Seat complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2024 | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2023 | 3 | 3% | — |
| 2022 | 16 | 12% | 6,000 miles |
| 2018 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2017 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2016 | 3 | 3% | 7,000 miles |
| 2015 | 3 | 1% | 45,000 miles |
| 2014 | 8 | 1% | 67,000 miles |
| 2013 | 12 | 1% | 1,000 miles |
| 2011 | 1 | 2% | 15,000 miles |
| 2010 | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2008 | 2 | 1% | 1,000 miles |
| 2007 | 1 | 0% | 38,000 miles |
| 2006 | 1 | 0% | 7,000 miles |
| 2005 | 2 | 0% | 86,000 miles |
| 2004 | 2 | 3% | 5,000 miles |
| 2002 | 3 | 2% | — |
| 2001 | 8 | 3% | 60,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (seat frames, recliners, heated seats and seat tracks).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Passenger side captain seat frame has too much play causing shaking and noise in the seat when passenger is in seat. Frame was replaced 05/2024 and same issue has occurred less than a year later. After accident on 10/17/2025, sound has gotten worse in seat and inspection shows frame to be critical. At time of accident passenger was in seat. Accident involved a deer on front passenger side bumper and side panel. Insurance did not cover seat claiming accident could not cause seat malfunction.
Premature wear on rear brakes and dealers tells there fine each time I've taken it in for service I don't think they even test driven the car is shakes and vibrates when you brake at speeds higher than 30-40 mph. They advised me the battery needs replacing on the last service that it's showing some sort of signs that needs to be replaced. The heated seats on the passenger side just stopped working all of a sudden. From what I can see online from forums and people complains these are common issues on this vehicle and they are pushed on the customer. I will see what can be covered under warranty but it seems only the seat issue would be covered. This needs to be addressed the brakes are too small and under powered for this size of a vehicle especially if you are towing. …
The 2nd row seats (captain chairs) are tilted upward at edge of seats and my infant carseat is not leveled as it should be. Due to the chairs seat being tilted upward causes child carseat level to be off and making carseat tilt forward causing babies head to go forward more than they should. Passenger seat is also very low causing concerns for airbag deployment and serious injury to face. Low viability in rear mirror due to large long headrests.
While I was driving my toddler who was in the 3rd row pushed the bottom located at the back of the 2nd row seat. The seat came foward with my baby who was in his carseat causing him to come foward at a really high speed (since the seat moves foward really fast and with impulse) causing him to hit his head and almost causing me to crash. I had to stop in the middle of where I was driving since my baby was screaming and crying and couldn't breath since he was being squished by the seat. The seat is very heavy and hard to push back in case of an emergency from someone sitting in the back row. You have to actually get down to be able to put it back in it's place.
When you move front seats forward or back the airbag sensor under the seats breaks. The air bag off light is always lit up for passenger seat even when adult sits there, and the drivers airbag light is blinking on dashboard all the time. A week after buying vehicle I took it back to dealer and they said it was a recall and it was fixed. A week later it was back on I went back and they said nothing they can do it was already fixed. Nissan dealership told me same thing. It is not fixed and now I am paying car payments for a car I can't get an inspection sticker on, so I can't drive it. If it was a recall and they claim to have fixed it and the same problem happens again it should be fixed with an improved part so it don't happen again. The dealership also told me with those lights on there is a possibility of the airbags going off for no reason or they may not go off when in an accident. …
When I purchased this vehicle I quickly noticed a feature or standard that this vehicle has concerning passenger safety vs airbag ON/OFF There is a lamp beside the display area that indicates if the pass bags are on (lamp is off) or if they are off (lamp is on) If the passenger is under a certain amount the airbag turns itself off...At least that was my observation for at least 4 months after purchase. This standard/feature isn't working anymore I guess? Because the lamp is always ON stating that the passenger airbags are OFF. I notified the dealership, they said they could not inspect the issue unless I paid for their time and then service (fix of the issue)
The relay in the drivers seat melted and the wires shorted out. This caused issues with my radio, clock, brakes, and power issues when accelerating. They replaced the relay which cost me $1200 and suddenly all of my systems work correctly. I was told the short was causing feedback into the electrical systems of the car by the service department. The dealer further confirmed there is an advisory on this issue and it has been noted several times. They stated the issue is ongoing but there is no recall.
I was involved in an accident where another car clipped the back bumper of my Pathfinder going trough an intersection. It was enough to deploy my curtain airbags on the drivers side and the seat air bag in the drivers seat, but did minor damage to the back bumper on the drivers side. But, after everyone was out of my Pathfinder, a police officer noticed a fire inside the Pathfinder. It was located on the panel between the drivers side door and the back door on the drivers side. I don't have pictures (I didn't think to take any) and my insurance company is handling the police report and all the details, but the officer asked me to report this issue to you so I am.
Related recalls (4)
Seats › Critical fasteners
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2023 Rogue, Pathfinder, and Infiniti QX60 vehicles. The driver's powered seat may not be fully secured to the seat frame, causing the seat frame welds to detach from the rear inboard seat bracket.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the driver's seat rail clearance, and if necessary, replace the driver's seat cushion frame, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed June 10, 2023.
Seats › Critical fasteners
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2022 INFINITI QX60 and Nissan Pathfinder vehicles. The second-row seat track may be missing a mounting bolt. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the second-row seat track and install a new mounting bolt as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 13, 2022.
Seats › Critical fasteners
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2022 Pathfinder vehicles. The second-row seat back frames may have insufficient welds that could separate.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replaced the seat assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 17, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669.
Seats › Mid/rear assembly › Head restraint
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2022 Pathfinder vehicles. The third-row headrests may have an improper weld or misaligned internal components, which can allow the headrest to move or detach.
Remedy: Dealers will replace all three third-row seat headrests, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 17, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669.
Frequently asked questions
Which Nissan Pathfinder years have seat problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2022 (16), 2013 (12), 2001 (8) and 2014 (8) model years. Seat complaints make up 12% of all complaints for the 2022.
Is there a recall for Nissan Pathfinder seat problems?
Yes — 4 recalls, including 23V-268 (critical fasteners, Apr 13, 2023); 22V-111 (critical fasteners, Feb 24, 2022); 21V-743 (critical fasteners, Sep 23, 2021). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Nissan Pathfinder seat problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 33,000 miles; 72% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the front assembly › power adjust (7 mentions), followed by the mid/rear assembly (1).
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.