Xterra Easter Eggs
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This is a place for all the various tips for the Xterra that don't fit anywhere else. Some of it's pretty weird, most of it's proven, some of it's not. All of it is helpful.
Gas Cap and the Check Engine Light
Remember I was telling you how sophisticated the fuel mixture system on the Xterra was? Well it does cause one problem. The gas tank pressure changes can cause the check engine light to come on, ninety percent of the time it's because the gas cap wasn't screwed on tight. There's a simple rule to follow when gassing up, turn the gas cap till it clicks three times. Problem solved.
Keyless Remote Range
Don't you hate it when the keyless entry remote starts to lose power and you have to be standing right next to the Xterra to unlock the doors. We're so spoiled now that we don't have to use keys. Anyway here's a little tip to get some extra range out of the key fob.
While facing the Xterra, hold the remote under your chin as you push the button
Bad Exhaust Manifolds
The VG series engine has a design flaw that increases the chances of the exhaust manifold developing a crack and causing more engine noise than normal. If your Xterra is nearing the end of it's 60k exhaust warranty I recommend paying to have a muffler shop check for exhaust manifold cracks.
Weak Skid Plate bolts
The bolts holding the front skid plate on are a low grade of bolt, be careful not to tighten them too much or you will twist the head off.
Many people report small pinhead sized rust spots cropping up on the rear hatch. This is normal and NOT Nissan's fault. The rear hatch creates an eddy current that causes alot of road debris to stick to it. Including small flecks of metal. The metal etches into the top layer of the clear coat and sticks, then it rusts causing a small dot of rust. To get rid of it scrape off the metal grain with your fingernail and wipe the area with Meguires Scratch X. If the rust comes from under the paint causing bubbles then you have a different problem. Have a paint shop look at it.
Removing plastic interior panels
The plastic panels in the interior are held on with little plastic clips, once they have been taken off they never go back on as tight as they were, luckily you can pick up a handful of them cheap from a dealership. To get them off you just pry them out, there is a special tool that makes it easier but you can also do it with two flat head screwdrivers on each side of the plastic clip.
Reading Trouble Codes
Teaching the ECCM
The Xterra ECCM (main computer) is an amazing piece of equipment. It reads information for sensors allover the Xterra and the engine and automatically adjusts the fuel mixture so that it's always at the optimum mixture for power and efficiency. It even remembers the conditions so that when you start up the Xterra it doesn't have to re-learn what it learned the day before. But if the power is disconnected for a few minutes the memory is erased and it needs to relearn the optimum mixture for your engine and atmospheric conditions. You can let it learn on it's own by driving normal for about 20 minutes or you can teach it the mixture by bringing the engine up to operating temperature, then running the engine at 2000 RPMs for 5 minutes revving the engine past 4000 RPMS three times during the 5 minutes.
Lonely Socket in the Engine Compartment
The 2000 model year had an extra electric pusher fan mounted on some models that would come on when temperatures reached a certain point but they found out that it rarely needed it so the option was taken away. But for many years the plug for the fan remained. It you have the plug don't worry about it, it's not needed.
Lonely Socket Behind Rear Bumper
This is where the harness for the trailer wiring goes, just remove the plastic plug and you will see the female end of the plug. If you don't plan on ever installing a trailer hitch don't worry about the plug.
Window Regulators
Some people have problems with the window regulators causing the windows to go up at different speeds. But keep in mind that if you roll more than one window up at a time the windows will go up slower than usual. If it takes more than 30 seconds to roll up a window you have a legitimate problem.
Tires Squealing (Long Trails)
The Long Trail tires that came with earlier Xterras really had a tendency to squeal around turns. Increasing the tire pressure helps solve the problem but it's just something you either have to get used to or replace the tire.
Wheel Hub Caps
The caps that go on the wheels are pretty easy to knock off and cost alot to replace. If you don't mind the look completely remove them, or at least remove them before hitting the trails.
