9.3
really awfulTypical Repair Cost:
$3,876.00
Average Mileage:
97,967 miles
Total Complaints:
88 complaints
Most common solutions:
- new radiator and transmission rebuild (55 reports)
- replace transmission (17 reports)
- not sure (11 reports)
- so far a new radiator and transmission flush (3 reports)
- buy new car (1 reports)
- external trans fluid raidator (1 reports)
This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Nissan dealer.
2012Apr 24
Xterra SE 4.0L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 94,000 miles
truck was bucking and jerking but we made it home. when we tried to shift into drive after going into reverse in driveway the truck would not move. we had to use the four wheel drive to get truck off the road. after about a half hour we went back to try and put truck in drive and it moved. we limped it to our mechanic and waited to hear the reason why? i went on line typed in 2005 xterra transmission issues and i found article after article about nissan walking away from helping their customers with this issue. i allowed my mechanic to diagnose and do the repair. i had to buy a new radiator and have the engine and transmission flushed. it cost me $949.00 and no guarantee that the truck will continue to shift like it is supposed to. i keep my truck in great shape and hate the fact that it failed do to nissans negligence. this is the forth nissan i have owned and may not own another one. i did not take the truck to a nissan dealer because they just want your money for a new radiator and transmission. i read quotes that it cost people with the same issue up to six thousand dollars at dealers. what a rip off if nissan is at fault they should be held responsible for everyone's repair charges. we will see what the outcome of the class action suit brings
2012Apr 09
Xterra
- Automatic transmission
- 70,000 miles
Nissan evidently knew there was a problem.They must have changed the radiator design because I've not heard of this problem with newer Xterra's radiators. So why no recall ?? Just replacing the radiator and leaving the old tranny thats damaged beyond repair really sucks !!
2012Mar 28
Xterra Off-road
- Automatic transmission
- 115,000 miles
If everyone with a 2005-2010 Nissan truck is having the problem WHAT CAN BE DONE?? Living week to week this is devastating to us. We are not able to fix this problem and a simple maintenance bulletin from Nissan could have avoided it all, a $40. transmission cooler would have avoided it, Instead Nissan is cashing in on it!. Marking up the parts that are only avail. through the dealer, $600. for a radiator!!! $1200. for a valve body. What a way to crush the American economy by selling them junk like this.
2012Mar 14
Xterra 4.0L
- Automatic transmission
- 80,864 miles
After over 25 years of being a Nissan customer, I'm done. This is a known issue that they know about so they extended the warranty to 8/80K, but a majority of the time this goes bad between 80K-120K from what I'm reading on the net. I understand vehicles break and they need maintenance, but a catastrophic failure like this is a joke.
2012Jan 20
Xterra S V6
- Automatic transmission
- 85,000 miles
Once I discovered this problem I contacted Nissan corporate who said they would work with me as long as this was the problem but first I had to take it to a local dealer for further diagnosis. Well long story short the dealer found it to be this exact tranny/radiator issue and then Nissan contacted me to let me know that they would NOT be assisting at all. What a terrible company. I will never buy a Nissan again.
2011May 01
Xterra
- Automatic transmission
- 98,000 miles
Started with vibration and jerking, then just quit shifting entirely. Contacted Nissan dealer in Longview and they looked at it and said the raditor had leaked into the transmission. They said this was not an uncommon problem. The radiator was covered under warranty, but not the tranny. How can that be if Nissan knows there is a problem with the radiator causing transmission failure, and they cover the radiator but not the bigger problem!? After several conversatins with Nissan's consumer complaint department got no where and told just watch to see if maybe they recall it. Had to take out a loan to get a new transmission which took THREE weeks because there were so many of them on backorder. Guess Nissan replacing a lot of transmissions. Very disgusted. Wonder if there is a class action suit somewhere?
2012Apr 02
Xterra SE V6
- Automatic transmission
- 104,821 miles
Early this week I took my car in to get one of the recalls taken care of and when I went back to pick it up they had some bad news for me. Evidently, as almost everyone else here has experienced, the coolant and transmission fluid has been intermingling like kids at an 8th grade dance. The result was "the strawberry milkshake of death."
I've noticed that the transmission has been slipping lately and the car has been shaking while cruising at highway speeds. The dealer told me that I would need to have the transmission and radiator replaced at the cost of $7500, which is dangerously close to the value of the car. I'm well over the quietly announced 80,000 mile extended warranty, so I'm on the hook for whatever the end cost is for repair. I'm taking it to a local transmission shop to see whether I can get a better price from them.
If this problem does manifest itself around 100k mi, like it seems on average, I imagine more people will see this issue soon. Hopefully I can get this fixed for a reasonable cost or else I'll be looking for a Honda this time around.
