Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1995 Nissan Pathfinder owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My 1995 Nissan Pathfinder's transmission has had to be replaced do to failure of Nissan in the design of the cooling tubes. After contacting several transmission shops I was told this is a problem affecting all Nissan transmissions up to yr 98. That is when Nissan fixed the problem by making the cooling tubes larger diameter. They should have had a recall on this but did not. The reverse gear is the first one to burn out. If you can get 125K on any of these transmissions you are very lucky. The transmission shops say to make it over 150K is a miracle. I made it to 189K. Make Nissan recall this product!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ts
Tl* the contact owns a 1995 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact was driving 60 MPH when the vehicle independently shifted into second gear before decelerating and becoming unresponsive to acceleration attempts. All of the warning lights were illuminated on the instrumental panel as the vehicle stalled. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle and it was towed to the dealer. The dealer advised that radiator fluid was leaking into the transmission and both components would need replacing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was then contacted but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.
Automatic trans/ no reverse have had numerous problems with trans now no reverse. Warning no signs of things to come, just drove from point a to point b (about 1/2 a mile) and reverse was gone. Have discussed this problem with several other 1995 Pathfinder owners and they have had the same problems.
My 2005 Nissan path finder had a problem with the radiator that LED to the transmission failing. They new about this problem for a while and so do all the dealers and transmission shops. The did nothing and now only cover it to 80K.
Bought vehicle in nov. '98. Had to replace transmission in or around April '99. Was told by several people that Nissan was having a problem with their transmissions that year. Dealership replaced with a new transmission only because we had purchased an extended warranty. On August 7, the transmission once again failed only after a little over a year. We thought it was still under warranty so we had it towed to the same dealership. Was told that the warranty had expired. They said they would pull transmission to see if they could tell what it was. In the meantime, I started calling other places to check on pricing. Was told that the transmission had some kind of bolt (?) or something that was a defect in their transmissions but were still knowlingly replacing these transmissions without correcting that problem. We bought a Nissan because we trusted the reliabilty of the make. …
ABS warning light on almost always. Had front and rear brakes replaced soon after purchase in oct. '99. Same problems with mannifold as many others are reporting. Pass. Door lock does not work with key. Anti-theft alarm goes on when trying to start in very cold conditions. Pulls to the right frequently evn after having it checked for problems. Also beginning to have problems with gear shifting. When turning wheels to exit or enter a driveway in drive or reverse often there is a very loud grinding sound, a freind with a Nissan pickup has the same problem. When asking the dealer about it, they reported it is nothing to be worried about- "they all make that sound".
Consumer states when traveling in bad weather conditions when the four wheel drive is needed. Vehicle pulls to the right, causing poor control of vehicle. Consumer has contacted the dealer, dealer has yet to determine the cause of the problem. Please provide any further details.
My 95 Nissan Pathfinder will not go into the reverse gear. The dealer service person says it could be a solenoid switch. They were not certain of this. I have found several other people who own pathfinders have encountered this problem. It is not an isolated incident.
Right exhaust manifold replaced, then 40000 or so miles later bolts broken on both the right and left manifold. Reverse in the transmission did not work, had to replace the complete transmission. Drivers sunvisor is bad design, you have problems seeing when it is down.
Whenever shifting vehicle into another gear, it would be jumping. Casing was slipping from differential. Differential needed chafing due to dropping. Two dealers could not do it due to lack of correct tools.
Transmission complaints in other Pathfinder years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 1995 Nissan Pathfinder?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 1995 Nissan Pathfinder, 12% of the model year's 170 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission (17 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1995 Nissan Pathfinder transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 1995 Nissan Pathfinder. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1995 Nissan Pathfinder transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 89,000 miles, and 17% before 25,000 miles.
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.