Worst 2006 Nissan Xterra Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Transmission / Drivetrain
Gasoline Fuel System
Engine Problems
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2006 Nissan Xterra.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 240 | 2 | 1 | 169,133 mi | |
| Gasoline Fuel System | 204 | — | — | 61,023 mi | |
| Engine Problems | 104 | — | — | 118,761 mi | |
| Fuel System | 94 | 1 | — | 97,781 mi | |
| Engine & Cooling | 78 | 1 | — | 235,115 mi | |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Auxillary Tank | 38 | — | — | 60,871 mi | |
| Fuel System, Other | 37 | — | — | 50,130 mi | |
| Electrical Faults | 33 | 1 | 1 | 90,708 mi | |
| Steering Defects | 20 | 2 | — | 89,186 mi | |
| Automatic Transmission | 18 | — | — | 101,360 mi | |
| Airbags | 16 | 4 | — | 103,759 mi | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Radiator Assembly | 16 | — | — | 166,477 mi | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 14 | 2 | — | 98,222 mi | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System | 8 | — | — | 97,140 mi | |
| Suspension Failures | 7 | — | — | 66,859 mi | |
| Brakes | 6 | 1 | — | 91,333 mi | |
| Instrument Cluster | 5 | — | — | 47,325 mi | |
| Manual Transmission | 5 | — | — | 26,932 mi | |
| Suspension:Rear | 5 | — | — | 6,500 mi | |
| Driveline | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 4 | 2 | — | — | |
| Tire Defects | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 3 | 1 | — | — | |
| Other Equipment | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel System, Other:Storage:Fuel Gauge System | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Tires:Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Wheel Issues | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline:Belts And Associated Pulleys | 2 | — | — | — |
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2006 Nissan Xterra. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 2006 Nissan Xterra
2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~828,169 vehicles.
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 ARMADA, TITAN, INFINITI QX56 AND MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 FRONTIER, PATHFINDER AND XTERRA VEHICLES. THE INTELLIGENT POWER DISTRIBUTION MODULE (IPDM) ASSEMBLY CONTAINS AN ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) RELAY THAT HAS A DIODE FOR ELECTRICAL CURRENT NOISE REDUCTION. THE ECM RELAY MAY ALLOW SILICON VAPOR TO FORM AND, OVER TIME, THE SILICON EVAPORATES FROM THE DIODE MOLDING WHICH CAUSES SILICON OXIDE TO DEVELOP ON THE ECM RELAY CONTACT DUE TO ARCING.
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006 AND MODEL YEAR 2008 FRONTIER, XTERRA AND PATHFINDER VEHICLES. THE MOLDED FUEL TANK SHELLS CAN DEFORM, CAUSING THE FUEL SENDER FLOAT ARM TO CONTACT AN EMBOSSMENT MOLDED INTO THE TANK SHELL CAUSING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FUEL GAUGE TO SHOW THAT THE VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY ONE QUARTER TANK WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS EMPTY.
Other Nissan Xterra Years
2006 Nissan Xterra — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2006 Nissan Xterra reliable?
What are common problems with the 2006 Nissan Xterra?
At what mileage do problems start on the 2006 Nissan Xterra?
How safe is the 2006 Nissan Xterra?
Does the 2006 Nissan Xterra have any recalls?
Should I buy a 2006 Nissan Xterra?
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.
Wider context: See the full Nissan Xterra reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2006 Nissan Xterra
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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