There are 50 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2006 Nissan Xterrain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
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 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.
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.
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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN XTERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS INTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED THE FAILURE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V517000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000.
THIS VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED WITH PLASTIC TENSIONER GUIDES TO THE SECONDARY TIMING CHAINS. THE ENGINE IS DESIGNED WITH AN "INTERFERENCE" TIMING CHAIN WHICH MEANS THAT IF THE TIMING CHAIN BREAKS, IT RESULTS IN CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE WITHOUT WARNING. ALTHOUGH NISSAN DID NOT DESIGN THE TIMING CHAIN AS A MAINTENANCE ITEM, THE PLASTIC GUIDES WEAR OUT LONG AFTER THE VEHICLE WARRANTY EXPIRES. ALTHOUGH THEY CORRECTED THE PROBLEM IN SUBSEQUENT MODEL YEARS, THEY NEVER CONTACTED OR NOTIFIED THE AFFECTED OWNERS OF THE PROBLEM THAT UNLESS THESE GUIDES ARE REPLACED THEY WILL EVENTUALLY RESULT IN THE SECONDARY TIMING CHAINS WEARING OUT THE GUIDES CAUSING THE SECONDARY CHAINS THEMSELVES TO RUN METAL ON METAL AGAINST THE TENSIONERS. BECAUSE OF THIS CONTINUED WEAR, THE SECONDARY TIMING CHAINS MAY FAIL AT ANY TIME THE ENGINE IS ON WITHOUT WARNING AND DESTROY THE ENGINE. NISSAN ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE PROBLEM BUT FAILED TO NOTIFY OWNERS THAT AS THE VEHICLES APPROACH APPROXIMATELY 100,000 MILES OR MORE, THE SECONDARY TIMING CHAINS MAY FAIL. I HAVE ATTACHED PHOTOS OF THE SECONDARY TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS REMOVED FROM MY VEHICLE WHICH SHOW THE PLASTIC GUIDE ON ONE NEARLY COMPLETELY WORN THROUGH, AND THE OTHER ONE BROKEN WITH ONLY HALF OF THE PLASTIC GUIDE STILL IN PLACE ON THE TENSIONER. I ALSO INCLUDED MY REPAIR RECEIPT FOR THE $2,123.40 REPAIR. FINALLY, I INCLUDED THE NISSAN TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS PROBLEM. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THEY RECALLED THE V8 ENGINES WITH THIS TYPE OF ISSUE, BUT NOT THE V6 ENGINES (I HAVE NOT CONFIRMED THAT HOWEVER,) NISSAN SHOULD IMMEDIATELY ISSUE A RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES AND COVER THE COST OF REPAIRS ALREADY MADE BY CONSUMERS.
TAKATA RECALL RADIATOR LEAKED WATER INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND I NOW I NEED COMPLETELY NEW TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR. THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH NISSANS AND I AM OUTSIDE OF THE MILEAGE AND WARRANTY. I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET AND THE RPMS STARTED RACING BUT THE CAR WAS NOT ACCELERATING. HAD TO TOW IT IN TO THE MECHANICS. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ALSO ON AND THE CODE IS FOR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE RADIATOR FRACTURED AND THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK. THE CONTACT, AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL COOLER WITHIN THE RADIATOR WAS FAULTY. A DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 77,000. *TT *JB
I WAS DRIVING, AND STOPPED FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES AT A CONVENENT STORE, AND WHEN STATED THE CAR, IT WONT GO FORWARD AS NORMAL, LOST POWER WITH NO WARNINGS AND WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC THAT THE CARBURETOR WAS LEAKING SOME FLUID TO THE TRANSMISSION.
WAS DRIVING IN A 55 ZONE IN MY XTERRA AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER OUTA NO WHERE. GOOD THING NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME OR I WOULDA BEEN KILLED. SOUNDS A LOT LIKE THE INTELLIGENT POWER DISTRIBUTION MODULE (IPDM) ASSEMBLY CONTAINS AN ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) THAT THEY HAD PROBLEMS WITH ON THIS MODEL YET MY VIN DOES NOT COME UP IN THE SEARCH????
WE LEARNED TODAY THROUGH OUR MECHANIC THAT THE RATTLING NOISE WE'VE BEEN HEARING IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE "TIMING CHAINS." OUR MECHANIC SAYS THE REPAIR IS VERY EXPENSIVE. WE DISCOVERED ONLINE THERE WAS A RECENTLY SETTLED CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT ON THIS SAME ISSUE, BUT A RECALL BY NISSAN HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED. WHAT IS THE RECOURSE FOR OTHERS WHO ONLY RECENTLY LEARNED OF THIS PROBLEM AND ARE NOW FACING HIGH REPAIR COSTS?
