Most common 2011 Nissan Xterra problems
Share of the 24 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 →
2011 Nissan Xterra recalls (2)
Air bags › Frontal
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2008-2011 Titan, Frontier, Xterra, Pathfinder, Armada, and 2008-2009 Quest vehicles. The resin emblem on the driver's air bag cover may develop cracks and detach during air bag deployment.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver's airbag cover. Owner letters were mailed December 8, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall are PC944, PC945, and PC946.
Engine and engine cooling
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2011 Infiniti fx, model year 2012 Infiniti m, model year 2011-2012 Nissan frontier, model year 2011-2012 Nissan xterra, model year 2011-2012 Nissan pathfinder, and model year 2012 Nissan nv vehicles.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the connector bolts free of charge. The safety recall began on January 30, 2012. Owners May contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
What 2011 Nissan Xterra owners say
Air bags
Nissan consumer affairs Case #48955822 Manufacturer Recall NumberPC948 NHTSA Recall Number23E-012 Recall StatusRecall Incomplete, remedy not yet available Summary THE RESIN EMBLEM ON THE DRIVER S AIRBAG MODULE COVER IN AFFECTED VEHICLES MAY HAVE REDUCED DURABILITY DUE TO POTENTIAL SUPPLIER PRODUCTION PROCESS VARIATION. IN THIS CONDITION, OVER TIME THE POSTS OF THE EMBLEM MAY DEVELOP CRACKS, AND THE EMBLEM AND RETAINER COMPONENTS COULD DETACH IN THE EVENT OF AN AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. I attempted to reach a buy back agreement with Nissan consumer affairs and the request was denied with no reason given. I have requested a remedy to this recall with no response. I refuse to drive a vehicle that is deemed too unsafe to sell. I demand Nissan to buy this vehicle back.
The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Xterra. The contact received notification of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 23E012000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that an unknown dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not available for the recall repair. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and offered to buy back the vehicle however, the offer was declined. The contact was provided a case number but no further assistance. VIN tool confirms parts not available
Engine & cooling
The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Xterra. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, an engine oil leak was present. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the oil connector bolt and O-ring seal needed to be replaced. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was not replaced. The contact was aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V592000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
The vehicle was driving just fine, then about a month later the heat gauge started to fluctuate, i replaced the radiator caps, thermostat...it ran good for another month, started to overheat....i made sure water was in radiator and overflow...about a month went by the gauge started to fluctuate again, now there is water in my oil, meaning a cracked head gasket...this is the 2nd vehicle ive purchased that the same thing has hapoened to.
Electrical system
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2011 Nissan Xterra. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle's mileage was approximately 129,000, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was approximately 188,000 in 2022.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Nissan Xterra. While driving approximately 30 MPH, the hands free Bluetooth system failed. When driving at high speeds, the sound quality would be impaired and prevented the contact from using the hands free option. The failure occurred on multiple occasions. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 19,000.
2011 Nissan Xterra engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD | 15 / 20 / 17 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | 4WD | 16 / 20 / 17 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2011 Nissan Xterra a good car?
Based on 24 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2011 Xterra rates better than average: 77% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Xterra at the same age. 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 2011 Nissan Xterra?
The air bags — 9 complaints, 38% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the engine & cooling (6) and electrical system (4).
How many recalls does the 2011 Nissan Xterra have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2011 Nissan Xterra, the most recent from February 10, 2023 (frontal). 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 2011 Nissan Xterra problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 54,000 miles; 47% 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.