What are the most common problems with the 2011 Nissan Xterra?

Air bags lead the list with 9 complaints, then the engine with 6 and the electrical system with 4. See the problems section above for what owners describe.

Does the 2011 Nissan Xterra have any recalls?

Yes, this model year has 2 recalls on file. The Recalls section on this page lists them.

Is the 2011 Nissan Xterra reliable?

NHTSA has 24 complaints for this year, and none mention a crash, fire, or injury. Read the problems section to see which areas owners report most.

What is the gas mileage of the 2011 Nissan Xterra?

See the fuel economy section on this page for the EPA figures.

Is 2011 the best year for the Nissan Xterra?

See the by-year comparison on this page, which sets complaints and recalls side by side for each model year.

2011 Nissan Xterra Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 24 owner complaints on file for the 2011 Nissan Xterra^[1]. None of them mention a crash, a fire, or an injury^[1].

24owner complaints^[1]

2recalls^[2]

17–18MPG combined (EPA)^[3]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Owners filed complaints in several areas, and these are the groups from the biggest down.

Air bags. 9 complaints name the air bags group^[4]. Owners describe a passenger air bag warning light that comes on or blinks and does not go away. Some say a part was hard to get or a repair was refused once the warranty had ended. One owner describes the side curtain air bags going off on a dirt road.
Engine. 6 complaints name the engine group^[5]. In the stories we read, owners describe a cracked exhaust manifold that lets heat and fumes into the cabin. Others describe an oil leak and an engine that ran hot.
Electrical system. 4 complaints name the electrical system group^[6]. Owners describe a leaking battery that corroded the wiring, and a phone connection system with poor sound.
Tires. 2 complaints name the tires group^[7]. Owners describe a rear tire that failed on the road and factory tires that wore out early.
Other groups. 1 complaint each names suspension^[8], power train^[9], electronic stability control^[10], and steering^[11].

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2011 Xterra is necessarily included.

Air Bags › Frontal (23V067), February 2023. About 404,690 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: injury, an air bag that may not work as intended.^[12]
Engine And Engine Cooling (11V592), December 2011. About 14,718 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[13]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
Xterra 4WD, 4.0L 6-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel Drive^[14]	15 / 20 / 17	$3,950
Xterra 4WD, 4.0L 6-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel Drive^[15]	16 / 20 / 17	$3,950
Xterra 2WD, 4.0L 6-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive^[3]	16 / 22 / 18	$3,700

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV 4WD^[16]	n/a	n/a	n/a	3	25.6%
SUV RWD^[17]	n/a	n/a	n/a	3	24.6%

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2011 Nissan Xterra with 4.0L 6-cylinder^[18]	261 hp

These are Canadian-market specifications from Transport Canada, so US models can differ slightly.

Version	Length	Width	Height	Wheelbase	Curb weight
XTERRA 4DR SUV 4WD S/PRO-4X/SV^[19]	178 in	73 in	75 in	106 in	4,350 lb

How 2011 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Xterra model year. The 2011 is highlighted^[2].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
2000	214	3
2001	150	3
2002	157	5
2003	72	3
2004	84	2
2005	845	3
2006	780	3
2007	557	1
2008	119	6
2009	19	3
2010	38	4
2011	24	2
2012	16	2
2013	4	0
2014	10	0
2015	10	0

NHTSA's counts for the Xterra show 24 complaints and 2 recalls for 2011^[2]. Among the 16 model years listed, 5 have fewer complaints than 2011 and 10 have more^[2]. The fewest complaints are for 2013 (4) and the most are for 2005 (845)^[2]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2011 Xterra?

The 2011 Xterra has a small complaint file, with 24 complaints and none that mention a crash, fire, or injury^[1]. The air bag group is the largest^[4], followed by the engine group^[5]. Owners describe warning lights and exhaust trouble more than anything else. The page also lists 2 recalls for this year^[2], so check the Recalls section before you buy. Complaints are unverified reports and are not adjusted for how many trucks were sold, so treat them as a guide to what to ask about and inspect.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2011 Nissan Xterra?: Air bags lead the list with 9 complaints^[4], then the engine with 6^[5] and the electrical system with 4^[6]. See the problems section above for what owners describe.
Does the 2011 Nissan Xterra have any recalls?: Yes, this model year has 2 recalls on file^[2]. The Recalls section on this page lists them.
Is the 2011 Nissan Xterra reliable?: NHTSA has 24 complaints for this year, and none mention a crash, fire, or injury^[1]. Read the problems section to see which areas owners report most.
What is the gas mileage of the 2011 Nissan Xterra?: See the fuel economy section on this page for the EPA figures.
Is 2011 the best year for the Nissan Xterra?: See the by-year comparison on this page, which sets complaints and recalls side by side for each model year.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Nissan Xterra

2001 150 complaints, 3 recalls
2002 157 complaints, 5 recalls
2003 72 complaints, 3 recalls
2004 84 complaints, 2 recalls
2005 845 complaints, 3 recalls
2006 780 complaints, 3 recalls
2007 557 complaints, 1 recall
2008 119 complaints, 6 recalls
2010 38 complaints, 4 recalls
2011 this page
2012 16 complaints, 2 recalls
2015 10 complaints, 0 recalls

Compare all model years of the Nissan Xterra

Other Nissan models from 2011

2011 Nissan Maxima 106 complaints, 0 recalls
2011 Nissan Murano 148 complaints, 0 recalls
2011 Nissan Pathfinder 45 complaints, 2 recalls
2011 Nissan Titan 26 complaints, 1 recall
2011 Nissan Versa 269 complaints, 6 recalls

All Nissan models

Similar cars from 2011: suvs

2011 Mazda CX-9 170 complaints, 4 recalls
2011 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class 113 complaints, 3 recalls
2011 Toyota 4Runner 163 complaints, 10 recalls
2011 Toyota Land Cruiser 4 complaints, 5 recalls
2011 Volkswagen Tiguan 162 complaints, 3 recalls
2011 Acura MDX 70 complaints, 0 recalls

All suvs we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 24 owner complaints on file for the 2011 Nissan Xterra (0 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 0 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Nissan Xterra model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Xterra 2WD, 4.0L 6-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Regular, Rear-Wheel Drive: 16 city / 22 highway / 18 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,700. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
9 complaints name the air bags component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 42,432). NHTSA vehicle records
6 complaints name the engine component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
4 complaints name the electrical system component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
2 complaints name the tires component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
1 complaints name the suspension component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
1 complaints name the power train component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
1 complaints name the electronic stability control (esc) component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
1 complaints name the steering component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 23V067, filed February 10, 2023: Air Bags › Frontal. NHTSA recall database
Recall 11V592, filed December 19, 2011: Engine And Engine Cooling. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Xterra 4WD, 4.0L 6-cyl, Automatic 5-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel Drive: 15 city / 20 highway / 17 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,950. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Xterra 4WD, 4.0L 6-cyl, Manual 6-spd, Regular, 4-Wheel Drive: 16 city / 20 highway / 17 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,950. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV 4WD: rollover 3 stars; rollover risk 25.6%. NHTSA vehicle records
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, SUV RWD: rollover 3 stars; rollover risk 24.6%. NHTSA vehicle records
EPA Test Car List, 2011 Nissan Xterra with 4.0L 6-cylinder: rated 261 hp. www.epa.gov
Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, XTERRA 4DR SUV 4WD S/PRO-4X/SV: length 178 in, width 73 in, height 75 in, wheelbase 106 in, curb weight 4,350 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2011 Nissan Xterra: problems, recalls and fuel economy