Most common 2000 Nissan Xterra problems
Share of the 214 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Nissan Xterra complaints by model year
Best Xterra years: 2012, 2014, 2015. Years to avoid: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2000, 2001. Compare all years →
2000 Nissan Xterra recalls (3)
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.
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…
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.
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.
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.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the automatic transmission shift cable lock plate.
What 2000 Nissan Xterra owners say
Fuel & propulsion system all 66 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 Nissan Xterra. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH when the vehicle suddenly shut off. The contact was able to coast to the side shoulder where they got out the vehicle. The contact noticed smoke coming from underneath the front end of the vehicle. The contact opened the hood of the vehicle and poured water onto the vehicle to put out the fire however the fire increased slightly. The contact stated bigger efforts were made from her and another driver to put out the fire. A fire report was not made. The vehicle was towed. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer. The vehicle had not been officially diagnosed the contact learned that their vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 04V230000 (fuel system, gasoline), however, the vehicle had not been repaired as of yet. The manufacturer was not made aware. …
Immediately after I exited my building garage and made right turn on city street on a clear summer day afternoon the engine sound began roaring and vehicle suddenly accelerating. I tried to control the vehicle forcibly hitting on the brakes, shifting gears to neutral, turning off the engine but the vehicle kept on going and ran-away uncontrollably till I made two left turns and ended up on a side walk with the rear tire blown out and the car stopped after colliding with some public utility box. The vehicle has incomplete recall #r0402 and nhsta recall #04v-230 regarding the fuel sending unit. There was a local police report #200057082. Suspected causes could be flaws in the vehicle electronic throttle control system that produced faulty signal of fully depressed accelerator pedal.
Engine & cooling all 35 →
I have driven my 2000 Nissan Xterra for almost 2 years now with normal driving, no off road driving or abuse of my vehicle. Recently I discovered that after a few weeks of an overwhelming smell of exhaust in my passenger cabin that the exhaust manifold is in fact cracked. Now on many occasions I have a very young child in my vehicle so I've had to leave him outside till the exhaust smell has dissipated and I can only assume it's no longer making it's way into the cabin. I can't imagine that this could possible be good for anybody. In any event I figured I would just have to get the problem fixed but as I did some research I realized that I'm not alone and there are thousands of other owners with the same problem. I will have manifold replaced at my own cost so I can again feel safe that I'm not breathing in exhaust. …
The vehicle stalled while idling. While idling car begins to vibrate, RPM drop down and ultimately car stalls. Leading up to this incident, when accelerating from a stop, when pressing on gas pedal, car does not engage and appears to die out; fortunately it catches and continues on. Thought it was isolated incident, however, this LED to the idling problem. Took vehicle to mechanic, and he could not identify problem as no engine codes registered, and no obvious malfunction was present. This is a very dangerous situation, as car could stall out while moving. This needs to be addressed immediately before a stall occurs on the highway and someone gets hurt. A review of Nissan websites has reflected a persistent problem with this specific vehicle. …
Electrical system all 26 →
The engine service soon have been on for quite some time now. I tried to take it to several Smog places to get it smogged , and the mechanic have told me that the Smog scanner cannot read the computer of my car.
Immediately after I exited my building garage and made right turn on city street on a clear summer day afternoon the engine sound began roaring and vehicle suddenly accelerating. I tried to control the vehicle forcibly hitting on the brakes, shifting gears to neutral, turning off the engine but the vehicle kept on going and ran-away uncontrollably till I made two left turns and ended up on a side walk with the rear tire blown out and the car stopped after colliding with some public utility box. The vehicle has incomplete recall #r0402 and nhsta recall #04v-230 regarding the fuel sending unit. There was a local police report #200057082. Suspected causes could be flaws in the vehicle electronic throttle control system that produced faulty signal of fully depressed accelerator pedal.
2000 Nissan Xterra engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 17 / 22 / 19 |
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 18 / 16 |
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 15 / 18 / 16 |
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 17 / 15 |
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 15 / 17 / 15 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2000 Nissan Xterra a good car?
Based on 214 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2000 Xterra rates avoid: 3.6× as many complaints as a typical year of the Xterra at the same age. It is one of the Xterra years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2000 Nissan Xterra?
The fuel & propulsion system — 66 complaints, 31% of all complaints for this model year, most often about delivery › fuel pump. Next are the engine & cooling (35) and electrical system (26).
How many recalls does the 2000 Nissan Xterra have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2000 Nissan Xterra, the most recent from May 24, 2004 (fuel pump). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Nissan Xterra?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2012, 2014 and 2015. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2000 and 2001. See the full Nissan Xterra years comparison.
At what mileage do 2000 Nissan Xterra problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 72,000 miles; 17% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.