Power Train. Review the 585 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 290 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 186 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

14 crash reports6 fire reports7 injury reports

Engine complaints

144 reports

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115,000 miles · May 23, 2014

EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

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VEHICLE WAS STOP AT RED LIGHT OF VERY BUSY INTERSECTION. WHEN LIGHT TURNED GREEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND THEN WOULD ONLY COAST IN NEUTRAL WHILE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT ENGAGING. WIFE AND 3 CHILDREN WERE STUCK IN MIDDLE OF INTERSECTION. HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND THEN ON TO GET TRANSMISSION TO RE-ENGAGE AND DRIVE. THIS ISSUE HAPPENED A HALF DOZEN MORE TIMES. THIS OWNER TOOK VEHICLE TO LOCAL NISSAN DEALER AND WAS CHARGED FOR COMPUTER ANALYSIS. THIS OWNER WAS TOLD THERE WAS A "KNOWN" ISSUE WITH TRANSMISSION OF THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE BEING CONTAMINATED FROM INNER COOLER. THIS OWNER WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD COST OVER $5500 TO FIX. THIS OWNER DID INTENSE RESEARCH ON SAFETY AND MECHANICAL PROBLEM AND FOUND THOUSANDS OF NISSAN OWNERS WITH SAME ISSUE. THIS VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE RECALLED FOR "KNOWN" ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10593758

103,000 miles · May 3, 2014

Engine

PARKED PATHFINDER IN DRIVEWAY. I WENT TO LEAVE AND THE VEHICLE WON'T START. LIGHTS AND EVERYTHING TURNS ON. THE ENGINE WON'T CRANK UP. LOOKED UP SOME ISSUES WITH THE PATHFINDER AND MAYBE THERE IS A CROSS CONTAMINATION OF THE ENGINE COOLANT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10586366

67,956 miles · Apr 12, 2014

Engine

I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT SHUT OFF CAUSING CARS BEHIND ME TO SWERVE OFF THE ROAD. I AM A FEMALE THE WHEEL WAS VERY HARD FOR ME TO STEER OFF THE ROAD. I THANK GOD THAT NOTHING HAPPEN TO MY 8 YEAR OLD IN THE CAR. APPARENTLY SOMEONE HAS TO DIE BEFORE THEY DO A RECALL. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10579359

Mileage unknown · Apr 7, 2014

EnginePower Train

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I AM DRIVING A GROUP OF CO-WORKERS OUT FOR LUNCH. I PULL IN THE TURNING LANE TO WAIT FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO TURN. WHEN IT WAS TIME TO MAKE THE TURN, I PRESSED THE GAS AND THE TRUCK DID NOT MOVE. I PRESSED THE BRAKE AGAIN TO CHECK AND MAKE SURE I HAD NOT ACCIDENTALLY HIT THE GEAR STICK. EVERYTHING LOOKED RIGHT SO I TRIED TO GIVE IT GAS AGAIN. THE ENGINE REVVED LOUDLY BUT AGAIN THERE WAS HESITATION IN MOVEMENT. FINALLY, AFTER WHAT SEEMED LIKE FOREVER, THE TRUCK SLOWLY TURNED. I TRIED TO DRIVE BACK TO THE OFFICE BUT HAD THE SAME ISSUE. I WOULD STOP AND AS SOON AS I PRESSED THE GAS, IT WOULD TAKE FOREVER BEFORE I WOULD ACTUALLY TAKE OFF. THE TRUCK MOVED AT A VERY SLOW SPEED AS IF I WAS PULLING A LARGE LOAD. TURNS OUT IT IS MY TRANSMISSION. HOW UPSETTING WHEN I HAD NO PREVIOUS WARNING. MORE UPSETTING WHEN I BEGIN TO DO MY RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT A CO-WORKER WITH THE SAME YEAR PATHFINDER HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AND LOOKING ONLINE IT APPEARS EVERYONE WITH THIS MODEL TRUCK HAS HAD THIS ISSUE OR WILL EVENTUALLY. WHY IS NISSAN NOT DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BEYOND CONTINUOUSLY EXTENDING THE WARRANTY WITH HUGE CO-PAYS THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY DO NOT REALLY HELP THE CONSUMER? NISSAN NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE FOR THIS COMPLAINT TO BE REVIEWED? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10577860

106,000 miles · Mar 24, 2014

EnginePower TrainService BrakesCrashFire

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AFTER HAVING THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR REPLACED TWICE (3/12 AND 10/12) AS I WAS DRIVING 65 MILES PER HOUR ON THE HIGHWAY, ALL LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD CAME ON, CAR DIED. I HAD NO POWER AND SOMEHOW MANAGED TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY SLOWING FOR THE LENGTH BETWEEN TWO EXITS UNTIL I COULD STEER INTO GUARDRAIL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. CAR WAS SMOKING, COOLANT SYSTEM MECHANIC THINKS LET GO AND ENGINE CRACKED, NISSAN REFUSES TO BUY BACK CAR THAT WAS A LEMON IN THE FIRST PLACE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT THEY DID NOT FIX. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10574455

135,000 miles · Mar 15, 2014

EnginePower Train

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MY TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION OIL AND A MONTH LATER IS STILL DOING THE SAME. TAKE IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC AND HE SAID THE TRANSMISSION OIL WAS BLACK AND SMELLED OLD. THE DEALERSHIP ASK WHEN DID I LAST CHANGE THE OIL AND I HAD FORGOT THE I HAD THE QUICK LUBE PLACE FLUSH THE TRANSMISSION A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. CALL THEM BACK AND TOLD THEM WHAT THE OTHER MECHANIC SAID AND I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HE SAID THAT NOT TO BAD WE CAN ONLY GET SO MUCH OUT. THE OTHER MECHANIC FLESH IT AND CHANGE THE OIL. I'M STILL HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY TRANSMISSION IT GOES REAL SLOW WHEN BACKING UP. I HAVE KEEP MY CAR UP REAL GOOD BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO KEEP BUYING A NEW CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10572588

