The 2002 Nissan Xterra has no open NHTSA recalls. Owners report 8 recurring issue clusters, led by “Steering column recall 10V554000 and steering seizure.” Nissan owner's manuals split service into Schedule 1 (severe) and Schedule 2 (normal). Most US drivers fall under Schedule 1. The biggest preventable failure on Nissan vehicles is CVT transmission damage from extended fluid intervals — owners of Altima, Rogue, Sentra, Pathfinder, and Murano with CVT should not skip it.
No open recalls on file. NHTSA lists no unrepaired safety recalls for this year, make and model. A recall can be issued at any time, and a specific car can still have one open — check yours by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2002 Nissan Xterra.
STEERING
7 NHTSA complaints · 2011-01 → 2018-02
“THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING”
“THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER HAVING RECALL REPAIRS PERFORMED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V554000 (STEERING:COLUMN), THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER”
“THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME RESISTANT TO MOVEMENT”
VISIBILITY
6 NHTSA complaints · 2003-12 → 2011-02
“THE WINDOWS ON THE FRONT AND BACK ON THE DRIVER SIDE GO DOWN AND WILL NOT GO UP”
“ALL OF THE WINDOW REGULATORS ON MY 2002 NISSAN XTERRA DO NOT WORK,CAUSING THE WINDOWS TO NEVER BE USED FOR FEAR OF THEM BEING STUCK IN THE DOWN POSITION”
“ONE BY ONE MY 2002 NISSAN XTERRA WINDOW REGULATORS HAVE ALL FAILED”
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
6 NHTSA complaints · 2003-06 → 2011-07
“FRONT DISK BRAKES OVERHEATED AND BECAME WARPED”
“FRONT CALIPERS SEIZED SIMULTANEOUSLY ON MY 2002 X-TERRA 4X4”
“ON 09/10/03, WHILE DRIVING AT A SLOW RATE OF SPEED MY VEHICLE EXPERIENCED TOTAL BRAKING FAILURE WITH LOSS OF ALL PRESSURE IN THE BRAKE PEDAL”
STEERING
8 NHTSA complaints · 2002-09 → 2004-06
“CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE STEERING WHEEL WILL PULL TO THE RIGHT AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE”
“CAR PULLS TO THE RIGHT SINCE I BOUGHT IT”
“WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT”
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
8 NHTSA complaints · 2004-05 → 2017-06
“MY CAR WAS RECALLED FOR A PROBLEM CONNECTED TO THE FUEL SENDING UNIT IN 2006. IT HAS NOW BEEN BACK IN FOR REPAIR FOR THE FUEL SENDING UNIT OVER 14 TIMES IN THE PAST 4 YEARS”
“THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS THE FUEL SENDING HARNESS WHICH SHORTED AND CAUSED THE PLASTIC FUEL LINE TO MELT AND STARTED A SMALL FIRE”
“2002 XTERRA DIED WHILE DRIVING. FUEL SENDER CORRODED AT THE PUMP AND HAD TO BE REPLACED”
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
11 NHTSA complaints · 2001-12 → 2018-02
“WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE WILL STALL IN TRAFFIC. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM”
“MY 2002 XTERRA ENGINE STALLS WHEN AT IDLE SPEED, IT STARTS BACK BUT WILL STALL ALMOST EVERYTIME I STOP AT A LIGHT,STOP SIGN OR IN TRAFFIC”
“TWICE WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE, THE ENGINE CUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING”
AIR BAGS
9 NHTSA complaints · 2002-03 → 2021-03
“VEHICLE WAS WRECKED ON A DIRT ROAD. THE VEHICLE ROLLED FOUR TIMES AND WAS TOTALED; THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY”
“WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, ANOTHER DRIVER CRASHED INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE FRONT DRIVER'S AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY”
“WHILE DRIVING 35-40MPH VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AND PUSHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND NEITHER DRIVER SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED”
AIR BAGS
8 NHTSA complaints · 2001-12 → 2014-11
“THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATED”
“THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT BEGAN BLINKING ON MY 2002 NISSAN XTERRA. I FOUND THAT THE CAR HAD A RECALL”
“AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT STARTED TO BLINK DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS”
Issues on other model years
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 20, 2026.
We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.
Critical for safety and preventing major damage
Replace synthetic-blend or full-synthetic oil every 5,000 miles under Schedule 1. Schedule 2: 7,500 miles. VR30DDTT (3.0L twin-turbo): full synthetic only.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$120–$160
Shop
~$85–$115
DIY
~$25–$55
Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.
Rotate tires every 5,000 miles. Front-wheel-drive Nissans (Altima, Sentra, Versa) wear front tires fast — don't skip rotations.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.
Nissan officially calls CVT fluid 'lifetime,' but independent technicians and Nissan TSBs recommend replacement every 60,000 miles to prevent CVT failure. Use Nissan NS-3 fluid only — substitutes destroy the belt-and-pulley system.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$360–$500
Shop
~$255–$355
DIY
~$80–$180
CVT fluid is manufacturer-specific and pricey — do NOT substitute conventional ATF.
Inspect brake pads, rotors, and parking brake every 7,500 miles. Rogue and Pathfinder front pads typically last 35,000-50,000 miles.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.
Replace DOT 3 brake fluid every 30,000 miles or 2 years. Dark or amber fluid indicates moisture contamination.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$180–$200
Shop
~$125–$140
DIY
~$10–$25
DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.
Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently
Replace engine air filter every 30,000 miles, sooner if driving on dusty unpaved roads.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.
Iridium-tipped spark plugs are rated 105,000 miles on QR25, MR20, and VQ35 engines. VR30DDTT: 60,000 miles due to higher cylinder pressures.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$390
Shop
~$200–$275
DIY
~$25–$100
Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.
Nissan Long-Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue/green): first change at 105,000 miles, then every 75,000. Do not mix with other coolant chemistries.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$330
Shop
~$200–$235
DIY
~$25–$60
Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.
On AWD and 4WD models, replace transfer case fluid and rear differential fluid every 60,000 miles.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$105–$140
Shop
~$75–$100
DIY
~$15–$40
AWD/4WD vehicles only. Easy drain-and-fill on most platforms.
Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort
Replace cabin air filter every 15,000 miles. Located behind the glove box on Altima, Rogue, and Sentra.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.
Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)
153 crashes 1990–2024
How the 153 occupant deaths break down
121
driver deaths
32
passenger deaths
153
occupant deaths
Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 2002 crashes. Older models have had more years on the road to appear in these crashes, so a higher count here does not by itself mean a vehicle is less safe.
FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number
FARS 2024 data is an annual report file. NHTSA revises these records when the final file is published, so this count can change.
Every vehicle has exactly one driver seat, so driver deaths line up fairly when you compare one model to another. Occupant deaths include passengers, so a three row SUV can show a higher number than a two seat car simply because it carries more people.
Both figures are plain counts, not rates. A rate would need to know how many of each vehicle are on the road, and that registration data is not public, so we do not publish rates or scores of any kind.
IIHS publishes driver death rates using this same driver only idea, paired with a registered vehicle years denominator we do not have. Their rates and these counts answer different questions, so do not read either number here as a safety rating.
Owner-reported problem signals
Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.
22
complaints mentioning a crash
7
complaints mentioning a fire
Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.
How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.
This maintenance schedule for the 2002 Nissan Xterra reflects Nissan's published service intervals and the Maintenance Reminder system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.