The Lemon Index

All cars · Nissan Xterra · 2006

2006 Nissan Xterra. Advanced data.

The raw numbers: engines, recall campaign numbers, failure mileage and manufacturer communications.

Lemon Index351100 = average car
Complaints138NHTSA, first 3 years
Sold62,325U.S. model year
Per 100K sold221complaints
Complaint rank#8 of 8among the 8 scored Nissan Xterra model years (2002–2010); #1 = fewest complaints per car sold, not the YouTube rank

Failure mileage by system

Half of owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 33,249 and 53,000 miles. Median 44,350, from 130 complaints with a mileage.

Mileage owners typed into their NHTSA complaint, all complaints for this model year. People report some problems late, so read it as a range.

Complaints by system

SystemShare of complaints
Fuel system, gasoline57%
Fuel system, other15%
Electrical9%
Transmission & drivetrain7%
Engine5%

One complaint can name more than one system, so shares can add to more than 100%.

Severity, all complaints

TotalCrashesFiresInjuriesDeathsTows
13840400

As reported by owners to NHTSA. Not verified.

Recall campaigns 5

  • 10V517000 Oct 2010 Engine And Engine Cooling

    Defect. NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 ARMADA, TITAN, INFINITI QX56 AND MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 FRONTIER, PATHFINDER AND XTERRA VEHICLES. THE INTELLIGENT POWER DISTRIBUTION MODULE (IPDM) ASSEMBLY CONTAINS AN ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) RELAY THAT HAS A DIODE FOR ELECTRICAL CURRENT NOISE REDUCTION. THE ECM RELAY MAY ALLOW SILICON VAPOR TO FORM AND, OVER TIME, THE SILICON EVAPORATES FROM THE DIODE MOLDING WHICH CAUSES SILICON OXIDE TO DEVELOP ON THE ECM RELAY CONTACT DUE TO ARCING.

    Risk. THIS COULD CAUSE ENGINE STALLING INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

    Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ECM RELAY INSIDE THE IPDM ASSEMBLY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 6, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

  • 10E019000 May 2010 Suspension / Front / Control Arm / Lower Arm

    Defect. NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN FRONT AND REAR LOWER LINKS, P/NOS. 54501ZQ00A, 54500ZQ00A, 551A1ZQ00A, 551A0ZQ00A , 54501EA00A, 54500EA00A, 551A1EA500, 551A0EA500, 54501ZR00A, AND 54500ZR00A, SOLD BETWEEN NOVEMBER 25, 2009 AND MAY 14, 2010 AS REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR MODEL YEAR 2004 THROUGH 2010 TITAN, ARMADA, AND QX56, AND MODEL YEARS 2005 THROUGH 2010 FRONTIER, XTERRA, AND PATHFINDER VEHICLES. THE LOWER CONTROL LINK ASSEMBLY HAS TWO CYLINDRICAL COLLARS FORMING THE INBOARD ATTACHMENT POINTS TO THE CHASSIS. DUE TO AN IMPROPER WELDING PROCESS SOME COLLARS MAY CONTAIN WELDS THAT DO NOT MEET STRENGTH

    Risk. IF THE COLLAR WELD SEPARATES, THE VEHICLE HANDLING WILL DETERIORATE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

    Remedy. NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE ANY AFFECTED LOWER LINK FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 12, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

  • 10V075000 Mar 2010 Fuel System, Gasoline / Storage / Auxillary Tank

    Defect. NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006 AND MODEL YEAR 2008 FRONTIER, XTERRA AND PATHFINDER VEHICLES. THE MOLDED FUEL TANK SHELLS CAN DEFORM, CAUSING THE FUEL SENDER FLOAT ARM TO CONTACT AN EMBOSSMENT MOLDED INTO THE TANK SHELL CAUSING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FUEL GAUGE TO SHOW THAT THE VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY ONE QUARTER TANK WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS EMPTY.

