Most common 2009 Nissan Pathfinder problems
Share of the 37 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 →
2009 Nissan Pathfinder recalls (3)
Air bags › Frontal
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.
Equipment › Electrical › Navigational system(global positioning system)
Nissan is recalling certain vehicles that were equipped with a garmin nuvi model 750 navigation system. The batteries contained in the affected GPS units can overheat.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners and the repairs will be performed by garmin technicians by replacing the battery and inserting a spacer on top of the battery free of charge. The safety recall began on September 16, 2010.
Air bags › Frontal
Nissan is recalling 242,720 my 2005-2009 pathfinder, frontier and xterra vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island,…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front czs with a redesigned sensor. The recall began on January 26, 2009. Owners in the other states will receive extended warranty coverage for the sensor to 10 years.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2009 Nissan Pathfinder:
Transmission Failures
On February 29, 2012 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter petitioning the agency to conduct a defect investigation into MY 2005-2010 Nissan Pathfinder, Frontier, and Xterra vehicles [the subject vehicles] for automatic transmission failures related to failed transmission coolers.NHTSA conducted a comprehensive review of data related to this subject.
What 2009 Nissan Pathfinder owners say
Air bags
I struck a deer while driving my 2009 Nissan Pathfinder. There was damage to the left front bumper and slight damage to the left front fender. Although it was not a high impact collision with the deer, the wiring from the bumper to the airbag was cut in two. The airbag light flashed on the dashboard, but the airbag did not activate. The body shop has been unable to repair the wiring harness because none are available. If a slight accident managed to sever the wires then what would happen in a high impact crash when the wires are severed. No airbag. Nissan needs to correct this defect immediately and they need to have parts on hand due to the shoddy workmanship and design of the wiring harness.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Nissan Pathfinder. When the ignition was turned to the on position, the front passenger side air bag warning indicator illuminated continuously. The failure recurred several times. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or diagnosed. The manufacturer stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 08V690000 (air bags). The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.
Engine & cooling
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate, the check engine warning light illuminated as the vehicle decelerated. The contact mentioned that the vehicle had to be turned off and restarted in order to resume to normal operation. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician diagnosed that the throttle chamber needed to be replaced. The repairs were performed however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, who performed unknown repairs. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 75,000. Updated 05/06/16 according to the invoice, the driver's side window was inoperative. Updated 05/11/16.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Nissan Pathfinder. While driving at approximately 40 MPH, there was an abnormal noise coming from the front of the vehicle and the service engine warning indicator illuminated continuously. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that there was cross contamination in the radiator. As a result, the transmission and the radiator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was later taken to a dealer where it was confirmed that the radiator failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000. Updated 10/05/16
Transmission & drivetrain
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that the vehicle was at stand still at a parking lot, when entering the vehicle, it began to move forward while the gear was in park. The contact stated she depressed the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. The contact stated she injured her leg while entering the vehicle. The contact did not seek any medical attention. The contact stated that she was unable to start the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic however, he advised the contact he could not do anything with the vehicle. The contact called local dealer bayou Nissan (13050 I-10 service rd, new orleans, la 70128, [phone]) and scheduled a diagnostic appointment. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 11,300. Vehicle repaired
When driving uphill on long mountain roads and shifting the automatic transmission down to 2, 3 or 4, the car won't stay in gear. After a few minutes of driving it will shift by itself into 5 without allowing you to shift down again. You can only go into d or stop and shut down the engine. The transmission shop already replaced the shifting assembly, inspected the entire transmission & wires from the computer. No problem could be identified but the issue remains. The car will stay in lower gears when driving downhill. It's a mystery and very expensive to diagnose further. Do you have any ideas? The local Nissan dealer is unable to help. They worked on the computer and main circuit boards about 5 yrs ago ' could the have possibly caused this problem? Any help would be appreciated.
2009 Nissan Pathfinder engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 22 / 18 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 5.6L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 19 / 15 |
| 5.6L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 18 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2009 Nissan Pathfinder a good car?
Based on 37 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2009 Pathfinder rates better than average: 76% fewer complaints than 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 2009 Nissan Pathfinder?
The air bags — 11 complaints, 30% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the engine & cooling (11) and transmission & drivetrain (8).
How many recalls does the 2009 Nissan Pathfinder have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2009 Nissan Pathfinder, the most recent from February 10, 2023 (frontal). 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 2009 Nissan Pathfinder problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 91,000 miles; 21% 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.