10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
149,480 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2002 Nissan Xterra:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #8

Mar 112020

Xterra

  • miles
Loses pressure on the brakes, the steering wheel is moving sideways

- Wichita, KS, USA

problem #7

Aug 142020

Xterra

  • 188,000 miles
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

- Hammond, LA, USA

problem #6

Jul 242020

Xterra

  • 131,058 miles
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.

- Wichita Falls, TX, USA

problem #5

Jun 152016

Xterra

  • 190,000 miles
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.

- Lewistown, PA, USA

problem #4

Mar 022017

Xterra

  • 147,000 miles
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.

- Buckeye, AZ, USA

problem #3

Feb 082015

Xterra

  • 245,000 miles
The vehicle started to sputter and the ABS and airbag lights started to come on. When the gears shifted up, it started to resist acceleration and losing transmission power. Started to shift down and coast. Pulled over to the side and the vehicle shut off. Would not start back up.

- Philadelphia, MS, USA

problem #2

May 022012

Xterra 6-cyl

  • 126,781 miles
On 5/2/2012 at approximately 2:30pm in the afternoon vehicle traveling on a divided highway in moderate traffic at approximately 30mph. While braking for traffic at a stop light operator felt a sudden drop in the brake pedal and loss of stopping ability requiring them to swerve onto the shoulder to avoid the car in front of them. The vehicle was drivable but required more stopping distance to brake. Light smoke noted while stopped but none at speed. Upon stopping to investigate the light smoke, which was coming from the front right wheel area the hood was opened to investigate and a small flame was noted on the exhaust manifold which was extinguished with an abc extinguisher. Brake fluid noted to be low in the master cylinder. Vehicle towed to shop for investigation and repair. Brake line found to have been rubbing against exhaust manifold shielding which rubbed away the rubber protective liner over time allowing water/rain to slowly rust the brake line which burst and squirted brake fluid onto the manifold where it ignited. Online research shows this to be a known problem experienced/reported by other owners of same make/model. High potential for bodily harm via accident (inability to stop) and loss of property (fire).

- Pawling, NY, USA

problem #1

Sep 142012

Xterra 6-cyl

  • 168,000 miles
Had to brake hard on the express way, brake pedal went to the floor, avoided an accident. The cause of the brake failure is a hole in the hard brake line on the front passenger side by the heat exhaust shield.

- Oak Lawn, IL, USA