The Magic of Meguires Scratch X
Buy a tube of this stuff and keep it with your car cleaning supplies. It's simple to use and removes scratches and blemishes for the paint. All you do is get a soft clean cloth put some Scratch X on it and rub it into the problem area, once all the wax is rubbed in polish it with another clean cloth. It can be used to get surface contamination like rust and stains or it will polish a scratch away. If the first application doesn't completely remove the problem add a few more layers. if you still cant get rid of the scratch then you'll need to see a professional body shop.
The Magic of Simple Green
Simple Green is a very effective cleaner that can be used to scrub the wheels, clean the engine, or if diluted it can even be used to clean the interior. Best of all it's eco-friendly so you can spray it off into your lawn and not worry about causing a dead patch. I definitely recommend having some on hand for cleaning the Xterra.
Strange Boxes Attached to Intake
You'll notice boxes and chambers attached to the intake that go nowhere and have no openings. They're simply resonance boxes, they make the intake quieter. They can be removed it you don't like them and they won't cause problems, except for the one that connects into the intake tube after the air filter. If you remove that one you need to plug the hole.
Strange Trouble Codes
Nissan Technical Bulletins
See Thru Wind Deflector (For SE Owners)
It seems like kind of a waste to have a sunroof and then cover it up with a cargo basket. But even without the cargo basket the roof rack wind deflector blocks alot of the light. Luckily others have come up with a solution, you can purchase a kit that replaces the plastic on the deflector with smoke colored Lexan to let light through. Search for Thor mod on XOC.
Wrong size Rear Wiper
I put wipers a few inches longer on the front and rear wipers to cover more window area. In the front it was fine but in back the wiper doesn't flex enough to stay on the window so the top of the window. Just put stock wiper replacements on the rear.
Blower only Works when off or high
I first encountered this problem before I got the Xterra back when I had the Pathfinder. The blower would only work on high, I though it might be a problem with the switch but after looking at the wiring for the switch it was unlikely, but when in positions other than high the power for the blower goes through some resistors in an assembly call the "Blower Motor Resistor" now I just had to find where it was and how easily it was to replace.
Turns out it is mounted in the airbox just after the blower and can be accessed from behind the glove box. The part itself only cost about $18 at the dealer. A few year later people were reporting the same problem with the Xterra's, low and behold the Xterra uses the same method on the Xterra and the fix is just as easy.
Squeak When Making Sharp Turns
The Xterra has bump stops to keep the wheels from turning so much that the wheels hit the steering components they're covered with nylon caps so that they don't make any noise when the rub on the contact point but the caps wear through or come off completely. The result is a gut wrenching noise when you go over a small bump with the steering wheel completely cranked over. The fix the problem either learn not to turn the steering all the way till it stops or pry off the old caps with a screwdriver and put new ones on with a rubber mallet.
Do you have a Limited Slip Differential?
You should have an orange sticker on the differential that says LSD if you do but sometimes it falls off. You can still tell what you have by lifting both rear wheels off the ground and turning one by hand (the Transmission has to be out of Park and the e-brake off, make sure you chock the front wheels for safety). If both wheels turn the same direction then you have an LSD, if they turn opposite direction you have an open differential.
The Mystery of the Auto Locking Doors
Some Xterra's have doors that lock for no reason after the engine is turned off and the doors are closed for a few minutes. It's not widespread and not a feature of the Xterra. Just incase it happens to you make sure you have a spare key holder hidden somewhere outside the vehicle.
Differential Whine
Some Xterra's have had problems with the rear differential whining from the factory, if yours is take it to the dealer to have it checked, it's a Nissan problem so they should replace it for free. If it develops over time then it's more likely wear or neglect and is only covered by the drivetrain warranty.
Squealing Brakes
If your brakes are squealing then they have worn enough that the wear indicator is hitting the rotor, it's a high pitched annoying whine that is pretty embarrassing and if it's ignored it can become dangerous so have new pads installed ASAP. If the squealing persists after new pads go on something else is making noise, find out what it is and get it fixed, the brakes are important to the vehicle.
Slow Cruise Control
The Xterra engine is a little underpowered to keep up with the Cruise Control on hills, you'll just have to get used to accelerating when approaching a hill so the cruise control doesn't have to down shift.