2002 Nissan Xterra reliability record
NHTSA consumer complaints and recall campaigns for the 2002 Nissan Xterra from the dataset labeled 2026. The source file does not provide an exact snapshot date. Use the reported issues to guide further checks; these counts do not establish failure rates or repair costs.
- NHTSA complaints
- 214
- Dataset year: 2026; snapshot day not provided
- Top problem area
- STEERING
- 18 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 1
- see below
- Reported harm
- 33 reported crashes · 55 injuries · 48 deaths · 12 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesCounts are not adjusted for vehicles sold, time in service or reporting frequency. A larger count does not establish a higher chance of failure, and these comparisons do not set the maintenance budget in our calculator.
Complaint rank
#2,426
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Nissan median
-8
median 222 across 220 Nissan records
Vs 2000-2004
-39
median 253 complaints in 771 records
Top component share
8%
Steering: 18 complaints
What owners report fails — 2002 Nissan Xterra
- STEERING 18
- AIR BAGS 12
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER 11
- VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 10
- SERVICE BRAKES 8
1 recall on record for the 2002 Nissan Xterra
- NHTSA 10V554000 · 2010 · STEERING:COLUMN THE SHAFT MAY BREAK WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL DURING THESE LOW SPEED MANEUVERS INCREASING THE RISK
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2002 Nissan Xterra
Build a separate budget with your purchase price, insurance quote, mileage and maintenance estimate. Complaint counts do not enter that calculation. Unknown local taxes and fees stay listed as costs to confirm.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2002 Nissan Xterra units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Dataset year: 2026; exact snapshot day not supplied. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Nissan Xterra reliable?
NHTSA has 214 consumer complaints on record for the 2002 Nissan Xterra and 1 recall. The most-reported problem area is steering (18 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2002 Nissan Xterra units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Nissan Xterra?
Owners most often report problems with: steering (18), air bags (12), unknown or other (11), vehicle speed control (10). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2002 Nissan Xterra?
This complaint dataset does not measure repair prices or predict a maintenance budget for the 2002 Nissan Xterra. Use your purchase price, insurance quotes, fuel use and a maintenance estimate in the separate five-year cost calculator. It does not convert complaint counts into repair costs, and any unknown taxes remain excluded and clearly listed.