2012Feb 08
Xterra Off Road V6
- Automatic transmission
- 82,057 miles
Nissan denied my request for financial assistance evn though the car was only 2000 miles over the extended warranty period. This is a systemic and well documented problem with 2005 Xterras and I was really surprised and disappointed that Nissan wouldn't step up and do the right thing.
I paid to have the radiator replaced, engine mounts replaced and transmission flushed and serviced at a total cont of $1900. The Nissan mechanic is not certain this will fix the problem. If it does not, then I'll have to pay $4000 for a new transmission.
2012Feb 01
Xterra SE 4WD 6 cyl
- Automatic transmission
- 101,000 miles
Known Xterra Problem, this was my forth Nissan but is the last. Nissan USA is pretending that this is not their problem. Need to sell it, worth more as parts that to fix it. PLEASE DO NOT BY A NISSAN!!!!!!!!!!!
2011Jan 01
Xterra V6
- Automatic transmission
- 86,500 miles
I started having heater problems with my 2005 Nissan Xterra, I asked the dealership if it could be related to the radiator issues I got a notice in the mail about, they said no, just come back when I can and get a radiator flush. Then it would shutter hard while changing gears and few months later, usually during increasing speed from about 40-50 mph. So I went to a local mechanic a couple months after that, telling them I need a radiator flush and told them about my shuttering issue. I didn't want to pay dealership prices, I was not under warranty anymore. I told the mechanic about the heat issues, and the shuttering, also that the dealership said I need a radiator flush. They called me and told me the radiator had to be replaced and the transmission flushed because the radiator fluid got into the transmission. This was over $800.00 to do, during a period of work furloughs for me. What makes me super mad is that I was under 80,000 miles when I first asked the dealership about it, and they poo-poo'd the issue saying just to come back later for a flush to make the heater work when the car is stationary. Now I'm over 80,000 and out of warranty. The transmission slips some now, and I can't afford to do anything about it. Hopefully it won't quit when I have my children in the car, merging into traffic. In an economic time where you keep a car as long as possible, I have a piece of crap at 86,000 MILES. I thought buying a Nissan was a smart thing to do because of the reliability, I feel betrayed by the brand, I will not buy another one, and let everyone know about my Nissan horror story.
2012Feb 03
Xterra S 4.0L
- Automatic transmission
- 140,000 miles
Wondering what to do about a "dead" vehicle. I have the same problem as most everyone else has on here with the tranny getting screwed. KBB and black book says it is only worth about $5300, so we aren't going to do anything with it right now, maybe sell it off for parts. So sad. dealer wants $3800 just to do the tranny and they didn't even mention the radiator problem. Other probs still exist too. Will now list them seperately. CAUTION TO CURRENT XTERRA OWNERS
2011Nov 09
Xterra SE V6
- Automatic transmission
- 72,000 miles
I can't believe all the complaints. It's all the same signs which for me only showed up last month when the rumbling started. My wife thought it was the road but it got worse. I have a 350z and until this moment....I liked Nissan.
Are you seeing any of this Nissan? Do you realize how word of mouth can spread these days with internet sites?
Waiting to find out tomorrow if our very expensive extended warranty will cover it or if they will pull a Home Shield on us and find loop hole after loop hole. Only 72,000 babied ,miles on this xterra and the radiator fails....a well known problem evidently.
I also love how the Nissan dealerships act like they've never heard about this problem. I'm sending mine this link tomorrow so they can be fully educated and stop the deer in the headlights looks when you ask them if they've ever heard of this problem.
2011Nov 30
Xterra 4.0L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 91,500 miles
Just joined the Xterra tranny crap club. At moment the diagnosis is radiator coolant in transmission and needs new radiator, computer in tranny, and the rebuild. Price is not yet determined because non Nissan mechanic is working on it. Tried to find a decent used 2005 transmission for automatic v6, but everyone knows about problem and is charging high price for used tranny. Nissan is not willing to cover because it is beyond the extended warranty. We have contacted local news consumer affairs reporters and advised to file a civil suit. Is anyone doing this as we would like to take part. Good luck to all out there who have Xterra and have not had this problem yet. You need to get rid of SUV before problem occurs and never buy Nissan again.
2011Dec 01
Xterra Offroad 4.0L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 116,000 miles
This is a common problem among 2005 - 2010 Xterra, Pathfinders, and Frontiers. The radiator corrodes, leaking coolant into the transmission, which fries the tranny ($6,800 to repair). This is not a normal wear and tear issue, and it's not a question of IF it will happen, but rather WHEN it will happen. Nissan knows about this and has extended the warranty to 80,000 miles. The problem being that the symptoms associated with the radiator failure don't manifest until after 80k miles (116,000 miles in my case), so the warranty extension is a worthless gesture. I've been exclusively buying and driving Nissans for almost 22 yrs now and was recently told by a Nissan customer service rep that Nissan will not help me because I'm too far out of warranty. If after 22 years Nissan can't show me even a fraction of the loyalty I've shown them... Goodbye Nissan, and I hope nothing but the absolute worst for you.
