driving and transfer case locked up sending me in to oncoming traffic and guardrail

- Lebanon, NH, USA

A leak developed in the radiator that allowed engine coolant into the automatic transmission and visa versa. Engine coolant in the automatic transmission can cause sudden failure of the transmission which could cause an accident. This is a known design flaw of Nissan transmissions. Nissan has refused to issue a recall and class actions have been successful, but are not extensive enough to cover all Nissan buyers. I have filed a complaint with Nissan and they offered zero help in covering repairs. They just say that it is out of warranty. I had my Xterra worked on at the dealer 18 months ago and they could have recommended a new part be installed to keep the transmission failure from occuring, but said nothing. The result is that now I have to replace the transmission and radiator at a $9,000 price tag out of my pocket because they refused to recall the parts (<$1000) involved and will not give owners any warning or guidance on how to prevent this totally preventable catastrophic transmission failure. Nissan Case # 46218952.

- Folsom, CA, USA

Total transmission and radiator failure. a dealership "fixed" the coolant contamination problem when nissan offered the warrantied coverage for what's known as SMOD. all the dealership did was flush the transmission and radiator. they did not repair or replace any components even after being berated by my husband to do so and to do it under the covered warranty.($5k for tranny replacement that we couldn't afford) they claimed the flush had fixed the xterra. less than 3,000 miles later I was driving on the highway with my 2 children in the car and the vehicle just shut off. no warning lights or behaviors just shut off at 70+mph on the highway. while sitting broke down [pulled off highway edge as far as I could after vehicle died and before it coasted to a complete stop] we were then rear-ended and my 2 kids spent 2 days being monitored in a children's hospital. 1 of which had a concussion. although the xterra only needed a new rear hatch and bumper and etc insurance didn't consider it totalled so it was cosmetically repaired. after reaching out to nissan about the incident they refused to even offer us any sort of discounted repair costs on tranny replacement[car was still under extended coverage warranty] nor would they offer any kind of anything regarding a discount on a replacement vehicle. so here we were still paying on a car loan for a car that was still under warranty, but could not be drove. or even starred for that matter. it ended up wrecking us financially. the car never showed any signs of any mechanical problems prior to dealer flushing trans. the car didn't show any signs of anything afterwards until that day on the highway. the problem ended up being metal pieces from coolant contamination shorted out something in transmission and I guess shorted so strong that it blew the trans fuse and blew fuse links on positive terminal which caused car to just shut off. nissan needs to take responsibility for their bullcrap.

- Corning , OH, USA

The radiator has taken in fluids from the transmission or? the radiator fluid appears milky and lotion like consistency from the radiator and overflow tank it has been shifting very loud and hard..

- Nampa, ID, USA

I have an 08 Xterra and when I was driving it one day it felt like it was having a hard time getting up hills and almost felt like it wouldnt downshift. Then finally when at a light had to really gas it to get the car going. Limped the car to a family members house to let it sit until I figured out what was wrong with it. After research figured the car put itself into limp mode so I disconnected the battery to do a full reset on the computer. Was able to get it home 25 miles after reset. We have a spare/commuter car so I was able to let it sit in my garage for a few months while I tried to figure out what was wrong with it when I had time. Finally after narrowing it down to things that I had never done before, I decided to take it to Nissan. They told me the next day that it was the radiator failure and proceeded to quote me $7000 for the repairs........ouch on a car that was now 11 years old which I had purchased from that dealership brand new. I decided to take it home because it was a big decision to make right away. So here I am with a car that missed the lawsuit as I have an Xterra that is 11 years old [!@#$%] near 200000 miles. I did my own maintenance, when replacing my head gasket I noticed I had the no carbon build up on the head, basically looked like a car that had 20000 miles on it. Shame on Nissan for not doing a recall or notifying owners of this issue. I love my Xterra but I'm sure the cost of the fix is roughly what the car is worth. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Puyallup, WA, USA

The contact owns a 2008 Nissan Xterra. While driving 50 mph, the vehicle decelerated. The contact coasted the vehicle to the shoulder and had the vehicle towed to his home. In addition, the check engine and 4WD warning indicators illuminated. An independent mechanic came to the contact's home and diagnosed that the vehicle needed a new transmission and radiator. The contact installed the radiator. The transmission was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not assist. The failure mileage was 133,316.

- West Mifflin, PA, USA

Complete failure of transmission during rush hour. Vehicle needs a new transmission and radiator at a cost of $5,500.

- Derby, CT, USA

Complete failure of transmission during rush hour. Vehicle needs a new transmission and radiator at a cost of $5,500.

- Derby, CT, USA

My car stopped on a highway. The transmission/radiator failed on 5/25/2018. The car has 130,000 miles on it. The failure was sudden and there were no warning signs of a problem.

- Blackwell, MO, USA

Timing chain noise upon starting engine getting vibrations and noise--similar to speed bumps on roadway-- in vehicle drive train around 40 to 50 mph (transmission?)

- Brewster, OH, USA

The contact owns a 2008 Nissan Xterra. The contact received an unknown manufacturer recall notification. The vehicle was taken to bill robertson Nissan (928 N 28th ave, pasco, wa 99301, (509) 545-3000) where the contact was provided a rental. The contact then received a call from the dealer stating that the parts were not available for the recall repair and he needed to return the rental. Two weeks later, while driving, the transmission failed and the radiator overheated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the transmission and radiator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer stated that the vehicle had to be repaired at a Nissan dealer rather than an independent mechanic. The contact was provided case number: 29163686. The approximate failure mileage was 83,000.

