Nissan Pathfinder Problems by Year
NHTSA has 7,062 owner complaints and 44 safety recalls on file for the Nissan Pathfinder, across 31 model years (1995–2026). The 2005 model year has the most complaints (1,050). The most reported problem area overall is power train.
Nissan Pathfinder years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Pathfinder year: 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2005 Pathfinder: 1,050 complaints, 2 recalls
- 2013 Pathfinder: 890 complaints, 11 recalls
- 2006 Pathfinder: 837 complaints, 3 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2026 Pathfinder: 11 complaints, 0 recalls
- 2012 Pathfinder: 23 complaints, 2 recalls
- 2009 Pathfinder: 37 complaints, 3 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Nissan Pathfinder problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train problems | 2,444 | 31 | 31 |
| Engine problems | 969 | 27 | 9 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 831 | 27 | 7 |
| Air Bags problems | 600 | 30 | 108 |
| Suspension problems | 545 | 27 | 12 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 505 | 17 | 5 |
| Electrical System problems | 460 | 31 | 9 |
| Structure problems | 419 | 27 | 14 |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 325 | 25 | 0 |
| Service Brakes problems | 324 | 30 | 39 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 314 | 28 | 31 |
| Steering problems | 298 | 28 | 25 |
| Visibility/wiper problems | 154 | 18 | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 131 | 24 | 28 |
| Fuel System, Other problems | 108 | 7 | 0 |
| Tires problems | 103 | 24 | 11 |
| Seat Belts | 82 | 25 | 10 |
| Equipment | 76 | 14 | 5 |
| Seats | 72 | 19 | 5 |
| Visibility | 64 | 23 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 59 | 11 | 6 |
| Wheels | 59 | 20 | 7 |
| Exterior Lighting | 54 | 19 | 1 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 53 | 16 | 6 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 43 | 15 | 1 |
| Back Over Prevention | 26 | 8 | 0 |
| Lane Departure | 11 | 5 | 1 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Parking Brake | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Child Seat | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Traction Control System | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Carry Handle, Shell, Base | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Hybrid Propulsion System | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Insert, Padding | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Other/unknown | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Tether, Lower Anchor (on Car Seat or Vehicle) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Trailer Hitches | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Nissan Pathfinder problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2017: engine (83)
- 2015: power train (77) · engine (74) · air bags (55)
- 2014: power train (214) · air bags (92) · engine (62) · visibility/wiper (54)
- 2013: power train (370) · air bags (177) · engine (105) · structure (83) · service brakes (62) · electrical system (50)
- 2008: power train (155) · engine (61) · fuel/propulsion system (51)
- 2007: power train (337) · engine and engine cooling (128) · engine (114) · fuel system, gasoline (67)
- 2006: power train (450) · engine and engine cooling (185) · engine (147) · fuel system, gasoline (135) · fuel/propulsion system (71)
- 2005: power train (585) · engine and engine cooling (290) · fuel system, gasoline (186) · engine (144) · electrical system (66) · fuel system, other (61)
- 2001: suspension (68)
- 1997: suspension (105)
- 1996: suspension (64)
- 1995: structure (58) · engine and engine cooling (52)
All Nissan Pathfinder model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Pathfinder | 11 | 0 | 5★ | Unknown or Other | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2025 Pathfinder | 54 | 1 | 5★ | Unknown or Other | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2024 Pathfinder | 85 | 2 | 5★ | Service Brakes | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2023 Pathfinder | 104 | 1 | 5★ | Unknown or Other | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2022 Pathfinder | 136 | 5 | 5★ | Service Brakes | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2020 Pathfinder | 48 | 0 | 5★ | Engine | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2019 Pathfinder | 76 | 2 | 5★ | Unknown or Other | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2018 Pathfinder | 77 | 3 | 5★ | Service Brakes | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2017 Pathfinder | 186 | 2 | 5★ | Engine | More complaints than other years |
| 2016 Pathfinder | 105 | 2 | 5★ | Engine | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2015 Pathfinder | 321 | 5 | 5★ | Unknown or Other | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2014 Pathfinder | 574 | 11 | 5★ | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2013 Pathfinder | 890 | 11 | 4★ | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2012 Pathfinder | 23 | 2 | — | Engine | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2011 Pathfinder | 45 | 2 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2010 Pathfinder | 40 | 4 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2009 Pathfinder | 37 | 3 | — | Air Bags | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2008 Pathfinder | 328 | 4 | — | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2007 Pathfinder | 561 | 1 | — | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2006 Pathfinder | 837 | 3 | — | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2005 Pathfinder | 1,050 | 2 | — | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2004 Pathfinder | 67 | 3 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2003 Pathfinder | 110 | 3 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2002 Pathfinder | 156 | 5 | — | Suspension | More complaints than other years |
| 2001 Pathfinder | 230 | 3 | — | Suspension | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2000 Pathfinder | 112 | 2 | — | Suspension | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1999 Pathfinder | 104 | 2 | — | Suspension | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1998 Pathfinder | 149 | 2 | — | Suspension | More complaints than other years |
| 1997 Pathfinder | 217 | 2 | — | Suspension | More complaints than other years |
| 1996 Pathfinder | 159 | 3 | — | Suspension | More complaints than other years |
| 1995 Pathfinder | 170 | 0 | — | Structure | More complaints than other years |
More from Nissan: all Nissan models · Nissan VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Nissan Pathfinder years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 2001 (230), 2005 (1,050), 2006 (837), 2007 (561), 2008 (328), 2013 (890), 2014 (574), 2015 (321) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Pathfinder year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Nissan Pathfinder?
Power Train, with 2,444 complaints across 31 model years.
How many recalls does the Nissan Pathfinder have?
44 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.