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:
1 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
159,184 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.

2006 Nissan Xterra drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2006 Nissan Xterra Owner Comments (Page 9 of 12)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #78

Aug 012013

Xterra

  • 101,000 miles

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

Bought 2006 Nissan Xterra used on August 1st, 2013, had problem the evening after I bought it. Transmission was not changing gears properly and was causing high RPM's. took it to Nissan dealer and they said the transmission and radiator would need to be replaced due to anti-freeze mixing with transmission fluid cause by broken cooler tube.

- Coeburn, VA, USA

problem #77

May 222013

Xterra

  • 108,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Xterra. The contact attempted to shift into reverse however, the vehicle produced a loud noise. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection where the contact was informed that coolant leaked into the transmission. He was then advised that the transmission needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 108,000.

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #76

Sep 272013

Xterra 6-cyl

  • 92,000 miles
My Xterra experienced the dreaded " cracked radiator leaked into transmission" problem that many other Nissan trucks have experienced. It happened all of a sudden while driving through a parking lot, and the car down shifted and would no longer excel. Because it happened at a little over 92,000, I had to pay the $3000 deductible that was determined from the class action lawsuit earlier this year. That money covered a "reman" transmission (not even a new one) and hopefully a new radiator (it was not specified). The radiator should have been a recall from the get-go.

- Irvine, CA, USA

problem #75

Sep 212013

Xterra 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 83,400 miles

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

The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Xterra. The contact stated that while driving 50 mph, the vehicle came to a complete halt as all the warning lamps illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 83,400 and the current mileage 83,487. Updated 11/13/13 the consumer stated while driving, the transmission went into neutral and the vehicle stopped moving. All the indicator lights on the dashboard began flashing. He shut off the vehicle and re-started it. The vehicle began moving, but it was stuttering badly. He stopped put it in reverse and backed up and the lights began flashing. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. An inspection revealed an extensive repair was needed. A new transmission was needed as well a computer. Updated 11/19/13

- Ashburnham, MA, USA

problem #74

Sep 252013

Xterra 6-cyl

  • 93,000 miles
Transmission was having hard time to engage, took it to jb automechanics in des plaines, ill to find out that transmission fluid is mixing with coolant on the radiator and had possible transmission damages.

- Mount Prospect , IL, USA

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problem #73

Sep 132013

Xterra 6-cyl

  • 1,000,350 miles
On 9/13/2013 I took my vehicle to alan webb Nissan to investigate some transmission slipping that I had experienced the previous day. On 9/16/2013 I was informed that my transmission had become contaminated with radiator coolant and my transmission and radiator would have to be replace at the cost of $5300 plus applicable tax. I was further informed that this was known problem with this generation vehicle but that Nissan only provided repair assistance for vehicles with less than 100K miles on them and I was therefor required to pay the full amount. It was only later through online research that I discovered that a class action lawsuit had been the only reason they provided any repair assistance. I also noted that the vastt majority of reported cases were for vehicles over the 100K mark. 1. if this was a known defect that affected millions of vehicles why wasn't Nissan forced to perform a recall and replace the radiators. 2. why was I not as a minimum informed of the defect when I purchased the vehicle with 74K miles on it. With less than 80K on them Nissan would repair the problem at their cost. 3. if the problems are not as a rule happening to vehicles until they go over 100K miles then why cap the assistance requirement. 4. now that it is recognized by the courts as a known failure why are the consumers paying anything to do these repairs whn it could have been avoided with a $200 radiator and an hours labor. I find this very dishonest that Nissan was not forced by the courts or the NHTSA to do a full recall or disclosure to owners. If so many vehicles are on the road which can have a major transmission failure at any time why hasn't the NHTSA forced Nissan to do something about it? this may not be as hazardous as fuel tanks rupturing but I would think that a vehicle that has a transmission failure at highway speeds should be of concern.

- La Center, WA, USA

problem #72

Sep 212013

Xterra

  • miles

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

While driving our 2006 Nissan Xterra at speeds between 40 and 65 mph the vehicle started losing power and not shifting between gears correctly. At stop signs it would start out and rev high and then not shift again. The transmission stopped working while on the freeway. After letting it sit for a period of time the trainsmission would engage for a short time and stopped again. Finally had to have the vehicle towed how over 50 miles. Waiting until Monday (happen on a late Saturday) to get vehicle to family mechanic. Tried to speak to Nissan dealerships and got no help. We had the vehicle looked at by family mechanic at least twice before for the vehicle have symptoms of power loss and sluggish gear change and it was so intermitent that nothing could be detected in the past.

