Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Nissan Pathfinder owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Contamination from the radiator mixed with the transmission cooler. The car is now inoperable due to this design flaw. This causes the transmission to be extremely sluggish and unresponsive when run, oftentimes the engine won't start or crank due to a blown fuse related to this issue. The slow acceleration causes safety issues when pulling out into traffic. The vehicle was inspected by a licensed Illinois auto rebuilder. The four-wheel-drive indicator is stuck to on although the vehicle is in two-wheel drive and service engine light appeared.
Bought vehicle I'm second owner it was sold as is from a dealership with airbag lights on after a certain amount miles check engine light came on said I had e -regular voltage to fuel injectors 1 gear started slipping then loss of power when accelerating next revolutionary trans-sensor went and now when I start the vehicle the A/T ECU Fuse keeps blowing out and the radiator coolant has transmission fluid mixing into it.
Car would not accelerate from a stop it was as if it was not shifting to first gear from a stop. Also while driving the car would begin to shudder violently and would not stop until the vehicle came to a complete stop. As it turns out, a line inside radiator coming from the transmission broke and caused contamination. Coolant mixed with transmission fluid created a sludge that contaminated both coolant system and transmission. Radiator was replaced and coolant system flushed as well as transmission flushed. A week later the car was parked and would not start. As it turns out the transmission blew a fuse and was not registering that the vehicle was in park. This is all related to the same problem the transmission control module (TCM) was burned out from the sludge created by coolant and transmission fluid. …
My 2008 Nissan Pathfinder had transmission issues and was replaced twice in 2017. I brought to the Nissan authorized dealer first for a thumbing sound when pushing gas pedal after taking the foot off. When it worsened they said it was the calipers and changed my calipers for $2000. But the thumbing sound persisted. After a few months they said it was transmission issue and they changed the transmission twice. The thumbing sound persisted whenever the vehicle was driven above 40 MPH. The transmission was covered under warranty but the sound got worse. I took it to another dealership and they found broken metal pieces in the real axle box. I called Nissan consumer affairs and they said they cannot help since there is no recall. I see similar incidents reported by consumers in the internet. …
While driving on the highway in the fast lane at 85 MPH the car lost power completely. Luckily there were no other cars in my vicinity. Coasted over 2 lanes to breakdown lane just barely over the line. Gas gage read 1/4 tank so figured I still had gas. Tried to restart several times but car acted like it was out of gas. Called aaa for a tow truck and asked to bring gas just in case. Car started right up after mechanic put gas in tank. Although this issue is a recall1 Nissan will not repair for free. Say my VIN is not included in the recall and it will cost me $450. Recall summary:Nissan is recalling certain model year 2006 and model year 2008 frontier, xterra and Pathfinder vehicles. …
Catastrophic cooling/transmission failure. Traveling east on a heavily traveled single lane highway with no breakdown lane. Sudden noise from the engine compartment, sounding like liquids being expelled. Check engine light comes on. Engine temperature gauge pegs to high. Limped along the highway until I could reach a safe point to pull the overheating vehicle off road. Arranged for a tow and had the vehicle inspected. The inspection revealed failure of the radiator. After further inspection and with some research, it was discovered that Nissan has a known design flaw that contributes to the eventual failure, in a catastrophic event, of the cooling and transmission components. My vehicle was mixing engine coolant and transmission fluid together. The sudden failure of the radiator, expelled engine cooling and transmission fluid in a sudden and rapid event. …
In about January of this year 2016 I noticed a vibration during gearshifting while driving. I brought my car to my mechanic because when I explained the issue to Nissan they said out of warranty and all parts and labor would not be covered so I went to my mechanic anyway who said I had transmission failure due to a leak from the radiator which I believe is a design flaw on the car. If Nissan knew about a radiator issue why was I never informed so I could potentially replace the radiator before it destroyed my transmission? I am seeking full reimbursement on all parts and labor in the transmission. I understand I May have to pay some of the cost of the radiator due to ware and tare but if Nissan knew about this they should've contacted me to save transmission failure. …
Same as many bought 2008 Pathfinder had 65,000 miles one year ago in roanoke va,started missing ,when checking radiator and transmission fluid were were cream like color,paid 104 dollars at maintenance garage to find problem of cracked in radiator part causing to mix.now need new transmission which my compartment is 3000 dollars,which is ridiculous since this is evidently a common failure which I was not informed of.when spoke with Nissan stated this is all court ordered them to do ...sorry for your inconvenience..I don't have that kind of money,still owe on this vehicle thought I was buying a dependable car,have extended insurance won't pay cause of Nissan extended warranty...think this should have been a recall and consumer notified this is a major car issue and expense....Nissan should be ashamed doing there consumers that way..please spread the word..
My only one family vehicle suffered the now known 2008 Nissan Pathfinder radiator and transmission failure and breakdown due to coolant leak into the transmission. I've purchased this vehicle pre-owned from np Mazda in san antonio texas. They did not inform me of this known issue which involved several year models for the Pathfinder. I've spent a little over $5K of loaned money to have this resolve via independent transmission specialist as gunn Nissan presented me with a much higher price quote. I recently found out from a local Nissan service specialist that my vehicle currently have an extended warranty designed specifically for this and as a result of October 2012 class action lawsuit settled by court and Nissan corp. I am attempting to have Nissan help me with some of recently mentioned financial impact regarding their well known defect.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that upon placing her vehicle into reverse, the vehicle shut-off without warning. The vehicle started rolling backwards. The contact and her son exited the vehicle, to manually stop the vehicle from rolling back and hitting a building. The contact then had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic, where the mechanic replaced the engine coil block however, the vehicle started to overheat at start-up. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, there was white smoke coming from the engine while the temperature gauge showed a high engine temperature. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed her that the warranty had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 93,500.
Engine complaints in other Pathfinder years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder?
NHTSA has 84 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder, 26% of the model year's 328 complaints. The component named most often is cooling system › radiator assembly (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Nissan Pathfinder engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder, though it has 4 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 2008 Nissan Pathfinder engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 112,000 miles, and 1% 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.