 Nissan XTERRA: complaints, problems and recalls

I PURCHASED MY 2006 XTERRA ON FEB 18TH, 2006. WITHIN 2 WEEKS I NOTICED IT WAS LEAKING DURING RAIN SHOWERS WHEN PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO RECREATE THE PROBLEM. I TOOK THE VEHICLE HOME AND IT LEAKED ONCE AGAIN. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIX IT. I TOOK IT HOME AND IT LEAKED AGAIN SO I TOOK IT TO A NEW DEALER AND THEY CONCLUDED, WITH THE HELP OF NISSAN ENGINEERS, THAT A DESIGN FLAW IN THE XTERRA ALLOWS WATER TO ENTER THE VEHICLE WHEN PARKED ON AN UPHILL INCLINE. THE…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,373 miles reported. Look up ODI 10155051 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH DOWN A SLOPED DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE STALLED. AS A RESULT, THE BRAKES AND POWER STEERING SYSTEM FAILED. THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS DESCENDING. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK, BUT THERE WAS A GRINDING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED BACK TO DRIVE. THE PARKING BRAKE WAS ENGAGED BUT THERE WAS NO TENSION. THE VEHICLE ROLLED TO A STOP. THE DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE A PROBLEM.

Owner-reported narrative. 900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10156784 at NHTSA ↗

POWER STEERING FAILURE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER AT LOW AND MODERATE SPEEDS. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 1,386 miles reported. Look up ODI 10157211 at NHTSA ↗

I BOUGHT A 2006 XTERRA, WHEN I WAS STRAPPING A CHILD SEAT IN THE BACK I NOTICED THAT THE CENTER REAR SHOULDER HARNESS BUCKLE AND THE LEFT REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT BUCKLE CROSS OVER ONE ANOTHER WHEN PROPERLY BUCKLED. I CALLED NISSAN USA AND THEY SEEMED TO HAVE NO CONCERNS ABOUT THIS DEFECT. I HAVE LOOKED AT OTHER 2006 XTERRA'S AND THEY ALL SEEM TO BE MANUFACTURED THE SAME WAY. THIS COULD ULTIMATELY CAUSE AN INJURY. AT THIS TIME NO ONE TO MY KNOWLEDGE HAS BEEN INJURED BY THIS DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 13 miles reported. Look up ODI 10163182 at NHTSA ↗

I PURCHASED MY CAR(XTERRA 2006 OFF ROAD VIN [XXX] ) FROM DARCARS OF INDIANOLA INC., ON NOVEMBER 9, 2005. ON THE SAME DAY (THE CAR HAD ONLY 10 MILES) I NOTICED THE STEERING HAD A PROBLEM. WHEN I DRIVEN OVER 60 MPH IS HARD TO CONTROL THE CAR(WIGGLES). I TOOK THE CAR TO DIFFERENT NISSAN DEALER FOR REPAIRS BUT THE CAR STILL THE SAME THE CAR HAS OVER 13.000 MILES NOW. *NM UPDATED 07/12/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10166037 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A 2006 NISSAN XTERRA OFF ROAD EDITION. IT IS A MANUAL AND I PAID FOR THE $700 FOR THE EXTRA AIRBAGS. THEY ARE SIDE IMPACT/ROLLOVER AIR CURTAIN AIRBAGS. NISSAN ADVERTISES THIS VEHICLE AS AN OFF ROAD VEHICLE, THIS WAS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS I GOT THIS VEHICLE, TO GO OFF ROADING IN. I HAVE 12,000 MILES ON MY XTERRA. ON SEPTEMBER 30TH I WAS HEADING UP TO THE MOUNTAINS TO GO 4 WHEELING. I WAS ON A DIRT ROAD THAT TOOK ME TO THE TRAIL HEAD OF THIS 4X4 TRAIL. ON THIS DIRT ROAD MY AIRBAGS WENT OFF. BOTH SIDE IMPACT AIRBAGS WENT OFF, THAN…

Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10173151 at NHTSA ↗

FOR NO APPARENT REASON ALL CONSOLE/DASHBOARD LIGHTS ARE OUT. VEHICLE IS 5 MONTHS OLD. DEALER HAS HAD TROUBLE LOCATING SOURCE OF PROBLEM. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10173152 at NHTSA ↗

2006 NISSAN XTERRA LUNGES FORWARD WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES NOW. WHILE COMING TO A STOP AT INTERSECTION AND AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKES THE MOTOR SEEMS TO SPEED UP AND THE CAR MOVES FORWARD A FOOT OR MORE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 11,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10177170 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2008-12-29 (December 29, 2008)

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.

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: 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.

Reported: 2010-03-03 (March 3, 2010)

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.

Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO RUN OUT OF GAS AND STALL IN TRAFFIC, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: 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.

Reported: 2010-10-28 (October 28, 2010)

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.

Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE ENGINE STALLING INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: 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.