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KLUNK
KLUNK

2002 Nissan Xterra

The Verdict

60 Solid Pick

The 2002 Nissan Xterra has 172 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (59 complaints) and engine (47 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 60/100, it earns a "Solid Pick" rating. If you're shopping for a Nissan Xterra, consider the 2013 model year which has 97% fewer complaints.

Safe Bet

The 2013 has 97% fewer complaints

View the 2013 Nissan Xterra dashboard →

60

Klunk Score: Solid Pick

Fewer complaints than most vehicles. Generally dependable, but check the top problems below.

How is this calculated?

The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.

Recalls 2

Active safety recalls from NHTSA for this vehicle year.

10V554000 STEERING:COLUMN

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2002-2004 FRONTIER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 9, 2001 THROUGH OCTOBER 20, 2004, AND MODEL YEAR 2002-2004, XTERRA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 9, 2001,...

Risk

THE SHAFT MAY BREAK WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL DURING THESE LOW SPEED MANEUVERS INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy

THE STEERING COLUMN SHAFT AND JOINT WILL BE REPLACED WITH A SHAFT OF A DIFFERENT DESIGN. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 13, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ...

Reported Nov 11, 2010

02V298000 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A SUPERCHARGER, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, SUCH AS FULL THROTTLE IN LOW GEAR WHEN THE ENGINE IS NOT FULLY WARMED UP AND AT COLD AMBI...

Risk

THIS WILL CAUSE THE ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM TO GO INTO THE FAILSAFE MODE. UNDER THIS CONDITION, THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP WILL ILLUMINATE AND ENGINE SPEED WILL NOT EXCEED 2400 RPM REGARDLESS OF...

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JANUARY 15, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT ...

Reported Dec 11, 2002

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Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
200052144310020
200173728483
2002592832476
2003231111252
200436611256
200537122588196
200653535557130
200729329367129
2008712244629
200922744
2010631397
2011301371
201220455
201311020
201450311
201522006

By Category

Body
59
Engine
47
Electrical
32
Brakes
28
Transmission
6

By Severity

1
69
2
73
3
1
4
26
5
3

Worst Problems

Complaints

Body 5

The registered owner of this vehicle is registered tp the arab known as the polish polako missing a leg and is claiming to be a wanna be fake cop police. Hes bald and on the thinner side and ugly. im being framed for rapes & murders that hes done along w\ everyone i know from my pass that are deseased and and still alive. I dont appreciate the trap house or the drug rape sex house that i own utilized by these drug sex rapist murders. Its so funny that people i know are dropping in that property and never coming out alive. i just did a few things to prove that im correct and the fake 5 proud boys are utilizing me from district 15 to get away with murder and rape. Yes.. they ate rapping men, woman and children and black mailing them by the millions. Im stationed under a goverment security from the Government Center that are being installed everywhere nation wide because Im the President of the United States and the schools all around where im at or go by are closed for what is going on at the property. i set a curfew into affect and everyone is watching who ate entering and but never leave alive. Everyone you see there on a daily basis are not who they claim to be.Im being framed for all the rapes and murders just when i got cancer and has lived passed all those time i been poison to death. i have seen it for myself online that i cant beleive it.... i looked like someone else thats doing the rapes and murders.. I dont think its funny any more but they think so. Nothing but meth addicts w\a raping desease. im so over it that im watching it for myself so everyone can see for them selfs. I rather die from cancer than to be poison from a drug overdozes i have had by the fake cop wanna be police with their drug issue & mental murder desease because Im the President Of the United States and not them. I have uploaded the VIN # of the vehicle online wirh the plates and I didnt have them register that vehicle for me or as a request. Nothing but delusional homocidles men!!!!!!.

12mo ago
Body 2

The contact owns a 2002 Nissan Xterra. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked with the rear passenger’s seat occupied, the rear passenger’s seat belt thread unraveled, and the buckle detached and remained latched. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 164,000.

19mo ago
Body 2

MY WIFE'S CAR WAS IN NEED OF TWO FRONT TIRES SO I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO WHEELS 360- IT WAS THE ONLY SHOP OPEN AND I WAS CRUNCHED ON TIME. SHE IS AN EMT AND I AM AN EDUCATOR SO WE DO NOT HAVE MUCH SPARE TIME DURING THE WEEK. THE SHOP OVER CHARGED ME FOR TWO LOW QUANTITY TIRES. THERE WERE TWO WORKERS REPLACING THE TIRES ON MY VEHICLE. THE WORKER REPLACING THE WHEEL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DAMAGED THE WHEEL STUDS BECAUSE HE WAS ON A HURRY. THE LEAD WORKER AND TWO OTHERS SPENT 2 HOURS TRYING TO FIX THE STUDS AND GET SOME OF THE LUG NUTS BACK ON. THEY MANAGED TO GET 5 OUT OF THE SIX ON. THEY INSISTED ON SENDING ME HOME WITH A WHEEL MISSING ONE LUG NUT. THEY ASKED ME TO COMEBACK TOMORROW OR SOME OTHER DAY TO FIX IT. IT WAS CLOSE TO 9 PM BY THAT TIME, AND I WAS FRUSTRATED. I DROVE HOME AND ON THE WAY HOME, THE CENTER HUB PLASTIC COVERING FELL OFF. IT EXPOSED THE AXLE/BEARING. I FEEL THAT VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING MY TODDLER AROUND. SHOPS LIKE THE ONE MENTIONED SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO OPERATE BECAUSE THEY COMPROMISE DRIVERS' SAFETY.I WOULD LIKE 1. A REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE OVERPRICED TIRES AND 2. MY VEHICLE PROPERLY SERVICED SO THAT IT'S SAFE TO DRIVE.THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION.