- Dixon, CA, USA

problem #71

Sep 142013

Xterra

  • 118,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Xterra. The contact stated that while driving 50 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning as smoke emerged from under the hood. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for diagnosis where it was stated that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 118,000. Returned by usps on 11-6-2013. Second attempt on 11-19-2013 failed.

- Jackson, NJ, USA

problem #70

Sep 032013

Xterra

  • 120,000 miles
The transmission is failing due to the transmission cooler inside the radiator allowing coolant to get into the transmission causing a catastrophic failure. It is my understanding that this is a common problem and that Nissan knew it was from a defect in the radiator. I've seen online that many people with a 2005-2010 Xterra, frontier and pathfinder with the 4.0 V6 engine are having this problem

- Murfreesboro, TN, USA

problem #69

Jun 072013

Xterra 6-cyl

  • 123,000 miles
Back in January our 2006 Nissan Xterra, on occasion, started making a sound like it was running over several road bumps. It would stop shortly thereafter. I took it to our family mechanic thinking it was a U-joint or something along those lines. He couldn't figure it out. It began to happen a bit more often so we stopped driving it until our house sold. Finally, the house sold and when we were bringing it to our new condo it overheated. We had it towed to Nissan who informed us that the transmission fluid had cross contaminated with the radiator fluid, destroying both. The estimate was over $14,000. The service person informed me that Nissan was having problems with this and a couple of other makes. Now it is in a class action suit, and my car sits while I continue to pay it off. What can I do to join the lawsuit? this is clearly a situation that Nissan needs to fix. I would never had bought the car if I had known there was even the most remote chance that this could happen. They have stated they "can't" do anything until the lawsuit is resolved. Its unfathomable to me that they simply wouldn't have these cars fixed during each and every incident. Thank you for your help.

- Tacoma, WA, USA

problem #68

Sep 022013

Xterra

  • 95,000 miles

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

2006 Nissan Xterra with 95000 miles. Felt a vibration at 40 mph and after doing research online, took it in to have the transmission and radiator flushed. Found out that the radiator leaked coolant which found its way into the transmission and has all but destroyed it. Currently at the transmission shop looking at a $5K plus bill to replace the transmission and radiator. This has happened enough that the national transmission shop sells a package for Nissan vehicles to correct this issue. Not happy. Was recently considering buying a second Nissan but not anymore as they are failing to address this well documented issue.

- Manassas, VA, USA

problem #67

Aug 242013

Xterra

  • 130,000 miles
2006 Nissan Xterra 4X4 - bought new - only owner - perfectly maintained after reading all the information from Nissan we thought since we hadn't had issues that we were safe. Not to mention that our Xterra was over the mileage that would qualify us for the extended warranty. Our transmission just quit leaving us stranded away from home with our two children. 130,000 miles on the odometer. We contacted Nissan only to get an email saying they could not help us with our issue. This is a known issue! an internal crack on the oil cooler tube so why are they not standing behind their vehicles? we have been die hard Nissan fans since purchasing our Xterra in 2006! we even own a titan too. We were contemplating adding a Nissan juke to our Nissan collection. However now we do not feel we can trust Nissan nor do we like the fact that they are not standing behind their vehicles. We wont purchase another Nissan ever.

- Long Island, VA, USA

problem #66

Apr 242013

Xterra

  • 152,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Xterra. The contact stated that coolant leaked into the transmission, causing the vehicle to stall while driving. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer for a diagnostic test. The dealer stated that the transmission and the radiator needed to be replaced. The contact did not have the transmission or the radiator replaced. The failure mileage was 152,000.

- Violet, LA, USA

problem #65

Aug 232013

Xterra 6-cyl

  • 149,365 miles
Transmission started to slip abruptly and with imminent failure. Checked complaints and discovered a well known issue with transmission/radiator fluids intermixing due to a failure in the transmission cooler. Mechanic verified this was my problem as well. Nissan quoted $8500 repair. Service adviser at Nissan North (Ohio) confirmed that this is a very common problem. Apparently Nissan acknowledged this in a class action lawsuit settlement in 2012 but did not notify any of the owners of potential failure without any previous symptoms.I had my car serviced at the dealer 3 months prior and they did not notice/notify me of any potential issues. Transmission failed on a trip to New York. I'm looking at a repair bill that potentially exceeds the value of my automobile. Nissan has a moral and a implicit obligation to notify owners of problems such as this. This should have been a recall, as it would have prevented the failure and saved numerous owners outrageous repair bills and possible loss of vehicle.

