The Lemon IndexNissan Xterra reliability.
Is it reliable? Not really. 1.3× the average car's complaints.
Worse than average · 2002–2010
20102nd generation
What owners say on YouTube: we haven't studied Nissan Xterra videos yet. When that study runs, the most-watched owner reviews and buyer guides for each generation, and what owners praise and complain about, show up here.
Years to avoid
None.
No Nissan Xterra year drew much more than the average car's complaints.
Every year. Lower is better. Tap a year for its full report.
Newest year first. Red = worse than average, gray = about average or too few complaints to score.
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<iframe src="https://lemonindex.com/embed/cars/nissan-xterra/" title="Nissan Xterra reliability by model year (The Lemon Index)" width="100%" height="399" style="border:0;max-width:720px" loading="lazy"></iframe><p style="font-size:13px;margin:4px 0 0">Data: <a href="https://lemonindex.com/cars/nissan-xterra/">Lemon Index</a> (Nissan Xterra reliability by year)</p>Scores before 2010 are rough: fewer owners filed complaints back then.
Compare the Nissan Xterra.
Opens the compare tool with both cars, every year side by side. Compare with any car →
Quick answers.
Is the Nissan Xterra reliable?
Not really. It draws 1.3× the average car's complaints. Fewest complaints: 2010.
Is the Nissan Xterra a good car?
Not overall: it draws more complaints than the average car, by owner complaints to the government per car sold (2002-2010: Lemon Index 126; 100 is average). Some years are much better than others: 2010 drew the fewest complaints since 2010.
What are the best Nissan Xterra years to buy?
By owner complaints per car sold since 2010: 2010. 2010 drew the fewest.
What Nissan Xterra years should you stay away from?
No Nissan Xterra year drew much more than an average car's complaints.
How many recalls does the Nissan Xterra have?
48 safety recalls across the 14 model years we track. Most: 2008 (8), 2002 (6), 2005 (6). Each year's page lists them, and every Nissan Xterra recall is in one list here.
What are the most common Nissan Xterra problems?
Across every year, owners' complaints to the government name fuel system, gasoline, fuel system, other and transmission & drivetrain most. Some years are much worse than others: see the chart above.
Every year in one table
| Year | Index | Compared with average | Complaints | Top complaint | Recalls | Crash test | MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 100 | about average | 81 | engine (22%) | 6 | — | 15–19 |
| 2003 | 49 | about half as many complaints as the average car | 27 | airbags (22%) | 3 | — | 15–19 |
| 2004 | 35 | about a third as many complaints as the average car | 20 | transmission & drivetrain (25%) | 3 | — | 15–19 |
| 2005 | 90 | about average | 45 | fuel system, gasoline (56%) | 6 | — | 16–17 |
| 2006 | 351 | about 4 times the average car's complaints | 138 | fuel system, gasoline (57%) | 5 | — | 16–17 |
| 2007 | 308 | about 3 times the average car's complaints | 140 | fuel system, gasoline (68%) | 2 | — | 16–17 |
| 2008 | 75 | about three-quarters as many complaints as the average car | 25 | fuel system, gasoline (28%) | 8 | — | 16–17 |
| 2009 | – | complaints only, too few sold to score | 5 | electrical (40%) | 5 | — | 17–18 |
| 2010 | 31 | about a third as many complaints as the average car | 7 | transmission & drivetrain (43%) | 6 | — | 17–18 |
| 2011 | – | complaints only, too few sold to score | 8 | tires (25%) | 2 | — | 17–18 |
| 2012 | – | complaints only, too few sold to score | 5 | transmission & drivetrain (60%) | 2 | — | 17–18 |
| 2013 | – | complaints only, too few sold to score | 1 | transmission & drivetrain (100%) | 0 | — | 17–18 |
| 2014 | – | complaints only, too few sold to score | 5 | stability control (20%) | 0 | — | 17–18 |
| 2015 | – | complaints only, too few sold to score | 6 | transmission & drivetrain (100%) | 0 | — | 17–18 |
The Lemon Index counts owner complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model years (100 = average, lower is better). It measures complaints, not crash safety. U.S. sales source: en.wikipedia.org. How it works
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Updated · Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com)
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