2005 Nissan Pathfinder Engine Problems
Owners have filed 144 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder, 14% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 106,250 miles. The words owners use most often: “radiator transmission” (15% of reports).
- 144engine complaints
- 106,250median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $3,850typical 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 21 of 144 complaints (15%)
- Catalytic converter: mentioned in 8 of 144 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder at $3,850, and half of them between $3,000 and $6,400.
Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2014–2017), 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 problems happen?
Based on 132 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 144 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 2 an injury.
Nissan Pathfinder engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Pathfinder | 8 | 15% | 250 |
| 2024 Pathfinder | 18 | 21% | 19,250 |
| 2023 Pathfinder | 15 | 14% | 10,316 |
| 2022 Pathfinder | 18 | 13% | 58,607 |
| 2020 Pathfinder | 17 | 35% | 13,350 |
| 2019 Pathfinder | 15 | 20% | 21,375 |
| 2018 Pathfinder | 13 | 17% | 18,000 |
| 2017 Pathfinder | 83 | 45% | 45,105 |
| 2016 Pathfinder | 27 | 26% | 50,000 |
| 2015 Pathfinder | 74 | 23% | 49,288 |
| 2014 Pathfinder | 62 | 11% | 55,000 |
| 2013 Pathfinder | 105 | 12% | 8,500 |
| 2012 Pathfinder | 5 | 22% | 55,000 |
| 2011 Pathfinder | 10 | 22% | 70,950 |
| 2010 Pathfinder | 6 | 15% | 131,459 |
| 2009 Pathfinder | 7 | 19% | 108,000 |
| 2008 Pathfinder | 61 | 19% | 110,000 |
| 2007 Pathfinder | 114 | 20% | 106,000 |
| 2006 Pathfinder | 147 | 18% | 107,855 |
| 2005 Pathfinder | 144 | 14% | 106,250 |
| 2004 Pathfinder | 4 | 6% | 136,720 |
| 2003 Pathfinder | 6 | 5% | 108,015 |
| 2002 Pathfinder | 5 | 3% | 126,500 |
| 2001 Pathfinder | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2000 Pathfinder | 1 | 1% | — |
| 1999 Pathfinder | 1 | 1% | — |
| 1995 Pathfinder | 2 | 1% | 173,500 |
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.
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered. The check engine warning light was illuminated along with other several unknown warning lights. Additionally, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was not diagnosed…
Car stalled out and won't restart.
While driving on US 95 in DC, MD and NJ, when the traffic became stop and go, my SUV could not get into 1st gear to go. The engine revved, the car shook and made noises. Several times I came close to being rear-ended. This problem also occurs when starting after a red light, when accelerating on a…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2005 Nissan Pathfinders have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 144 owner complaints about engine for the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder (14% 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?
Yes: 1 safety recall list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 106,250 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,850 (half paid between $3,000 and $6,400), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder?
The most frequent phrase is “radiator transmission”, in 21 of 144 complaints, followed by “catalytic converter” (8).
Other 2005 Nissan Pathfinder problems
See all 2005 Nissan Pathfinder problems or engine problems across all Pathfinder years.