Steering complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Stop and filled it up with gas starter down the road an check engin came on stop and turn it off now tthe motor wont turn the transmission was working perfeict the codes c1163 sent it to ted russell Nissan they tell me its the transmission is bad no pink water in the radiator cost 5000 dollars to fix why cant a bunch of people thats having the problem sue Nissan I was driving down the road
This is in regards to a 2006 Nissan Xterra. The vehicle had a catastrophic failure of the power steering system which resulted in the truck veering off a bridge. There were no obvious issued with the vehicle leading up to the event. The truck had just received its 30,000 mile service and was in great mechanical condition. After leaving our driveway and less than a mile from our house, my wife came to a stop at a small bridge then made a left turn across the bride. While halfway across the bridge, she heard a loud "bang" and then the truck completely lost control of the steering. The truck veered to the right and into the stone wall of the bridge, broke through the wall and landed in a ditch. Thankfully she was not terribly hurt. …
I purchased this vehicle used and found out that the fuel gauge does not work. Even after completely filling the fuel tank up the gauge shows "e", empty. It will, on occasion, show 1/4 tank when the fuel level is low. Due to this my vehicle has run out of gas on several occasions while driving at various speeds in various locations and often I have my child in the car with me. I have had to be pushed out of traffic on busy streets due to the vehicle being out of gas and me not being able to know I am running low on gas. It is very scary and quite dangerous. I have spoken with Nissan on several occasions, as there are recalls on this year vehicle for this same exact issue, but they state to me that my vehicle does not fall into the recall. I am told that the recall is for the same year vehicle but not all models. …
My daughter had just purchased a 2005 Nissan Xterra, the day before her accident. She was traveling on a roadway approaching a curve in the road when the front right tire locked up causing the vehicle to pull slightly right and fail to respond to counter steer. The vehicle left the roadway and went into the grass began to spin sideways and struck a hydrant and flip 2.5 times resting on its roof. I saw where there was several recalls, but when I enter the VIN its had no open recalls on the specific VIN. Although, this same exact problem has occurred in the same models.
While driving in the street, the right control arm of my vehicle broke resulting lost control of the vehicle and crash. There first recall of this part happen sometime in 2010 but I did not receive it. In 2015, I had the accident. Earlier this year, 2017 I receive the email about this part being defective and part of the recall.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Nissan Xterra. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to courtesy Nissan (1777 n central expy, richardson, tx 75080) to be repaired per NHTSA campaign number: 10V554000 (steering). After retrieving the vehicle from the dealer, it was discovered that the steering wheel was loose. The contact stated that the steering wheel was able to turn three inches to the right or left, but the wheels failed to move. The contact also stated that a loud noise was heard coming from the front driver's side tire. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact to take the vehicle to another dealer because courtesy Nissan had lost the vehicle for several days. The approximate failure mileage was 212,000. …
I have replaced my starter 3 times. My brake lights have a short or faulty wiring I'm sure because we have replaced the bulbs several times. I have gotten tickets because of this as a result I have a expired brake tag I cant get a new one because the wiring will cost to much. My uv joint broke while I was driving on the high way. That part they tell me is not a common breaking part. Nissan charges over a thousand dollars to repair that. I'm told my wiring is bad after I replace my starter 2 months ago. They sent me a recall for my column steering and I had it repaired but it still is a slight hassle to change gears. I have received a letter telling me they are buying 2004 Nissan Xterra's but when I called the sales man says it's nothing wrong with the Xterra's that's just a sales stunt. I think its a bunch of bull Nissan knows they didn't do a good job with these 2004"s.
Fuel pump power steering abs O2 sensors yes it's available for inspection upon requests car shut off while driving at 70 miles an hour on a highway due to fuel pump because my VIN number is not with all the other 2003 Nissan xterra's that have recalls on all of the same problems I have just for some reason my car has zero recalls which is ridiculous and not believable so yes my life was put at risk I took it to an independent service my mechanic because I can't take it to a dealer because all the parts that are broken and that need replacement that have been recalled on every other 2003 does not apply to my VIN so I've had to pay for labor and parts and the headache that I could have had this all replaced and fixed due to the recall and I would have taken it to the dealership immediately after purchasing the car in 2019 and since the previous owner didn't have any recalls why would he …
Related recalls (1)
Steering › Column
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2002-2004 frontier vehicles manufactured from July 9, 2001 through October 20, 2004, and model year 2002-2004, xterra vehicles manufactured from July 9, 2001, through January 6, 2005. Over time corrosion May form in the lower steering column joint and limit movement of the joint.
Remedy: The steering column shaft and joint will be replaced with a shaft of a different design. This service will be performed free of charge. The recall began on December 13, 2010. Owners May contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Frequently asked questions
Which Nissan Xterra years have steering problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2002 (22), 2006 (22), 2004 (20), 2003 (12) and 2005 (10) model years. Steering complaints make up 14% of all complaints for the 2002.
Is there a recall for Nissan Xterra steering problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 10V-554 (column, Nov 11, 2010). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Nissan Xterra steering problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 88,000 miles; 25% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the column (8 mentions), followed by the hydraulic power assist system (5).
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.