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2016 Nissan Pathfinder

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2016 Nissan Pathfinder do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 97.

About this comparison →
105Owner complaints

Model-year median: 97

2Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
890
2013574
2014320
2015105
2016186
201777
201876
2019
Compare all Pathfinder years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine
27Unknown Or Other
21Air Bags
18Electrical System
11Service Brakes
11
All reported categories
Power Train
7Visibility/wiper
4Wheels
4Latches/locks/linkages
3Seats
3Service Brakes, Hydraulic
3Steering
3Structure
3Suspension
2Vehicle Speed Control
2Child Seat
1Engine And Engine Cooling
1Equipment
1Exterior Lighting
1Fuel/propulsion System
1Other/unknown
1Seat Belts
1Visibility
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

65 reports with mileage · 40 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 27 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

10 crash reports0 fire reports2 injury reports

Engine complaints

27 reports
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76,000 miles · Jan 3, 2019
Engine

LOUD CLICKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE BOTH WHILE DRIVING AND IDLING IN PARK. AFTER RESEARCHING IT, I FOUND OUT THAT IS THE FAN HITTING THE SHROUD AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE PART IS ANYWHERE FROM $200-600 AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE LABOR. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW, ALWAYS KEPT UP ON THE MAINTENANCE AND OF COURSE MY EXTENDED WAR…

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LOUD CLICKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE BOTH WHILE DRIVING AND IDLING IN PARK. AFTER RESEARCHING IT, I FOUND OUT THAT IS THE FAN HITTING THE SHROUD AND IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE PART IS ANYWHERE FROM $200-600 AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE LABOR. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW, ALWAYS KEPT UP ON THE MAINTENANCE AND OF COURSE MY EXTENDED WARRANTY RAN OUT LAST WEEK AND NOW THIS HAPPENS. :(

NHTSA ODI #11164764

74,000 miles · Jan 2, 2019
Engine

ENGINE FAN BEGAN MAKING LOUD NOISE AT 74K MILES. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS ADVISED TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR FAN. A QUICK SEARCH UNCOVERED COUNTLESS OTHER OWNERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE ON THE SAME VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI #11164596

51,000 miles · Dec 10, 2018
Engine

OUR NISSAN PATHFINDER 2016 WAS SUDDENLY MAKING LOUD NOISE WHICH WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT (ENGINE AREA). THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT REPLACEMENT OF FAN SHROUD IS NECESSARY AND THAT'S EXPENSIVE. WE SEND CAR FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE, WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO!! THE MILES ON MY CAR IS ABOVE 50000 AND THAT'S WHEN I CAME ACROSS THIS PROBLEM. …

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OUR NISSAN PATHFINDER 2016 WAS SUDDENLY MAKING LOUD NOISE WHICH WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT (ENGINE AREA). THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT REPLACEMENT OF FAN SHROUD IS NECESSARY AND THAT'S EXPENSIVE. WE SEND CAR FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE, WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO!! THE MILES ON MY CAR IS ABOVE 50000 AND THAT'S WHEN I CAME ACROSS THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS KIND OF PROBLEM IN ANY OF MY CARS SO FAR. THIS IS SOMETHING TO DO FROM THE MANUFACTURING SIDE.

NHTSA ODI #11157328

48,800 miles · Nov 28, 2018
Engine

AT 48,800 MILES RADIATOR FAN FAILED. AS WAS EXPLAINED TO ME BY SERVICE ADVISOR AT NISSAN DEALER, A MOUNTING PART FAILED AND CAUSED THE FAN TO RUB AGAINST THE SHROUD WHEN IN OPERATION. MANY REPORTS OF FAILURE ON VARIOUS WEBSITES FOR MODEL YEARS 2014 -2016, MOST OCCURRING IN THE 50,000 MILE RANGE.

NHTSA ODI #11154548

50,000 miles · Nov 22, 2018
Engine

RADIATOR FAN ASSEMBLY FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT AS INDICATED BY SEVERAL PATHFINDER OWNERS FROM 2014 UP TO THE PRESENT.

