CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2005-2007 Xterra appears to have a widespread defect where coolant leaks into the transmission, causing transmission failure around 90,000 miles. Repair costs are typically upwards of $3,500.
The same defect exists in the Pathfinder & Frontier as well. And according to the New York Times & a class action lawsuit, the defect actually extends through 2010 model year. More info here.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
102,852 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The transmission is damaged, because the cooland fluid got mixed with automatic transmission fluid. All of this because a bad Nissan design. Nissan does not take care of this problem, leaving the costumer with a mayor problem. People should not buy Nissan. This company does nothing for problems that they created. It happened in motion driving on a city street.
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Xterra. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked intermittently. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission and radiator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
A leak inside the radiator has allowed radiator fluid into the transmission. Just driving a short errand near home when I felt a vibration at about 40-45mph, followed by erratic shifting. As I returned home, the car wouldn't even climb up my driveway. I was able to back out, and tried driving forward, but could only crawl a couple of mph. Luckily reverse still worked enough to safely move out of the street.
Transmission fluid and coolant mixing. Poor and dangerous design. Took the car to the dealership several time with them like they never heard of the issues(shuttering when climbing on a slight incline, losing power, over heating) after complaining they change the radiator, rear axle, and transmission. This was at 99,295 miles on the odometer. The repairs took a month to complete. Now less then a year and at 128,000 miles on the odometer, it is happening again!!! also the extended warranty is over. The dealership is now saying that it is not their problem. Now I have to pay $1200 to change my radiator so I can drive this time bomb. And they suggested that I change the transmission again for $8,000!!! I will never buy Nissan again. I guess I will drive it until it dies. Searched online and found out that this is a known issue. NHTSA, what are you waiting for to call a recall"?"
- Benbrook, TX, USA
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Transmission abruptly failed over the course of less than 10 minutes. The vehicle was moving at approximately 30 mph, starting making a whining noise, and then motive power stopped being transmitted to the wheels. Final diagnosis is still pending, but symptoms match other widely-reported failures due to mixing of engine coolant into the transmission fluid.
The car shudders and wont accelerate. The transmission won't shift properly. I understand this was was a class action lawsuit and recall. I am outside the time frame. I was never notified and was deployed at the time.
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Xterra. While driving at any speed, the vehicle idled highly and made an abnormal sound. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the radiator fluid leaked into the transmission and the transmission fluid leaked into the radiator. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
My son was driving the car on a local road near home at night. He was accelerating up a small grade, when he said the car acted as if it had popped out of gear. It began to rev higher and made a higher pitched sound. He tried changing from being in "drive" to a lower gear, but it still did not engage the transmission. He had enough momentum to be able to coast onto our side street and park the car. Luckily there was no accident, but he was almost rear-ended as his car slowed suddenly and traffic ran up on him. The car would not start, nor turn over at that point. I had the car towed to the local Nissan dealer. They mentioned it was a known issue with the transmission and radiator and it would cost over 5K for just a new transmission, not including a new radiator or labor to install both. I was able to find another mechanic that purchased a rebuilt transmission, but the whole thing still cost over 5K to have the rebuilt transmission and radiator installed with no assurance that it would not happen again. This is a well documented issue with these vehicles and continues to cost people thousands of dollars for a very poor and dangerous design.
My daughter was driving and the engine started to rev high. The transmission felt like it was slipping, the car would barely move. She was able to get it into a parking lot. The vehicle started smoking and fluid poured out of the bottom of the vehicle. We had it towed. The mechanic said the radiator leaked fluid into the transmission. He said he sees this all the time with Nissan vehicles, it is a know flaw. It will cost almost $4000 to repair, it is still in the shop. Update 9/15/15
Was driving and vehicle transmission stopped moving vehicle. Engine was running and I could see the rpms increase as I gave gas but the drive train stopped working. Had the car towed to a transmission shop. The diagnosed the problem as transmission cooler problem. Explained that it is a common thing with this vehicle. Then discovered through the internet that this has been going on for years and Nissan has not recalled for the defect. Repair shop told me it will be $4500 to repair.
My Xterra won't move when in gear, drive. I was coming out of my driveway and pulled out into traffic slowly, when I went to accelerate to pull in front of other cars coming my way the Xterra just stopped accelerating. The engine reved up high but the car would not move. Cars almost ran into me as I had to move to the shoulder with this dead car. I put the car in park and then drive again, stepped on the gas and the engine reved but did not move. I put the car in lower gear and then drive and was able to limp on back home very slowly with the engine reving high. I got in my garage, checked the tranny fluid and it was rusty looking with shards of metal in it, it almost was like scrapes of metal in it. The car is stuck in my garage and won't go anywhere but backwards.
Vehicle has unwanted vehicle acceleration up to 30 mph without pressing accelerator. RPM's suddenly increase and then decrease during gear change. Memphis wolfchase Nissan service center (901) 255-3800 advised radiator fluid leaked in automatic transmission and has corroded transmission.. transmission replacement repair bill will be in excess of $5,300.
Confirmed diagnoses of vehicle damage of radiator assembly & transmission are due to Nissan's defective radiator assembly which allows coolant to pass through into the transmission rendering the vehicle unsafe to operate. Nissan is unwilling to assist with the repairs of damage caused by defect. I was not notified of this manufacturing defect. This is a safety issue, a damaged transmission due to coolant entering it has rendered the vehicle unsafe to drive, a known defect, yet the manufacturer will not even compromise to assist with repair of this defect. A manufacturer should assist with repair of any defect that renders the equipment unsafe to operate - no matter when that defect decides to show up! Nissan should assist in all repairs due to their known defect to let the consumer operate the vehicle in safety.
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Xterra. While driving at 35 mph, the vehicle seized and smoke emitted from the engine. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission, radiator, and another component needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 23,160.
I was starting to drive my Nissan Xterra 2005 and heard a noise like metallic rattling. The mechanic told me the transmission oil is mixed with coland fluid. I was told, to fix will cost $5000 to replace the transmission and the radiator and cooling system. In the internet I found out many complains about Nissan's cars for this catastrophic failure. This is a manufacturer defective product. Damage to the transmission as a result of the defective car. Nccc (North Carolina consumer council) has received a number of complaints from consumers in regards to sudden, catastrophic transmission failures in 2005-2010 Nissan pathfinder, frontier and Xterra vehicles. All of the vehicles experiencing these failures are not within the time period specified by the extended warranty, but are often beyond the mileage limit. So, why should I pay for somebody (Nissan) mistakes and never try to correct them? I never get from Nissan an advise on this potential failure of my car. Nissan has been aware of this problem since 2007 and has undertaken no preventive measures to protect consumers from failure. Nissan didn't warn consumers that the transmission could fail. Any honest company will at least warn consumers of the consequences to the transmission defect. But this rip of company do not care about their products nor their customers. I do not recomend to buy a Nissan car ever !!! Nissan motor corporation is a rip of company that lacks honesty !!!
Transmission coolant line cracked inside the transmission, causing the transmission to be destroyed. Was quoted a repair cost of 5,500, because the vehicle is 4X4 and the repair they would have to make to the coolant system. The vehicle is not repaired at this time due to the fact the vehicle is only worth 3,500.
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Xterra. While driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle vibrated and shifted gears. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic who stated that the failure was caused by a mixture of transmission and radiator fluid that affected the transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Durham, NC, USA