2012Jan 12
Xterra SE V6
- Automatic transmission
- 82,000 miles
My Nissan was a great SUV for our family until it started making a rumbling noise. Turns out that this is a problem due to a faulty part in the transmission's radiator that Nissan is not currently recognizing. I also need new timing tensioners, nice. I am afraid to have this car fixed on my dime because what happens if something else goes wrong and Nissan refuses to stand by their product? I will be calling Kim in the morning and inquiring about my options. I WILL NEVER BUY A NISSAN AGAIN. I am now seeking a car company that stands by their product, Honda anyone?
2011Sep 01
Xterra
- Automatic transmission
- 87,000 miles
Since this problem started I have had nothing but problems with Nissan. I opened a claim only after taking it to 3 different dealerships. The first two refused to open a claim because I wasn't the original owner of the car. My claim was then denied because Nissan said this is not a problem that other customers are having. If you are having this problem, please open a claim so that Nissan can see how big of a problem this is. Call Kim at her personal work line at 615-725-7205. She is a consumer affairs rep at Nissan and can open a claim for you. She was also the one who told me this wasn't a wide spread problem so I would like her to hear how big of a problem this is.
2011Jul 06
Xterra S 4x4 4.0L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 142,915 miles
From what Nissan mechanics explained to me, this is an ongoing problem with the 4.0 V6 2005 Xterra and Pathfinder. The radiator valve that connects to the transmission started to deteriorate and the coolant mixed with the transmission fluid. I started to become aware of the problem about a week before the expansion flask exploded. The truck would jerk a few times when accelerating from a stop and then disappear. Nissan wanted to charge C$5,800 plus tax. I found an independent specialist that had just redone a Pathfinder. He charged me C$2,800 plus tax. 1 year warranty included. The radiator was changed and the new one is not designed as the old one was, therefore there should no longer be a problem. Still very frustrated. I was without the use of the truck for 4 months.
2011Dec 24
Xterra SE 4.0L
- Automatic transmission
- 116,000 miles
I purchased my 2005 Xterra new from the dealer in January of 06 with only 60 miles on the odometer. The vehicle was fine the first 5 years, but now that it's paid off it's been problem after problem. The vehicle has 116k miles on it and in the last 6 months have had to replace the IPDM relay $500 including labor. Catalyst converter (California Legal) $900. And now the radiator ruined my transmission and i need to replace both at a cost of $3800. Let me not forget to mention the winding noise coming from the engine. I've been told i need to replace the timing chain and tensioners soon at an estimated cost of $1500. As of now i don't know if i should make the repairs and cross my fingers nothing else goes wrong with this POS or invest in a toyota.
2011Dec 28
Xterra
- Automatic transmission
- 95,895 miles
I will never never never never buy a nissan again. In December of last year and after my extended warranty ran out I took my car to the dealer and found out the radiator was leaking, this was fixed due to the extended radiator warranty. The transmission was not fixed but sent on my then now a year later I am having transmission problems and was told by Nissan that the transmission needs to be fixed. I asked how this was damaged and was not given an answer "just wear and tear" bunch of BS...because of research have found out that a leaking radiator damages a transmission and this should have been fixed initially when the radiator was fixed. I did not spend well over $25K to have a transmission go out at 95K....then I have a family member with the same make model, year xterra with less miles and he took his in to have looked after I informed him of the problems with xterra and his transmission, radiator, time chain belt, etc are all being replaced...WTH and I got screwed.... I have placed a complaint with Nissan, BBB and joined a class action lawsuit. I hope that I get some assistance with replacing this transmission but next car I may consider Hyundai 100K/10 years or GMC...Shame on Nissan
2011Nov 12
Xterra S V6
- Automatic transmission
- 134,000 miles
I had the same issue as most 05 Xterra owners...radiator fluid in the tranny! No recall sent!! I realized the issue when the tranny thumped shifting from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd (both up shifting and down)... Thank God I caught it in time and had it serviced at local tranny shop!
2011Dec 05
Xterra S V6
- Automatic transmission
- 83,000 miles
I purchased my XTerra used in February of 2011 after totally my previous vehicle. On hindsight there were warning signs of a potential bad transmission. My Xterra's heater wouldn't warm while at idle - only when at speed. It has done this since I bought it. It didn't start doing to the vibration thing until about 5-7,000 miles ago. At first it sounded like I was going over a "rumble strip" on the side of the road. I ignored it as a simple wheel issue as most vibration noises can be tire related. As time went on the vibration became more severe and more frequent. I finally took my vehicle into the shop and discovered I have the dreaded "leaking radiator into the transmission thing". I have to place a lot of blame on Nissan, because I never was informed about the extension of the power train warranty. Had they have contacted me I might've suspected a correlation between what I've been experiencing. I contacted a local Nissan dealer who estimated the repair at "$11,000"!! I am debating trying to trade it in or to fight Nissan to get it fixed. I'm lucky in that I have access to an extra vehicle so I can fight them for the LONG term. If I trade it in I stand to lose in excess of $2500 in value between what it's worth now and when I purchased it 10 months ago. This is my first and last Nissan vehicle.
