First, I have owned four Nissan Xterras (two 2003's, one 2009 & this 2005). Between 12 years of ownership I have only had to replace one starter, one battery and one crankshaft sensor. Until now.

While driving the 2005 at highway speed in cruise control, it bogged down, shot on the check engine light and the dashboard gear indicator disappeared. I made it to work, after i turned off the engine it would not crank and all things seemed to lean toward a sensor issue as the motor and transmission ran fine. I had the truck towed to my mechanic for research.

The prognosis was the same as everyone else is saying..Totally screwed.

The transmission control module (TCM) had failed. I was aware that the previous owner had the coolant/ATF mixing issue but it was at least 6 months prior to my purchase and it was another year before I had my issue. Nevertheless, this was the cause of the TCM failure. The coolant generates a current that will cause total failure at some point. It could be 6 days later or 6 months later but it will inevitably happen, guaranteed. Outside of that, the glue and adhesives used in this transmission and the clutches are water-soluble. So, the only way to fix this is to totally replace the transmission and TCM. Which at the 10 year mark, makes repairing more expensive and certainly more trouble than the car is actually worth.

I love the Nissan Xterra, hands down my favorite car I ever owned. But this will be my last Xterra. The thought of scrapping such a beautiful ride over something like this is almost criminal but I don't see any other recourse. No matter what, this car will fail and it will be way too much to fix.

Bar none, DO NOT BUY. Period.

I JUST BOUGHT THIS STUPID NISSAN FROM A USED DEALER AND I NOTICED THE VIBRATING/JERKING HALFWAY BACK TO MY HOUSE! CALLED THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT IT AND THEY KNEW WHAT WAS UP.. THEY IMMEDIATELY TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD HELP ME FIX THE TRANSMISSION..

SO I GET THERE AND THEY CHANGED THEIR MIND AND SAID THEY WOULD NO LONGER REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION BUT THAT THEY WOULD BUY ME A RADIATOR (BUT I WOULD HAVE TO INSTALL IT MYSELF) SINCE MY RADIATOR LINE IS CRACKED AND MIXING WITH THE TRANSMISSION LINE CAUSING EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD TO EVENTUALLY DIE.. SO NOW I AM SITTING HERE WITH A RADIATOR IN MY LIVING ROOM AND A DYING CAR IN MY FRONT YARD.

I AM SCARED TO TOUCH THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THEN I BECOME SOLELY LIABLE FOR IT! AND WHAT NISSAN DOESN'T TELL YOU IS THAT REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY TIMES YOU REPLACE THE RADIATOR/TRANSMISSION.. IT WILL CONTINUE TO DO THE SAME THING IN THE FUTURE AND NISSAN HAS YET TO RECALL IT.. INSTEAD THEY COVERED THEIR OWN A$$ES BY EXTENDING THE WARRANTY TO 10YRS BUT ONLY UP TO 100,000 MILES! AFTER THAT, YOU ARE SCREWED.

MY CHECK TIRES LIGHT WON'T GO OFF SO THAT'S PROBABLY A SENSORY PROBLEM THERE AS WELL AND I HAVE NO MORE MONEY!! I SPENT EVERYTHING I HAD BUYING THIS DAMN TRUCK FOR ALMOST $2000 OVER THE BLUE BOOK VALUE..

I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER NISSAN SINCE NISSAN WONT HELP ME AND I DAMN SURE WON'T BUY FROM ANOTHER USED LOT.. I HATE GREASY USED CAR SALESMEN AND I HATE CORPORATIONS WHO SELL JUNK TO PEOPLE AND REFUSE TO HELP THEM AFTER ITS STARTS TEARING UP! LIKE NISSAN'S MULTI TRILLION DOLLAR BUSINESS CAN'T AFFORD TO HELP THE PEOPLE WHO MADE YOU RICH!!

I leased a brand new 2005 Nissan Xterra, my dream car, in 2006. I loved this car. So much so that I dreamed about it being taken away from me the first week that I had it.

