This was the original Xterra FAQ found on my old X2k web site. This information should be reviewed before asking questions on the message boards as we are into our third model year for the Xterra and some of the owners are a bit cranky about answering questions that have been covered several times over. This information is gathered from a variety of sources which cannot always be verified as correct. It should not be used as a substitute for reading your owners manual and using common sense. If you do not find your answer in the FAQ, I would invite you to check out my message board. It is a continually updated forum for owners of Xterras and is a great source of information (especially if using the search function). That board can be found at www.automotiveforums.com/xterra/ Thanks! -Schludwiller What is this I hear about a Nissan Fix to the wind deflector using 3M tape? Ahhhh..yes, we never get tired of answering this one. The front of your Nissan rack has a wind deflector. Between the wind deflector and your Xterra is a rubber strip. When dirt gets underneath this strip it acts as an abrasive material due to the vibration from wind against the deflector. This has caused a wear mark across the roof of early Xterra's. To fix this, Nissan is now shipping Xterra's with a piece of clear 3M Scotchcal tape underneath the rubber strip. Earlier versions of Xterras without the 3M tape need to be taken into the dealer and fixed. When you go in, tell your dealer that the fix is Reference # FC9002309 and Part # 051141-84701 (3M Scotchcal). My airbag cover is loose and makes a rattling sound. This problem seemed to occur in some of the earlier Xterras but still pops up once and a while. The current fix has been to install a shim kit to tighten up the offending area. If someone knows the part and reference number please e-mail. Noise in roof near sunroof on SE? I don't have an SE, someone e-mail me on this one. What's that clicking noise on the drivers side? Mr. T says this is the weather stripping stuff between the door frame and the window. He'll be posting more info when he gets it fixed. Speaker Size on the Xterra? Fronts are 6.5S w/ separates. Rears are 6x9 CD/Radio DIN Well it doesn't really matter. The head unit is made by Clarion, and none of their units hook up to it either, except for the Nissan CD changer. What's a mighty mount? Mighty mounts are plastic straps used to mount rack accessories to your Xterra roof rack. They come in either horizontal or vertical models. Which one you need for which accessory can be found at Yakima.com Who makes brush guards for my Xterra? Without getting into the whole approach angle debate, here's who makes brush guards for Xterra's. Waag, Manik, Rhino and Smittybilt. Go to my links section for the URL's. Has anyone mounted a winch on their Xterra? Crazy Daisy has mounted a winch to his ARB bumper, and What is GoX? The Gathering of Xterra's is an event in Ouray Colorado scheduled for this July. Several people from the message boards are planning on getting together. If you're interested go to www.xterrain.com for more info. Can I get a lift kit for my Xterra? CJM Nissan was offering one, but they no longer exist. It might be a while before a new one is offered. Remember lifting your Xterra will void much of the warranty. Has anyone modified their exhaust? Yes, Carlton at the SouthWestern Xterra club has put a HKS exhaust on his Xterra. No results yet on performance improvements. Are there any performance air filters for Xterra's? Yes What size wiper blades does my Xterra use? 19 inch blades on front, 14 inch blades on the rear. Why are my wiper blades making a clunking sound each time they hit the side of my window? They are probably out of adjustment. Pop the cap at the base of the wiper arm, and adjust the arm so it doesn't come into contact with the window gutter. What size tires does my Xterra have? The stock B.F. Goodrich Long Trail tires for V6 Xterra's are P265/70R15's. The tires for the 4-banger are P235/70R15's. What size tire can I put on my Xterra? Most people are putting 31" tires on their Xterra's when they upgrade. Some have even gone to 32" tires. Both will require some trimming to avoid tire rub on the inside of the fender. Adding 32's additionally requires adjustment of the torsion bars. Go to Mr. T's site for pics of his 32's. What's this about trimming? The area where the mud flap would mount will rub against any 31" tires or larger when turning. In order to eliminate this you need to remove the offending area. Here is a picture of the amount of trimming that will probably be needed. What size spare can you fit underneath the Xterra? Supposedly a 31" will fit with some squeezing and low air pressure. Forget about the 32's. I went over a rock and now my side rails are damaged. Aren't they supposed to protect me from that? The side rails are mostly cosmetic, and to help your grandma get into the truck. They come off easily, and probably should be removed before any serious off-roading. How come some people have Nissan decals on their wind deflectors and I don't? Later manufactured Xterra's have been shipping without the white lettering that the previous ones had. On the flip side, you probably have the 3M tape underneath your wind deflector, so consider it a tradeoff. I took off my wet gear basket, and the thumbscrews are all rusty. If you haven't done so already, it's best to put some grease on the threads of your thumbscrews. They appear to be prone to rust, and if you don't do it now, you'll probably have trouble getting them off later. If