10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
122,320 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.

2002 Nissan Xterra engine problems

engine problem

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2002 Nissan Xterra Owner Comments

problem #10

Aug 142020

Xterra

  • 188,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Vehicle stalls at 100mph also ABS light keeps coming on and off randomly brakes aren't bad but it's like they're going out. The brake pedal wobbles when stopping hard or on wet roads also when acceleratating and driving the RPM gauge will jimp up for a second and make the engine sound louder while it does it and also steering wheel feels loose somewhat when driving on rough roads and bumps cruise control lights up but doesn't work happens every day

- Hammond, LA, USA

problem #9

Jun 252017

Xterra

  • 170,000 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Nissan Xterra. While driving 70 mph, the vehicle failed to accelerate when the accelerator pedal was depressed and the engine stalled. The failure occurred without warning. The contact pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road and turned off the engine. The vehicle was towed to anything automotive (located at 1228 E river rd, dixon, il 61021; (815) 285-3035) where the mechanic stated that the back seat was catching fire. The mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and stated that the fuel sending unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted at 800-647-7261 and stated that the vehicle was too old and nothing could be done. Case number: 27261028 was provided. The contact also stated that the previous owner of the vehicle had a recall in 2004 for the fuel sending unit. The contact believed that the repair was not repaired correctly or the replacement part was faulty. The failure mileage was 170,000.

- Mt. Pleasant, WI, USA

problem #8

Mar 022017

Xterra

  • 147,000 miles
Unable to control speed and battery keeps dying even though battery and alternator test good. When driving at low speed I cannot accelerate gradually, the car revs really hard and pulls hard when trying to increase speed. Once I drive for about 20 minutes and pickup speed the brakes are loose and hard to come to a stop, and the pedal does not respond when accelerating or reducing speed. I recently was going home on the freeway at about 45 mph trying to reduce speed to prepare to exit, and my car just shut off, all dash lard light came on and I had to coast and then get a push from someone to get into the exit lane and coast to the gas station.

- Buckeye, AZ, USA

problem #7

Feb 252017

Xterra

  • 147,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When driving it is impossible to accelerate to normal speed even when pressing pedal to the floor, when I try to accelerate past 15 mph the engine revs really hard and jerks as if it is about to stall. I stalled out on the freeway without warning. It is hard to control speed when tryin to increase or decrease acceleration. The pedal feels inconsistent with the throttle and/ or RPM and is very hazardous. When trying to drive in low speeds in residential area or park the pedal arely moves and if given the slightest gas it will shut off E fine or take off and does not respond when you stop acceleration, or brake as it should. I have had power steering column fixed and air intake flow hose replaced, I keep getting error codes that come and go: P0122, P0128, and P0123. This seems to have similar recalls for othe model and year of Nissan, and when I inquire a out the issue to Nissan recall dept. They say the previous recall for gas response unit has been completed on this vehicle however, I cannot understand how that is possible with this issue I am having. I just bought this truck to drive my child to school and I'm afraid this will cause an a cident if not repaired soon however, I am certain this is a manufactur defect related to fuel line or throttle since the loss of acceleration is extremely noticeble to othe Nissan owners and I hope it is investigated as current recalls need to be expanded or investigated for the Nissan Xterra and possibly all Nissan vehicles with similar reported issues.

- Buckeye, AZ, USA

problem #6

Mar 012017

Xterra

  • 147,000 miles
Unable to control speed when trying to accelerate from low to higher. Vehicle stalls when going above 40mph without warning often. Also, it is hard to sometimes increase speed or drive at a constant mph speed such as when going through residential neighborhoods. When traveling -15 mph and trying to a celebrate onto freeway etc the engine stalls and jerks, and the rpmspins very hard and rough when trying to accelerate. Throttle is not responsive acceleration when given gassed pedal does not increase and decrease speed accordingly, which gives a complete lack of control over driving vehicle. There is also a problem with securing back row seatbelts hence, my increased concern of outcome should an unfortunate collision occurr with my child in the car.

- Buckeye, AZ, USA

problem #5

Sep 262015

Xterra

  • 150,641 miles
After shifting into reverse, with one foot on the clutch, and one foot on the brake still, my Xterra begins accelerating in reverse though my feet were on the clutch and brake only. My Xterra's brakes only stopped my vehicle after shifting into neutral and then turning off the engine.

- Aberdeen, MD, USA

problem #4

Apr 062015

Xterra

  • 96,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I purchased a used Xterra about 6 months ago. I was pulling into a parking spot in a shopping mall at a low speed when the engine suddenly went into a high whining rev and the vehicle lurched forward and took off out of control. Before coming to a stop it ran into four other parked cars. I was as it had a mind of its own. This has never happened to me in all my years of driving only american made cars. The Nissan is the only foreign car I have owned and will likely be the last after this episode.

- Baltimore, MD, USA

problem #3

Apr 062015

Xterra

  • 101,000 miles
I was entering a parking spot at my normal slow speed when suddenly the engine went into an extremely high rev and the Xterra made a sudden lunge forward. In a matter of seconds it slammed into a number of other parked cars. It was as if it had a mind of its own. I can only guess it was a stuck gas pedal, stuck throttle or stuck accelerator. Over the years I have had nothing but american cars, the last several were Caravan with no issues of this type. This Nissan is the first foreign car that I have purchased.

- Baltimore, MD, USA

problem #2

Nov 022006

Xterra

  • 50,000 miles
I was traveling on I-76 in Colorado and using my cruise control. I had noticed one time on the highway that when I put on the brake the cruise control did not disengage until multiple attempts. I was about to exit the highway at julesburg Colorado heading West, disengaged the cruise control by stepping on the brake and when I got on the exit ramp it re-engaged. I put in the clutch, stepped on the brake with no response. The exit ramp is short and a single lane. At the bottom of the ramp was a semi-truck and I had to steer the car into the area next to the ramp and I hit a culvert and the car flipped three times. My daughter and I were taken to the hospital and released that evening. I reported this to Nissan, they inspected the car at the junk yard and said nothing was wrong. I never believed that nothing was wrong but now believe it was an electronic failure. I have pictures of the car from the accident. The car was a total loss.

- Golden, CO, USA

problem #1

Mar 042007

Xterra 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 26,563 miles
- while driving the 2002 Nissan Xterra with a failure mileage of 26,000 miles. The contact noticed that the engine light intermittently turned on. Also, the vehicle would not accelerate properly, and made noises. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, who stated that the super charger was failing. The vehicle still had not been repaired. The current mileage was 30,000. A recall was issued regarding the supercharger. Updated 05/02/07

- Fresno, CA, USA

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