There are 5 owner-reported body & structure complaints for the 2003 Nissan Xterrain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
NISSAN XTERRA FRAME RUSTED BEYOND ANY SAFETY JUSTIFICATION. OIL LEAKS FROM ENGINE UP TWO 2 QUART A DAY LEAD TO ENGINE SEIZED UP WITHOUT WARNING.
CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO CHANGE A TIRE. THE SPARE TIRE RUBBER WAS BURNED IN THREE OR MORE PLACES FROM THE HEAT SPREADING UNDER THE VEHICLE, AND THE CHAR/MELTING/BURNING WENT THROUGH THE VEHICLE BODY FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE OUTSIDE TO THE FLOOR INSIDE. THE MAN CHANGING MY TIRE SUGGESTED IT WAS A FIRE WAITING TO HAPPEN AND THAT THERE COULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS SORT OF ISSUE. I CHECKED AND DO NOT SEE ANYTHING LISTED. MY TIRED IS NOW DAMAGED FROM THE HEAT MELTING THE RUBBER, AND MY VEHICLE IS CHARRED IN PLACES. *TR
THE WHOLE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE IS COMING APART IT HAS STRESS CRACKS AND WHERE THE SPOT WELDS ARE THEY ALSO ARE COMING APART. *NM
ON THE WAY TO THE BEACH TRAVELING 55 MPH IN MY 2003 NISSAN XTERRA, MY SURF BOARD FLEW OFF THE ROO TRACK INTO THE MIDDLE OF ROUTE 1 IN DELAWARE. THE TRAFFIC BEHIND ME MANAGED TO AVOID HITTING THE SURFBOARD THAT WAS SITUATED IN THE LEFT LANE OF TRAFFIC. MORE IMPORTANTLY, THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY THE INCIDENT HENCE THE POLICE WERE NOT INVOLVED. AFTER REMOVING MY SURFBOARD FROM THE HIGHWAY AND INSPECTING DAMAGE TO IT AND THE ROOFRACK CROSSBARS, I NOTICED THE PLASTIC CLASP ON THE CROSSBAR HAD SNAPPED, CAUSING THE SURFBOARD TO FLY OFF THE ROOFOF MY XTERRA. THE FOLLOWING MONDAY, THE DEALERSHIP EVALUATED THE SITUATION AND ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE RACK HAD "BROKEN FROM STRESS/FATIGUE" AND IS REPLACING IT UNDER WARRANTY. HOWEVER, MY SURFBOARD IS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND NEITHER THE DEALERSHIP NOR THE NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS WILL REIMBURSE ME FOR THE COST OF THE SURFBOARD, STATING THAT DAMAGE TO PERSONAL PROPERTY IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.*AK
TICKING NOISE COMING FROM TOP REAR OF DRIVER DOOR (SEAL) AND HEAD-LINER RIGHT ABOVE DRIVER'S SEAT.*AK
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026