2011Jul 15
Xterra 4.0L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 97,000 miles
Another 2005 Xterra radiator failed, leaked antifreeze into the transmission and killed the transmission. $5200.00 to replace the transmission and put another cooling system on it.
2011Nov 06
Xterra SE 4.0L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 89,000 miles
I am the original owner of a 2005 Nissan Xterra. I have owned it for 75 months and logged 89,000 miles. Recently I experienced a sudden loss of acceleration as I attempted to merge onto a highway. I was also very lucky that I didn't cause a serious accident. The problem was intermittent at first and then increased. The problem was attributable to a radiator design flaw by Nissan. After numerous complaints to Nissan and at least one class action lawsuit, Nissan “voluntarily“extended the warranty under a “Radiator Assembly Customer Satisfaction Program” to the lesser of 96 months or 80,000 miles.
I contacted Nissan Consumer Affairs to apprise them that my Xterra was affected by the same problem and requested an exception to the 80,000 mile limitation. Nissan Consumer Affairs took 1.5 weeks to review my request before denying it. The failure of Nissan to stand behind their products, particularly when the problem represents a serious safety concern and attributable to a design flaw, is inexcusable. Nissan denies that there is a safety concern, whereas they should have acknowledged responsibility for their error and issued a recall. I encourage others with the same problem to take action by filing complaints on this site, with the Center for Auto Safety, ConsumerAffairs.com, and with the NHTSA. I also encourage others to join one of the class action lawsuits against Nissan on this matter. A simple Google search turned up several. This problem (as referenced by Nissan in the Radiator Assembly Customer Satisfaction Program) pertains to “some model year 2005 – 2010 Xterra, Pathfinder and Frontier vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions”. The design flaw involves corrosion within the radiator that leads to a crack and then contamination of engine coolant with transmission fluid. This contamination leads to damage to the radiator and transmission. Corrosion is something that develops over time and most vehicle owners will likely exceed the 80,000 limit before the problem presents itself. An internet search revealed 15 dedicated web threads to this problem, and the majority have been in the past year. The majority of the problems reported to date have also been 2005 vehicles. Based on the dates defined by Nissan under the warranty extension, it doesn’t appear that Nissan fixed the problem until 2010 at the earliest. Common sense suggests that the number of problems arising from the design flaw will significantly increase over the coming years as these cars age.
How many accidents or fatalities need to occur over the coming years before Nissan is held accountable for their negligence? My local Nissan dealer estimated it would cost $6,760 to repair my Xterra. This represents a significant financial burden and hardship – especially on a vehicle with just over 80,000 miles. How many Nissan owners have to experience this type of financial hardship before Nissan is held accountable?
I used to be a happy Nissan owner. It is now clear to me that Nissan does not stand behind their products and I will NEVER purchase another Nissan vehicle.
2011Oct 23
Xterra S
- Automatic transmission
- 129,000 miles
If you have an Nissan...sell it. Especially if you have an Xterra.
1st problem was the fuel indicator, Nissan wont fix that. Now the faulty radiator with the coolant lines that are in the middle and they crack. This mixes the coolant and tranny fluids together and it ruins the tranny. Nissan admits this is a problem and extends the mileage on the warranty, but most are over that allowed mileage and are left with a car that cost more to fix than its worth. http://www.nissanassist.com/web/Radiator/faqs.php?menu=22
Nissan updated the replace radiators, that alone says they know but refuse to fix a problem that isn't the fault of the owner. Nissan should grow a set and fix what needs to be fixed. My tranny is shot because of a 100 dollar radiator and it's Nissan's fault. I will not own another Nissan, and will tell every Nissan and Xterra owner about it.
2011Nov 10
Xterra 4.0L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 90,000 miles
Shortly after I purchased this car (from North End Motors), I noticed that the car would shudder when on the high way. We realized it was a problem with overdrive and I decided to drive with overdrive off until we could get it looked at it, so it no longer shuddered. Then the heat stopped working and when we looked in the coolant, it was all pink and frothy and so we immediately took it to Aamco and Wilmington and they were familiar with the problem right away. And it's going to take at least a week to fix! HUGE inconvenience and HUGE amounts of money. The XTerra is a great car but the fact that this a problem with other ones is ridiculous and Nissan should really take responsibility....
