Engine complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8 | 15% | 0 miles |
| 2024 | 20 | 23% | 8,000 miles |
| 2023 | 16 | 15% | 15,000 miles |
| 2022 | 18 | 13% | 59,000 miles |
| 2020 | 17 | 35% | 20,000 miles |
| 2019 | 16 | 21% | 22,000 miles |
| 2018 | 13 | 17% | 26,000 miles |
| 2017 | 84 | 45% | 45,000 miles |
| 2016 | 28 | 27% | 50,000 miles |
| 2015 | 75 | 23% | 49,000 miles |
| 2014 | 67 | 12% | 55,000 miles |
| 2013 | 110 | 12% | 9,000 miles |
| 2012 | 6 | 26% | 82,000 miles |
| 2011 | 10 | 22% | 92,000 miles |
| 2010 | 8 | 20% | 129,000 miles |
| 2009 | 11 | 30% | 108,000 miles |
| 2008 | 84 | 26% | 112,000 miles |
| 2007 | 242 | 43% | 104,000 miles |
| 2006 | 331 | 40% | 103,000 miles |
| 2005 | 433 | 41% | 99,000 miles |
| 2004 | 7 | 10% | 134,000 miles |
| 2003 | 31 | 28% | 65,000 miles |
| 2002 | 40 | 26% | 65,000 miles |
| 2001 | 17 | 7% | 63,000 miles |
| 2000 | 6 | 5% | 75,000 miles |
| 1999 | 7 | 7% | 86,000 miles |
| 1998 | 6 | 4% | 140,000 miles |
| 1997 | 17 | 8% | 124,000 miles |
| 1996 | 14 | 9% | 65,000 miles |
| 1995 | 54 | 32% | 94,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2025 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving uphill at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle suddenly lost motive power, with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle failed to restart after the first attempt. After several attempts, the vehicle restarted; however, the transmission failed to shift into gear properly. The contact stated that while attempting to shift gear, the vehicle lost motive power. Due to the failure, the contact required assistance from the local Police Department to move the vehicle out of traffic. The contact was later able to restart the vehicle and drive for several miles; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and it was determined that the engine control module (ECM) had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. …
Component/system failure. Engine shut off while driving @ 70 mph. The car first shifted into neutral all on its own, system shows AT MALFUNCTION. Vehicle was towed to nearest dealership so it is available for inspection. Safety concern is that the vehicle died in 2nd left hand side of road my had my husband not been able to essentially coast and cross 2 lanes of traffic to get to shoulder the vehicle could have potential been sitting in the 2nd left hand lane where traffic was going 70 plus mph. The dealership has not been able to reproduce issue other than seeing the AT Malfunction code, the vehicle is not starting as it did on side of highway. No other inspections have been done to my knowledge. No messages or warnings appeared prior to the vehicle switching into neutral and turn off engine.
The contact owns a 2024 Nissan Pathfinder. While the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware that coolant was on the garage floor. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with a coolant line leak with coolant going back to the third-row seat, and the leak was near the passenger's side rear tire. The contact was informed that the coolant lines needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred 15 months later. The contact stated that during the failure, the vehicle was being driven at an undisclosed speed, and the A/C unit failed to operate as intended. The vehicle was taken to the same dealer where it was diagnosed, and determined that the coolant lines were leaking and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 8,000.
The contact owns a 2024 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine made abnormal sounds, and the vehicle stalled. No warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle jerked backwards while shifting from park(P) to drive(D), and the windshield wipers remained stuck in the middle of the windshield for three minutes after activation. The contact stated that the battery was replaced after two months of purchasing the vehicle new. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 3,500.
The contact owns a 2023 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly shifted into neutral(N). The check engine, seat belt, and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, and the vehicle briefly experienced unintended acceleration without the accelerator pedal being depressed. The transmission failed to shift to drive(D) and remained stuck in neutral(N). The contact drove the vehicle at reduced speeds to the residence. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that the mass air flow (MAF) sensor had failed and there was carbon buildup in the throttle body. The contact was informed that MAF sensor and throttle body needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by phone. The failure mileage was approximately 43,000.
The contact owns a 2023 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the engine revved up to 2,000 RPMs. The contact stated that the failure had also occurred upon releasing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the RPMs would increase, and the vehicle would accelerate unintendedly. No warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to two dealers and was advised by both dealers that the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and referred the contact back to the dealers. The failure mileage was approximately 14,700.
The contact owns a 2022 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that after stopping at a gas station, the vehicle was restarted but stalled. There several unknown warning lights flashing on the instrument cluster. The vehicle was unable to be restarted and was towed to a local dealer. The contact stated during the failure the transmission was in drive(D) and could not be shifted to park(P) or neutral(N). The dealer recharged the 12-Volt battery and had difficulty diagnosing the failure. The dealer determined that the transmission control module needed to be reprogrammed. The vehicle was repaired; however, the vehicle was losing motive power while driving. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was stopped, turned off and restarted to regain normal operation. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several times. …
My 2022 Nissan Pathfinder experienced a catastrophic engine failure at approximately 70,000 miles. The vehicle suddenly developed severe engine knocking and required a complete engine replacement. There were no engine warning lights or oil pressure warning lights prior to the failure. The vehicle had been maintained according to the manufacturer's recommended service intervals, including oil changes using full synthetic oil. The Nissan maintenance system indicates oil changes at approximately 10,000 mile intervals. Because there were no warning indicators prior to the failure, the issue occurred without any notice to the driver. A sudden engine failure without warning could present a potential safety risk if it occurred while driving in traffic or at highway speeds. The repair required a full engine replacement at a cost exceeding $8,000. …
Related recalls (2)
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.
Engine and engine cooling
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 armada, titan, Infiniti qx56 and model year 2005-2006 frontier, pathfinder and xterra vehicles. The intelligent power distribution module (ipdm) assembly contains an engine control module (ECM) relay that has a diode for electrical current noise reduction.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the ECM relay inside the ipdm assembly. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on December 6, 2010. Owners May contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Frequently asked questions
Which Nissan Pathfinder years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2005 (433), 2006 (331), 2007 (242), 2013 (110) and 2008 (84) model years. Engine complaints make up 41% of all complaints for the 2005.
Is there a recall for Nissan Pathfinder engine problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 11V-592 (engine and engine cooling, Dec 19, 2011); 10V-517 (engine and engine cooling, Oct 28, 2010). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Nissan Pathfinder engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 87,000 miles; 18% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the cooling system › radiator assembly (92 mentions), followed by the cooling system (87).
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.