CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2003 Nissan Xterra doesn't seem to have any problem trends. The only thing prospective owners should be aware of are the less-than-perfect (but acceptable) crash test ratings.
There are a very few transmission complaints, but nothing like the huge defect that shows up starting in with the 2005 model year.
I am not sure wether it is the car or Les Schwab, who is to blame for the unexplainable brake problems I have been experiencing with this car. I bought the car in July 03, and May 04 was the first time I needed to replace the brakes on it. At this time I paid like $200 and the Les Schwab (division) did the work. I don't have my paperwork in front of me, but I think the mileage warranty was for 30,000 miles. Within 6 weeks I was already experiencing more brake problems; so I returned to Les Schwab (foster) - new location only because it was more convienent. At this time they told me I would need to have both rotors replaced. I have really no knowledge about cars and their parts, I would have paid to replace whatever they said, but I had a friend with me. He was like, "you just had your brakes done - didn't you?". And I was like, "ya". Then he told me, "you shouldn't have to buy new rotors if you just replaced the brakes!". So he talked to the guys at Les Schwab and they agreed to pay for one of the rotors (I am not sure why they decided to), I am not sure why they would not pay for both. So anyway, I paid like $109 for them to do the service this time. 4-6 weeks later I returned to Les Schwab (foster) for more brake problems. I want to add that the brake problems I have been having are serious, they are not just squeaky or minor, they grind and limit me from stopping completely (or sometimes even allow me to Not Stop At All). Anyway, this time Les Schwab covered their warranty, although regardless its a hassle to be there AGAIN having the same problem serviced. 4-6 weeks later, same ordeal... I go to Les Schwab (foster) and they repair the brakes under warranty. 4 weeks later, same thing. I return to les Schwab (foster) and the worker states, "man- your going through these brakes like every 10,000 miles". I correct him and tell him, "more like between 5,000-7,000 miles". So now we are at the point where everyone is realizing there is more to the problem than maybe meets the eye? At least I am, but still Les Schwab just fixes them I assume using the same technique? 3-5 weeks later we are having more problems, I hold off till the last minute because, gosh I just fixed them! This time my brakes get so bad I get pulled over on my way to drop my little boy off at school, because I was unable to come to a stop at a stop sign. I mean literally my children's and my lives are at risk, due to these brakes! Let alone all the other peoples who are in our same path. This time I take the car to Les Schwab (powell), thinking maybe its the location I had been returning to... I was just thinking of new possibilities for the continued problem. This time they ask me to leave the car so they can check it out more thouroughly and try to figure this mess out. So I leave the car for like 6 hours, when I return they tell me that, "they can't figure out why the brakes won't live out their warranty". They also tell me I need "new rotors". I am just mad by now. What really made me mad is that they have all your info right in front of them so they new I had just replaced the rotors and that they had a warranty... but they would have tried to slip that all past me and made me pay. Luckily I remembered! I showed them my warranty paperwork on the rotors, and they FINALLY agreed to honor the warranty on one rotor, but since they had paid for the other one previously I had to pay for it this time. Les Schwab also is trying to say, "this is the last time they will cover the brakes". They said, "if you add together all the time I had been in, it almost equaled the milege their warranty covered." This is ridiculous to me, I am not one of those people who is trying to get everything for free, I am actually one of those who gets taken advantage of. I do believe that if you enter a business and purchase an item or service you should not have to return to that business over and over to fix their service or product. And if there were no way around that the business should at least have a logical reason as to why the problem can't be repaired. I am trying hard to work with Les Schwab by extending to others, the brake problems I have had to deal with. I am trying to understand whose at fault... Les Schwab? Nissan? So this problem can be handled and put to rest. I just wish someone could tell me the answer straight up and know the exact issue at hand. Please inform me of any knowledge I could be lacking... recalls? whatever? I am worried that someday the brakes will quit on us with no warning. I would also like to sell the car soon, and I wouldn't want someone else to go through the hassles I have gone through.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
I am not sure wether it is the car or Les Schwab, who is to blame for the unexplainable brake problems I have been experiencing with this car. I bought the car in July 03, and May 04 was the first time I needed to replace the brakes on it. At this time I paid like $200 and the Les Schwab (division) did the work. I don't have my paperwork in front of me, but I think the mileage warranty was for 30,000 miles. Within 6 weeks I was already experiencing more brake problems; so I returned to Les Schwab (foster) - new location only because it was more convienent. At this time they told me I would need to have both rotors replaced. I have really no knowledge about cars and their parts, I would have paid to replace whatever they said, but I had a friend with me. He was like, "you just had your brakes done - didn't you?". And I was like, "ya". Then he told me, "you shouldn't have to buy new rotors if you just replaced the brakes!". So he talked to the guys at Les Schwab and they agreed to pay for one of the rotors (I am not sure why they decided to), I am not sure why they would not pay for both. So anyway, I paid like $109 for them to do the service this time. 4-6 weeks later I returned to Les Schwab (foster) for more brake problems. I want to add that the brake problems I have been having are serious, they are not just squeaky or minor, they grind and limit me from stopping completely (or sometimes even allow me to Not Stop At All). Anyway, this time Les Schwab covered their warranty, although regardless its a hassle to be there AGAIN having the same problem serviced. 4-6 weeks later, same ordeal... I go to Les Schwab (foster) and they repair the brakes under warranty. 4 weeks later, same thing. I return to les Schwab (foster) and the worker states, "man- your going through these brakes like every 10,000 miles". I correct him and tell him, "more like between 5,000-7,000 miles". So now we are at the point where everyone is realizing there is more to the problem than maybe meets the eye? At least I am, but still Les Schwab just fixes them I assume using the same technique? 3-5 weeks later we are having more problems, I hold off till the last minute because, gosh I just fixed them! This time my brakes get so bad I get pulled over on my way to drop my little boy off at school, because I was unable to come to a stop at a stop sign. I mean literally my children's and my lives are at risk, due to these brakes! Let alone all the other peoples who are in our same path. This time I take the car to Les Schwab (powell), thinking maybe its the location I had been returning to... I was just thinking of new possibilities for the continued problem. This time they ask me to leave the car so they can check it out more thouroughly and try to figure this mess out. So I leave the car for like 6 hours, when I return they tell me that, "they can't figure out why the brakes won't live out their warranty". They also tell me I need "new rotors". I am just mad by now. What really made me mad is that they have all your info right in front of them so they new I had just replaced the rotors and that they had a warranty... but they would have tried to slip that all past me and made me pay. Luckily I remembered! I showed them my warranty paperwork on the rotors, and they FINALLY agreed to honor the warranty on one rotor, but since they had paid for the other one previously I had to pay for it this time. Les Schwab also is trying to say, "this is the last time they will cover the brakes". They said, "if you add together all the time I had been in, it almost equaled the milege their warranty covered." This is ridiculous to me, I am not one of those people who is trying to get everything for free, I am actually one of those who gets taken advantage of. I do believe that if you enter a business and purchase an item or service you should not have to return to that business over and over to fix their service or product. And if there were no way around that the business should at least have a logical reason as to why the problem can't be repaired. I am trying hard to work with Les Schwab by extending to others, the brake problems I have had to deal with. I am trying to understand whose at fault... Les Schwab? Nissan? So this problem can be handled and put to rest. I just wish someone could tell me the answer straight up and know the exact issue at hand. Please inform me of any knowledge I could be lacking... recalls? whatever? I am worried that someday the brakes will quit on us with no warning. I would also like to sell the car soon, and I wouldn't want someone else to go through the hassles I have gone through.
- Rebecca S., Portland, OR, US