Xterra hot while idling

I would take a look at the fan clutch. Turn the engine off and turn the fan blades by hand. You should get a fair amount of resistance. If it spins extremely easy you might want to replace it. You also need to check the radiator for corrosion and/or deposits. Make sure the radiator is clean on the outside as well so it is getting an ample amount of air flow when idling. Good luck.

You might also want to check your thermostat it might be sticking, it could also be a loose vacuum hose. Both could cause this problem. The coolant pressure at idle is much different then when you are driving. Also run the car at park-idle with the radiator cap off and see if the fluid has a good flow as well. Also once the car gets to hot check your 2 main top radiator hoses to see if they are warm or hot to the touch this will tell you if you have a blockage or not in your radiator or hoses. The hose to the thermostat should be warm and the one coming back to the radiator should be rather hot as should the radiator itself. You can also watch the fans to see if they are running properly as well.

Blake, did you ever resolve this? I just started having the same problem with my 2000 Xterra. I will probably have the coolant flushed and maybe the thermostat replaced, but curious as to whether or not you got to the route of the problem. Thanks, Bill