Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Nissan Pathfinder owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
As I began to pull out at an intersection on my way to work I stepped on the gas and my car was barely moving. I nearly got hit by another driver. I called the dealer from which I purchased this vehicle 16 months ago and had it taken to them. They called me with the news that the radiator coolant had leaked into the transmission and caused damage to both parts, therefore both are needing to be replaced. Given the fact that I recently purchased this vehicle and now have to put $5,200 into a fix that should not have occurred I am at a complete loss. I still owe $7,000+ on this vehicle's loan. I feel that Nissan should be responsible for it's faulty manufacturing, however I also feel that the dealer should be held partially responsible as well. …
My 2005 Nissan Pathfinder hit a metal object in the road with one of the front tires. The object was propelled under the car towards the rear. There it contacted the fuel tank and punctured the tank. This caused 16-18 gallons of gasoline to flow out of the tank. After stopping I had to step through a steady stream of gasoline to remove my infant daughter from the middle row's driver's side seat. At this time I'm aware of no other damage sustained to the vehicle. Police and fire department responded to the scene, and the police report is available upon request. This incident appears to be consistent with events described in the recall 06V003000 for the 2005 Nissan murano, however to my knowledge it appears the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder has not been recalled for this issue. Currently I'm awaiting the final repair bill and determination if anything beyond the fuel tank was damaged. …
When I went to put gas in my car, after I got in and started the car the gas gage went all the way to empty and stopped working all together. I couldn't tell how much gas I had in the car and the service engine light was blinking. After about 5 hours it all went back to normal until I put gas in the car again and it did it all over again but this time never started working again. I have been reading on line all the other nissian said with the exact same problem and there are hundreds of them with the exact same issue and the repair is over $700.00. Too many cars affected with the same issue and you can't drive around not knowing how much gas is in your car they need to do a recall and help pay that huge expense!
2005 Pathfinder se- with 52K miles vehicle shut off while traveling at high speed (70mph) on freeway- all power controls failed problem was identified to be with a failure of the fuel level sensor- reports acquired indicate that this is a widespread problem with premature failure of this unit on 2005 and newer model year pathfinders- fuel level indicator fails and gives inaccurate reading to driver - when tank is empty shows it to be 1/2 full. When driving at high speed loosing all engine power can be catastrophic dealer reports many similar problems but Nissan has not recalled for this widespread manufacturing/design problem reported also on line.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder. After the contact placed fuel in the vehicle, the contact restarted the engine and noticed that the fuel gauge indicator on the instrument panel showed empty the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer stated that the vehicle was not under warranty and the contact needed to pay for the repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 92,377. Updated 07/11/17
I was stranded in a parking lot because my car would not start. After having it towed to the dealership, I find out it is the "intermix" between the radiator and the transmission. I never received any information about this from Nissan, but now understand it was a known and frequent failure - by design. Essentially, after 90,000 mile, the car is worthless because of this issue. After paying $5,000 for the repair, I drove off the lot only to have my fuel pump fail. Literally, I drove off the lot and the engine began misfiring. Unbelievable.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder. While driving 50 MPH, the fuel gage indicator failed to display the correct fuel level. The vehicle slowed down and was towed to the contact's residence. The dealer diagnosed that the fuel system storage failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 10V075000 (fuel system, gasoline). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 101,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that the digital fuel gauge displayed the incorrect fuel mileage. As a result, the vehicle completely shut off due to no fuel being inside the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic for diagnostic testing or repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was provided a case number. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.
ECM replaced under recall. Radiator/transmission replaced @ 96K miles under "extended warranty." transmission replaced 2nd time 1 year later. Transmission hoses replaced twice (during same time period). Now - 103K miles - check engine light came on: vias solenoid valve, bank 2 catalytic converter, & oil pressure sensor switch all need replaced (possibly related to ECM relay issue)
I has to replace the 2 gaskets on the oil galley gasket in the timing cover. It coat me over 1000 dollars and I had a 2005 Nissan xterra that had 5he same problem and it cost be thousands to fix and I had to junk it because it smoked so much then valve train got f ried..
Fuel System complaints in other Pathfinder years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder?
NHTSA has 276 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder, 26% of the model year's 1,050 complaints. The component named most often is storage › fuel gauge system (22 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Nissan Pathfinder fuel system problems?
No. NHTSA lists no fuel & propulsion system recall for the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder, though it has 2 recalls for other components. 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 2005 Nissan Pathfinder fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 65,000 miles, and 1% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries to fuel & propulsion system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.