When outside temperature falls below 40 degrees xterra will not start. Vehicle is stationary and not parked in a garage. Battery was replaced 11 months ago trying to fix the same problem. No other major issues with vehicle ever. Vehicle just towed yesterday dealer will not be able to diagnose until monday.
2010 Nissan Xterra electrical problems
moderate 6 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $850 · see electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
6
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
When does it fail?
Of the 6 electrical complaints filed for the 2010 Nissan Xterra, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 150,000+ mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA electrical complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 9 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
What owners are reporting 5 most recent
Driver's door lock either stays locked and you are unable to exit the vehicle, or, the lock does not latch so the door swings open. This happed both while parked and while driving.
Sudden loss of power while driving between 10-15 MPH. Immediate loss of brakes, acceleration, and power steering. Vehicle was in motion on the 405 fwy/sepulveda pass area during morning rush hour in stop-go traffic conditions. Was able to pull to side of road, and shut off vehicle. Waited 1 minute and vehicle restarted with no further issues on drive to work. From a review of online…
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Nissan xterra. During cold temperatures, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician diagnosed that the emc module needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.
Intermittent stalling issue. Vehicle has 98,700 miles on it and has not had any other issues prior to this. On the first occasion the vehicle was in motion, going between 5 and 10 MPH, turning into a parking lot. The vehicle start to slow down, lost power steering and all dashboard lights were illuminated (check engine, battery, airbag, seatbelt, etc.) but the radio and headlights remained on.…
Had electrical trouble with your 2010 Nissan Xterra?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the electrical problem on the 2010 Nissan Xterra?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 6 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $850 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 6 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 112,647 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2010/Nissan/Xterra.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.