Most common 2001 Nissan Pathfinder problems
Share of the 230 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Nissan Pathfinder complaints by model year
Best Pathfinder years: 2012, 2011, 2020. Years to avoid: 2013, 2014, 2025, 2022, 2015. Compare all years →
2001 Nissan Pathfinder recalls (3)
Suspension › Front
Nissan is recalling certain model year 1996-2004 pathfinder and model year 1997-2003 Infiniti qx4 vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, connecticut, delaware, iowa, illinois, indiana, massachusetts, maine, maryland, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode…
Remedy: Nissan will inspect the strut housing and repair the vehicles as necessary, free of charge. An interim notification letter was sent out in May 2011. The second notice was mailed on July 25, 2011.
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly › Filler pipe and cap
On certain vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, iowa, illinois, indiana, kentucky, massachusetts, maine, maryland, michigan, minnesota, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, tennessee, vermont, virginia, west virginia , wisconsin and the…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel filler tube assembly with a new one with an improved coating process. The recall began on November 26, 2007. Owners May contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Structure › Body › Hatchback/liftgate › Hinge and attachments
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. Some of the brackets used to attach the two gas struts to the rear door (hatch) May have been improperly made. At high ambient temperatures, the increase in gas pressure in the strut(s) could cause one or both brackets to bend, resulting in the struts detaching from the bracket(s)…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the strut brackets. Owner notification began September 24, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2001 Nissan Pathfinder:
Frame/Body Structure Corrosion
In their Defect Information Report (DIR) of April 20, 2011, Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) notified NHTSA that it would conduct a safety recall of certain 1996-2004 Nissan Pathfinder and 1997-2003 Infinity QX4 vehicles to repair corrosion damage to the driver's side front strut tower.The vehicles included in the recall are those that were originally sold, or are currently registered in salt belt states…
What 2001 Nissan Pathfinder owners say
Suspension all 68 →
The contact owns a 2001 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the contact was attempting to use her brakes to slow for traffic and was unable to stop. The contact had to depress the brake pedal to the floorboard to get the vehicle to stop. The contact stated that prior to the failure her ABS warning had been illuminated for a long period of time prior to the failure. The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that due to a significant amount of rust, the front suspension and struts and brake pads, and rotors had to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V244000 (Steering and Suspension). The work had been previously completed by a dealer. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that there was an abnormal noise when the steering wheel was turned, which progressed randomly after the dealer replaced the strut towers. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic due to the steering wheel seizing and making an abnormal noise. The contact was informed that there was a manufacturer recall and to take the vehicle to a dealer. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for NHTSA campaign number: 11V244000 (steering, suspension). One dealer indicated that there was too much rust and corrosion to complete the repair. The manufacturer sent an independent source who indicated that the vehicle needed to be repaired. The manufacturer indicated that the contact would need to have the vehicle towed to another dealer to receive the recall repair. …
Equipment & accessories all 39 →
I purchased Nissan Pathfinder 2001 on March 2001, and the in-dash 6-cd changer defected first time less than a year within the warranty. It was sent to factory to be refurbished. After that it malfunctioned again twice. After I bought the service manual for the clarion unit I found the problem was caused by plastic gears that continued to break. The plastic will get brittle over time and break or strip out. Knowing this, clarion continued to use plastic gears that were known to break during normal usage. This was poor engineering on clarion's part. If the gears were made of something stronger , such as teflon? The gears would no longer break or strip out. I am very disappointed that no one at Nissan/Infiniti or clarion admitted to this problem. The problem mentioned here could be found in most all of the clarion 6-disc changers installed in Nissan/Infiniti vehicles. …
I purchased a 2001 Nissan Pathfinder. The 6 disc bose cd player worked perfect for a few years. In 2006 it read err2. I attempted to retrieve the cd's but they would not come out. As a result the player continuously clicked and then eventually stopped. Now it does not do anything. I have found this problem to be very common in 2001 Pathfinder and infintiy qx4. There is not a cd player made that is compatible with bose that will sound good. To purchase a new one is ridiculous because of the high price through the dealership. I have spoken to many people in forums that have attempted to repair the broken unit only to have it last a few months. I refuse to throw away money and want to have my unit replaced by the dealership at no charge. There is obviously a trend here with the number of complaints and I would like this matter to be handled correctly.
Steering all 35 →
The contact owns a 2001 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the contact was attempting to use her brakes to slow for traffic and was unable to stop. The contact had to depress the brake pedal to the floorboard to get the vehicle to stop. The contact stated that prior to the failure her ABS warning had been illuminated for a long period of time prior to the failure. The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that due to a significant amount of rust, the front suspension and struts and brake pads, and rotors had to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V244000 (Steering and Suspension). The work had been previously completed by a dealer. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Nissan Pathfinder. While driving approximately 15 MPH and making a left turn, the lower steering column fractured without warning. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact to take the vehicle to a dealer. The vehicle was towed to walser Nissan wayzata [phone], located at 15906 wayzata blvd, wayzata, mn 55391) via the after hour service. The contact left a message for the technician to diagnose the failure and provide a report. The contact went on a vacation. Overnight, the general manager of the dealer called the contact and informed him to move the vehicle from the premises before 8 am the following day. The contact explained that he was out of town. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot by the dealer. Four years prior to the failure, the vehicle was repaired per NHTSA campaign number: 11V244000 (steering, suspension). …
2001 Nissan Pathfinder engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 18 / 16 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 18 / 16 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 15 / 18 / 16 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 17 / 15 |
| 3.5L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 17 / 15 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2001 Nissan Pathfinder a good car?
Based on 230 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2001 Pathfinder rates average: 1.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the Pathfinder at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2001 Nissan Pathfinder?
The suspension — 68 complaints, 30% of all complaints for this model year, most often about front. Next are the equipment & accessories (39) and steering (35).
How many recalls does the 2001 Nissan Pathfinder have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2001 Nissan Pathfinder, the most recent from April 20, 2011 (front). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Nissan Pathfinder?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2012, 2011 and 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2013, 2014, 2025, 2022 and 2015. See the full Nissan Pathfinder years comparison.
At what mileage do 2001 Nissan Pathfinder problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 100,000 miles; 19% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 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.