2004 Nissan Xterra Problems, Recalls & Reliability
110 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2004 Nissan Xterra, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 14/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Steering leads the reports, typically around 83,000 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2004 Nissan Xterra has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2004 sits among all Xterra years
What owners report
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 82 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 77,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 33,000 and 130,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
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 HOPKINS AFTERMARKET TRAILER BRAKE CONTROL CONNECTION HARNESSES SOLD FOR USE ON CERTAIN MODELS OF NISSAN VEHICLES WHICH ARE LISTED ABOVE. THE INTERNAL PART NUMBERS WITHIN HOPKINS ARE: 1010476025, 1040376025, 1110476025, 1170376025, 1290376025,…
Fix: HOPKINS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE ORIGINAL HARNESS WITH A REVISED HARNESS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN AUGUST 17, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT HOPKINS AT 800-835-0129.
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE ACCESSORY TOW HITCH ATTACHMENT BOLTS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED TO THE PROPER SPECIFICATION.
Fix: DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE TOW HITCH. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 3, 2005. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
Technical service bulletins
48 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and visibility & wipers — are on file for the 2004 Nissan Xterra. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2004 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 2004 Nissan Xterra reliable?
The 2004 Nissan Xterra drew 110 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 14/100, scored against the model's worst year (2005).
What are the most common 2004 Nissan Xterra problems?
The top reported problems for the 2004 Nissan Xterra are steering (21 complaints), engine (14), and electrical (12).
At what mileage do 2004 Nissan Xterra problems show up?
Owners most often report 2004 Nissan Xterra problems around 77,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 33,000 and 130,000 miles.
Does the 2004 Nissan Xterra have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2004 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.