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Nissan XterraModel year report

2000 Nissan Xterra Problems

Complaints
214filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
72,000miles, 126 complaints with mileage
Recalls
3campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
16 mpgcombined, 3.3L 6-cyl RWD · 14 city / 18 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2000 Nissan Xterra (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about the engine cutting out while driving, which complaints usually trace to the fuel sending unit and fuel pump. The reports span a wide mileage range, from under 40,000 up to well over 100,000, so these are not only high-mileage vehicles. Secondary themes are cracked exhaust manifolds, a shift lever that will not come out of park, and cracked alloy wheels.

  1. Fuel system

    Engine cuts out / stalls (fuel sending unit and pump)

    • 62 complaints (29%)
    • median 69,568 mi at 3.6 yrs old (48 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $600 (median of 8 quotes)
    • filed 2001–2024

    Complaints describe the engine losing power and shutting off without warning, at highway speed or idling at a light, and sometimes not restarting. Several owners say the cause was the fuel sending unit or fuel pump, and some note the part was on national back order, leaving the vehicle out of service for weeks. A few mention the vehicle stalling again even after the pump or sending unit was replaced, including after recall work was performed. Reported from roughly 38,000 to over 140,000 miles, with many under 90,000 miles and at highway speeds or at idle.

    Recall 04V230000

    What to check: Ask whether the fuel pump and sending unit have been replaced and whether recall 04V230000 was performed. Have a shop check the fuel pump terminal and sending unit wiring for corrosion.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “While driving on a major highway in the fast lane, at 65 MPH, all my dash lights came on and my speedometer started to drop from 60-50-40 down to 0. Luckily, it was around 10:30 p.m and there were not many cars on the road and I was able to get over to the right shoulder safely. I had my vehicle towed to my reliable mechanic, where he identified the problem as being the fuel pump (part # 25060-4s415, which is on national backorder due to so many problems). …”

    NHTSA complaint #10013540, filed 2003-03, 39,000 miles

    “My 2000 Nissan Xterra completely failed on me while driving 50 MPH on a busy highway. The radio shut off, lights and then the engine cut off and I completely lost all power. I managed to pull off to the side of the road and was towed by triple a to the Nissan dealer. They put a new battery in and after I repeatedly told them it was more than a battery they did a diagnostic test and insisted there was nothing else wrong. I told the mechanic I would break down again. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10056790, filed 2004-02, 58,000 miles
  2. Wheels

    Cracked alloy wheels

    • 11 complaints (5%)
    • median 81,475 mi at 5.2 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2000–2015

    Owners report cracks appearing in the alloy wheel spokes, sometimes noticed while washing the vehicle or when having tires serviced. Complaints mention that a dealer replaced a wheel free of charge in one case, while others were told their vehicle was outside the recall or that the rims were not a safety matter. A separate complaint describes broken wheel studs during tire or brake work. Reported from about 28,000 miles up to 200,000 miles, including several under 60,000 miles.

    Recall 03V307000

    What to check: Inspect the inside and outside of each alloy wheel for cracks or hairline fissures, and ask whether recall 03V307000 applies to the vehicle's build date.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Alloy wheels on 2000 Nissan Xterra se models are cracking.I noticed two 1 cracks in one of my wheels while washing the vehicle. A local dealership reluctantly replaced the wheel free of charge. Since I found the crack in my wheel I have come across several people with cracking wheels on the identical model and year.”

    NHTSA complaint #10031137, filed 2003-08, 28,500 miles

    “3 times in the past year when purchasing tires or brakes wheel studs have broken off. The tire shop told me this has been a big problem with Nissan xterras. I was charged $25 for each wheel stud and lug nut. It is getting expensive. Since I have to enter an incident date I entered the last occurance.”

    NHTSA complaint #10209682, filed 2007-11, 82,000 miles
  3. Engine cooling

    Cracked exhaust manifold

    • 15 complaints (7%)
    • median 76,000 mi at 5.1 yrs old (11 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2002–2006

    Owners describe a cracked exhaust manifold, sometimes found during routine service or after noticing a rattle or exhaust smell in the cabin. Complaints mention one side replaced and the other side cracking later, and some say the engine ran rough at idle even after the manifold was replaced. A dealer reportedly replaced the manifold in one case without resolving a rough idle. Reported from about 45,000 to 100,000 miles, several in the 40,000 to 70,000 mile range.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Listen for a ticking or rattling exhaust note on a cold start and check for exhaust smell in the cabin. Ask whether either exhaust manifold has been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I have about 70,000 miles on my 2000 Nissan Xterra. I had to replace the passenger side exhaust manifold around 40k miles due to a crack. I am now experiencing a crack of the driver exhaust manifold. This problem has me concerned because of the defects involved. I think that the exhaust fumes may enter the passenger area of the car through the firewall.”

    NHTSA complaint #10121227, filed 2005-05, 40,000 miles

    “Truck was found to have cracked exhaust manifold, I notice other ones have been reported, also truck runs very rough at idle almost stalling out, I have spent a lot on this problem, Nissan can not solve problem, they replace manifold but truck still runs rough after a week of them fixing it.”

    NHTSA complaint #10106290, filed 2005-01, 170,000 miles
  4. Transmission and drivetrain

    Shift lever stuck, gear indicator mismatch

    • 16 complaints (7%)
    • median 72,000 mi at 5.9 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2000–2010

    Complaints describe the automatic transmission shift lever becoming stuck and not moving out of park, or the lever moving but the transmission not engaging the selected gear. Owners also report the shift indicator showing a different gear than the one actually engaged, and in some cases the transmission later failing to shift or dropping out of gear. Mostly reported between about 70,000 and 150,000 miles, on automatic-transmission vehicles.

