2006 Nissan Xterra
The Verdict
The 2006 Nissan Xterra has 780 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are engine (557 complaints) and transmission (130 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 9/100, it earns a "Total Klunk" rating. If you're shopping for a Nissan Xterra, consider the 2013 model year which has 99% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2013 has 99% fewer complaints
View the 2013 Nissan Xterra dashboard →
Klunk Score: Total Klunk
Among the most complained-about vehicle years on record. Strongly consider alternatives.
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.
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
By Category
By Severity
Worst Problems
Complaints
I have a lot of ticking and stalling lights are blinking I think it’s may be the transmission and I smell gas inside the vehicle.
17
The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Xterra. The contact stated that there was an abnormal sound coming from the front passenger's side air bag intermittently. The front passenger's side air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was provided a cost for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.
THE TIMING CHAIN HAS CAUSED MY VEHICLE TO DIE ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY HIGHWAY I WAS ALMOST HIT BY A FEW CARS. i HAD TO DRIVE MY CAR GOING ONLY 40 MPH ALL THE WAY BECASUE THAT IS ALL IT WOULD DO. IT HAS A VERY LOUD NOISE AND IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE ON THE ROAD ANYMORE. I HAVE READ AND NISSAN SHOULD REPLACE THESE BECAUSE ALOT OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEM YES MY CAR IS AVAILABLE FOR IMSPECTION i HAVE REGULAR KEPT MAINTENENCE ON IT NO THERE WERE NO WARNING LAMPS AT ALL JUST LOUD NOISE AND THEN NO COMPRESSION
The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Xterra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23E012000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Xterra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23E012000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Timing chains making noises and I have change my oil and it still making the noise...
Car just shut off in traffic loosing all power and braking causing me to crash into the back of a stopped car at a red-light. After inspection from a mechanic shop, they informed me that something in the computer had fried causing the car to shut off, and it had also caused the transmission control unit module to go bad making the car not drive able.
Engine noise: - Noise coming from time belt support - The timing chain guide wore out fast. - Timing chain guide inner plastic wore out causing chain to rely metal bracket then the metal causing noise and eventually break the the timing chain.
Check engine light is on and fuel gauge does not work Can go from full to empty Stays on empty even though I know there is gasoline in tank Has caused us to run out of gas middle of nowhere
The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Xterra. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle was shaking. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the catalytic converter; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed back to the independent mechanic, who diagnosed that there was an engine misfire and the other catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 136,900.
On the invoice/receipt the part of automobile is Plenium Seal CK WP. The remarks/labor description on invoice indicates repairing vacuum hose at read of throttle. My car simply stalled while driving on a main busy street. Fortunately, it was on a holiday (Feb 21, 2022) and there were no school crossings on this day!. I was shaken up, anxious. There was a nearby (with in a quarter mile or so) an independent auto repair/service shop and I was able to have them fix the issue. I feel this is a safety issue, as this could have been worse, and stalled while driving on the freeway. I will be writing to the manufacturer to inform them what has happened. There were no other warning signs prior to the vehicle stalling while driving.
The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Xterra. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled with the fuel level warning light illuminated. The fuel gauge failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was towed to a parking lot. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer nor independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 159,000.
The transmission was destroyed because a factory default with the radiator leaking antifreeze and transmission fluid into the transmission causing my transmission to self destruct. my safety was not safe since Nissan knew about the defect and I could have ceased into Anything at any time. There was no warning lights it just self destruct. Nissan has done nothing to inspect their failure. It is a well known problem.
My engine self destruct because Nissan used cheap made plastic tensioners that shredded metal into my engine causing it to self destruct. Nissan knew about this problem and continued installing these tensioners from 2005-2015. I could have crashed into anything while driving or someone could have hit me if my engine would’ve died while driving. My safety was not prioritized by Nissan. The warning light was a whining noise coming from the engine while startup and pressing on the gas pedal. So they knew the problem existed but didn’t care.
WHEN I TURN THE KEY IN THE ON POSITION ALL LIGHTS COME ON AND THE MOTOR DOES TURN OVER. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE STARTER AND A WEEK LATER IT DOES THE SAME SO I RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND P0181 CODE AND 3RD COIL PACK MISFIRE COMES ON. WHEN I CONTACT NISSAN MECHANIC HE SAID THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE IPDM AND THATS WHY I'M CONTACTING YOU ALL
GOT INTO ACCIDENT WITH MY 2006 NISSAN XTERRA OFF ROAD. WAS DRIVING AT 8:05 PM AT 30 MPH DOWN PONCE DE LEON PASSING 207 IN ST. AUGUSTINE FLORIDA. A 2016 NISSAN PATHFINDER WAS STOPPED WHILE TRAFFIC WAS MOVING I TRIED TO AVOID THE NISSAN, NO TIME TO BRAKE, IT CLIPPED THE BACKSIDE OF THE PATHFINDER WITH MY XTERRA. MY DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER AIRBAG WENT OFF. (EXPLODED?) IT BROKE MY PASSENGERS ARM AND UNKNOWN OBJECT IN PASSENGERS EYE. AIRBAGS BLOWN OUT DESTROYED MY DASH AIR BAG IS RIPPED LIKE IT HAD A BABY. BOTH MY PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELTS BOTH RELEASED THE SEAT BELTS THEY DIDN'T LOCK DURING THE ACCIDENT USUALLY THEY LOCK AND WON'T RELEASE MY DRIVER SIDE IS NOT LOCKING IN PLACE AS THE PASSENGER. DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT MY PASSENGER HAD HER (2003 NISSAN SENTRA)RECALLED FOR THE TAKATA RECALL , INSPECTED WAS POSITIVE FOR THE RECALL AND REPLACED IT WAS DESCRIBING THE SITUATION FOR THIS ACCIDENT I WAS TOLD BY A LAWYER TO REPORT THIS TO NHTSA. SUSPECTED TAKATA AIRBAGS. I PULLED THE VIN NO RECALL I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK MAYBE A MONTH PRIOR. I'M COMPLETELY UNKNOWN OF THIS SITUATION. INSURANCE COMPANY WANTED TO TOTAL THE XTERRA I TOOK IT HOME I STILL HAVE THE VEHICLE INSIDE WITH AIRBAGS BOTH INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE PROGRESSIVE THE DRIVER V02 HAD NO LICENSE THE OFFICER WAS TOO BUSY TO PROCEED WITH THE INVESTIGATION OF HOW THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED. THE DAMAGES WAS NOT BAD TO BREAK A BONE WITH AN AIRBAG AT THE SPEED AND IMPACT THIS CAR ACCIDENT HAD.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN XTERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MOVE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE REVVED UP BETWEEN 2,000 - 3,000 RPM HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AND INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT COOLANT HAD LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO THE COOLANT CONTAMINATION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. NEITHER A DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED OR NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,000.
THE GAS GAUGE DOESN'T WORK
TRANSMISSION STARTED JERKING AND RADIATOR BLEW AT THE SAME TIME
780 total