Total Complaints
7 filings
NISSAN XTERRA · model year
7 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2013NISSANXTERRA carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall Not Rated/5 rating, with Not Rated/5 front crash, Not Rated/5 side crash, and 3/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2013 XTERRA is engine with 2 filings, followed by power train (1) and fuel/propulsion system (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 54 investigation files overlapping the 2013 XTERRA, and 5 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
7 filings
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
THIS VEHICLE WAS NEVER HEAVILY LOADED AND WAS ALWAYS DRIVEN ON PAVED ROADS. THE BOTTOM LEAF IN EACH OF THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS BROKE WITHIN ONE YEAR OF ONE ANOTHER. THE FIRST TIME I NOTICED THE BROKEN LEAF AND HAD IT REPAIRED BEFORE THE BROKEN PIECE OF LEAF COULD COME OUT OF THE ASSEMBLY. THE SECOND TIME THE BROKEN PIECE OF LEAF CAME OUT OF THE ASSEMBLY WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELLING STRAIGHT ON A PAVED CITY STREET. THE BROKEN PIECE MUST HAVE HIT THE TIRE BECAUSE IT FLEW UP AND STRUCK THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE. THIS COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A TIRE TO BLOW OUT, HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE, OR HIT A PEDESTRIAN. THE BROKEN PIECE OF LEAF WAS 13.5 INCHES LONG AND WEIGHED ABOUT 2.5 POUNDS - CERTAINLY DANGEROUS IF IT HIT A PEDESTRIAN. THE PICTURE SHOWS THE LEAF ASSEMBLY WITH THE BROKEN PIECE OF THE BOTTOM (I.E., THIRD) LEAF RE-INSERTED AND SLIGHTLY ROTATED TOWARD THE TIRE AS IT MAY HAVE APPEARED BEFORE THE PIECE CAME OUT OF THE LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY.
Mileage: 150,000
VERY SOFT BRAKE PEDAL OBSERVED PROGRESSIVELY GETTING WORSE OVER PERIOD OF ABOUT 15K / 1 MONTH TRIGGERING INCREASED BRAKING DISTANCE ESPECIALLY DURING WET CONDITIONS AND AT HIGHER SPEEDS OCCASIONALLY PEDAL GOES ALMOST TO THE FLOOR PRIOR TO VEHICLE COMING TO COMPLETE STOP. HOT PADS/ROTORS OBSERVED DURING EVEN COLD AND OR WET CONDITIONS ABOVE NORMAL UNTIL AT HIGHWAY SPEED BRAKES OVERHEATED TRIGGERING CALIPERS TO CEASE UP AT A STOP AT APPROX. 90K (3+ WEEKS AFTER ORIGINAL OBSERVATION OF OCCASIONAL SOFT PEDAL) AT LOW SPEEDS PEDAL APPEARED TO BE SLIGHTLY SOFT, HOWEVER AT HIGHER SPEEDS ABOVE 35-40 UPWARDS OF 60-65 THE ISSUE BECAME VERY NOTICEABLE ESPECIALLY DURING HEAVY RAIN OR WET ROAD CONDITIONS OR IF VEHICLE SAT FOR MORE THAN A FEW HOURS. ISSUE WITH SOFT PEDAL STARTED AROUND 75K AND CONTINUED UNTIL ABOUT 90K UNTIL CALIPERS CEASED ON ROTORS AS NOTED. HAD I NOT EXITED AND CAME TO A STOP VEHICLE COULD HAVE LOCKED UP ALL 4 WHEELS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY. SHOP DIAGN
Mileage: 90,000
WHILE TRAVELING ON A FREEWAY, DISENGAGED SPEED CONTROL USING BRAKE, BUT DID NOT ORIGINALLY TURN IT OFF TO BE ABLE TO MANEUVER BETTER IN TRAFFIC NEAR A CITY. VEHICLE ORIGINALLY SLOWED DOWN, BUT AFTER RELEASING BRAKE IN 3 SECONDS, CAR SPED UP ON ITS OWN WITH AN ACCELERATION PROFILE GREATER THAN THE ONE WHEN YOU ARE SETTING THE SPEED. TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO GET IT TO QUIT WITH THIS BEHAVIOR AND FINALLY HIT THE CANCEL AND OFF BUTTON ON THE STEERING WHEEL. ALL CRUISE CONTROL LIGHTS ON THE DASH WERE OFF AND NO CHECK ENGINE WARNINGS WERE ON. THIS DID NOT HELP THE SITUATION. WHEN BRAKE WAS ON, VEHICLE QUIT ACCELERATION, SO WITH BRAKE ON, PULLED ON TO SHOULDER AND PLACED VEHICLE IN PARK AND IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE ENGINE OFF WITH KEY IN FULL OFF POSITION. WAITED 20 SECONDS AND RESTARTED CAR AND MADE WAY BACK TO FREEWAY. DID NOT USE SPEED CONTROL ANYMORE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP. AT THE TIME THE ODOMETER WAS SHOWING ABOUT 19150 ACTUAL MILES. MADE APPT WITH NISSAN DEALER AND TOOK IT IN. ON WAY
