2005 Nissan Xterra Reliability
The 2005 Nissan Xterra has 845 owner complaints and 6 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about powertrain / transmission and fuel system. Compared with nearby Xterra model years (2003–2007), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Xterra's typical year, while the 2003 has a cleaner record.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
845
NHTSA owner complaints
6
Recall campaigns
7
Complaints citing a crash
6
Complaints citing a fire
2005 Nissan Xterra complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2005 model year, filed between 2005 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Powertrain / transmission | 412 | 49% |
| Fuel system | 291 | 34% |
| Engine & cooling | 167 | 20% |
| Engine | 114 | 13% |
| Electrical system | 39 | 5% |
| Fuel / propulsion system | 32 | 4% |
| Unknown or other | 25 | 3% |
| Air bags | 19 | 2% |
2005 Nissan Xterra recalls
6 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2005 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 05E062000 | Sep 30, 2005 | Trailer hitch | Certain valley industries hitch-class iii receiver trailer hitches p/n 82850 manufactured between March and September 2005 sold for use as replacement equipment for 2005 Nissan Xterra passenger vehicles. Due to insufficient weld strength, under certain… |
| 05V458000 | Oct 5, 2005 | Trailer hitch | On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with a Nissan accessory tow hitch, inadequate quality of some welded joints in the hitch assembly may result in separation of the hitch from the vehicle when being used to tow. |
| 07E046000 | Jul 3, 2007 | Equipment | Certain hopkins aftermarket trailer brake control connection harnesses sold for use on certain models of Nissan vehicles which are listed above. The internal part numbers within hopkins are: 1010476025, 1040376025, 1110476025, 1170376025, 1290376025,… |
| 08V690000 | Dec 29, 2008 | Air bags — frontal | Nissan is recalling 242,720 my 2005-2009 pathfinder, frontier and Xterra vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new… |
| 10E019000 | May 20, 2010 | Suspension — front / control arm / lower arm | Nissan is recalling certain front and rear lower links, p/nos. 54501zq00a, 54500zq00a, 551a1zq00a, 551a0zq00a , 54501ea00a, 54500ea00a, 551a1ea500, 551a0ea500, 54501zr00a, and 54500zr00a, sold between November 25, 2009 and May 14, 2010 as replacement parts… |
| 10V517000 | Oct 28, 2010 | Engine & cooling | 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… |
How the 2005 compares with nearby Xterra years
Verdicts compare these Xterra model years with each other.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 72 | 3 | Steering | Solid |
| 2004 | 84 | 3 | Steering | Solid |
| 2005 (this page) | 845 | 6 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2006 | 780 | 5 | Fuel system | Avoid |
| 2007 | 557 | 2 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2005 Nissan Xterra
- Transmission: test-drive from cold through every gear, feel for slipping, harsh or delayed shifts and shudder, and ask whether the fluid has been serviced.
- Fuel system: smell for fuel around the car, watch for hesitation or stalling, and check for a lit check-engine light.
- Engine & cooling: look for coolant leaks or low coolant, watch the temperature gauge on a long test drive, and check for overheating history.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 6 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2005 Nissan Xterra can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2005 Nissan Xterra reliability FAQ
Is the 2005 Nissan Xterra reliable?
The 2005 Nissan Xterra has 845 owner complaints and 6 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about powertrain / transmission and fuel system. Compared with nearby Xterra model years (2003–2007), it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Xterra's typical year, while the 2003 has a cleaner record.
What are the most common 2005 Nissan Xterra problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2005 Nissan Xterra are powertrain / transmission (412), fuel system (291), engine & cooling (167), engine (114). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2005 Nissan Xterra have recalls?
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2005 Nissan Xterra, including 05E062000 (trailer hitch) and 05V458000 (trailer hitch). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2005 Nissan Xterra compare with the 2004 and 2006 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2004 has 84 complaints and 3 recalls (solid); the 2006 has 780 complaints and 5 recalls (avoid). The 2005 has 845 complaints and 6 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2005 Nissan Xterra?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Nissan Xterra research
Other Nissan Xterra model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2005 Xterra, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.