2005 Nissan Murano problems & reliability
986 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2005 Nissan Murano, alongside 6 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
16 complaints report injuries (17 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2005 Nissan Murano vehicles were involved in 31 fatal crashes with 19 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Seats | 456 | 46% |
| Visibility | 124 | 13% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 118 | 12% |
| Electrical System | 101 | 10% |
| Power Train | 56 | 6% |
| Air Bags | 52 | 5% |
| Structure | 35 | 4% |
| Unknown OR Other | 30 | 3% |
| Engine | 27 | 3% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 24 | 2% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 67,000 miles (middle 50% between 50,000 and 88,625 miles), based on 836 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Murano. The contact stated that while closing the rear liftgate door, the front driver’s and passenger’s side air bags inadvertently deployed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic where it remained pending a diagnostic test. The local…”
Air Bags · filed Mar 17, 2025
“Not sure when it started bc I just purchased this vehicle a month ago. While driving one evening the head lights went off and I had to turn them off and back on. Now a few weeks later and after I've changed the bulbs and made sure the fuse wasn't blown it is doing it ALOT. I'm not sure if it is a wiring problem or if…”
Exterior Lighting · filed Dec 14, 2023
“Noticed severe negative camber on the rear wheels at ~225k miles. Marks Auto Svc, Rockford, IL confirmed the rear k-subframe had rusted all the way through from the inside-out. The frame had completely separated at two places on each side near the wheels - SEVERE SAFETEY HAZARD!!!!! 1. Website forums indicate many…”
Suspension · filed Oct 20, 2023
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- DRIVER SEAT ANCHOR FAILURE
Preliminary Evaluation PE08065 · opened Nov 18, 2008 · closed Jul 2, 2009
- FUEL TANK PUNCTURES FROM ROAD DEBRIS
Preliminary Evaluation PE05050 · opened Sep 13, 2005 · closed Jan 31, 2006 · led to recall 06V003000
Technical service bulletins
80 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2005 Nissan Murano. The 10 most recent:
CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “Certification Label” or “VIN Plate/Label” may be needed. HINT: Certification Label =…
NTB09-131C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 13, 2026
CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “Certification Label” or “VIN Plate/Label” may be needed. HINT: Certification Label =…
NTB09-131C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 13, 2026
VEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
NTB13-107G · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 21, 2024
CAN COMMUNICATION – NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
NTB13-027D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 21, 2024
CAN COMMUNICATION CODES – DIAGNOSTIC TIPS AND GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
NTB10-066C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 21, 2024
WINDOW GLASS WARRANTY INFORMATION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
NTB17-019H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 30, 2024
REMOVING FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM THE WINDOW GLASS This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
NTB13-028I · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 30, 2024
WINDSHIELD CRACKING This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
NTB09-081K · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 30, 2024
DIAGNOSIS OF VEHICLE PULL (DRIFT) AND/OR STEERING WHEEL OFF-CENTER This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
NTB08-097L · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 21, 2023
SILICONE-BASED LUBRICANT OR GREASE CAN DAMAGE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SERVICE INFORMATION Do not apply Silicone-based lubricants or grease to, or around, any interior electrical components. To avoid the risk of death or…
NTB23-053 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 16, 2023
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2005 Nissan Murano has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2005 Nissan Murano?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 67,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.