- Kennewick, WA, USA

I'm having transmission problems due to the known design flaw in the 2008 Xterra radiators that causes coolant to mix with transmission fluid. Nissan admitted the flaw and yet the NHTSA, who is supposed to help protect us, has concluded that Nissan isn't liable for these problems. What protection does a consumer have besides trying to take a multi-national company to court if the government body who looks into this won't act? please revisit this "radiator intermix" problem!

- Ellwood City, PA, USA

Noticed shuddering at first, then a stumbling upon hitting gas 120000 miles took truck in and had ext. Cooler put on, flushed out tranny fluid, new radiator, new gaskets and filters in tranny $1,100 job. 1 month later service engine soon light came on and truck wouldn't start. Tcm module in tranny started blowing fuse, truck smelled like it was burning up and wouldn't allow truck to start. $2,000 to replace module and secondary breach. Its not just in radiator, there is another breach problem that puts the transmission and coolant together. 2nd breach. Shop wont guarantee $2000 job, new transmission $5800. My beautiful truck left on a flatbed to salvage yard. Single mom of 4. thanks Nissan, you suck. Also issues with airbag coil. $600 for that. Nissan I love my Xterra and its so sad we had to part ways today, I watched my $18000 vehicle leave with no justice but tears and hoping the zero degree weather breaks, walking the kids to school, one with disabilities is just rotten. Nissan get a conscience. Because my Xterra sat on a dealerships used lot, no one was notified of class action and warranty issued. I got doubled F**cked.

- Sebago, ME, USA

The differential broke in the middle of the road away from my house but first in weight with the light of the tires I went to check it and nothing after the muffler till the last one broke the differential and now I do not know how to fix it.

- Forest Grove, OR, USA

I had reach my destination to work and found that my Xterra will not go in reverse. I had no previous warning of this or recall notice from Nissan. I have 2 Nissan Xterra's after I pay for this $4000 repair I plan on selling them both as they are not reliable with this transmission defect.

- Richmond, VA, USA

Purchased a 2008 Nissan Xterra X VIN [xxx] mileage 77107 on June 6, 2015. After owning this vehicle for just over 2 years we had very bad experience my wife was doing her daily errands as she was returning home with our child in the back seat here vehicle began to accelerate and loose acceleration potentially causing her to be accident. When she returned home the vehicle wouldn't even turn over I had it towed to my mechanic and he informed me that this has a defective radiator cooler tank that ruptures and forces coolant into the transmission through the cooler lines and subsequently I was looking at over $3500 dollars in repairs. For a know problem reported Nissan has been aware of. Its very disheartening $3500 in repairs for a know problem it hurts in fact its affected even my surrounding family members, my mother is or was proud owner of Nissan Altima 2015. I just don't understand I don't have problem maintaining a vehicle or spending money for repairs that are standard that comes with owning any vehicle but this is just outrageous. How does start up family...1st family car end up in this position. Is there anything Nissan can do to help me and my family. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Cutlery Bay, FL, USA

My Xterra is currently un-driveable due to the fact that the radiator fluid leaked into the transmission, which caused me the blow my transmission while I was merging on to the highway, which almost caused an accident due to an extreme lost of power. After this happened to me, that is when I found out that this is a very common problem with make model and year of my vehicle. Nissan has done nothing to help.

- Danbury, CT, USA

Vehicle was loosing fluid from radiator, no leakage on ground.then the next thing that happened was, it wasn't shifting correctly. I went to a transmission shop and they told me I needed a new transmission I then called around to get a second opinion, went to a different shop, at that shop after I parked the car, it wouldn't even start back up, car has repaired at that location. Radiator leaked fluid in my transmission and ruined it!

- Pevely, MO, USA

During a routine oil change at fort lauderdale Nissan I was told the radiator somehow cracked was leaking around the vehicle, but no more info was covered or discussed. As it was already in the shop who was to argue this, as I was told I wouldn't be able to drive the vehicle. I had driven the vehicle many mile since my prior service and not once had this vehicle overheated. A month later when I was getting tires I received an inspection at a different shop and their claim was my transmission fluid was very dirty and frothy and it needed changing, so I did this. Now, in 2017 after a few odd transmission issues that went unexplainable besides regular service, at 135,000 I have transmission failure and have learned why: Due to faulty radiator leakage at one point. I wasn't informed of anything of this nature now I am paying for it. The total failure happened while driving.

- Miami, FL, USA

I purchased my Xterra back in October of 2008. It hasn't given me any significant problems until now. I have taken it to the same certified Nissan dealer/service center for just about all of the scheduled maintenance and so on. Even though this issue was known by Nissan, not once in all of my many visits to this service provider, was I warned or notified of this condition or the class action lawsuit that was in progress which has since been closed (October 2016). Also, being that my vehicle is just over the lawsuits agreed upon mileage allowed for any compensation from Nissan, I wouldn't qualify to receive anything at this point. So now, here I am with a vehicle, that I planned to keep for many more years, either having to basically junk it, or pay upwards of $7000 in repairs (according to the Nissan service center) to replace the transmission and radiator. I am between a rock and a hard place. I feel that I should be compensated in some way for this. If I were notified of this problem around the time that it first came to light, I would have at least had the chance to trade the vehicle in, instead of being stuck here with a vehicle that is essentially worthless. Not only could they have been considerate enough to notify me as 1 of many purchasers of a Nissan vehicle with this issue, but you would think that during service visits they would keep an eye out for an impending issue such as this. After research of this problem, I found that my vehicle was displaying symptoms of this condition arising months ago (ie: The heat not remaining warm when in idol position). Also, I just had a oil change 2 weeks prior to having them check this problem out. I do know that this issue was already present then, because I had a couple of instances where it seemed that my transmission was slipping, and not only that, but the engine light was on.

- Baltimore, MD, USA