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 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
105,549 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.

2007 Nissan Xterra drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2007 Nissan Xterra Owner Comments (Page 3 of 11)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #175

Apr 132017

Xterra

  • miles

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

Nissan dealership notified me about needing to replace the entire timing chain system. After doing research, it is evident Nissan knew about faulty timing chain tensioners and guides that it was using on certain model year Xterras, including 2007. If timing chain fails while vehicle is in motion, it can lead to catastrophic engine failure and a $8000+ repair bill for a new engine. Nissan knowing about this problem sent service bulletins to its service centers but did not inform consumers about the problem. The timing chain should be good for the life of the engine, but now my local dealership is telling me it is going to cost at least $1900 to replace the timing chain and all components. Nissan knew the components are faulty and yet don't care enough to inform consumers. This isn't the first time this has happened. Nissan knew that the transmission coolers on same model year were faulty and did not inform consumers. Class action lawsuit forced Nissan to face the music, but consumers still had to pay over $2000 out of pocket to replace transmission, transmission cooler, and radiator.

- Fort Worth, TX, USA

problem #174

Feb 272017

Xterra

  • 166,000 miles
Transmission failed without warning.

- Denver, CO, USA

problem #173

Feb 252017

Xterra

  • 148,000 miles
Radiator leaked into the transmission rendering both defective and in need of replacement. No heat when car not moving, transmission slipping and skipping while driving.

- Port Orchard, WA, USA

problem #172

Jan 012017

Xterra

  • 118,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2007 Nissan Xterra. While driving 40 mph, an abnormal noise was heard and the transmission failed to operate. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 118,000.

- Memphis, TN, USA

problem #171

Nov 022016

Xterra

  • miles
Takata recall I was never told to replace my radiator to protect my transmission. I now have to replace my radiator and transmission. Cross contamination. Nissan did nothing to inform me of this problem. I'V taken it to bellevue Nissan for more than 5 years. Not even a courtesy heads up. You can still save other customers. Please make them tell their customers to replace the radiator. I absolutely loved my X up to this point. They've lost all credibility. Very disappointing as a X customer and X fan.

- Bellevue, WA, USA

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problem #170

Dec 022016

Xterra

  • 125,000 miles
Well the transmission and radiator leak took the my Xterra in to Nissan mcgavock and they told me that I needed to get transmission and radiator replaced and now I have no car and me and my wife have to walk to bus to take my daughter to school and I go to work on bus and so does my wife.. they told me from mcgavock Nissan that they could fix it for $5800 dollars. This is a shame that you dont know what to do about helping people out and getting this fix. Xterra does not run it is broke..

- Lubbock, TX, USA

problem #169

Oct 192016

Xterra

  • 160,843 miles

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

My SUV was on a highway, and 4WD indicator light came on and vehicle made a vibrating noise, pulled off and turned vehicle off and would not restart, the SUV was towed to the Nissan dealership for diagnostic test. Results: The codes U1000, P1807 and P0717 (transmission) cost $4, 491,58. In April 2016, I had a leak from the radiator that ruined the transmission. I initially had the radiator replaced and the transmission flushed, cost $1000 at Nissan dealership. This was only a band-aid however, and did not fix the problem. 6 months later transmission failed. Nissan put the consumer under the bus. I filed a complaint with Nissan Consumer Affairs case# 24403641 with no assistant, due to the mileage of 100K exceeds warranty. Nissan was aware of this default in radiators back in 2007 and did not notify a recall to the consumer. A cross contamination where coolant leaks into the transmission and destroys the transmission. I will never buy another Nissan product, due to this ordeal and very difficult situation. I've always maintained my SUV on all required maintenance. Nissan corporation needs to assist the consumer, and the extended warranty and deductible was a joke. There has been over 2500 consumers affected by this issue. Nissan continues to sell their products and I would highly advise consumers to stop buying Nissan, not a trustworthy company period. Regards, [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Jereniah, KY, USA