63mo ago
Electrical 4

MY 2002 NISSAN XTERRA'S AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY IN A COLLISION WITH A TELEPHONE POLE AT APX. 45 MPH. THE ACCIDENT WAS ON A BADLY MAINTAINED CITY STREET, THE STEERING HAS BEEN PROBLEMATIC EVEN THOUGH I HAD AN ALIGNMENT DONE APX. 6 MO.S AGO.

65mo ago
Transmission 1

LOSES PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES, THE STEERING WHEEL IS MOVING SIDEWAYS

65mo ago
Body 2

SERVICE ENGINE SOON

67mo ago
Body 2

TIRES ARE RECALLED AND CAUSE THE SPEEDOMETER TO REGISTER SLOWER THAN ACTUAL SPEED

72mo ago
Engine 1

VEHICLE STALLS AT 100MPH ALSO ABS LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND OFF RANDOMLY BRAKES AREN'T BAD BUT IT'S LIKE THEY'RE GOING OUT. THE BRAKE PEDAL WOBBLES WHEN STOPPING HARD OR ON WET ROADS ALSO WHEN ACCELERATATING AND DRIVING THE RPM GAUGE WILL JIMP UP FOR A SECOND AND MAKE THE ENGINE SOUND LOUDER WHILE IT DOES IT AND ALSO STEERING WHEEL FEELS LOOSE SOMEWHAT WHEN DRIVING ON ROUGH ROADS AND BUMPS CRUISE CONTROL LIGHTS UP BUT DOESN'T WORK HAPPENS EVERY DAY

72mo ago
Brakes 4

I HAD MY BRAKE BOOSTERS REPLACED ON 05/22/2019.I WAS BACKING UP SLOWLY ON 07/24/2020 IN A PARKING LOT OF A CONVENIENCE STORE. AS I WAS BACKING UP, I TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKES AND THEY BECAME STIFF. I TRIED TO PUMP HARDER ON THE BRAKES AND THEY WOULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE IN WHICH IT WAS TO LATE AND MY CAR COLLIDED INTO A UTILITY POLE.

72mo ago
Body 4

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 NISSAN XTERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STEERED OUT OF CONTROL AND THE VEHICLE OVERTURNED FIVE TIMES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A LACERATION TO THE ELBOW AND BODY PAINS WHILE HER PASSENGER SUSTAINED SEVERAL LACERATIONS AND BRUISES FROM THE SEAT BELT AND AIR BAGS. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS SOUGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOT OF THE TOW TRUCK COMPANY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE DRIVE SHAFT FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. *DT*JB

86mo ago
Brakes 4

UPON SLOWING DOWN FOR A RED TRAFFIC LIGHT BRAKE PEDAL GOT HARD NOT ALLOWING VEHICLE TO STOP AND VEHICLE ALSO STARTING RAPIDLY ACCELERATING WITHOUT PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL.RESULTED IN A CRASH WITH A STOPPED VEHICLE AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT.NO SERIOUS INJURIES THANKFULLY.

91mo ago
Engine 2

TWICE WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, THE ENGINE CUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE BY PUTTING IT IN NEUTRAL BOTH TIME. HAPPENED FAIRLY CLOSE TO EACH OTHER WHEN IT STALLED. LOST ALL CONTROL.

102mo ago
Body 2

I HAVE HAD A RECALL ON MY VEHICLE SINCE 2010 AND I HAVE NEVER N=BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE STEERING ISSUE. THIS IS THE 2ND RECALL I HAVE HAD WITH NO ALARM FROM NISSAN

102mo ago
Engine 4

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE ENGINE STALLED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO ANYTHING AUTOMOTIVE (LOCATED AT 1228 E RIVER RD, DIXON, IL 61021; (815) 285-3035) WHERE THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE BACK SEAT WAS CATCHING FIRE. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE FUEL SENDING UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AT 800-647-7261 AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE. CASE NUMBER: 27261028 WAS PROVIDED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER OF THE VEHICLE HAD A RECALL IN 2004 FOR THE FUEL SENDING UNIT. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE REPAIR WAS NOT REPAIRED CORRECTLY OR THE REPLACEMENT PART WAS FAULTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

110mo ago
Brakes 2

UNABLE TO CONTROL SPEED AND BATTERY KEEPS DYING EVEN THOUGH BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR TEST GOOD. WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEED I CANNOT ACCELERATE GRADUALLY, THE CAR REVS REALLY HARD AND PULLS HARD WHEN TRYING TO INCREASE SPEED. ONCE I DRIVE FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES AND PICKUP SPEED THE BRAKES ARE LOOSE AND HARD TO COME TO A STOP, AND THE PEDAL DOES NOT RESPOND WHEN ACCELERATING OR REDUCING SPEED. I RECENTLY WAS GOING HOME ON THE FREEWAY AT ABOUT 45 MPH TRYING TO REDUCE SPEED TO PREPARE TO EXIT, AND MY CAR JUST SHUT OFF, ALL DASH LARD LIGHT CAME ON AND I HAD TO COAST AND THEN GET A PUSH FROM SOMEONE TO GET INTO THE EXIT LANE AND COAST TO THE GAS STATION.

