2006 Nissan Pathfinder Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Pathfinder years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 31 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 837 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Nissan Pathfinder. That ranks 3rd out of 31 Pathfinder model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (450 complaints, 54%), typically at around 101,550 miles. Complaints mention 10 crashes, 11 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 837owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 10complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2006 Nissan Pathfinder problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train problems | 450 | 54% | 101,550 | “transmission radiator” (19%) | $6,950 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 185 | 22% | 99,500 | “transmission radiator” (23%) | — |
| Engine problems | 147 | 18% | 107,855 | “transmission fluid” (24%) | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 135 | 16% | 56,000 | “fuel gauge” (43%) | $740 |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 71 | 8% | 98,173 | “fuel gauge” (49%) | — |
| Unknown or Other | 43 | 5% | 99,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 41 | 5% | 74,300 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 34 | 4% | 104,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 29 | 3% | 57,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 16 | 2% | 104,100 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 14 | 2% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 9 | 1% | 81,662 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 6 | 1% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 6 | 1% | 104,600 | — | — |
| Equipment | 5 | 1% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 1% | 73,498 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 4 | 0% | 85,111 | — | — |
| Tires | 4 | 0% | 81,450 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 0% | 32,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 0% | 79,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 0% | 77,250 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 0% | 101,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 0% | 7,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 0% | 30,900 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 0% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 0% | 41,118 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2006 Nissan Pathfinder recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
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.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:auxillary tank
Problem: Nissan is recalling certain model year 2006 and model year 2008 frontier, xterra and pathfinder vehicles. The molded fuel tank shells can deform, causing the fuel sender float arm to contact an embossment molded into the tank shell causing the instrument panel fuel gauge to show that the vehicle has approximately one quarter tank when the fuel tank is empty.
Risk: This could cause the vehicle to run out of gas and stall in traffic, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel level sending unit inside the fuel tank with a new one that has a modified float arm. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before march 22, 2010. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: Nissan is recalling 242,720 my 2005-2009 pathfinder, frontier and xterra vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. In those areas of the country which use heavy concentrations of road salt in the winter, a mixture of snow/water and salt can enter into the front crash zone sensor (czs) housing. If this occurs, the czs may internally rust resulting in a signal interruption. If this happens, the red air bag warning light will illuminate to alert the vehicle operator.
Risk: This issue could result in the non-deployment of the driver and passenger front air bags in a crash, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the front czs with a redesigned sensor. The recall began on january 26, 2009. Owners in the other states will receive extended warranty coverage for the sensor to 10 years. These owners will be notified of the warranty extension by mail and will receive a sticker to place in their warranty booklet explaining the extended warranty coverage. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Transmission Failures (DP12004) — opened Jun 11, 2012, closed Oct 22, 2016.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I've ran out of gas twice my indicator the gas tank gauge does not show that the vehicle is empty it shows it's full and then I run out of gas on the side of the road almost get hit by cars trying to get to gas station to get more gas in the middle of traffic very dangerous have my daughter with me…
See attached document for complaint.
The contact stated that the company owns a 2006 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that the fuel gauge displayed a full tank, then suddenly displayed that the fuel was empty, improperly displaying the fuel level. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who determined that the fuel level sensor was…
The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware of transmission failure during the gear shifting. The contact stated that the gear shifter would remain in neutral. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was…
I was hit on the drivers side, where the front drivers door stops and the back door begins. The other drivers was estimated at going 50-60 mph. My car spun and rolled over 360 degrees. None of the airbags deployed. The sheriff, ambulance, firefighters all told me to report it. The car was totaled…
Other Nissan Pathfinder years
← 2005 Pathfinder · 2007 Pathfinder →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Pathfinder | 11 | 0 |
| 2025 Pathfinder | 54 | 1 |
| 2024 Pathfinder | 85 | 2 |
| 2023 Pathfinder | 104 | 1 |
| 2022 Pathfinder | 136 | 5 |
| 2020 Pathfinder | 48 | 0 |
| 2019 Pathfinder | 76 | 2 |
| 2018 Pathfinder | 78 | 3 |
| 2017 Pathfinder | 186 | 2 |
| 2016 Pathfinder | 105 | 2 |
| 2015 Pathfinder | 321 | 5 |
| 2014 Pathfinder | 575 | 11 |
| 2013 Pathfinder | 890 | 11 |
| 2012 Pathfinder | 23 | 2 |
| 2011 Pathfinder | 45 | 2 |
| 2010 Pathfinder | 40 | 4 |
| 2009 Pathfinder | 37 | 3 |
| 2008 Pathfinder | 328 | 4 |
| 2007 Pathfinder | 561 | 1 |
| 2006 | 837 | 3 |
| 2005 Pathfinder | 1,050 | 2 |
| 2004 Pathfinder | 67 | 3 |
| 2003 Pathfinder | 110 | 3 |
| 2002 Pathfinder | 156 | 5 |
| 2001 Pathfinder | 230 | 3 |
| 2000 Pathfinder | 112 | 2 |
| 1999 Pathfinder | 104 | 2 |
| 1998 Pathfinder | 149 | 2 |
| 1997 Pathfinder | 217 | 2 |
| 1996 Pathfinder | 159 | 3 |
| 1995 Pathfinder | 170 | 0 |
See all Nissan Pathfinder problems by year, every Nissan model, or the Nissan VIN decoder.
Similar Nissan models
Embed this 2006 Nissan Pathfinder badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Nissan Pathfinder?
Owners most often report power train, engine and engine cooling, engine problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 450 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2006 Nissan Pathfinder?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2006 Nissan Pathfinder a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Pathfinder model years, the 2006 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.