problem #168

Nov 212016

Xterra

  • 75,000 miles
While driving, the car started not to shift well when changing gears. I've noticed on the highway and on the city roads. I took it to the dealer within that week and they said it was my transmission and that it will cost over $3000 to fix. When I purchased the car 2 years ago, I also purchased a bumper to bumper warranty that included the transmission. I did not have the paperwork with me so I had to go home to look for it. Once I found it, I called and sent the copy directly to the dealer. They called me the following day saying my warranty covers everything except intermix ingrid which was exactly what it was. I spent extra money to make sure if anything happens to my car I could get it fixed with the warranty. They told me they couldn't do anything and to fix it I must pay the $3000. I had my car for 2 years and it only has 75,000 mikes and now my transmission goes out" I researched what intermix ingrid is and found out I'm not the only one with this problem?"! Nissan isn't taking responsibility and instead charging us all $3000+ to get the problem that everyone is having fixed. There should be a recall or the warranty should cover this problem. Nissan should not be making a profit on an issue they are aware and not trying to notify people about.

- Norwalk, CT, USA

problem #167

Oct 252016

Xterra 6-cyl

  • 76,510 miles
Took SUV to woodbury Nissan, hearing sounds when driving and no heat. The radiator coolant leaked into the transmission. Both needs to be replaced. There was never a recall or any notice to me in the 9 years I have had this from new.I feel Nissan should have recalled this, and consumers should not have to pay for a defect they knew about.

- Barrington, NJ, USA

problem #166

Oct 102016

Xterra 6-cyl

  • 145,000 miles
Another frustrated 2007 Nissan Xterra owner who's radiator and transmission had to be replaced. Three weeks ago noticed some tranny slippage while driving (normally 80 miles a day, 5 days a week and all on highways), checked fluid, no problem, no leaks or nothing, though maybe just drain and change fluids. Then 1 week ago today, I was at a stop light when my temperature gauge spiked to hot and radiator started to smoke, started to move on the green light to pull over to side of road from a four lane highway and I was in the second lane over, car started to chug and barely made it to the side of road before it quit, then a gray colored fluid started draining out of my radiator overflow all over the ground. Had to make the call to a shop and they knew exactly what the problem was before they came and got it. The car got towed to shop where they quoted me $5590 for towing, new radiator and rebuilt tranny. Wtf'.

- Greenville, WI, USA

problem #165

Oct 092016

Xterra

  • 133,000 miles

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

Coolant contamination in the transmission causing engine failure and transmission failure. Also blows fuses and car will not start. Was sitting at a red light when it turned green and I accelerated the car would not go. When I got to a safe place to turn it off it would not turn back on. Upon further investigation I am one of many that have complained about this and Nissan has yet to recall this issue. I was lucky to be at a red light and not driving on the interstate. Also this is my 16 year olds car and thank goodness she wasn't driving it when it happened.the car was purchased less than a month. Ago with 133000 miles on it and was running great until today. This issue could be very dangerous and should be taken care of by the manufacturer.

- Ten Mile, TN, USA

problem #164

Sep 192016

Xterra

  • 162,000 miles
Transmission contamination by coolant costing $4578

- Reno, NV, USA

problem #163

Oct 012016

Xterra

  • 186,380 miles
Service engine light came on the vehicle. Took it to my local mechanic. Mechanic said it was throwing transmission codes suggested take it to dealer towed car to Nissan dealer. They told me the radiator coolent had leaked into the transmission proceeded to quote me a price of $6042 for new transmission, radiator and coolant. What I don't understand is if this is a known defect why doesn't Nissan make this right" I bought this vehicle used in January from a dealership it is now October and I have a vehicle that repairs are going to cost almost as much as I paid for car. I was driving down the road then wham my vehicle is ruined because of pure greed. Why can't someone care about hard working people and make companies who produce defective stuff be held accountable"

- Durham, NC, USA

problem #162

Oct 132015

Xterra

  • 101,000 miles
Car has a little over 100,000 miles and began to vibrate in transmission then noticed radiator was full of slimy sludge mechanic suggested we replace radiator and thermostats which we did ($478.52). Ran for about a week after and just shut off one day throwing up engine codes for transmission. That's when we discovered the coolant contamination. Upon calling Nissan they informed me it was not going to be cheap would need to replace transmission. Car has been sitting since and I still owe on it but cant afford the 3-6K dollar estimates I have received.