2010Jul 12
Xterra SE 3.2L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 68,271 miles
Intermittent hesitation when accelerating became the major problem on 6/18/10. I took it to the dealer under warranty and they replaced the vent control valve. On 7/12/10 the problem occurred again. Probably didn't get fixed or recognized the first time through or, even worse, they didn't care.
Car had violent jerking movements on acceleration. Radiator split internally causing trans fluid to intermix with coolant. The system was flushed on my dime. The radiator was replaced under warranty (3600.00).
On 12/03/10 the heater was not blowing hot air but cold. They flushed the system and replaced radiator cap. They also replaced a rear 'U" joint on front drive shaft. Needless to say, the transmission/coolant system is messed up. Today, 8/18/11 i had to take truck to car shop because same lack of acceleration is happening again. Class action lawsuit needs to move forward!!!!!!!!!!!!
2011Aug 05
Xterra S 4.0L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 104,000 miles
Radiator was replaced and tranny flushed twice for $900. Two weeks later check engine light went on and tranny started slipping again. Never experienced any rumbling noise like previously mentioned on site.
Nissan customer service is totally useless. They just don't care about their customers like one would expect considering the amount of money we spent purchasing a new vehicle from them.
I'm in for a class action suit and i will be filing a complaint as was mentioned in a previous report.
2011Sep 01
Xterra SE 3.2L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 84,000 miles
We have taken very good care of this Nissan. It is paid for, it has wiped out 2.5 weeks of work .This Nissan is only 6 years old - Nissan should have been aware of this problem and done a recall and fixed it !! Radiator fluid going into transmission ruining the sensors that tell the computer when to change gears.
You (Nissan) should have done something to fix this problem a long time ago 4,000+is a whole lot of $$$$$$$$ for people on fixed income to pay when we already worked very hard to pay this truck off!! we need to be reimbursed for the repairs! Nissan read all the complaints ,they are all the same -fix it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2011Aug 11
Xterra ES 3.2L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 126,000 miles
I purchased this "winner" 3 years ago. I was excited to have found such a bargain as it was priced at $14,500.00 and was the best deal around. No wonder!!! I'm constantly replacing and fixing things on this vehicle. Within the past year the entire electrical system melted which cost me $2000.00. After having it repaired, I've been stuck on the highway several times as it continues to have electrical wiring problems. My gas gauge also quit working, so I couldn't tell how much was in the tank. My husband and a mechanic friend of ours fixed that, along with a few other things that went bad.
Shortly after my wiring was fixed, I noticed my car running strangely. It felt like it was shuddering. Finally, in July 2010 (while on vacation) my "check engine light" came on and I noticed when I pushed on the gas, there was no power. We took it to a mechanic who charged us $26.00 to put 3 quarts of transmission fluid in it. At first we felt relieved, however, knew something was wrong as it isn't typical to have transmission fluid get low. It ran well for a couple more weeks...no shuddering. Suddenly, we're back to the drawing board again. The shuddering came back with a vengeance and now the "check engine light" is back on.
We took it to a mechanic today and they diagnosed it with transmission problems. We were told it could be the cylanoid. I have no idea what the estimate is yet, however after reading all the blogs about the very same problems...I have no doubt my Nissan is having the same ridiculous issues as all the others. I still owe $9300.00 on this lemon. I will file complaints with every solitary department possible in an effort to get this mechanical mess covered. It will not be pretty if I have to fork out a huge amount of money to pay for a defect Nissan has known about for a long time. Last week (before the most recent incident) I decided to sell this thing because I no longer feel I can trust this vehicle for long distances. Besides the fact I'm female, my job also requires me to do a good bit of traveling. I need something reliable. Now...I can't even sell this piece of junk and may get stuck with a hefty bill on top of it.
2011Aug 08
Xterra SE 4.0L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 95,000 miles
Had the "rumble noise" but unfortunately never paid attention to it. Got the extended warranty info right after my Xterra passed the 80K mileage. I took my Xterra to a transmission shop on Monday and was told yesterday that it will need a rebuild and a new radiator all because of stupid Nissan. The radiator had leaked fluid into the transmission and caused this HUGE inconvenience that I cannot afford on $11 an hour. I am now paying to rent a vehicle because of Nissan's greedy *sses
2011Jul 25
Xterra 3.2L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 110,000 miles
Nissan had the SUV 3 times and it took a friend to find milky transmission fluid! Nissan agreed to replace the radiator, but will charge me labor! They said the SUV has too many miles on it...112,000!
2011Aug 06
Xterra XE 3.2L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 99,000 miles
I am sick to my stomach to see how many people are out there with the exact same problem I am having with my 2005 Nissan P.O.S. Xterra!!!! First I noticed my vehicle making a vibrating noise as if I was driving on a rumble strip. I let it go to see if would happen again. It seemed to make the vibrating noise when I would accelerate and hit about 40-50mph. I thought maybe it was something going on with the rear wheel drive, took it in and they replaced my Ujoint telling me that this was causing the vibration.