NHTSA ODI #11153196

22,627 miles · Apr 10, 2018
EngineOther/unknownCrash

I DROVE UP TO 16,000 MILES AND THEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY MADE A WEIRD SOUND. I WENT TO 2 NISSAN DEALERSHIPS TO CHECK IT OUT AND IT SAID IT WAS NORMAL FOR 2016 PATHFINDER.BUT WHILE DRIVING SOMETIMES IT WILL CAUSE A HUMMING NOISE LIKE A BEE AND ITS REALLY ANNOYING, I WENT TO CHECK IT OUT AND IT SAID IT WAS NORMAL, WHAT DO I DO NOW?

NHTSA ODI #11084475

43,000 miles · Apr 3, 2018
Engine

THE RADIATOR FAN AND SHROUD ASSEMBLY AND I CANNOT FIND REPLACEMENT PARTS AT ANY DEALER, AUTO PARTS STORE NOR JUNK YARD DUE TO SO MANY PEOPLE NEEDING THESE PARTS REPLACED. I WAS TOLD THEY ARE ON BACKORDER AND DONT KNOW WHEN THEY WILL HAVE REPLACEMENT PARTS. I WAS TOLD BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC THAT THE CAR COULD OVERHEAT AND STALL …

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THE RADIATOR FAN AND SHROUD ASSEMBLY AND I CANNOT FIND REPLACEMENT PARTS AT ANY DEALER, AUTO PARTS STORE NOR JUNK YARD DUE TO SO MANY PEOPLE NEEDING THESE PARTS REPLACED. I WAS TOLD THEY ARE ON BACKORDER AND DONT KNOW WHEN THEY WILL HAVE REPLACEMENT PARTS. I WAS TOLD BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC THAT THE CAR COULD OVERHEAT AND STALL IF THESE PARTS ARE NOT REPLACED.

NHTSA ODI #11082648

Official recalls

2

22V420000 · Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch

Jun 13, 2022

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Pathfinder vehicles. On certain Pathfinder vehicles, the secondary hood latch may malfunction and remain in the unlatched, unsecured, position when the hood is closed.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An unsecured hood could unexpectedly open while driving, obstructing the driver's view, and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the bell crank assembly, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed March 26, 2025. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall are R22A2 R22A3 and R24B7.

16V244000 · Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification

Apr 26, 2016

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.

Remedy: Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669, Infiniti customer service at 1-888-833-3216 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.

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

1

PE21022 · Hood Latch/bell Crank Assembly

Opened Dec 9, 2021 · Closed Jul 8, 2022

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this preliminary evaluation to investigate consumer complaints alleging hood latch failures occurring on certain model year (MY) 2013-2016 Nissan Pathfinder vehicles. Complaints received indicated a sudden and unexpected opening of the hood while the vehicle was in motion, blocking the driver's visibility.During this investigation Nissan collected parts from the field to analyze for root cause of the alleged failures. On June 13, 2022, Nissan submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA regarding a hood bell crank assembly defect in certain MY2013-2016 Nissan Pathfinder vehicles produced at the Smyrna, TN plant. According to Nissan's DIR, an accumulation of dust and dirt contamination on and around the bell crank lever pivot joint, which actuates the secondary hood latch, can create a condition that can cause the lever to remain in the open position after it has been disengaged. In this condition, the secondary hood latch may not hold the hood closed as designed while the vehicle is in motion obstructing the driver's forward view and increasing the risk of a crash.A remedy plan for all affected vehicles is currently under development. See recall action 22V-420 for further details. Nissan's action resolves the issues raised by this investigation, and therefore, this investigation is closed.The VOQs cited above can be found with ID numbers: 11456378, 11448298, 11436637, 11431131, 11427702, 11423321, 11406574, 11398825, 11389741, 11387952, 11375938, 11349105,11306735, 11302647, 11190468, 11166607.