5 Years later I paid it off in full with money that my grandmother had left me before she passed away. I was so excited not to have a payment anymore and to finally own my car outright! Well, sure enough, as they say always happens when you finally have your car paid off, things started to go south.

The problem was not very noticeable at first, a small rumbling feeling while driving on the freeway which always went away as soon as I gave it a little gas. I thought nothing of it and no mechanics ever noticed anything when I brought the car in for oil changes.

Then one day it all came tumbling down. I was driving to a consultation about 30 miles from my house on a particularly warm day when the A/C suddenly started blasting hot air at me and the engine temperature gauge shot up into the red. I immediately pulled off of the freeway and into a local mechanic. They took the car and after an hour or so of inspection and a test drive could not find anything wrong with me vehicle. They suggested I take it to the dealer and I did so. That evening I received a call from the Nissan dealership: You need a new Radiator and Transmission, oh and a new timing belt." The total was over $6,000.

I was preparing to put it all on a credit card when both my father and boyfriend said "Hold on...a new transmission!? At less than 80k miles?....and a new Radiator?! What do they have to do with each other?" So, smartly, instead of immediately forking over the funds to have the problem "fixed", I did a little research and found hundreds of other people who had had the same problem. The biggest blow? Nissan's "fix" for the problem was to put a new radiator and transmission in that would end up doing the EXACT same thing in another 30-80k miles. Why was I going to pay them over $6k dollars to fix a problem that they not only caused but that would end up happening all over again??

I wrote them a letter to no avail. My father (an attorney) wrote them a letter, and the response was essentially - Your car is past its warranty. Too bad. We will not help you.

There was no way I was going to pay over $6,000 of money that I did not have and go into debt to fix a problem that Nissan caused and would not own up to when it was just going to happen all over again.

In the end, I sold my dream car which I had just paid off, which was then basically useless for $2,000 and am now leasing a Pontiac and back to making monthly payments. Essentially the loss of my Xterra cost me approximately $10,000 between the cost difference of the two vehicles. I will never buy a Nissan again and am disgusted at how the company has handled this problem which is so obviously caused by their flawed design.

I have a 2005 Xterra and this a known problem that the radiator leaks into the trans causing both to fail. Nissan was sued over this problem and lost, so they extended the warranty to cover fixing. This problem also exists on the Frontier and Pathfinder. Nissan doesn't tell you this and I found out the hard way.

The trans was having a problem and I took it in and the dealer said I need a new trans and radiator. Nissan had extended the warranty to cover this known issue. I said ok. They fixed it. Great. Right? Two specific things, the service writer said I would be getting a new trans and I asked the service manager specifically, has the problem been fixed that caused the failure in the first place, not just the repair, but reason for the failure, so that this won't happen again? He said yes.

Well, 50k miles later, the trans is acting up again. I take it to a different dealer and the very same exact thing is happening. And, I find out that I did not get a new trans. I received a rebuilt trans. Not only did I not get a new trans, but the reason for the failure in the first place that caused the radiator to leak into the trans, was not fixed. I was lied to. He told me something that wasn't true. If he would of told me the truth, I would not be in the situation again and not writing this review. Weather it can be proved or not that he lied, the car still did not get fixed right in the first place while under warranty like I was told it was.

I talked with Chris of Consumer affairs. He says the car is now out of warranty and nothing can be done. I try to explain that if it was a different problem why the trans is not working, I would understand, but it is the same exact problem as before that wasn't fixed right in the first place, under the same warranty that they themselves extended, to fix this know problem. The very same issue that Nissan was sued over, the reason they extended their warranty and to fix the reason for the failure so it wouldn't happen again.

Three or four times I was told there is nothing Nissan can do because it was not under warranty. And each time I explained that when it was under warranty, they refused to fix it right and I was misled thinking that it was.

I then asked to talk to his boss, Arma. told me the same dome thing. It is no longer under warranty and nothing they could do. I again tried explain to him that It was under warranty when they fixed it the first time but it was them who didn't fix it right to begin with. He said there was nothing he could do.

The trouble is, I like my Xterra however, I will never buy a Nissan again.