One day I pulled out into traffic and my transmission slipped and would not accelerate my gas pedal was almost to the floor and my car would barely moved. I had my 2 year old daughter in the car with me and had to pull into the ditch so I could avoid getting rear ended.
Now the dealership is telling me that the radiator has a defect and caused radiator fluid to leak into my transmission. They suggested that I replace the radiator and have my fluids flushed about a $1500 fix, they stated that there is a 80-85% chance this would correct the problem. But if this does not correct it then I would need to have the transmission rebuilt/replaced, meaning I would have to pay an additional $5,000, OUCH!!! I am a single mother with no clue on what to do. I have $4,000 to pay on this loan for this peace of crap vehicle.
Luckily I have a family member with an extra vehicle for me to drive in the mean time until I figure out what I am going to do. Do I replace the radiator and flush the fluids in hoping that this will cause the service engine light to go or I do nothing and pay the $4,000 left on my loan and go out and purchase a new vehicle??? With being a single mother money is tight and am so upset and depressed with my vehicle problem. It is such a shame that Nissan is aware of the defect with the radiator and causing the transmission problems and is in not willing to do anything about it. I keep thinking about that day my daughter and I was in my car pulling out into traffic, what if we were hit and what if we were seriously injured or even died, would Nissan even care then?
2011Oct 31
Xterra
- Automatic transmission
- 89,000 miles
well my story is identical to every single person on here....i thought it was my breaks and no its certainly not. I bought one of those lovely extended warrantys and guess what; they don't cover radiator; so if it caused transmission failure it doesn't cover that either....OMG are you kidding me, and i'm over the warranty milage that Nissan offered....wasn't happening before 80,000 miles. So nissan knew abou this an is offering NO assistance to anyone. Anyone have any advice. I owe DOUBLE what this vehicle is worth and its going to cost me almost 8K to fix it!!!
Update from Nov 12, 2011: anyone have any luck getting this fixed on someone else's dime? please share how you achieved it. I don't have that kind of money...who does?
2011Apr 02
Xterra SE 4.0L
- Automatic transmission
- 120,000 miles
I had to replace my radiator after finding a crack in the radiator that caused the coolant and transmission fluids to mix. The radiator was flushed three times within a month period, and I still flush the transmission because its shudders, and slipping. I couldn't afford to take my vehicle to the Dealer because the it is too costly. I found a mechanic through a friend who works in a garage and he knows how to fix on Nissan's. The cost of transmission fluid is expensive, 10+ a bottle, and I needed 5. My Transmission has been flushed 5x since this problem occurred. Now I fear that the transmission will soon fail because its slipping and shuddering. This is my main vehicle and I still pay a car note on this POS, $448.11. They are really doing me with no vaseline. Last year my THE INTELLIGENT POWER DISTRIBUTION MODULE (IPDM) replaced which cost +400 bucks. The vehicle stalled in the middle of freeway traffic, thank GOD, there was no wreck. After I had this replaced I found out they did a recall on this. I then called and I was told that my vehicle was manufactured in a different region so it did not pertain to my vehicle. WOW... In other words no refund. hmmmm. If Nissan don't get right and fix the issues many of us are having, which are the same issues, I will never purchase another Nissan in LIFE. This is one Customer they will never have to worry about coming back and I will encourage as many people as possible to never buy Nissan. I hope the Class Action Suit can bring us all relief.......................
Grief in Dallas
Update from Dec 4, 2011: I finally took the Nissan in to shop that specializes in Transmissions. The cost is 2400, the TCM needs to be replaced because it was damaged from the coolant getting in the Transmission so that's an additional 900+ bucks. I tried calling Nissan to see if they would at least eat some of the cost because I already know they're not going to eat all of it. I can't seem to get them on the phone....hmmmm...go figure..... I am trying to contact the media....or someone that will hear the voices of the complaints.......so if you guys are down, I think its time to dip Nissan sells...put them out of business or at least push them to do way better than they are doing to us................
2011Jul 11
Xterra
- Automatic transmission
- 129,000 miles
First let me say that I have had not one problem with my 05 xterra until this week. I bought the truck new in 05 and because of no problems I decided not to purchase an extended warranty. Guess that was my first mistake.
I left from work at 11pm to make my 35 mile drive home and made it approx half way when the service engine light came on and the truck on acceleration from a red light would only move at a snails pace until it reach enough speed for 3rd gear to engage. Of course, having mechanical knowledge I knew right away it was the transmission. Well little did I know that the problem was going to be major. I made it home and immediately the next day started researching online for any documented problems. I did not expect to find so many complaints for the same exact problem.
