2005 Nissan Pathfinder Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 290 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder, 28% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 92,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “radiator transmission” (17% of reports).
- 290engine and engine cooling complaints
- 92,500median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $5,000typical repair cost reported by owners
- 33%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Radiator transmission: mentioned in 49 of 290 complaints (17%)
- Coolant leaked: mentioned in 15 of 290 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine and engine cooling repair on the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder at $5,000, and half of them between $2,600 and $8,050.
Based on 14 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2009–2014), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 268 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 290 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 1 a fire.
Nissan Pathfinder engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Pathfinder | 1 | 2% | 250 |
| 2024 Pathfinder | 1 | 1% | 8,000 |
| 2023 Pathfinder | 1 | 1% | 43,000 |
| 2019 Pathfinder | 1 | 1% | 66,428 |
| 2018 Pathfinder | 1 | 1% | 93,000 |
| 2017 Pathfinder | 2 | 1% | 38,270 |
| 2016 Pathfinder | 1 | 1% | 29,400 |
| 2015 Pathfinder | 1 | 0% | 34,000 |
| 2014 Pathfinder | 5 | 1% | 70,500 |
| 2013 Pathfinder | 5 | 1% | 9,847 |
| 2012 Pathfinder | 1 | 4% | 130,000 |
| 2010 Pathfinder | 2 | 5% | 9,000 |
| 2009 Pathfinder | 4 | 11% | 101,000 |
| 2008 Pathfinder | 23 | 7% | 114,838 |
| 2007 Pathfinder | 128 | 23% | 103,000 |
| 2006 Pathfinder | 185 | 22% | 99,500 |
| 2005 Pathfinder | 290 | 28% | 92,500 |
| 2004 Pathfinder | 3 | 4% | 77,842 |
| 2003 Pathfinder | 25 | 23% | 51,500 |
| 2002 Pathfinder | 35 | 22% | 63,000 |
| 2001 Pathfinder | 16 | 7% | 56,800 |
| 2000 Pathfinder | 5 | 4% | 50,000 |
| 1999 Pathfinder | 6 | 6% | 86,000 |
| 1998 Pathfinder | 6 | 4% | 140,000 |
| 1997 Pathfinder | 17 | 8% | 107,298 |
| 1996 Pathfinder | 14 | 9% | 63,500 |
| 1995 Pathfinder | 52 | 31% | 83,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Engine and engine cooling
Problem: 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. The ecm relay may allow silicon vapor to form and, over time, the silicon evaporates from the diode molding which causes silicon oxide to develop on the ecm relay contact due to arcing.
Risk: This could cause engine stalling increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER (MELLOY NISSAN, 7707 LOMAS BLVD NE, ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87110, [redacted]) FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE AND INQUIRED ABOUT FAILURES WITH THE TRANSMISSION; HOWEVER, THE DEALER FOUND NO FAILURES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT…
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 nissan pathfinder. While driving 55 mph with the cruise control activated, the rpms accelerated and the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was able to restart on the first attempt, but the gears failed to shift. The vehicle was towed home. It was diagnosed that…
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 nissan pathfinder. The contact stated that the radiator failed and caused coolant to penetrate the transmission. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer to have the manufacturer warranted radiator replacement performed; however, the repair did not…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2005 Nissan Pathfinders have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 290 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder (28% of the 1,050 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder engine and engine cooling?
Yes: 1 safety recall list engine and engine cooling. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems start?
The median reported mileage is 92,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder?
Owners report a typical cost of $5,000 (half paid between $2,600 and $8,050), from 14 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder?
The most frequent phrase is “radiator transmission”, in 49 of 290 complaints, followed by “coolant leaked” (15).
Other 2005 Nissan Pathfinder problems
See all 2005 Nissan Pathfinder problems or engine and engine cooling problems across all Pathfinder years.