114mo ago
Body 1

UNABLE TO CONTROL SPEED WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE FROM LOW TO HIGHER. VEHICLE STALLS WHEN GOING ABOVE 40MPH WITHOUT WARNING OFTEN. ALSO, IT IS HARD TO SOMETIMES INCREASE SPEED OR DRIVE AT A CONSTANT MPH SPEED SUCH AS WHEN GOING THROUGH RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS. WHEN TRAVELING -15 MPH AND TRYING TO A CELEBRATE ONTO FREEWAY ETC THE ENGINE STALLS AND JERKS, AND THE RPMSPINS VERY HARD AND ROUGH WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE. THROTTLE IS NOT RESPONSIVE ACCELERATION WHEN GIVEN GASSED PEDAL DOES NOT INCREASE AND DECREASE SPEED ACCORDINGLY, WHICH GIVES A COMPLETE LACK OF CONTROL OVER DRIVING VEHICLE. THERE IS ALSO A PROBLEM WITH SECURING BACK ROW SEATBELTS HENCE, MY INCREASED CONCERN OF OUTCOME SHOULD AN UNFORTUNATE COLLISION OCCURR WITH MY CHILD IN THE CAR.

114mo ago
Body 2

WHEN DRIVING IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCELERATE TO NORMAL SPEED EVEN WHEN PRESSING PEDAL TO THE FLOOR, WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE PAST 15 MPH THE ENGINE REVS REALLY HARD AND JERKS AS IF IT IS ABOUT TO STALL. I STALLED OUT ON THE FREEWAY WITHOUT WARNING. IT IS HARD TO CONTROL SPEED WHEN TRYIN TO INCREASE OR DECREASE ACCELERATION. THE PEDAL FEELS INCONSISTENT WITH THE THROTTLE AND/ OR RPM AND IS VERY HAZARDOUS. WHEN TRYING TO DRIVE IN LOW SPEEDS IN RESIDENTIAL AREA OR PARK THE PEDAL ARELY MOVES AND IF GIVEN THE SLIGHTEST GAS IT WILL SHUT OFF E FINE OR TAKE OFF AND DOES NOT RESPOND WHEN YOU STOP ACCELERATION, OR BRAKE AS IT SHOULD. I HAVE HAD POWER STEERING COLUMN FIXED AND AIR INTAKE FLOW HOSE REPLACED, I KEEP GETTING ERROR CODES THAT COME AND GO: P0122, P0128, AND P0123. THIS SEEMS TO HAVE SIMILAR RECALLS FOR OTHE MODEL AND YEAR OF NISSAN, AND WHEN I INQUIRE A OUT THE ISSUE TO NISSAN RECALL DEPT. THEY SAY THE PREVIOUS RECALL FOR GAS RESPONSE UNIT HAS BEEN COMPLETED ON THIS VEHICLE HOWEVER, I CANNOT UNDERSTAND HOW THAT IS POSSIBLE WITH THIS ISSUE I AM HAVING. I JUST BOUGHT THIS TRUCK TO DRIVE MY CHILD TO SCHOOL AND I'M AFRAID THIS WILL CAUSE AN A CIDENT IF NOT REPAIRED SOON HOWEVER, I AM CERTAIN THIS IS A MANUFACTUR DEFECT RELATED TO FUEL LINE OR THROTTLE SINCE THE LOSS OF ACCELERATION IS EXTREMELY NOTICEBLE TO OTHE NISSAN OWNERS AND I HOPE IT IS INVESTIGATED AS CURRENT RECALLS NEED TO BE EXPANDED OR INVESTIGATED FOR THE NISSAN XTERRA AND POSSIBLY ALL NISSAN VEHICLES WITH SIMILAR REPORTED ISSUES.

114mo ago
Electrical 4

VEHICLE WAS WRECKED ON A DIRT ROAD. THE VEHICLE ROLLED FOUR TIMES AND WAS TOTALED; THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER WAS THE ONLY PERSON IN THE CAR SO PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOYING IS NOT A SURPRISE. DRIVER WAS SEVERELY INJURED FROM ACCIDENT, INCURRING SIGNIFICANT MEDICAL COSTS AS WELL AS JOB LOSS.

124mo ago
Body 1

TIRES ARE DEVELOPING A SERIES OF CRACKS EXTENDING FROM THE TAP INTO THE SIDEWALLS

126mo ago
Electrical 4

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, ANOTHER DRIVER CRASHED INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE FRONT DRIVER'S AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUFFERED INJURIES TO THE HEAD THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

126mo ago

172 total

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