156,843 miles · Feb 12, 2014

EnginePower Train

TRANSMISSION IS IN SAFE MODE DUE TO RADIATOR FLUID LEAKING INTO TRANSMISSION. TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR NEED TO BE REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10564058

148,000 miles · Feb 5, 2014

Engine

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THE VEHICLE ENGINE TIMING CHAIN HAD MADE A SLIGHT "WHIRRING" SOUND FOR MANY MONTHS - NOTHING REALLY LOUD ENOUGH TO CAUSE ALARM, BUT NOTICEABLE. THEN WHEN IDLING THE VEHICLE IN MY DRIVEWAY, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO WHINE LOUDLY, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND BEGAN TO EMIT A LOUD SLAPPING/ CLUNKING SOUND. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAS FAILED AND THE CHAIN IS SLAPPING AROUND INSIDE OF THE TIMING COVER. I WAS LUCKY THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING IN MY DRIVEWAY AT THE TIME! THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF REPORTED INCIDENTS TO BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET WHERE NISSAN OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THAT TIMING CHAINS HAVE FAILED, AND SOME OWNERS IN CALIFORNIA HAVE FILED A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT TO FORCE NISSAN TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS FACTORY DEFECT. NISSAN KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM - THERE ARE FACTORY SERVICE BULLETINS TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM, BUT NO RECALL. THIS ENGINE DEFECT IS DANGEROUS - ENGINE FAILURE ON BUSY NY / NJ / CT HIGHWAYS CAN BE LIFE-THREATENING!! WHY IS THE NISSAN TIMING CHAIN DEFECT NOT DEEMED A MANDATORY FACTORY DEFECT RECALL?? AS A FORMER MECHANIC, I CAN SAY WITH CONFIDENCE THAT MODERN VEHICLE ENGINE TIMING CHAINS CAN BE REASONABLY EXPECTED TO LAST THE LIFE OF THE ENGINE! TIMING CHAINS ARE NOT CONSIDERED A REGULAR MAINTENANCE ITEM! NOT ONLY DOES TIMING CHAIN FAILURE PUT THE VEHICLE PASSENGERS IN EXTREME DANGER, BUT IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. WHY SHOULD CONSUMERS HAVE TO BEAR THE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR A FACTORY DEFECT? AT THIS TIME THE VEHICLE IS SITTING "DEAD" IN MY DRIVEWAY - I DO NOT HAVE $2000 REQUIRED TO REPAIR THE FACTORY DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIN ASSEMBLY! PLEASE FORCE NISSAN TO RECALL AND REPAIR THEIR DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAINS!!! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10563134

122,648 miles · Jan 27, 2014

Engine

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC, WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND NOTICE A DEFECTIVE EMS RELAY. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE EMS RELAY. AFTER THE REPAIR THE CONTACT NOTICED NHTSA CAMPAIGN I.D. 10V517000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER TO SEE IF THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONTACT NEVER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FOR THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,648.

NHTSA ODI #10561676

106,500 miles · Jan 10, 2014

EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

VEHICLE REVVED ERRATICALLY, THEN JERKED THEN CUT OFF . TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS "RADIATOR FULL OF OIL AND TRANSMISSION FLUID AND SMELLS BURNT-FLUIDS MIXING-NEED TRANSMISSION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10559355

Official recalls

10V517000 · Engine And Engine Cooling

Oct 28, 2010

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 ARMADA, TITAN, INFINITI QX56 AND MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 FRONTIER, PATHFINDER AND XTERRA VEHICLES. THE INTELLIGENT POWER DISTRIBUTION MODULE (IPDM) ASSEMBLY CONTAINS AN ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) RELAY THAT HAS A DIODE FOR ELECTRICAL CURRENT NOISE REDUCTION. THE ECM RELAY MAY ALLOW SILICON VAPOR TO FORM AND, OVER TIME, THE SILICON EVAPORATES FROM THE DIODE MOLDING WHICH CAUSES SILICON OXIDE TO DEVELOP ON THE ECM RELAY CONTACT DUE TO ARCING.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE ENGINE STALLING INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ECM RELAY INSIDE THE IPDM ASSEMBLY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 6, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

08V690000 · Air Bags:frontal

Dec 29, 2008

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: 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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

DP12004 · Transmission Failures

Opened Jun 11, 2012 · Closed Oct 22, 2016

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train; Power Train:automatic Transmission; Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm); Power Train:automatic Transmission:cooling Unit And Lines; Power Train:automatic Transmission:torque Converter

On February 29, 2012 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter petitioning the agency to conduct a defect investigation into MY 2005-2010 Nissan Pathfinder, Frontier, and Xterra vehicles [the subject vehicles] for automatic transmission failures related to failed transmission coolers.NHTSA conducted a comprehensive review of data related to this subject. Our report, documenting this review, is available in the document file for this defect petition.It will also be published in the Federal Register. Of the 2,505 referenced complaints, 638 relate to a potential hazard (unable to maintain speed, no motive power, engine stall) and 1,867 concern customer satisfaction issues including, but not limited to, repair cost, vehicle shudder and shake, and engine overheating.Taking into account the allocation of agency resources and priorities and the likelihood that additional investigation would result in a finding that an unreasonable risk to highway safety exists, we conclude that further investigation is not warranted and deny the petition.ODI Complaint ID numbers are referenced on the next page.

Additional source detail variants (5)

Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

Power Train:automatic Transmission:cooling Unit And Lines

Power Train:automatic Transmission

Power Train:automatic Transmission:torque Converter

Power Train