NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2008 Nissan Xterra. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. GAS, TEMP., AND OIL PRESSURE WERE ALL NORMAL. A PRIVATE GARAGE DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAILURE IN THE INTELLIGENT POWER DISTRIBUTOR MODULE (IPDM), AND ALSO THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR. BOTH PARTS WERE REPLACED (AT MY EXPENSE) AND THE CAR NOW RUNS WELL. *TR
FUEL SENSOR ON MY 2008 NISSAN XTERRA IS BROKEN. I HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING HOW MUCH GAS IS IN MY TANK. IT HAS OCCURRED OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS. SOMETIMES THE TANK WILL READ EMPTY OR OTHER VALUE. THE DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR UNDER A WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH THE CAR IS LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD! I AM PAYING OUT OF POCKET TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AT THE DEALER. *TR
OUR NISSAN XTERRA WAS RECALLED FOR THE FUEL GAUGE DEFECT IN MARCH 2010. IT IS NOW NOVEMBER 2010 AND NEITHER THE DEALER NOR NISSAN USA HAVE BEEN RESPONSIVE TO OUR RESPONSE TO THEIR RECALL. WE HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER THREE TIMES, AND NISSAN USA ONCE WITHOUT ANY RESULTS. *TR
ON AN '08 NISSAN XTERRA S WITH ONLY 17,000 MILES, THE RIGHT FRONT INNER BRAKE PAD WAS COMPLETELY WORN DOWN AND MADE METAL TO METAL CONTACT WITH ROTOR, RUINING THE ROTOR. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLING BADLY TO THE RIGHT WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. ONLY THE INNER PADS WERE AFFECTED,THE OUTER BRAKE PADS LOOKED LIKE NEW, SHOWING THAT THE BRAKE CALIPER WAS STUCK ON THE BRACKET. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE 2 INNER PADS, LEFT AND RIGHT, WERE STUCK IN THE BRACKET, WHICH STOPS THE CALIPER FROM FLOATING OR MOVING. AT 17,000 MILES THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN AND IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. NISSAN HAS REFUSED TO REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY AND REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MY INVOICE SAYS "BOTH INNER PADS STUCK IN CALIPERS". *TR
THE VEHICLE IS A 2008 NISSAN XTERRA. IT WAS FEBRUARY 15,2010 AND I WAS LETTING MY WIFE OUT OF THE CAR NEAR THE STORE, THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE AND MY FOOT WAS ON THE BREAK. SUDDENLY BEFORE MY WIFE WAS TOTALLY OUT OF THE CAR IT LUNGED FORWARD AND THE ACCELERATOR ON ITS OWN STARTED REVVING UP AND THE CAR WAS MOVING FORWARD. I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND IT WAS REVVING AT A VERY HIGH RPM. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND IT SHUT IT OFF. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. THEY SAID THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR MEMO'S ABOUT THE PROBLEM. MY SON SAID SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENED TO HIM ONCE BEFORE BUY NOT AS SERIOUS. IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IT EVER HAPPENED TO ME. *TR
PLASTIC TRAY THAT THE BATTERY SITS ON BROKE, CAUSING THE BAR THAT HOLDS THE BATTERY IN PLACE TO ARCH OVER AND SET THE PLASTIC FUSE HOLDER ON THE BATTERY TO CATCH FIRE. THE VEHICLE STALLED THE DIED. I SAW WHAT I THOUGHT WAS "STEAM" COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I POPPED TO HOOD FROM INSIDE AND SAW FLAMES. I GOT OUT AND TRIED TO OPEN THE HOOD, WHICH IS VERY DIFFICULT SINCE THE LATCH IS SMALL AND BLACK. I GOT MY GRANDKIDS OUT OF THE CAR AND TRIED ONCE MORE TO OPEN THE HOOD. I FINALLY GOT IT OPENED AND REALIZED THE BATTERY WAS ON FIRE. I POURED THE ONLY LIQUID I HAD ON IT, "A&W CREAM SODA" AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. IT TOTALLY MELTED PART OF THE BATTERY AND THE BATTERY CONNECTOR. AMAZING ENOUGH THE VEHICLE STARTED AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME. HAD I NOT BEEN ABLE TO OPEN THE HOOD, THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE BURNT TO THE GROUND ALL BECAUSE OF THE CHEAP PLASTIC BATTERY HOLDER BROKE. *TR
2008 NISSAN XTERRA WITH 8,000 MILES. CLUTCH BURNED OUT WHILE DRIVING. CLUTCH REPLACED. NISSAN CLAIMS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *TR
2008 NISSAN XTERRA CLUTCH FAILURE. 2008 NISSAN XTERRA, NEVER TAKEN OFF ROAD AND EXPERIENCED MANUAL TRANSMISSION DRIVER BEHIND THE WHEEL. THE 6SPD MANUAL CLUTCH OF THIS VEHICLE HAS FAILED AT 29,000 MILES AND 2 YEARS OF ON THE ROAD DRIVING. THIS HAPPENED GOING UP A SNOWY HILL AND I WAS STRANDED ALMOST SLIDING DOWN OFF A RAVINE. AFTER RESEARCH IT IS VERY APPARENT THAT THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL ALL DRIVERS REPORTING EXACT SAME PROBLEMS. NISSAN WILL NOT ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR A DEFECTIVE OR UNDER DESIGNED COMPONENT OF THE MAJOR DRIVE TRAIN. NISSAN WILL NOT RECALL OR WARRANTY THIS COMMON AND DANGEROUS FAILURE. *TR
AIR BAGS IN MY SUV DIDN'T DEPLOY WHEN I GOT IN ACCIDENT DRIVING @45MPH FRONT IN WRECK TWICE AND NEITHER TIME IT CAME OUT. *TR
I BELIEVE THAT MY AIRBAG DEPLOYED ON IT'S OWN FOR NO APPARENT REASON RESULTING IN KNOCKING ME UNCONSCIOUS THEREBY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN XTERRA. HE RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE # 08V690000 FOR THE AIR BAGS: FRONTAL. A TECHNICIAN STATED THAT BECAUSE OWNERSHIP CHANGED THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE FOR SIX WEEKS. A DELAY IN HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED HAS INCREASED HIS RISK IF THE AIR BAGS FAIL TO DEPLOY. HE ATTEMPTED TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH ANOTHER DEALER; HOWEVER, THEY ARE TOO FAR AWAY AND HIS MEDICAL CONDITION MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO TRAVEL. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT PROVIDED HIM WITH ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 30,000.
