Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Nissan Xterra owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Xterra. The contact that while stopped at a traffic light the vehicle stalled. The contact was immediately able to restart the vehicle however, the vehicle kept stalling. The contact restarted the vehicle however while entering a parking garage the vehicle stalled again. After several attempts the vehicle restarted. The contact emphasized that the failure was most evident while stopped or driving at slower speeds. On one occasion the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The contact connected a DTC scanner and retrieved a fault code regarding the fuel gauge sensor that was contacted to the submersible fuel pump. …
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Xterra. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled inadvertently on several occasions. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road on several occasions. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted, and the contact continued driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the Intelligent Power Distribution Module (IPDM) needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 10V517000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The dealer and the manufacturer were not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
I purchased a 2005 Nissan Xterra . The vehicle's transmission is gone due to a fault in the manufacturing. This could have been a potentially dangerous situation - but luckily for me I was not driving or on the highway. I have contacted Nissan regarding this issue and was told that they are not going to assist me in repairing the problem because the vehicle warranty has run out. I bought this vehicle used - the dealer never mentioned anything about a recall or problem at the time that could be fixed by Nissan nor did I receive any correspondence from Nissan themselves. Now I am stuck with the financial burden of $5000 for the repair. I don't think this is fair - the used car dealers should be mandated by law to fix vehicles with recalls and inform car buyers that there is a manufacturing defect. Nissan also should be held accountable.
Just bought auto from used car dealer day before. Drove it 30 miles pulled in visited then went out to start auto. Would not start traced back to blown fuse, changed fuse tried starting again, blew fuse again, one more time then when auto started smoke came out from under hood. After 3 months of replacing electrical wiring from frying narrowed down to radiator and transmission (fuse that blew) the coolant had backed up and tore up transmission. If it had been on the road there would have been a full blown fire on a highway with possibility of human damages.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Nissan Xterra. The contact stated that the transmission failed and the vehicle jerked. The vehicle was taken to an authorized mechanic who stated that radiator fluid leaked into the transmission, which caused the transmission to fail. The transmission was replaced. The contact also stated that the fuel gauge failed. The contact did not know if the fuel tank was full or empty. The fuel gauge was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 140,000.
Check engine light came. Gas gauge reads empty even after you fill it up completely. Diagnostic code p0463, fuel level sensor. The fuel gauge does not accurately state the amount of fuel in the tank. This issue is known to Nissan and NHTSA. It is a safety issue as you never know how much gas is left in the tank or how many miles you can go. This was previously recalled for certain 2006, 2007 and 2008 xterras. Not sure why it hasn't been for the 2005 model year as it is the same issue.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Nissan Xterra. While driving 15 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact stated that "ECM" was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was repaired by an independent mechanic and the battery and crank shaft positioning sensor were replaced, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 223,000.
Did not pass emissions due to issues with the fuel level sensor circuit high input. Had been having problems with the fuel gauge malfunction. Repaired by Nissan dealership (ECM recall, repaired one week prior for engine stalling out). Appears to be a common problem.
Vehicle turns off while driving and is unable to start. With vehicle in off state there is not control over speed, braking, steering. Nissan is unable to provide an answer to the problem after diagnosis. Code p0335 crankshaft position sensor.
*** ipdm and double catalytic converter failure in 2005 Nissan Xterra *** my 2005 Nissan Xterra engine once shut down as I am driving on a busy street; I had to let the Xterra coast a short distance without power to pull over and stop my SUV to the side of a safer section of the road. I could not immediately restart the car. After waiting about 15 minutes, I was eventually able to restart and drive the SUV. The problem, however never went away. Periodically the engine will shut off without warning. It finally got to the point where the car would not start at all. I had to have the car towed twice, including a tow to a Nissan dealership in santa monica. The incident began in April 2010. In May 2010, the Nissan dealer in santa monica checked the problem and indicated that the ipdm had to be replaced. This was an expensive repair. …
Electrical complaints in other Xterra years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2005 Nissan Xterra?
NHTSA has 39 complaints about the electrical system of the 2005 Nissan Xterra, 5% of the model year's 845 complaints. The component named most often is wiring (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Nissan Xterra electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2005 Nissan Xterra, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2005 Nissan Xterra electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 84,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 3 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.