2009 Nissan Xterra Transmission and drivetrain Problems
- Complaints
- 6about this part
- Share
- 32%of 19 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 101,300miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 6 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 2009 Nissan Xterra, 32% of the 19 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 101,300 miles.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I purchased this 1 owner trade in 4/11/19. As of 5/9/19 I started to experience pronounced issues with losing power around 40 MPH . Diagnostics confirmed that it was due to a leak in the cooling coil which resulted in coolant in my transmission fluid which damage the transmission. I have filed a claim under the class action required extended warranty. As I was unaware of this issue and didn't know what was happening and honestly afraid to find out since I still owe 5000 dollars on the car I put off getting the diagnostics. …”
NHTSA complaint #11219416, filed 2019-06, 98,600 miles“Premature clutch failure in 2nd generation Nissan Xterra. Clutch burnt out at under 5000 miles without warning while driving in snow in 4wd lo. I have 20 years manual driving experience, and have never burned out a clutch. Dealership refused to pay for it because it is a wear item. Many others have had same problem - some with transmission disengaging without any notice which could be very dangerous on a highway. Many have described clutch as exploded or totally shredded when taken apart. …”
NHTSA complaint #10324759, filed 2010-04, 4,950 miles“Purchased this vehicle for my wife, while she was driving down the freeway in rush-hour in august in phoenix, the vehicle started smoking and lost all power to the transmission, I noticed the transmission cooler had failed and sprayed fluid all over the engine,-this all happened with zero warning and no service indicator lights were activated. I towed the vehicle to my house and inspected further, called the dealership and they said at 120k I no longer qualify for a warranty covered repair even though the service department is very much aware of this problem. …”
NHTSA complaint #10896965, filed 2016-08Related service bulletins
- 10192821May 10, 2016SERVICE INFORMATION Replacement 5-speed rear wheel drive Automatic Transmission (A/T) assemblies and replacement control valves (valve bodies) now come with blank Transmission…
- 10192615Aug 6, 2015SERVICE INFORMATION The information in this bulletin is provided to help ensure correct diagnosis and repair of fluid leaks. All fluid leaks, when properly diagnosed, should be…
- 10192524Feb 6, 2015SERVICE INFORMATION When diagnosing possible power steering gear (rack and pinion steering rack, or steering rack) leak issues, it may appear the steering rack is leaking when…
- 10192474Nov 20, 2014SERVICE INFORMATION If a customer describes lack of power or poor acceleration, perform the following checks before attempting any repair: * Check for stored DTCs. * Check if the…
- 10192051Oct 12, 2012Nissan has decided in the interest of customer satisfaction, to further extend the warranty for the Radiator Assembly on all 2005-10 Frontier, Pathfinder, and Xterra vehicles…
- 10043950Apr 10, 2012Nissan: ecm replacement procedures with consult iii plus. Applies to all 2004 and later (does not apply to leaf/ev) vehicles.
Transmission and drivetrain: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 6 | 60% |
| 2014 | 1 | 10% |
| 2012 | 6 | 38% |
| 2011 | 1 | 4% |
| 2010 | 11 | 29% |
| 2009 | 6 | 32% |
| 2008 | 47 | 40% |
| 2007 | 231 | 41% |
| 2006 | 268 | 34% |
| 2005 | 412 | 49% |
| 2004 | 6 | 7% |
| 2003 | 2 | 3% |
| 2002 | 6 | 4% |
| 2001 | 6 | 4% |
| 2000 | 22 | 10% |
Other parts of the 2009 Nissan Xterra
6 complaintsElectrical system
3 complaintsEngine
3 complaintsBrakes
2 complaintsBody and structure
2 complaintsElectronic stability control
1 complaintsEngine cooling
1 complaintsSuspension
1 complaintsVehicle speed control
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2009 Nissan Xterra
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology