2009 Nissan Xterra recalls and problems

The 2009 Nissan Xterra has 3 safety recalls and 19 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Nissan dealer.

Recalls
3
Complaints
19
Crashes / fires
0 / 0
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2009 Nissan Xterra vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2009 Nissan Xterra recalls

Recall 23V-067: Air Bags

Reported Feb 10, 2023 · 404,690 vehicles affected · Nissan North America, Inc.

Problem: 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.

Risk: A detached emblem can become a projectile during air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury to vehicle occupants.

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 PC944, PC945, and PC946.

Recall 10V-401: Equipment

Reported Sep 10, 2010 · 7,948 vehicles affected · NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Problem: Nissan is recalling certain vehicles that were equipped with a garmin nuvi model 750 navigation system. The batteries contained in the affected GPS units can overheat.

Risk: Overheated batteries could result in a fire.

Fix: Nissan will notify owners and the repairs will be performed by garmin technicians by replacing the battery and inserting a spacer on top of the battery free of charge. The safety recall began on september 16, 2010. Owners may contact garmin directly at 1-866-957-1981 or nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

Recall 08V-690: Air Bags

Reported Dec 29, 2008 · 242,720 vehicles affected · NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Problem: Nissan is recalling 242,720 my 2005-2009 pathfinder, frontier and xterra vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. In those areas of the country which use heavy concentrations of road salt in the winter, a mixture of snow/water and salt can enter into the front crash zone sensor (Czs) housing. If this occurs, the czs may internally rust resulting in a signal interruption. If this happens, the red air bag warning light will illuminate to alert the vehicle operator.

Risk: This issue could result in the non-deployment of the driver and passenger front air bags in a crash, increasing the risk of personal injury.

Fix: Dealers will replace the front czs with a redesigned sensor. The recall began on january 26, 2009. Owners in the other states will receive extended warranty coverage for the sensor to 10 years. These owners will be notified of the warranty extension by mail and will receive a sticker to place in their warranty booklet explaining the extended warranty coverage. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

2009 Nissan Xterra problems reported by owners

Problem areaReports
Power Train6
Air Bags6
Electrical System3
Engine3
Structure2
Service Brakes2
Engine and Engine Cooling1
Suspension1
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)1
Vehicle Speed Control1

Most reported parts

  • Structure › Body — 2
  • Power Train › Manual Transmission — 1
  • Electrical System › Horn — 1
  • Air Bags › Side/Window — 1

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 73,100 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2009 Nissan Xterra complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Power Train · at 260,000 miles · reported Jul 21, 2020
A faulty radiator caused my transmisson and coolant to leak together causing damage to the transmission. Now my transmission needs to be replaced
Power Train · at 98,600 miles · reported Jun 12, 2019
I purchased this 1 owner trade in 4/11/19. As of 5/9/19 I started to experience pronounced issues with losing power around 40 MPH . Diagnostics confirmed that it was due to a leak in the cooling coil which resulted in coolant in my transmission fluid which damage the transmission. I have filed a claim under the class action required extended warranty. As I was unaware of this issue and didn't know what was happening and honestly afraid to find out since I still owe 5000 dollars on the car I put off getting the diagnostics. The final straw came when I was merging onto the highway and lost power…
Engine · at 103,000 miles · reported Apr 24, 2019
I took my xterra in because it constantly blew hot air. Upon inspection I was informed of the TSB issued by nissan that the radiator tubes can crack and mix coolant with transmission fluid and that I was low on coolant because of that. The tech informed me that the leak was minimal but needed to be replaces asap. The radiator was replaced and lines flushed and also had to take my car into a trans expert to flush and inspect the transmission
Service Brakes · at 3 miles · reported Jan 22, 2019
On several occasions during the last year I've had issues with the break system of my nissan xterra. When using the breaks the anti lock break system (Abs) wont work and the vehicle takes loner to stop. I have to press the breaks all the way to get the vehicle to stop. On several occasions I have taken the vehicle for repairs but no one can come up with a solution, including an authorized nissan dealer repair shop.
Power Train · reported Aug 18, 2016
Purchased this vehicle for my wife, while she was driving down the freeway in rush-hour in august in phoenix, the vehicle started smoking and lost all power to the transmission, I noticed the transmission cooler had failed and sprayed fluid all over the engine,-this all happened with zero warning and no service indicator lights were activated. I towed the vehicle to my house and inspected further, called the dealership and they said at 120k I no longer qualify for a warranty covered repair even though the service department is very much aware of this problem. I'm now facing a repair by myself…

Other Nissan Xterra years

Compare all Nissan Xterra years · All Nissan models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2009 Nissan Xterra have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2009 Nissan Xterra: 23V-067 (air bags), 10V-401 (equipment), 08V-690 (air bags). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2009 Nissan Xterra?

Owners report power train problems most often (6 reports), followed by air bags (6). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 73,100 miles.

Are Nissan recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Nissan dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.