I have had to pay $4800 for repairs, this was discounted by my roadside service company from $5200. I have contacted the law firm handling the class action law suit against Nissan and hope to recoup some of my money. I also have contacted Nissan USA and received an email stating that I would hear from the regional representative by end of next business day, well that was on Weds, Thurs came and went with no phone call, nor did I receive a call on Fri, Sat or Sun. Monday I will call the Nissan dealership I bought the truck from and depending on what they have to say my next call will be to the consumer alert section of my local news.
This is bogus, Nissan needs to step up an report this problem. I am a single female who drives the highway late at night and I expect to have a vehicle that I can feel safe in. If this problem had prevented me from driving my vehicle I would have been stranded on the side of the highway, alone, in the dark.
I hope Nissan will stop playing Toyota and step up to the plate, before someone gets hurt.
SueJ
2011Apr 15
Xterra SE 4.0L
- Automatic transmission
- 86,000 miles
my 2005 nissan xterra has been diagnosed with the infamous being damaged by leaking radiator. nissan dealer verified cost will be $6526.00 plus tax. was not notified by nissan found out on just answer.com. after chasing this rumbling noise.my vehicle has 87,000 miles but has only been in service jan 2006.i bought it new. after chasing nissan north america customer care for a month i just receivesd my call today 6-13-11 that nissan will not be assisting in my repair cost due to being over the warrant mileage.
i had 5 fords in my drivewaay when i bought this xterra. i tradedin my 2001 ford explorer for this vehicle. if nissan doesn't make good on this, there will never be anotheer nissan in my driveway again. there must be some merrit in ford explorer being the number 1 selling suv in ther industry. nissan just helped ford stay on top. in my opinion.
2011Aug 01
Xterra 3.2L
- Automatic transmission
- 92,000 miles
I think that Nissan should have notified the consumers of the problem with the radiator and the problems that the leaking would cause so we would have been aware. Now it has already occurred and its too late. Nissan does not care and refuses to help at all. What makes me really mad is that 3 weeks ago I just bought a brand new Nissan Sentra and paid cash. If I had known how Nissan stands behind their products, I would have chosen a different vehicle.
2011Feb 21
Xterra
- Automatic transmission
- 98,500 miles
I JUST THINK IT STUPID WHEN U BUY SUMTHIM AND U PAY OUT THE BUTT FOR IT AND ITS THE ONLY RIDE U HAVE AND ITS GUNNA COST SO MUCH TO FIX IT IM NOT SURE IF MY WARR. IS GOING TO FIX IT
2011Jun 04
Xterra SE V6
- Automatic transmission
- 130,000 miles
Slow, slow, slow, no transmission engaged. Stalled out in double blind-curve intersection. could have been killed. It was losing its get up and go last month and I took it in. Apparently, after resting it acts fine. They did nothing. (and Nissan knew these were doing this!!!)
Took to a transmission specialist. He is disconnecting the heater attached to the transmission and rebuilding the transmission, computer module that filled with anitfreeze and the control module. uuuuuuurgh!
2011Aug 11
Xterra Off Road 4.0L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 123,550 miles
click to see larger images
While my Xterra had over 100k miles on it when this problem occurred, I cared for it very well in terms of maintenance and I did not driver under any remotely extreme conditions. I did some occasional light off-roading and towing but nothing more extreme. I did not know about the transmission cooler/radiator fluid swapping problem until it was too late. I think the contamination started in April 2011 and the transmission was slipping and failing by mid July 2011. When it got frequent enough for me to think there was a real problem, I found out about the issue and did the hose bypass recommended on Xterra forums and flushed both systems. Unfortunately, it was too late and I had to go for an entire transmission rebuild with an experienced shop in town. However, I encourage any Xterra/Pathfinder/Frontier owner that is outside of the "extended" radiator warranty of 80k mi to look this up and do the bypass and flush before it is too late. The Xterra is paid for and other than this problem, I've always liked it so I went with the repair. That being said, I will never buy another Nissan unless they 'fess up and repair the trust they have violated by offering better compensation than a lame extended warranty on the radiator that they don't really tell anyone about in enough time for them to keep the damage from happening.
2011Jul 05
Xterra S 4,5 V6
- Automatic transmission
- 167,000 miles
not sure what to do - its not worth the money to fix but still too much money to lose
2010Nov 25
Xterra LX V6
- Automatic transmission
- 70,000 miles
Like everyone else with a 2005 Xterra I have the radiator fluid in the transmission problem. I took it to the garage and they flushed out the radiator and transmission but warned me that this would probably happen again and eventually it would destroy the car. My problem is that I just bought the car for from my Credit Union for $9200. Did they know about this before they sold it to me? Certainly the member they reposed it from knew it was shaking violently when it reached the 40 mph and 60 mph levels. Will try to see what I can do locally as well as put in a complaint to Nissan but it doesn't appear that any one is getting to much satisfaction so far.