Mileage: 19,150
WHILE TRAVELING ON A FREEWAY, DISENGAGED SPEED CONTROL USING BRAKE, BUT DID NOT ORIGINALLY TURN IT OFF TO BE ABLE TO MANEUVER BETTER IN TRAFFIC NEAR A CITY. VEHICLE ORIGINALLY SLOWED DOWN, BUT AFTER RELEASING BRAKE IN 3 SECONDS, CAR SPED UP ON ITS OWN WITH AN ACCELERATION PROFILE GREATER THAN THE ONE WHEN YOU ARE SETTING THE SPEED. TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO GET IT TO QUIT WITH THIS BEHAVIOR AND FINALLY HIT THE CANCEL AND OFF BUTTON ON THE STEERING WHEEL. ALL CRUISE CONTROL LIGHTS ON THE DASH WERE OFF AND NO CHECK ENGINE WARNINGS WERE ON. THIS DID NOT HELP THE SITUATION. WHEN BRAKE WAS ON, VEHICLE QUIT ACCELERATION, SO WITH BRAKE ON, PULLED ON TO SHOULDER AND PLACED VEHICLE IN PARK AND IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE ENGINE OFF WITH KEY IN FULL OFF POSITION. WAITED 20 SECONDS AND RESTARTED CAR AND MADE WAY BACK TO FREEWAY. DID NOT USE SPEED CONTROL ANYMORE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP. AT THE TIME THE ODOMETER WAS SHOWING ABOUT 19150 ACTUAL MILES. MADE APPT WITH NISSAN DEALER AND TOOK IT IN. ON WAY
Mileage: 19,150
WHILE TRAVELING ON A FREEWAY, DISENGAGED SPEED CONTROL USING BRAKE, BUT DID NOT ORIGINALLY TURN IT OFF TO BE ABLE TO MANEUVER BETTER IN TRAFFIC NEAR A CITY. VEHICLE ORIGINALLY SLOWED DOWN, BUT AFTER RELEASING BRAKE IN 3 SECONDS, CAR SPED UP ON ITS OWN WITH AN ACCELERATION PROFILE GREATER THAN THE ONE WHEN YOU ARE SETTING THE SPEED. TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO GET IT TO QUIT WITH THIS BEHAVIOR AND FINALLY HIT THE CANCEL AND OFF BUTTON ON THE STEERING WHEEL. ALL CRUISE CONTROL LIGHTS ON THE DASH WERE OFF AND NO CHECK ENGINE WARNINGS WERE ON. THIS DID NOT HELP THE SITUATION. WHEN BRAKE WAS ON, VEHICLE QUIT ACCELERATION, SO WITH BRAKE ON, PULLED ON TO SHOULDER AND PLACED VEHICLE IN PARK AND IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE ENGINE OFF WITH KEY IN FULL OFF POSITION. WAITED 20 SECONDS AND RESTARTED CAR AND MADE WAY BACK TO FREEWAY. DID NOT USE SPEED CONTROL ANYMORE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TRIP. AT THE TIME THE ODOMETER WAS SHOWING ABOUT 19150 ACTUAL MILES. MADE APPT WITH NISSAN DEALER AND TOOK IT IN. ON WAY
Mileage: 19,150
MY 2013 NISSAN XTERRA PRO4X ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN WITH ME STANDING NEXT TO IT. IT IS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ON. IT REVERSED RAPIDLY AND CAUGHT ME UNDER IT. I SUFFERED PERMANENT NERVE DAMAGE IN MY ARM AND EXTREME SCARING ON BOTH LEGS. AFTER IT RAN ME OVER, IT CRASHED INTO MY GARAGE. NISSAN REFUSED TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT HAPPENED AND NOW I AM STUCK WITH A VEHICLE THAT I AM AFRAID OF. *TR
Mileage: 10,284
MY 2013 NISSAN XTERRA PRO4X ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN WITH ME STANDING NEXT TO IT. IT IS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ON. IT REVERSED RAPIDLY AND CAUGHT ME UNDER IT. I SUFFERED PERMANENT NERVE DAMAGE IN MY ARM AND EXTREME SCARING ON BOTH LEGS. AFTER IT RAN ME OVER, IT CRASHED INTO MY GARAGE. NISSAN REFUSED TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHAT HAPPENED AND NOW I AM STUCK WITH A VEHICLE THAT I AM AFRAID OF. *TR
Mileage: 10,284
Driver Airbag Inflator Rupture
Inner Tie Rod Failures
Side curtain air bags may deploy inadvertently
Reduced Power After Engine Stall
Loss of motive power due to broken crankshaft with no ability to restart.
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.