    Recall 00V288000

    What to check: Check that the lever shifts cleanly through all positions and that the PRNDL indicator matches the gear engaged. Ask whether the shift cable lock plate in recall 00V288000 was inspected or replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I own a 2000 Nissan Xterra with an automatic transmission. On aug 19, while on a trip, the transmission shift lever became stuck and the lever would not move. After consulting the manual for a procedure to disengage the shift lock mechanism, I discovered that the shift lever would move freely without engaging the transmission. After additional time, I was able to engage the transmission into d , but the shift indicator displays n . I was able to complete the trip, and return home. Upon returning, this sequence of events recurred. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10135082, filed 2005-09, 90,000 miles

    “The contact stated while parked, the vehicle suddenly accelerated without warning. The vehicle stopped after the brake pedal was depressed five times. The service dealer was not able to find the problem. There was a NHTSA recall, # 00v288000, regarding the power train: automatic transmission. The owner did not receive any notification about this recall. Updated 12/28/06.”

    NHTSA complaint #10175168, filed 2006-12, 81,000 miles

Buying note. A pre-purchase inspection should focus on the fuel pump and sending unit, both exhaust manifolds, and the alloy wheels, and the seller should be asked which of the three related recalls have been completed. Instrument cluster gauges are worth watching during a warm test drive.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 214 consumer complaints for the 2000 Nissan Xterra. 126 of the complaints include a mileage, and 17% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 72,000 miles. Of all complaints, 25 involved a crash, 4 a fire, 26 an injury, 1 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 34 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Body and structure (7), Steering (6), Tires (6), Seat belts (5), Equipment (4), Other or unknown (4), Exterior lighting (3), Engine (2).

Example complaints

Fuel system: “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. …”

NHTSA complaint #11349705, filed 2020-08, 160,000 miles

Engine cooling: “3 time problem with the high pressure line in my 2000 Nissan Xterra. Got a copy of the Nissan 5 year repair history for the vehicle, and found out that at 22,3?? The line had to be replaced. It has now failed a third time and because it is out of warranty Nissan said they will not fix it for me. Clearly this is a faulty part to begin with and I should not have to be charged for its third failure.”

NHTSA complaint #10062444, filed 2004-03, 65,000 miles

Electrical system: “On saturday I smelled a burning smell while driving on the highway but it went away quickly and I couldn't find any source in the vehicle, so I assumed I just drove past something that smelled badly. On sunday the smell returned, stronger. I stopped and shut the engine off, and smoke began pouring out from under the left side of the dash as I ran to disconnect the battery. …”

NHTSA complaint #10863885, filed 2016-05, 146,190 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “Continuing poor clutch operation. Pedal often binds; had to release pedal fully to get cruise control to operate; pedal is nearly to the floor at first start on cold morning. Just spent $1200 to repair clutch. Dealer claims binding clutch is no problem. I have spoken to other 2000 Xterra owners that have had the same problem earlier in their ownership and had the pedal replaced under warranty...my thought is the binding clutch is causing other problems...”

NHTSA complaint #10110009, filed 2005-02, 85,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

17% of the 126 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 52,000 and 102,000 miles.

2%0–102%10–2513%25–5038%50–7520%75–10017%100–1509%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (126 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 72,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’0161’04’07’10’13’19’24
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2000 Nissan Xterra. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Xterra · sedan not rated4 / 4———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2000 Nissan Xterra version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Xterra 2WD2.4L 4-cyl5-speed manual172219$3,550
Xterra V6 2WD3.3L 6-cyl4-speed automatic141816$4,200
Xterra V6 2WD3.3L 6-cyl5-speed manual151816$4,200
Xterra V6 4WD3.3L 6-cyl4-speed automatic141715$4,450
Xterra V6 4WD3.3L 6-cyl5-speed manual151715$4,450

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2000 Nissan Xterra → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 34 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 34 bulletins →

Other model years of the Nissan Xterra

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20151066,0000—18—Not enough data
20141068,0900—18—Not enough data
2012164,2912—18—Rising
20112454,0002—18—Rising
20103881,9004—18Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years)Falling
20091966,5503—18—Falling
200811995,0006—17Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years)Stable
200755789,4681—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200678081,4603—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200584588,6843—17Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20048459,0002—17Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20037272,7003—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200215780,0005—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200115065,0003—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200021472,0003—16Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Nissan Xterra model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2000 Nissan Xterra?

Owners of this model year most often write about the engine cutting out while driving, which complaints usually trace to the fuel sending unit and fuel pump. The issues reported most often: Engine cuts out / stalls (fuel sending unit and pump); Cracked alloy wheels; Cracked exhaust manifold.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2000 Nissan Xterra have?

NHTSA recorded 214 consumer complaints for the 2000 Nissan Xterra as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2000 Nissan Xterra is reported most often?

Fuel system is named most often, in 66 complaints (31% of the total), followed by engine cooling with 33.

Has the 2000 Nissan Xterra been recalled?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2000 Nissan Xterra get?

The EPA rates the 2000 Nissan Xterra (Xterra V6 2WD, 3.3L 6-cyl) at 16 mpg combined, 14 city and 18 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,200 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2000 Nissan Xterra reported?

Among the 126 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 72,000 miles and the middle half falls between 52,000 and 102,000 miles; 17% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.