Your vehicle report
2000 Nissan Xterra
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 214
- Received Feb 2000 to Sep 2024
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Fuel pump fails and engine stalls20 complaints · 9.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Airbags fail to deploy in crashes17 complaints · 7.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Exhaust manifold cracks and leaks fumes15 complaints · 7.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #04V230000On certain pickup trucks equipped with six cylinder engines and sport utility vehicles equipped with four or six cylinder engines, the fuel pump terminal on the fuel-sending unit can develop a crack in the plastic molding. This can cause the terminal strip to corrode under some environmental conditions.
- Recall #03V3070002000 nissan xterra vehicles manufactured between october 15, 1999, and february 29, 2000. The alloy wheels used on these vehicles may not have been properly manufactured and could develop cracks in the wheel spokes.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 25 crashes, 4 fires, 26 people injured, 1 death.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
- Tires blow out or tread separates
- Alloy wheel rims crack and lose air
- Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps
1 more problem
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 13 |
| 2001 | 19 |
| 2002 | 15 |
| 2003 | 61 |
| 2004 | 33 |
| 2005 | 21 |
| 2006 | 7 |
| 2007 | 7 |
| 2008 | 8 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 214 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel pump fails and engine stalls | 20 | 9.3% | – | NHTSA recall #04V230000 |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 17 | 7.9% | – | |
| Exhaust manifold cracks and leaks fumes | 15 | 7.0% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 9 | 4.2% | – | |
| Instrument cluster or speedometer fails | 9 | 4.2% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 7 | 3.3% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 7 | 3.3% | – | |
| Power window regulator fails and window drops | 6 | 2.8% | – | |
| Alloy wheel rims crack and lose air | 6 | 2.8% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 5 | 2.3% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 5 | 2.3% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 4 | 1.9% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 4 | 1.9% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 3 | 1.4% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 3 | 1.4% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 3 | 1.4% | – | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 3 | 1.4% | – | |
| Cruise control fails to disengage | 3 | 1.4% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 3 | 1.4% | – | |
| Automatic emergency braking applies without reason | 3 | 1.4% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #04V230000May 24, 2004586,196 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
On certain pickup trucks equipped with six cylinder engines and sport utility vehicles equipped with four or six cylinder engines, the fuel pump terminal on the fuel-sending unit Can develop a crack in the plastic molding. This Can cause the terminal strip to corrode under some environmental conditions.
If corrosion occurs, the terminal strip could eventually break causing the fuel pump to stop operation. This will result in not being able to start the engine or cause the engine to stop running without warning, which Can result in a crash.
Remedy
In the following states, dealers will replace the fuel-sending unit. These states are connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, tennessee, vermont, virginia, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. In the other states, the dealer will inspect the fuel pump terminal on the sending unit for corrosion. If corrosion is present, the dealer will replace the unit. If there is not corrosion, the dealer will apply sealant to the terminal housing to help prevent corrosion in the future. Owner notification began on june 28, 2004. Owners should contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
NHTSA recall #03V307000August 22, 200331,700 vehicles affected
wheels
2000 Nissan Xterra vehicles manufactured between october 15, 1999, and february 29, 2000. The alloy wheels used on these vehicles may not have been properly manufactured and could develop cracks in the wheel spokes.
If a sufficient number of spoke cracks develop, the wheel could fail and separate from the mounting hub, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without prior warning.
Remedy
Nissan will notify its customers and replace the four alloy wheels with Xterra se model bright alloy wheels free of charge. The spare tire steel wheel is not affected. Owner notification began on september 15, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261. Information Can also be obtained through nissan's web site at www.nissanusa.com.
NHTSA recall #00V288000October 2, 200076,652 vehicles affected
power train: automatic transmission
Vehicle description: pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS no. 102, "transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock, and transmission braking effect. " these vehicles could have a shift cable lock plate that is too brittle and Can break. The gear shift lever and the "prndl" indicator may move, but the transmission will not shift out of the park position. Over a period of time, the transmission could shift out of the park position, but the gear indicated on the display may differ from the gear engaged in the transmission.
If the driver selects 'drive' and the transmission is actually in 'reverse', a vehicle crash could occur.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the automatic transmission shift cable lock plate.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2000 Nissan Xterra.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN