I took my car to complete Recall NumberPC945, I was told that my car has an issue with the driver side air Bag - Clockspring Assembly / Spiral Cable: REPLACE SPIRAL CABLE - C1163/B1049 and also another issue related to the driver side airbag that is under the steering wheel. I was quoted over $2000 to fix the issue. The recall is to replace the decal over the airbag and I think the issue is bigger than that, the issue is the airbag clock spring/ spiral cable that malfunctions and not only the plastic plate. A quick Google search will show you that this is a known issue that impacts thousands of Xterra owners. Nissan is fraudulently just replacing the plastic Nissan Emblem when the issue is way bigger than that and could cause bodily harm to the driver if the air bag doesn't deploy.
The worst 2009 Nissan Xterra problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Airbags6
- Transmission6
- Engine4
- Electrical3
- Body2
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Airbags6
- Transmission6
- Engine4
- Electrical3
- Body2
- Brakes2
- Acceleration1
- Driver assistance1
- Suspension1
Recalls 3
Air bags: frontal
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the drivers 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 number 23V067000 · Recall details
Equipment: electrical: navigational system(global positioning system)
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Remedy
- 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 number 10V401000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal
- What is wrong
- 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.
- Remedy
- 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.
Recall number 08V690000 · Recall details
See all 3 recalls for the 2009 Nissan Xterra
Defect investigations
Transmission Failures
On February 29, 2012 the federal safety agency received a letter petitioning the agency to conduct a defect investigation into MY 2005-2010 Nissan Pathfinder, Frontier, and Xterra vehicles [the subject vehicles] for automatic transmission failures related to failed transmission coolers.the federal safety agency conducted a comprehensive review of data related to this subject. Our report, documenting this review, is available in the document file for this defect petition.It will also be published in the Federal Register. Of the 2,505 referenced complaints, 638 relate to a potential hazard (unable to maintain speed, no motive power, engine stall) and 1,867 concern customer satisfaction issues including, but not limited to, repair cost, vehicle shudder and shake, and engine overheating.Taking into account the allocation of agency resources and priorities and the likelihood that additional investigation would result in a finding that an unreasonable risk to highway safety exists, we conclude that further investigation is not warranted and deny the petition.ODI Complaint ID numbers are referenced on the next page.
DP12004
Technical service bulletins for the 2009 Nissan Xterra 88
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Wiring harness repair information
- Certification label and VIN plate replacement service information
- VOLUNTARY SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN 2005-2013 FRONTIER, PATHFINDER, AND XTERRA; DRIVER AIR BAG COVER CAMPAIGN...
- CAN communication codes – diagnostic tips and guidelines
- CAN communication – network diagnostic flow chart
- Vehicle key not detected / authenticated, engine will not start
- Windshield cracking
- Removing foreign material from the window glass
- Window glass warranty information
- Diagnosis of vehicle pull (DRIFT) and/or steering wheel off-center
2009 Nissan Xterra fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0L 6‑cyl | RWD | 15-16 | 20-21 | 17-18 |
| 4.0L 6‑cyl | 4WD | 15-16 | 20 | 17 |
What 2009 Nissan Xterra owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Cracked cooler tube caused transmission oil & coolant to mix causing transmission failure.
A faulty radiator caused my transmisson and coolant to leak together causing damage to the transmission. Now my transmission needs to be replaced
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 trying to merge into fast traffic. I finally called a local repair shop for diagnostics on 5/31/19 and took the first available appointment on 6/4/19. I was told there may be an extended warranty and to call the dealership. The dealership confirmed the diagnosis the next day 6/5/19 and nissan is reviewing my claim. I am praying they won't deny it because the diagnostics were completed a couple business day after the extension expired on 5/31/19.
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
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.
Radiator internal failure causing engine coolant and transmission fluid to mix causing transmission to fail.
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 or pay a mechanic to fix an obvious design flaw.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 nissan xterra. While driving at any speed, the vehicle made an abnormal loud noise without warning. The failure recurred continuously. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the rear differential disengaged and damaged the ring and pinion; overhaul rear differential. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The approximate failure mileage was 41,485.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 nissan xterra. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH, the air bag warning light illuminated and the brake lights failed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the stop lamp needed to be replaced. In addition, the AC failed and the blower amp needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 109,000.
Compare the 2009 Nissan Xterra
Other model years
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Questions about the 2009 Nissan Xterra
Is the 2009 Nissan Xterra reliable?
Owners have filed 19 complaints about the 2009 Nissan Xterra, fewer than a typical Xterra model year.
What is the 2009 Nissan Xterra year score?
The 2009 Nissan Xterra scores 90 out of 100 (good). The score compares it with the other model years of the Nissan Xterra: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2009 Nissan Xterra?
Airbags, with 6 complaints, typically around 78,000 miles. Next is transmission (6).
How many recalls does the 2009 Nissan Xterra have?
3 recalls, covering air bags and equipment.
Was there a recall on the 2009 Nissan Xterra airbags?
Yes, 2 recalls: 23V067000, 08V690000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Nissan Xterra have bad airbags?
The Nissan Xterra model years with the most airbags complaints are 2007 (26 complaints), 2008 (23 complaints) and 2006 (20 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2009 Nissan Xterra get?
Official estimates for the 2009 Nissan Xterra range from 17 to 18 mpg combined. The most efficient version (4.0L 6-cyl, RWD) gets 15-16 city and 20-21 highway.
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