- Weaverville, NC, USA

problem #161

Jun 292016

Xterra

  • 172,290 miles
My vehicle was driving perfectly without any issues at all until one day on the way home I stopped at a stop sign near my home. Then as I started to proceed down the city street the check engine light and 4WD lights came on in the dash and the vehicle would barely move. I just barely got it into the driveway of my home. After I turned it off I attempted to restart the vehicle it would not even attempt to turn over. I checked online to see what would cause these symptoms to find that hundreds upon thousands of other Nissan owners have had the same happen to them. It is a known issue of cross contamination of radiator fluid and transmission fluid due to a faulty design in the radiator. I had a mechanic check my engine as well and he confirmed that the grey sludge in the radiator and grit in my transmission fluid fit the symptoms of this issue. Now I am being told I have to pay over $5000 to have repairs done because of a design flaw that Nissan refuses to take full responsibility for. I am lucky that this failure happened in my neighborhood versus the interstate or it could have not only left me with figuring out how to come up with $5000 but how to pay for hundreds of thousands of dollars for repair bills to other cars I might have caused to wreck do to this catastrophic transmission failure.

- Elizabethton, TN, USA

problem #160

Nov 152015

Xterra

  • 110,000 miles
Takata recall - I had went church and after I got out. I got back in the vehicle and when I tried to back up in reverse it wouldnt go, but if I pressed the gas a lil harder it went in reverse. So I got out of the vehicle and had mechanic that I go to church with look at it and he drove it around the parking lot. Then checked the fluid thats when he realised that the fluid color had changed and told me that I had transmission problems.

- Marion, NC, USA

problem #159

Apr 242016

Xterra

  • 105,000 miles
Coolant leaked into transmission and transmission broke down.

- Paterson, NJ, USA

problem #158

Jul 142016

Xterra

  • 139,000 miles
Check engine light came on went to Nissan place where they did a test on it and calm the did not exactly what was wrong but it had something to do with the transmission and gave me prices on replacing the transmission. They did not tell me they have been having problems with their transmission. They also calm they did not know what the code that it was putting out mean just that it had something to do with the transmission (lies) finally after almost a month my car stopped, I took it to a transmission shop and it was took apart is when I was told it had coolant in it from the radiator that has cause damage to my transmission it was then that I went on line to learn of this problem I am asking for a recall and reimbursement of this cost due to the fact that Nissan knows about this problem. I was stationary at the time of this incident. At this time my car is in shop due to the fact that I do not have over 3000 dollars. I brought this car new in 2007 and I am the only owner and keep my maintance

- Fitzgerald, GA, USA

problem #157

Aug 092016

Xterra

  • 115,000 miles
I was driving the vehicle on the highway, when the automatic transmission stopped shifting gears and the car decelerated. After it came to a stop, the car would not start again. After talking to mechanics, it appears that a defect in the radiator caused the radiator and transmission fluid to intermix, wrecking both the radiator and transmission.

- St. Louis, MO, USA

problem #156

Jul 122013

Xterra

  • 120,000 miles
I had noticed that the temperature gauge would bounce up and down and when I went to check the antifreeze it was full of purple goop. I was told the coolant and transmission have been compromised. I took very good care of this care with oil change, all fluid changes as well. I can't not afford to have this problem fixed. The SUV has been parked since then and that was over 3 years ago. I was hoping to have a resolution of this with a recall.

- Newark, OH, USA

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