Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2013 Nissan Pathfinder owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving 40-44 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond. Additionally, the contact stated that there was play in the rear wheels and the rear wheels seemed misaligned. The contact also stated that while coming to a complete stop and depressing the brake pedal, the rear wheels and the trailing arm seemed to move forward, then backward. The contact stated that the failure recurred while making a left turn. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that the rear subframe was corroded. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist due to the manufactured date of the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH around a curve at night, there was an abnormal popping sound coming from the subframe and the vehicle unintendedly veered into another lane, and nearly crashed into the guard rail. The contact pulled to the side of the road but could not determine the cause of the failure. The contact was able to drive to his residence nearby at 40 MPH. The used car dealer where the vehicle was purchased was contacted but provided no assistance. The local dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as the corrosion warranty had expired in 2018. The failure mileage was approximately 149,620.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel was veering to the left and became difficult to maneuver. The contact stated there was a loud banging sound underneath the vehicle when the brake pedal was depressed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the rear subframe crossmember needed to be replaced; however, the part for the repair was on backorder. The local dealer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the part was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 117,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while driving and making a turn, the steering wheel became significantly loose. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and inspected the vehicle. The contact noticed that the front passenger's side wheel had moved closer into the front fender, and the control arm had detached from the frame due to significant corrosion. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 167,000.
I noticed a metal on metal noise when I would hit a bump in tge road. I had it checked thinking it was likely a tailpipe rattling. I was shocked when the technician show me the Crossmember SubFrame Assembly was rusted so badly that a hole had developed. When I researched this issue on line I discovered that this is a common issue for Nissan. Having purchased the car new and maintain the car in accordance to the manufacturer's guidelines I feel this subframe rust-through is excessive. I wash the car routinely and always get the undercarriage option to prevent salt, or other undesirables building up underneath my vehicle. While part failure hasn't occurred am going to get the repair done before it does happen. …
I started having issues with my brakes. I had recently had the front rotors and pads replaced, but I still heard squeeking, and a little fishtailing on my back end. I figured I needed my brakes in the rear checked, so I took it to Pep Boys for a free inspection. The mechanic showed me that my rear control arm on the left was very loose, and the compartment that connected to it was severely rusted thru. He told me this was across the whole back end and it was actually part of my FRAME. He said it is called a K-Frame and it should not be rusted through with my car being barely 11 years old. There are massive holes all the way across. He said that is why I thought that I might need my struts replaced because of a thunk sound when pulling off. There was no connection at all. He says I should not drive it AT ALL because my whole back end could fall off literally!
After owning this vehicle from brand new, it now has a rotting rear subframe. Nissan customer support is not interested in providing good will or recall for this issue. My mechanic has reported that the same model and year vehicle showed up a week prior with the exact same issue. A core part of the frame should not crumble due to rust within a 10 year timeframe. Searching on the internet has revealed multiple other people reporting the same issue. [redacted] I believe many others will be registering this complaint in the coming months as they fail their inspections or come to their mechanics with a complaint of noise. I would be happy to provide pictures of my rotted subframe, but it looks very similar to the pictures referenced above.
After a quick fish tail in the rain of the car and figuring it was just a hydroplane, I noticed rear tires were worn out to the cords on inside of rear tires, So i purchase a new set and while changing , it was obvious that the rear subframe was broken off at the stabilizer and would allow the rear end of car to shift forward and back, Thank God we were only at around 30mph, or this could of been real bad, the car is in very wonderful condition in and out, with no visible rust, I hope that this is addressed by Nissan before someone is killed , especially as these are family cars, These rear subframes should be recalled and replaced as it is a major part of the frame that can cause a car to go out of control at high and low speeds, it puts lives at risk!
My wife's car is a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. We heard what appeared a noise coming from rear undercarriage of the car. took the vehicle to our mechanic and he told us the "cradle" was rusted thru and the car was unsafe to operate. The car has ~103000 miles, was well maintained and garage kept. I questioned this with the mechanic, I'm [redacted] and have had several vehicles, never had an issue with the degree of rust on the suspension on this car. The mechanic said this is not an unusual problem for Nissans. The cars interior and exterior is in great condition, now it's not drivable and Nissan is not offering any help.
The rear subframe of my Nissan Pathfinder had rusted through and needed to be replaced. According to the mechanic, the subframe was not properly primed by NIssan during manufacturing, which led to rusting from the top (which is not visible without removing the piece). A google search shows that THIS IS INCREASINGLY COMMON ON NISSAN PATHFINDERS around this model year. The part was on backorder due to high demand. It was explained to me that if this part were to brake off, it could pull off the brake line which could have been catastrophic. There were no lamps or messages when this part broke. The first sign of an issue was a loud noise from the rear of the car whenever we went over the slightest bump.
Suspension complaints in other Pathfinder years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder?
NHTSA has 29 complaints about the suspension of the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder, 3% of the model year's 890 complaints. The component named most often is subframe/mounting bracket (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2013 Nissan Pathfinder suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder, though it has 11 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 2013 Nissan Pathfinder suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 117,000 miles, and 30% 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.