you have removed your wet gear basket, make sure you replace the thumbscrews so water doesn't get into your rack and cause more problems. Some people have been putting O-rings between the screw and rack to ensure a water tight seal. How do I get my wind deflector off? Under the carpet in the rear cargo area is a tool for removing the special screws for the wind deflector. What kind of replacement headlight bulbs does my Xterra use? The replacement halogen bulbs are 9004's. Wheels (dimensions and offset)? Wheel: 15X7, Bolt: 6 x 5.5 , Thread: 12mm x 1.25 , Center Bore: 0 Where can I get an Xterra? Contact Steve Fisk at Marlboro Nissan. He'll pay for your flight out to pick up your new truck. Who makes custom neoprene seat covers. Nissan makes covers for the Xterra. You can also get custom ones made by Wetokole. How do I clean my seat covers? Try water first. You can also order neoprene cleaner from Wetokole. How do I get wrinkles out of my seat covers? Try sitting in them. The wrinkles will come out with use. Where is a good place to mount a CB? Ben has offered this info on his CB installation. The best CB to mount in the Xterra is the remote mount kind (like the Cobra 75 WX ST compact) This style of CB has everything in the Microphone, only a small connector box has to be hidden. I mounted my connector box under the center console right in front of the gear selector (I have an automatic). To get the console off begin by putting the Xterra in neutral (don't forget to set the parking break) remove the four screws around the first section of the center console. Take two big flathead screwdrivers and carefully pry the tab at the back of the first section of console forward (if you do not want to do this step you can take out your seats to get to the other sections' mounting screws) Work the rear of the first section up until it is clear. then pull back. The console should be free now. The Tupper ware looking box at the front is what the manual is talking about in its warring about CB mounting, you do not want to put your antenna wire right on this box, you run the risk of messing up your engine's computer(s). My box fit perfectly in front of the gear selector, so well in fact that I did not need to screw it down, the edge of the carpet on either side fit over the screw tabs and once the console is put back on it is fully sandwiched. For power I tapped right into the 12v plug, the accessory one not the cig. lighter( the only draw back is this power is off when you turn off the key). For the Antenna I have a temporary magnetic mount set up, I brought the wire in the driver's side passenger door into the molding out the bottom under the driver seat then tucked it up under the center consoles. Connect up the antenna and the mic. Put the console back into place by reversing the removal front first rear second, when you do this watch the right rear mount, it seems to bend very easily. You will need to figure out where you are going to mount the mic I did mine on the passenger side just under the air bag, I brought the cable out the driver's side of the console and laid the cable across the front of the console it is out of the way and does not move (I'll try and get some pics up) Just go slow and you should be up and running in 30 minutes. How do I shift into 4x4 Hi? Reduce your speed to under 25mph (40km/h). Move the transfer lever to 4H. You do not need to depress the clutch pedal. How do I shift into 4x4 Lo? Stop first. Push down on the 4x4 shifter, and pull back towards you. I've heard I can be driving with the hubs locked and switch between 2wd and 4wd. Is that true? Yes, once you have locked your hubs by going into 4 wheel drive, you can switch in and out of 2wd and 4wd as conditions dictate. When you no longer need 4 wheel drive you should unlock your hubs. Especially before going back on the paved road. How do I unlock my hubs? Stop your Xterra. Shift the transfer lever into 2wd. Back up in reverse at least 3ft before moving forward again. Your hubs are now unlocked. Where can I get one of those cool flexible rubber antennas? Radio Shack or any auto parts store should have this cheap antenna available with a variety of adapters to make it fit your Xterra. Are any aftermarket sunroofs available for the Xterra? Yes. Whoever it was on Yahoo that did this, please e-mail me the details. Thx. Where can I get the powdered coated Waag guard? Xterraparts.com is selling the brush guard that matches the Xterra roof rack paint. What is a Canadian Mudflap? Canadian mudflaps were mounted only on Canadian version Xterras. They are made of a more pliable black plastic, and appear to hold up better to off-roading. Some US parts suppliers are now carrying them. What is an ARB bumper, how can I get one? An ARB bumper is a replacement bumper designed for maximum approach angles and strength. Currently one is NOT made for the Xterra, but two owners have adapted older Grand Cherokee ARB bumpers to work with their Xterra's. The Xterra commercials look great. Where can I take my Xterra? Hopefully off-road. If you don't know where to go, try and find a 4x4 club in your area. Also look for books or maps at your local off-road store. Are there any web sites on Xterras? Yes. Lots of them. Go to my links section to find most of them. What is standard etiquette on these boards? Review the messages previously posted to see if your question has already been asked (most likely it has). If you're reading this before asking you're off to a good start. If you still can't find your answer then fire away. What is a search engine, how