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN XTERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WITH CODE: PO463. THE CONTACT CALLED TWO DEALERS (NATIONWIDE NISSAN, 2085 YORK RD, TIMONIUM, MD 21093) AND (ANTWERPEN NISSAN, 11405 REISTERSTOWN RD, OWINGS MILLS, MD 21117) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NO OPEN RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: [XXX]. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 106,000. *TT INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
NISSAN KNEW ABOUT AN ISSUE WITH THE TIMING CHAIN TENSION SYSTEM TCTS EVEN IN EARLY TESTING OF THE MOTOR AND PRE-PRODUCTION DATING BACK TO 2004. THE TCTS ENSURES THAT THE PISTONS AND VALVES ARE PROPERLY TIMED AND ELIMINATE THE COMING IN CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER OR CAUSING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. NISSAN EVEN ISSUED BEGINNING IN JULY OF 2007 THE TSB TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS INSTRUCTS TECHNICIANS TO REPLACE THE FAULTY TCTS COMPONENTS IF THERE IS A WHINING, CLICKING OR BUZZING SOUNDS. FOR THE ACTUAL CASE AGAINST NISSAN NORTH AMERICA AND NISSAN MOTOR COMPANY HERE IS THE LINK TO THE COURT DOCUMENTS: HTTPS://LAW.JUSTIA.COM/CASES/FEDERAL/DISTRICT-COURTS/CALIFORNIA/CACDCE/2:2013CV00686/553274/166/
TIMING CHAIN. I AM A MEMBER OF A FEW FORUMS FOR THE NISSAN XTERRA AND FRONTIER. IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT THE TIMING CHAIN, THE TENSION AND GUIDES ARE A ISSUE ON THE 05/06 XTERRA AND FRONTIERS RUNNING THE 4.0 V6. A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT WAS FILED BY OWNERS OF THE SAME YEAR XTERRAS BUT IT ONLY RECOGNIZED IN A FEW STATES. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND DEEM A RECALL BEFORE TOO MANY MORE XTERRAS BLOW THEIR ENGINES OR HAVE OTHER ISSUES DUE TO A KNOWN ISSUE, NISSAN HAS ADMITTED THEY KNOW OF THIS ISSUE TOO. BELOW IS THE LINK TO SAID CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT: HTTPS://TOPCLASSACTIONS.COM/LAWSUIT-SETTLEMENTS/LAWSUIT-NEWS/827701-NISSAN-AGREES-SETTLE-TIMING-CHAIN-DEFECT-CLASS-ACTION-LAWSUIT/
TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST FROM THE DEALER OF $2700. I CONTACTED NISSAN USA AND AFTER WAITING FOR TWO DAYS THE REGIONAL MANAGER DENIED MY CLAIM AND STATED THERE WAS NOT ANYTHING NISSAN WOULD DO TO HELP . THOUGH MY XTERRA IS A 2006 IT ONLY HAS 68207 MILES AND HAS HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE.
WHINING NOISE FROM ENGINE FROM WORN SECONDARY TENSION GUIDE. NISSAN ALLEGEDLY KNEW OF PROBLEM SINCE 2004 AND WITHHELD INFO FROM PUBLIC.
"TAKATA RECALL". I HAVE A 2006 NISSAN XTERRA THAT I HAD TO REPLACE TIMING CHAINS ON DUE TO TENSIONER GUIDE FAILER. NISSAN HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS ISSUE FOR AWHILE AND THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST NISSAN FOR THIS ISSUE. THE COST OF THE REPAIRS IS EXPENSIVE AND I FEEL THAT BEING NISSAN HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COST. I AM FURTHER PURSUING GETTING INVOLVED WITH THE CLASS ACTON LAWSUIT.
MY TIMING CHAIN HAS COME LOOSE AND STRETCHED OUT MAKING LOUD NOISE AND VERY HARD TO ACCELERATE IN MOTION.
TLA* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO MEADOWLANDS NISSAN IN HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, NJ WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE RADIATOR LEAKED AND CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 108,000. UPDATED 09/06/17*LJ ..UPDATED 09/11/17 *BF UPDATED 09/20/17*LJ *CN CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT AN INDEPENDENT SHOP. TRANSMISSION FAILURE DUE TO RADIATOR LEAK. UPDATED 10/4/18*JB
FLUID LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION FROM THE RADIATOR CAUSING IT TO FAIL. NISSAN ESTIMATED THE REPAIR TO BE $9400.00 THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE.
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026