2011Jun 07
Xterra S 4.0L
- Automatic transmission
- 64,500 miles
I'm a member of the club, officially. Running over logs in the road-like vibrating and an empty radiator by the time I figured all this out. The car is history. I'm getting rid of this POS. Bought it new in 2005 and new IMMEDIATELY it was sh*t. I was stupid to keep it this long. Thanks to you all for the truth here. Although painful, it's good to have a resource. We're certainly not going to get any help from Nissan.
2011Aug 06
Xterra S
- Automatic transmission
- 85,500 miles
So I took my vehicle for an oil/filter change on the 5th of August to Maroone Nissan of Kendall in South Florida, and on the 6th I started to hear this noise as if I were driving on a grooved pavement. I took it back on 6th, and they expressed they had no mechanic to ride along with me, and when I got my vehicle back, they said it was a small toy in the back causing the rattle. After playing phone tag with the Service Department, I finally took the vehicle in yesterday (29 August), where a mechanic rode along with me. I thought that noise was a bearing something wrong with one of the tires. It turns out that the mechanic knew exactly what it was once he heard it, water leaking into the transmission. Sure enough they want to charge me close to $6000.00 to get it repaired. I asked them if they would have seen it when they topped off my fluids. Service told me they don't know what the mechanics do; all they do is top off the fluids. Sure enough someone would have seen this? What type of scheme is this? Seriously Nissan needs to do something about this.
2011Jul 21
Xterra SE V6
- Automatic transmission
- 82,800 miles
had 82800 on the pos when tranny blew. Nissan had a warranty on radiator until 80,000 miles. The hairline cracks had been mixing the fluids for quite some time for tranny to blow but nissan or the xterra gave no warning and now they say there is nothing they can do because we are 2800 miles past warranty. But the radiator had to bust while it was still covered to blow the tranny. I am ready to bust somebody up. Does anyone know a good bail bondsman? I will probably need one before this is over I am afraid.
2010Feb 15
Xterra S 4.0L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 95,000 miles
I seem to be having the same problem as everyone else with my 2005 Nissan Xterra. Started feeling a vibration around 40 to 60 mph. It felt like I was riding on a rumble strip except I was not. It has happened about 20 more times and just lately almost found out the hard way of another problem when I pulled out into traffic. I had my 5 year old girl and 1 year old boy with me only to have the transmission slip and would not get up to speed. I had to put the vehicle almost in a ditch to keep from getting rear ended. After doing some research online and seeing how everyone described the vibration the same I had a mechanic check the tranny fluid to only tell me what I had expected. There was radiator fluid in the transmission causing the problem. Nissan knows of this but will not fix the problem. Maybe after someone gets killed or seriously injured will the problem get fixed . My experience with this nissan's problems will keep me from buying another. Going back to American made.
2011Jul 12
Xterra
- Automatic transmission
- 109,000 miles
Same thing has happened to me....I bought my daughter a new xterra in 2005....now, she is a single mom, full time job, and in college and depends on this vehicle and has very little income to fix this issue...problem started about a year ago when she heard rumbling on highway going about 60 mph...we also thought it was a tire issue....had it checked out, couldn't really find anything.....now, in the last month it is "jumping" or slipping out of gear and all the other problems....i researched online and found this problem....i called nissan and was told to take it to the local dealership which charged me $100 to diagnose the problem.......Nissan said it was out of warranty since it has 109000 miles and they told me today it needed a new radiator, new transmission and wants thousands of dollars to fix it...they told me the coolant got into the transmission.....shame on nissan for not recalling and fixing this problem....i will NEVER purchase another nissan and don't have the funds at this time to fix this problem.
2011Jun 21
Xterra S 4L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 152,000 miles
Welllllll I am now one of the many who are experiencing this issue! My X will now only accelerate at a snail's pace until up to speed and the code in the engine is P1757....my mechanic told me it is the solenoid or the TCM....neither of which I can afford to fix! I called the dealer they wont talk to me...started doing my due diligence online and look what I find, NISSAN not only knows this is an issue but REFUSES to do anything about it! hope to get out of this piece on thursday and will NEVER buy a nissan again.
2011Jun 03
Xterra SE V6
- Automatic transmission
- 123,500 miles
Car started rumbling as I drove. Thought I had a tire or wheel bearing issue. Found out through online research that it was related to radiator leaking into transmission. I checked the fluids and all the symptoms were there. Transmission issues started and I had to be towed. Nissan service tech claimed his pathfinder did the same thing and offered to bandaid the problem for 497.00 with a new radiator and flush job. I choose to go with a transmission shop with a limited lifetime warranty but at a price of 2 grand. Help!!!!!! Nissan should be ashamed of themselves. Who is the radiator vendor because they need to be included in the lawsuit.
2012Feb 28
Xterra 4.0L V6
CAN'T AFFORD TO GET FIXED--NOW WITHOUT CAR--DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO
Mark H.
Corpus Christi, Texas, USA
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