do I use one? Ok, this is aimed at the newbies. Instead of taking the time to make a post asking what the URL is for WAAG brushguards try using a search engine first. Also most of the manufacturers use their name followed by .com. In this case it's WAAG.com. Try a search first. It's faster than waiting for a reply from the message boards. My steering gets all stiff when in 4 wheel drive and on drive pavement. You are not supposed to be driving your Xterra in 4 wheel drive on dry pavement. The stiffness you are feeling is "binding" of your driveline caused by the inner and outer tires turning at different speeds, and not being able to release the tension. Don't do this. It can be damaging to your truck. Is there something wrong with my brakes, they make a nasty sound when I use them? That sound and feeling is your anti-lock brake system kicking in on hard stops, or stops on slick surfaces. This is completely normal, and you should spend some time in a parking lot getting used to their operation. Apply pressure to your brakes in an even manner (do not pump them). What's a microfilter? The in-cabin microfilter is an optional Nissan filter used for removing dust from the outside air coming into the cabin through the ventilation system. Does the alarm have a killswitch? I think so, but I'll wait for someone to answer this one. That being said, it's not a very good alarm, and only is activated if someone opens your door. If you live in a high car-theft area, think about getting a 3 point passive immobilizer or upgrade your alarm. What kind of octane gas should I put in my X? Your truck is designed to run on 87 Octane. Anything more is just a waste of money. What weight oil should I put in my X? SAE 5W-30. How do you figure miles per gallon? You may laugh, but this simple question generated a lot of flaming and posts. Before you ask. Here's how. Fill up your tank with gas. Don't top it off, just fill it until the pump stops. Reset the trip odometer. Drive. After you have used half a tank or more fill the tank back up as before. Record the gallons of gas pumped. Divide you mileage from the trip odometer by the number of gallons. There. Wasn't that easy? Now don't bother anyone on the boards with this question. What kind of gas mileage is everyone getting. This seems to be somewhere around 14-16 mpg on average depending on what kind of driving you do. Highway mileage comes in around 18-21 mpg. Gas prices are going up. Hope you didn't spend all your money on the truck! How can I lower my Xterra? Shoot out the tires. Will the 2001 Xterra's be completely different? Not likely. This is the first year of this model, and Nissan would be tossing money away to switch the design so early in production. What is the "gold edition" Xterra? The "gold edition" or "X-treme Xterra" is a scam used by dealers to jack up the price of Xterra's for buyers. This is supposed to be a back to basics SUV. Skip this rip-off. How much are people paying for their Xterras? Most people are paying MSRP for their Xterra's. I haven't heard anyone complain yet. Those sure are cool Xterra T-shirts I see people wearing where do I get one? They were a limited run that Paul made for people on the message boards. Keep an eye out for when he makes another batch. Where do I get my Motor Trend Sticker? If you live in the states, either one was shipped on your Xterra, or should have been sent to you in the mail. Canadian Xterra owners are out of luck. I'm waiting a long time for my Xterra is this normal? Yes. 30 day waits aren't uncommon. Some people have waited longer for specific types and colors. Do you like your Xterra? I love it. Owning my Xterra has been the best experience I've had with a vehicle. It takes me everywhere. What is the part number for the rear differential? H233b My step rail paint is coming off. Has anyone else had this problem? Yes, a couple of owners have posted this problem. So far dealers have replaced the rail under warranty. Where is my tow hook? If you're asking this you most likely bought your truck in Canada, or your dealer imported it from Canada. The tow hook is not standard equipment on the Canadian Xterra. Luckily the threads in the frame are still there if you can locate a Nissan hook. Good luck though. Nissan Canada doesn't stock them. Best to try from a dealer in the states, or get your drill out, and put an aftermarket hook into your frame. My foglights are leaking. What should I do? The Nissan fog lights are pretty much worthless. They don't illuminate much, they leak and will eventually rust the reflector. Instead of pursuing bulb upgrades and new lenses consider buying a set of quality fog lights like the PIAA 1500 XT's. How do I clean my seat covers? Woolite a bathtub with a few inches of lukewarm water and some elbow grease. This worked great for me. I had a big old grease spot between my legs caused by a leaky batch of Burger King tater tots. I thought it would never come out but after 2 sessions in the tub it was gone. Note: Try to wash both Left and Right covers with the head rest covers at the same time. My seat cover suffered a little fading but it wasn't bad. So if you wash both at the same time you wont notice. Also, I do NOT recommend using anything but your hands for scrubbing. My guess is that using any sort of brush would cause damage and additional fading. (submitted by: CraigH) When can I switch to Syntetic Oil? While there is no real concensus most owners say it should be done at your second oil change. 7500 miles for engine oil, and 10K or 15K for transmission and differentials.