    Risk. THIS COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO RUN OUT OF GAS AND STALL IN TRAFFIC, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

    Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT INSIDE THE FUEL TANK WITH A NEW ONE THAT HAS A MODIFIED FLOAT ARM. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE MARCH 22, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

  • 08V690000 Dec 2008 Air Bags / Frontal

    Defect. NISSAN IS RECALLING 242,720 MY 2005-2009 PATHFINDER, FRONTIER AND XTERRA VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN THOSE AREAS OF THE COUNTRY WHICH USE HEAVY CONCENTRATIONS OF ROAD SALT IN THE WINTER, A MIXTURE OF SNOW/WATER AND SALT CAN ENTER INTO THE FRONT CRASH ZONE SENSOR (CZS) HOUSING. IF THIS OCCURS, THE CZS MAY

    Risk. THIS ISSUE COULD RESULT IN THE NON-DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAGS IN A CRASH, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

    Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT CZS WITH A REDESIGNED SENSOR. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 26, 2009. OWNERS IN THE OTHER STATES WILL RECEIVE EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR THE SENSOR TO 10 YEARS. THESE OWNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE WARRANTY EXTENSION BY MAIL AND WILL RECEIVE A STICKER TO PLACE IN THEIR WARRANTY BOOKLET EXPLAINING THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-80

  • 07E046000 Jul 2007 Equipment

    Defect. CERTAIN HOPKINS AFTERMARKET TRAILER BRAKE CONTROL CONNECTION HARNESSES SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN MODELS OF NISSAN VEHICLES WHICH ARE LISTED ABOVE. THE INTERNAL PART NUMBERS WITHIN HOPKINS ARE: 1010476025, 1040376025, 1110476025, 1170376025, 1290376025, 1010476035, 1040376035, 1110476035, 1170376035, AND 1290376035. A WIRE MAY HAVE BEEN PLACED IN AN INCORRECT POSITION IN THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR HOUSING. THIS RESULTS IN AN INCORRECT ROUTING OF WIRES BETWEEN THE TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER AND THE TOWING VEHICLE WIRING SYSTEM.

    Risk. THIS HARNESS WOULD RESULT IN POWER FROM THE TRAILER BRAKE CONTROLLER GOING TO THE TOWING VEHICLE DASH LIGHT CIRCUIT RATHER THAN THE TRAILER BRAKES. THIS RESULT WOULD BE THE LACK OF TRAILER BRAKING WHEN THE TOWING VEHICLE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. IT WOULD ALSO RESULT IN THE TOWING VEHICLES DASH LIGHTS BEING ACTIVATED WHEN THE VEHICLE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE FAILURE OF THE APPLICATION OF THE TRAILER

    Remedy. HOPKINS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE ORIGINAL HARNESS WITH A REVISED HARNESS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN AUGUST 17, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT HOPKINS AT 800-835-0129.

NHTSA investigations

StatusSubjectOpenedClosed
ClosedTransmission failures20122016

Manufacturer communications 85

Nissan filed 85 service communications for this car with NHTSA.

  • The 12 volt battery is an important part of the vehicle electrical system and is required to stay
  • SERVICE INFORMATION Information necessary to service the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)…
  • SERVICE INFORMATION Related to communication codes U1000, U1001, U1002, U1010: - Always diagnose

Safety equipment

Electronic stabilityForward collision warningLane departure warning
StandardNoNo

Engines and drivetrains 4

EngineTransmissionDriveCity / hwy / combinedFuelFuel cost/yr
4.0L 6-cylManual 6-spdRWD15 / 20 / 17Regular$3,650
4.0L 6-cylManual 6-spd4Wheel or AWD15 / 19 / 17Regular$3,650
4.0L 6-cylAuto 5-spdRWD14 / 20 / 16Regular$3,900
4.0L 6-cylAuto 5-spd4Wheel or AWD14 / 19 / 16Regular$3,900

EPA test versions for this model year. Fuel cost is the EPA's current estimate, not the price in that year.

Nearby model years

YearLemon IndexComplaintsSoldTop system
2003492767,799Airbags
2004352066,690Transmission & drivetrain
2005904572,447Fuel system, gasoline
200635113862,325Fuel system, gasoline
200730814051,355Fuel system, gasoline
2008752533,579Fuel system, gasoline
2009–5–Electrical

Sources: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications; EPA fuel economy data; YouTube video titles. Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.

Updated · Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com). Get the data

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