Nissan Pathfinder Problems by Year

We compared every Nissan Pathfinder model year from 1995–2026 using 7,070 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, 44 recalls and federal defect investigations. The years to avoid are 2013, 2014, 2025, 2022 and 2015, which drew far more complaints than other Pathfinder years at the same age. The best years are 2012, 2011 and 2020.

31model years
7,070complaints
44recalls
2013, 2014worst years
2012, 2011best years

Complaints by model year

’95’96’97’98’99’00’01’02’03’04’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’22’23’24’25’26170159217149104112230156110671.1k83756132837404523890575321105186787648136107865512
Owner complaints per model year, Nissan Pathfinder. Colour = our verdict for that year (red: avoid, orange: caution, green: better than average, blue: too new).
YearComplaintsvs. typical*RecallsTop problemVerdict
2026121.6×—Collision AvoidanceAverage
2025553.7×1Collision AvoidanceAvoid
2024862.8×2BrakeAvoid
20231072.3×1ElectricalAvoid
20221363.0×5BrakeAvoid
202048−36%—EngineAverage
201976−14%2Collision AvoidanceAverage
201878−20%3BrakeAverage
20171861.8×2EngineCaution
2016105typical2EngineAverage
20153212.9×5TransmissionAvoid
20145754.8×11TransmissionAvoid
20138907.7×11TransmissionAvoid
201223−84%2EngineGood
201145−64%2AirbagGood
201040−70%4TransmissionGood
200937−76%3AirbagGood
20083282.3×4TransmissionAvoid
20075614.4×1TransmissionAvoid
20068376.4×3TransmissionAvoid
20051,0508.2×2TransmissionAvoid
200467−63%3BrakeGood
2003110−46%3EngineGood
2002156−17%5SuspensionAverage
20012301.3×3SuspensionAverage
2000112−55%2SuspensionGood
1999104−53%2SuspensionGood
1998149−22%2SuspensionAverage
19972171.2×2SuspensionAverage
1996159typical3SuspensionAverage
1995170typical—BodyAverage

* Complaints compared with the median Pathfinder year at the same age, so new and old years are judged fairly. How this works.

Most common Nissan Pathfinder problems

Latest Nissan Pathfinder recalls

Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Disc › Caliper

NHTSA recall 25V-173 · Mar 19, 2025 · 1,430 vehicles

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Murano, Pathfinder, and INFINITI QX60 vehicles. One or both front brake caliper assemblies may have reduced strength and could break.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the front brake caliper assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 9, 2025.

Seat belts › Pretensioner

NHTSA recall 24V-176 · Mar 5, 2024 · 12,019 vehicles

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2024 Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 vehicles. The lap belt pretensioner in the left-side front seat belt assembly may be improperly secured, due to a missing rivet.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the left-side front lap seat belt pretensioner assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 18, 2024.

Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module

NHTSA recall 24V-154 · Feb 27, 2024 · 351 vehicles

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2024 Titan, Frontier, Infiniti QX60, Pathfinder, 2023-2024 Sentra, Versa, Kicks, Infiniti QX50, and 2023 Rogue vehicles. Due to a manufacturing issue, the driver's air bag inflator may absorb moisture, and cause the air bag to deploy improperly.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the front driver's air bag assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669.

Seats › Critical fasteners

NHTSA recall 23V-268 · Apr 13, 2023 · 12,400 vehicles

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2023 Rogue, Pathfinder, and Infiniti QX60 vehicles. The driver's powered seat may not be fully secured to the seat frame, causing the seat frame welds to detach from the rear inboard seat bracket.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the driver's seat rail clearance, and if necessary, replace the driver's seat cushion frame, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed June 10, 2023.

Air bags › Frontal

NHTSA recall 23V-067 · Feb 10, 2023 · 404,690 vehicles

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2008-2011 Titan, Frontier, Xterra, Pathfinder, Armada, and 2008-2009 Quest vehicles. The resin emblem on the driver's air bag cover may develop cracks and detach during air bag deployment.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver's airbag cover. Owner letters were mailed December 8, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall are PC944, PC945, and PC946.

All 44 Nissan Pathfinder recalls by year →

Frequently asked questions

What years of the Nissan Pathfinder should you avoid?

2013, 2014, 2025, 2022, 2015 and 2024 — these years have the most complaints relative to other Pathfinder years at the same age, led by transmission & drivetrain problems in the 2013.

What is the best year for the Nissan Pathfinder?

2012 has the fewest complaints compared with other Pathfinder years at the same age, followed by 2011 and 2020. Newer years can look better simply because fewer complaints have come in yet, so we compare like with like.

What are the most common Nissan Pathfinder problems?

Across all years, owners report the most problems with the transmission & drivetrain (2,444), engine & cooling (1,796) and fuel & propulsion system (931). Transmission complaints peak in the 2005 model year.

How many recalls has the Nissan Pathfinder had?

44 recalls across 1995–2026. The model year with the most is 2013. See all Nissan Pathfinder recalls by year.

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.