2002 Nissan Xterra Problems, Recalls & Reliability
214 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2002 Nissan Xterra, alongside 6 recall campaigns and 3 defect investigations. It scores 35/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 87,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2002 sits among all Xterra years
What owners report
“Twice while driving vehicle, the engine cut off without warning. I was able to restart vehicle by putting it in neutral both time. Happened fairly close to each other when it stalled. Lost all control.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 Xterra
“The brake pedal went all the way down to the floor. Please fill in additional information. Dealer is aware of the problem. Ph”— owner report to NHTSA, 2002 Xterra
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 125 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 85,607 miles. Half of those reports fall between 40,000 and 147,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (6)
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…
Fix: 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…
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE…
Fix: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH SIX CYLINDER ENGINES AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FOUR OR SIX CYLINDER ENGINES, THE FUEL PUMP TERMINAL ON THE FUEL-SENDING UNIT CAN DEVELOP A CRACK IN THE PLASTIC MOLDING. THIS CAN CAUSE THE TERMINAL STRIP…
Fix: IN THE FOLLOWING STATES, DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL-SENDING UNIT. THESE STATES ARE CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA,…
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR FOR THE DRIVER AIR BAG MAY COME LOOSE. IF THE CONNECTOR COMES LOOSE, THE SUPPLEMENTAL AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT FLASHES INTERMITTENTLY.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RETAINING CLIP ON THE CLOCK SPRING ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 21, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON…
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, WATER MAY ENTER THE REAR AXLE HOUSING DUE TO INADEQUATE SEALING OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS) SENSOR.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR AXLE FOR WATER INTRUSION AND ANY AFFECTED COMPONENTS WILL BE REPLACED. THE ABS SENSOR WILL BE RESEALED TO PREVENT WATER INTRUSION. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN DECEMBER…
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A SUPERCHARGER, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, SUCH AS FULL THROTTLE IN LOW GEAR WHEN THE ENGINE IS NOT FULLY WARMED UP AND AT COLD AMBIENT TEMPERATURE, THE AMOUNT OF INTAKE AIR FLOW THROUGH THE AIR…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JANUARY 15, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 03V061000.
Technical service bulletins
74 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and visibility & wipers — are on file for the 2002 Nissan Xterra. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2002 Xterra TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2002 Nissan Xterra reliable?
The 2002 Nissan Xterra drew 214 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 35/100, scored against the model's worst year (2005).
What are the most common 2002 Nissan Xterra problems?
The top reported problems for the 2002 Nissan Xterra are engine (33 complaints), brakes & stability (27), and other (24).
At what mileage do 2002 Nissan Xterra problems show up?
Owners most often report 2002 Nissan Xterra problems around 85,607 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 40,000 and 147,000 miles.
Does the 2002 Nissan Xterra have recalls?
6 recall campaigns apply to the 2002 Nissan Xterra. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.