BOTH SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELTS LOCKED UP. VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING OVER A GRAVEL ROAD. IT WAS LOADED UP BUT NOT HEAVILY WEIGHTED. SPEED WAS ABOUT 5MPH. *TR
PREMATURE CLUTCH FAILURE AT 21K MILES WHICH STRANDED MY FAMILY. WEB SEARCH SHOWS MANY NISSAN XTERRA AND PICKUP OWNERS WITH 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANS EXPERIENCING SAME FAILURE AT AN AVG OF 18K TO 25K MILES. CLUTCH/TRANS IS ADAPTED FROM THE 350Z AND CLEARLY UNDER-DESIGNED FOR THE MUCH HEAVIER XTERRA AND P/U. DEALER AND NISSAN WON'T COVER REPLACEMENT OR OFFER UPGRADE. HAVE BEEN DRIVING OTHER MANUAL TRANS CARS AND TRUCKS FOR MANY YEARS WITH ZERO CLUTCH FAILURES AFTER 150K MILES AND MORE. WE ARE CLOSE TO 40K MILES AND EXPECT ANOTHER CLUTCH FAILURE SOON, AND CANNOT RISK TAKING A TRIP AND BEING STRANDED OR AFFORD $3K TO FIX IT AGAIN. *TR
TAKATA RECALL PASSENGER FRONT SEAT SENSOR FAILED SINCE ONE YEAR OLD DISABLING AIRBAG, FLASHING DASH LIGHT AT ALL TIMES
MULTIPLE NISSAN DEALERS ARE UNABLE TO REPAIR A SAFETY PROBLEM ON MY CAR AFTER 4 ATTEMPTS. VEHICLE DYNAMIC CONTROL AND ABS FAIL WARNING LIGHTS CONTINUE TO COME ON RANDOMLY. OCCASIONALLY THEY GO OFF FOR A PERIOD OF TIME BUT THE FIRST 4 EVENTS LIGHTS REMAINED ON UNTIL THE DEALER WORKED ON THE CAR. NISSAN IS STALLING IN ADDRESSING VEHICLE BUYBACK OR ANY SOLID RESOLUTION. I AM STUCK WITH A CAR I CANNOT DRIVE SAFELY AT THIS TIME, AND HAVE ASKED NISSAN TO TAKE IT BACK SINCE THEY CANNOT FIX IT IN OVER A YEAR. *TR
2008 NISSAN XTERRA, CHRONIC FAILURES OF THE VDC TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM, ALSO CAUSING FAILURES IN ABS AND AIR BAGS 7 REPAIR ATTEMPTS SINCE PURCHASED NEW 6 MONTHS AGO INCLUDING COMPUTER REPROGRAMMING, BATTERY REPLACEMENT, STEERING ANGLE SENSOR ADJUSTMENTS, REPLACEMENT OF AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE AND REPLACEMENT OF ABS CONTROL MODULE. THESE FAILURES CAUSE TOTAL FAILURE IN MULTIPLE ELECTRONIC SAFETY SYSTEMS REPRESENTING A SERIOUS THREAT TO LIFE OR BODILY HARM. MULTIPLE INCIDENTS - THE DATE BELOW REPRESENTS DATE OF BRAND NEW PURCHASE WHICH WAS THE DAY OF THE FIRST MALFUNCTION FOR ME. THE DEALERSHIP NOTICED A MALFUNCTION AT THE TIME OF THE PDI (BUT DID NOT DISCLOSE THIS AT THE TIME OF SALE TO MY GREAT OUTRAGE). *TR
SOME OF THE SCREWS THAT HOLD THE WIND DEFLECTOR AND ROOF RACK ON THE ROOF JUST SPIN. *TR
THE GAS GAUGE READS ABOUT 1/8 OF A TANK AND MY TRUCK RUNS OUT OF GAS BEFORE THE LOW FUEL LIGHT COMES ON. THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM EACH TIME BUT THEN A FEW WEEKS LATER I ENDED UP HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THE FUEL SENDING UNIT THEY REPLACED THAT AND THEY ALSO REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP ON THE LAST 2 OCCASIONS. I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM 3 TIMES SINCE 06/13/08 THE MOST RECENT TIME WAS ON 07/23/08. *TR
I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AND THE VDC/AIRBAGS/SLIP LIGHTS CAME ON IN MY 2008 NISSAN XTERRA SE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND THEY ADVISED THAT THE HUB SENSOR WAS BAD AND NEEDED REPLACED. *TR
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026