My transmission failed in the middle of a freeway in Los Angeles (needless to say that it was very dangerous). I was eventually towed to my mechanic. He gave me an estimate of $5400 to put in a new transmission and cooling system. I looked on-line and found that this is a recurring issue and there is a class action lawsuit attached to it. Nissan had my car towed from my mechanic to a dealer so that I could get it fixed for only $3000. ONLY $3000! This is what I've gathered to date.

1. This issue is the #2 trending issue on Carcomplaints.com.

2. It typically happens when mileage is well over 90,000.

3. It typical cost in the high $3000 for Nissan to repair.

4. Nissan was aware of the problem but did not make it public until the class action lawsuit.

5. I've read hundreds of complaints and people are not happy with Nissan at all and not happy with the settlement, as am I. Nissan's payout for this huge expense is minimal and in many cases $0. The attorneys took a sh*tty settlement and cashed in their fee of 1.2 million. The number to call for the settlement (877 208-9275) is no longer in service and the website (www.nissanatoilcoolersettlement.com) is also out of service.

I purchased a BRAND NEW 2005 XTERRA 1/2006 with 10 MILES!!!! I paid $28,000 for this vehicle and worst vehicle I never had!!! I ONLY SERVICE THIS VEHICLE AT THE DEALERSHIP!!!! I had so many issues with this NEW TRUCK!! The check engine light keeping on at from the very beginning and when I took it to the dealership said nothing was wrong! Over time, this was a complete lemon!!

The vehicle had to replace a radio, 6 batteries, 3 alternators, hoses leaking, oil leaking within 3 years purchasing a new truck, fuel sensor replaced, fuel pump replaced, 1 cal.convertor replaced, and WORST OF ALL TRANSMISSION ISSUES!! The truck will not go up hills and when I took it to 2 different places said that the radiator was leaking into the transmission and Nissan knew about this and NEVER SAID NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I ONLY TOOK MY TRUCK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY NEVER SAID A THING! I could replaced the radiator long time again to avoid the transmission going out!! 5,500 repair job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is poor quality truck with all the issues I had since I brought it BRAND NEW !! My Acura have 241,000 and never had any of these issues that I purchased USED!! I contact the Corp office and they will never do anything! The Nissan dealerships around the country knows the issues with these Nissan cars and never say a thing!! I WILL NEVER PURCHASE A ANOTHER NISSAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Took my wonderfully well kept 2005 Xterra with 99.7K miles into the local garage because I noticed more movement than usual in the thermostat while taking a short road trip over the weekend. The mechanics noticed something unusual about the coolant while replacing the thermostat. They checked the transmission fluid and realized that they were cross contaminating. They gave me a $650 estimate for a new radiator and a transmission flush and refill.

Only after I got home did I start looking into the issue myself, did I find that there is no "quick fix" and that it was a known defect in the radiator requiring the transmission to be replaced. I called my local Nissan dealer and they took me in first thing in the morning. The prognosis was not good, and the only "saving grace" was that I was still 300-400 miles from hitting 100K so I was still covered under the $3000 copay to have the entire job done. Another tank or so of gas and I would have been SOL for the entire repair.

After much thought and consideration, I decided to have it done. $3000 is a lot, but car payments will add up to that amount very quickly. I'm not happy at all, but I can't imagine this happening for another 100K and I plan to drive this car until it simply won't drive anymore.

This issue began in September of 2014. Every now and then the car would vibrate while accelerating. I took my car into Ken Garff Nissan of Salt Lake City in September and was told nothing was wrong with it. I continued to drive it. (After all, there "wasn't anything wrong with it.")

Fast forward to March 2015 and the issue has gotten worse. I took it in again and was told I need a new radiator and transmission. Repairs that are going to me $5,500! Nissan was "generous" enough to take $500 off because they didn't think anything was wrong with the car the first time I brought it in. This still leaves me with $5000 in repairs for a car with approximately 92,000 miles on it! WTF?!?

