YearToAvoid

2005 Nissan Xterra Airbags Problems

NHTSA has 19 owner complaints about airbag problems in the 2005 Nissan Xterra, 2% of all 845 complaints for this model year. That is #4 highest airbag complaint count among 11 Xterra model years. These complaints report 4 crashes and 5 injuries. Median mileage at failure: 80,000 miles.

Airbags complaints
19
2% of 845
Crashes reported
4
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
5
Median mileage
80,000 mi
Related recalls
1

When 2005 Nissan Xterra airbag complaints were filed

First complaint Nov 30, 2005, latest Jul 21, 2025.

2005 Nissan Xterra airbags complaints: complaints filed per month2Nov 2005Feb 2010Oct 2012Nov 2014Mar 2015Aug 2023
19 complaints filed with NHTSA from Nov 2005 to Jul 2025; peak Jan 2015 (2).

Airbags recalls for the 2005 Nissan Xterra

  1. NHTSA 08V690000Dec 29, 2008Airbags242,720 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal

    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.

Airbags complaints by Xterra model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200519 (2%)
  2. 200620 (3%)
  3. 200726 (5%)
  4. 200823 (19%)
  5. 20096 (32%)
  6. 201011 (29%)
  7. 20119 (38%)
  8. 20124 (25%)
  9. 20130 (0%)
  10. 20143 (30%)
  11. 20150 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2005 Nissan Xterra have airbag problems?
NHTSA has 19 owner complaints about the airbag in the 2005 Nissan Xterra, 2% of all complaints for this model year, including 4 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 80,000 miles.
Which Nissan Xterra year has the most airbag complaints?
The 2007 Nissan Xterra has the most airbag complaints (26), compared with 19 for the 2005.
Is there a airbag recall for the 2005 Nissan Xterra?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for the 2005 Nissan Xterra concerns the airbag: 08V690000.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.