Most common 2011 Nissan Pathfinder problems
Share of the 45 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 →
2011 Nissan Pathfinder recalls (2)
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.
Engine and engine cooling
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2011 Infiniti fx, model year 2012 Infiniti m, model year 2011-2012 Nissan frontier, model year 2011-2012 Nissan xterra, model year 2011-2012 Nissan pathfinder, and model year 2012 Nissan nv vehicles.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the connector bolts free of charge. The safety recall began on January 30, 2012. Owners May contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
What 2011 Nissan Pathfinder owners say
Air bags
The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V067000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealers: Nissan of Bradenton (1611 Cortez Rd W, Bradenton, FL 34207: [phone]) and Gettel Nissan (3530 Bee Ridge Rd, Sarasota, FL 34239: [phone]) were contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23E012000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine & cooling
The Vehicle will frequently and without warning lose all power while in the roadway. Last evening I was exiting the highway when I lost engine power and power steering. The dashboard lights came on and I had to coast to the nearest driveway. This has happened multiple times before, always without warning. When I have taken it to two nissan dealerships they have told me to continue driving it until it happens again because there is no code appearing. Finally it will happen enough where there will be a code and they can repair it. It always ends up being some sort of sensor. This has been going on for approximately 4-5 years.
Through a check engine light for camshaft position sensor bank 1 so I replaced both of them well that cleared the check engine light for a min and was running good the after five min of running it started rough idling cutting off and throwing a check engine light for p0340 again I sent it to the Nissan dealer shop they said it didn't have no check light they tested the sensors and said there good and don't know what it could be
Transmission & drivetrain
The Vehicle will frequently and without warning lose all power while in the roadway. Last evening I was exiting the highway when I lost engine power and power steering. The dashboard lights came on and I had to coast to the nearest driveway. This has happened multiple times before, always without warning. When I have taken it to two nissan dealerships they have told me to continue driving it until it happens again because there is no code appearing. Finally it will happen enough where there will be a code and they can repair it. It always ends up being some sort of sensor. This has been going on for approximately 4-5 years.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Nissan Pathfinder. While driving 25 MPH and merging onto the highway, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the transmission failed to respond. The engine began to rev. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where ti was diagnosed that the transmission would need to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired by an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 134,674.
2011 Nissan Pathfinder engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 22 / 17 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 5.6L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD | 13 / 18 / 15 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2011 Nissan Pathfinder a good car?
Based on 45 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2011 Pathfinder rates better than average: 64% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Pathfinder at the same age. It is one of the best Pathfinder years by this measure. 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 2011 Nissan Pathfinder?
The air bags — 12 complaints, 27% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the engine & cooling (10) and transmission & drivetrain (7).
How many recalls does the 2011 Nissan Pathfinder have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2011 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 2011 Nissan Pathfinder problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 46,000 miles; 55% 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.