So far with this Nissan I've had from day one, nothing but trouble. Brakes had to be machined at 4,000km dealer said it must be my driving. Last car I had went 110,000km before I even replaced pads. At 10,000km had a shield under car fly off on highway. I do not off road so must have been loose from factory. $150 to replace non warranty. Had the dreaded fuel sender problem just out of warranty. $500 to fix and apparently same issues happened with previous generation Xterra's and Nissan did nothing to fix, of course further ensuring their dealer's repair bays being full. Then had the rear differential rebuilt as a faulty breather clogged bursting pinion seal causing moisture damage in diff. Non warranty as Nissan claims it is not their responsibility to clean the breather from dust and debris. I call that faulty engineering.

After the second rebuild and pinion seal/seat replacement, a non Nissan mechanic recommended modifying the breather for $10 extending it up and out of dirt/harm's way. Hmmm why couldn't Nissan think of that with all their intelligent engineer's or at least have made the modification during a scheduled service and save a lot of people a lot of money. Or was it just to ensure business for their repair shops. So after thousands and thousands extra to keep this beast on the road (cause I can't afford another), I'm rewarded with the dreaded rad/tranny mix. Fluid's mixed while 300km from home of course in middle of winter -20. Replaced rad and had flushed. Like everyone else only an apparent band aid as 6months later here I am with non shifting transmission needing to be rebuilt. $4000 quote and now faced with sending to scrap yard or repairing. That's $4000 non-Nissan small transmission shop. Nissan wants thousands more and I'm of course outside the extended warranty. So now I have a truck worth zero unless I repair, and even repaired is only worth a couple hundred more than the repair bill.

What burns me the most is after a quick Youtube search I found that the possibility of this problem occurring can be eliminated by taking 10 minutes of your time to literally switch 2 hoses from one opening to the other. For added protection for $100-200 you can have a transmission cooler added completely making this design fault a non issue. So Nissan even knowing about the issue could have just done a $100-200 recall service on the trucks and saved potentially thousands of people from having to put out thousands of dollars for these repairs.

Thanks Nissan, once bitten, twice burned, third time this dumbass will never again buy a Nissan unless they decide to do something to stand behind their faulty engineering and loyal customer extortion...

Check Engine light came on so I couldn't get a smog. Mechanic friend checks it and it says something about the transmission. He test drives it, it drives fine. I haven't noticed any slipping or anything unusual. We look it up and see all the complaints about the faulty radiator and transmission fluid mixing. Take it to shop, they refer me to AMMCO. After a day there, I'm told I need a new radiator and they can rebuild the transmission, the cost 5,000. They did explain that the radiator leaked fluid into the transmission. My extended warranty ended at 98,000 miles. I bought it used 3 and a half years and have only put 50,000 miles on it. I am disheartend by Nissian's lack of responsibility in this matter. I'm glad there was a class action suit but the results are a slap in the face. I can't believe there has not been a recall.

Took my 2005 Xterra to the dealership because of a shudder at highway speeds. Was told that because of cross contamination of engine coolant and transmission fluid I would need a new transmission and radiator. They said normally it would be a $3800 job, but because of an extended warranty they were offering it would only (only!?) be $3000. This is a well-documented problem that would have been fully covered under an extended warranty had it happened a year or two earlier but because it happened now (at only 78,000 miles!) I'm basically left out in the cold! Very weak sauce, Nissan.

I am one of the unlucky who didn't have this known defect cause problems until after 100,000 miles. Now, as I am 19,000 over the extended warranty limit, I am stuck with the cost of replacing the radiator and transmission for $7K.

The fact that Nissan has not come out and accepted responsibility for putting defective parts into their products is obscene. I loved my Xterra and had every intention of being a Nissan owner for life. Now, as much as I would like another Xterra, I just don't feel it would be prudent. If Nissan is putting out a product that can die at a mere 100,000 miles and the company thinks that is acceptable, who's to say it isn't some other problem with a newer model that they refuse to stand behind? The recent behavior from Japanese car makers reminds me of decades ago when American cars were crap and you just knew that.

So now I have to find a new car and I can't, in good conscience trade my Xterra in. I know the unscrupulous dealers will just turn around and sell it to unknowing person who might get a couple months out of it.

If any lawyers watch this site and there is any recourse left after the class action settlement - would love to hear about it.