2002 Nissan X-Terra XE review from North America

This vehicle has been serviced by the Nissan dealership since new. It has never been wrecked and has never been on a dirt road, or driven in standing water.

I am the only person to drive this vehicle and I drive very easily to try to improve the mpg.

Most recent the engine block has cracked and is leaking coolant externally. I had the piece of crap towed from the shop and I am deciding if I really want to sink more money into this substandard vehicle.

When new, this gas guzzling, sloppy handling piece of junk had issues with the brake master cylinder leaking internally.

A few power windows broke as soon as the warranty was up.

A fuel line had to be replaced as well.

The digital display on the radio has not worked in over a year.

Substandard quality.

Poor mpg even at vary gentle driving city 12, Hwy 16.

Rattles throughout when cold and steering wheel shacks slightly even with new tires and alignment.

Very noisy.

Poor rear and side visibility.

Worthless dealership service department and management that will not stand behind their lousy cars.

I have given this vehicle every possible benefit of the doubt. I know several other people who have had nothing, but trouble out of their Nissans. When I would be at the dealership getting my super expensive oil changes done over the past few years I would see and hear many people coming in and complaining to the service department about various problems that they were having. I almost always looked at the driver and thought, “Well look at her, she probably has a led foot”. And that is why her transmission is going out at 65,000 miles, or that 22 year old with that 4x4 truck is having all those problems because of all the high water and mud that he might drive it through.

My own brother had a Titan truck and his transmission went out two times. Once at 14K and once again at 62K. I just thought that he got a lemon. My neighbor bought a new 2004 Altma and her transmission went bad at 34K.

Don’t get me started on the Quest minivans. I see them in the service department all the time with the dash pulled out to replace something, or the whole bottom of the van taken apart to replace some part that has failed. Behind the dealership I counted 5-Quest vans with service write up papers on top of the dash. I pulled over and got out and read the write ups.

One was a bad crank sensor, one was a bad heater core, one a transmission slippage, and so on. All were newer ones.

Even the service manager thinks that the newer Nissans may be experiencing some “Growing pains” as he called it.

I am done with Nissan. My wife has a car with 142,000 trouble free miles and it is not a Nissan. I have been as fair as possible and I am so frustrated right now. I paid a ton of money for this junker and it was my first new vehicle ever. Now that we have bought a house and two babies, I can’t afford a new vehicle right now and I also can’t afford the $7,000 for the new engine. This piece of junk was suppose to last me at least 10-years. I don't think that is too much to ask out of a new $24,000 modern vehicle.

Look around and open your eyes and ears before you buy a newer Nissan. Drive by the Nissan dealerships and look at all the cars lined up in the back that have been setting there for weeks. You can tell by all the dust on the windshields.

I know that the early 90’s Nissans were good cars for a fact, but anything newer than 1998-1999 is junk it seems.

I called around and the most that I can sell my Xterra for is $2000. I just got the thing paid for last August.