- Grandville, MI, USA

problem #64

Aug 152013

Xterra 6-cyl

  • 96,560 miles
My 2006 Nissan Xterra with 96,560 miles experienced transmission failure caused by a crack in the transmission cooler inside of the radiator.

- Cuyahoga Heights, OH, USA

problem #63

Jul 312013

Xterra 6-cyl

  • 115,000 miles
My transmission went....the coolant was leaking into the transmission and over time ruined it. Barely made it to the transmission shop who charged $3900 that I didn't have. This is a Nissan fault and I should be compensated, even though I'm over the absurd low mileage limits. Please help!

- Eldersburg, MD, USA

problem #62

Mar 282013

Xterra 6-cyl

  • 96,500 miles
I had been noticing a whining noise associated with transmission 'flare' on acceleration for some time, but only in March 2013 was it diagnosed at 96K miles by the dealership as faulty timing chain guides, a known problem with the 4 L engine. The dealer said the faulty parts needed to be replaced soon. I contacted Nissan usa Consumer Affairs about having Nissan partially cover the cost of replacing the faulty parts. Despite having the dealership's original report and estimate, Nissan's regional rep insisted that the dealership had to reconfirm the diagnosis, which was done. The rep then refused to return my calls, and did not respond to dealership queries about the repairs either. The engine noise was getting worse, and fearing a catastrophic engine failure, I had the dealer repair the vehicle. The dealer said the timing chain was slapping and about to fail. The dealership urged me to report the problem to appropriate federal, local and Nissan officials because the problem is potentially very dangerous.

- Sterling, VA, USA

problem #61

Jun 222013

Xterra 6-cyl

  • 128,000 miles
My 2006 Nissan Xterra would lunge forward when I was traveling at 40-45 mph. It would first jerk forward when I would go from slowly moving to accelerating, like when you began to move after sitting at a red light. The light turns green, you slowly start to move and then you press the gas to accelerate and the car would jerk forward. Then the car had problems shifting out of 1st gear before I was about to get on the interstate after leaving work. I decided to take the back route because I did not want to have an accident. I stopped at 2 mechanics on the way home. Each told me I would have to take the car to the dealer. I was able to get the car to the dealer and was then told that the radiator and the transmission needed to be fixed as there was a mix of the radiator and transmission fluid due to a leak and it would cost $5050. I was totally shocked! I had not any other major problems and the vehicle was checked regularly. I specifically asked the asm guy, who checked in my vehicle and told me the specifics of what was going on after the technician looked at it, was this a common occurrence and his response was, "it happens but better than buying a new car." It just didn't make sense. I then had my vehicle towed to a transmission repair shop because it would not shift into first gear. This is when I was told of the radiator leaks with subsequent transmission failure. The mechanic said he has had numerous Nissan with transmission failures and even finding a used or rebuilt Nissan is extremely difficult to find now. I am just extremely blessed that I did not cause an accident by either ramming into another car or the car just stopping on the middle of the interstate during rush-hour traffic. If I Nissan could have notified owners by mail or during a service check, I could have had the defect fixed before this happened. Please reimburse owners for this cars defect.

- Lithis Springs, GA, USA

problem #60

Jul 292013

Xterra 6-cyl

  • 104,025 miles
I was driving down the highway with my family in the car. The car was traveling at 65mph and suddenly started to jerk back and forth and swerve side to side. Then it suddenly slowed down and we were almost hit from behind. Then vehicle continued to do this until I was able to get the vehicle off the highway and on the side of the road. Im told that the radiator had catastrophically failed inside and sent transmission fluid into the radiator causing the transmission to fail. This is extremely dangerous and is my sons vehicle that he drives daily or at least used to.

- Corning, NY, USA

problem #59

Jul 082013

Xterra 6-cyl

  • 105,000 miles
Transmission began slipping causing the vehicle to lose power at freeway speeds, usually 60-70 mph. Inspection revealed a known problem reported for Xterras, pathfinders and frontiers, 2005-2010; radiator leaked coolant into the transmission causing it to fail. This resulted in a $6,000 repair with no coverage from Nissan.

- Oakland, CA, USA

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