2011 Nissan Xterra Problems, Recalls & Reliability

27 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2011 Nissan Xterra, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 2/100 on the trouble index — too lightly reported for a fair score.

27Complaints
2/100Trouble index
2Recalls

Few reports

Where 2011 sits among all Xterra years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Airbags 9 complaints (33%)
Engine 6 complaints (22%)
Electrical 4 complaints (15%)
Wheels & tires 2 complaints (7%)
Suspension 1 complaints (4%)
Transmission & drivetrain 1 complaints (4%)

Recalls (2)

AIR BAGS 23V067000 2023

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2008-2011 Titan, Frontier, Xterra, Pathfinder, Armada, and 2008-2009 Quest vehicles. The resin emblem on the driver's air bag cover may develop cracks and detach during air bag deployment.

Fix: Dealers will replace the driver’s airbag cover. Owner letters were mailed December 8, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall are…

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 11V592000 2011

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 INFINITI FX, MODEL YEAR 2012 INFINITI M, MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN FRONTIER, MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN XTERRA, MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN PATHFINDER, AND MODEL YEAR 2012 NISSAN NV VEHICLES. SOME OF THE BOLTS…

Fix: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CONNECTOR BOLTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 30, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

Technical service bulletins

99 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and wheels & tires — are on file for the 2011 Nissan Xterra. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

See the 2011 Xterra TSB list →

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

2011peak 5 in 20232025

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2011 Nissan Xterra reliable?

The 2011 Nissan Xterra drew 27 complaints in federal safety records — too lightly reported for a fair score. Its trouble index is 2/100, scored against the model's worst year (2005).

What are the most common 2011 Nissan Xterra problems?

The top reported problems for the 2011 Nissan Xterra are airbags (9 complaints), engine (6), and electrical (4).

Does the 2011 Nissan Xterra have recalls?

2 recall campaigns apply to the 2011 Nissan Xterra. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.

← 2010 Xterra All Xterra years 2012 Xterra →
Data updated 2026-08-20 from NHTSA's public records

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.