Nissan Pathfinder Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems
Owners have filed 131 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the Nissan Pathfinder across 24 model years. The 1996 model year has the most (14). The words owners use most often: “brakes failed” (8% of reports).
- 131service brakes, hydraulic complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 28mention a crash
- 7mention an injury
- 5related recalls
- 17%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.
- Brakes failed: mentioned in 11 of 131 complaints (8%)
- Stopping distance: mentioned in 7 of 131 complaints (5%)
- Brake pads: mentioned in 7 of 131 complaints (5%)
At what mileage do service brakes, hydraulic problems happen?
Based on 58 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 131 complaints, 28 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 7 an injury.
Nissan Pathfinder service brakes, hydraulic complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Pathfinder | 1 | 1% | 19,000 |
| 2023 Pathfinder | 1 | 1% | 21,000 |
| 2022 Pathfinder | 2 | 1% | 7,700 |
| 2019 Pathfinder | 3 | 4% | 99,000 |
| 2018 Pathfinder | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2016 Pathfinder | 3 | 3% | 32,200 |
| 2015 Pathfinder | 1 | 0% | 72,000 |
| 2014 Pathfinder | 3 | 1% | 60,000 |
| 2013 Pathfinder | 4 | 0% | 9,522 |
| 2011 Pathfinder | 1 | 2% | 4,000 |
| 2008 Pathfinder | 2 | 1% | 17,000 |
| 2007 Pathfinder | 2 | 0% | 27,521 |
| 2006 Pathfinder | 2 | 0% | 79,000 |
| 2005 Pathfinder | 10 | 1% | 67,340 |
| 2004 Pathfinder | 12 | 18% | 3,896 |
| 2003 Pathfinder | 9 | 8% | 3,209 |
| 2002 Pathfinder | 4 | 3% | 28,500 |
| 2001 Pathfinder | 9 | 4% | 39,500 |
| 2000 Pathfinder | 8 | 7% | 75,000 |
| 1999 Pathfinder | 3 | 3% | — |
| 1998 Pathfinder | 13 | 9% | 78,000 |
| 1997 Pathfinder | 14 | 6% | 113,000 |
| 1996 Pathfinder | 14 | 9% | 65,000 |
| 1995 Pathfinder | 9 | 5% | 150,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (5)
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:caliper
Model years: 2025
Problem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Murano, Pathfinder, and INFINITI QX60 vehicles. One or both front brake caliper assemblies may have reduced strength and could break. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Risk: A broken front brake caliper can cause a loss of front brake function, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the front brake caliper assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 9, 2025. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261 or INFINITI's customer service at 1-800-662-6200. Nissan's numbers for this recall are PD137 and PD138.
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slipPark outside
Model years: 2017, 2018, 2019
Problem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Nissan Murano, 2016-2018 Nissan Maxima, and 2017-2019 Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and unrepaired, or inspected and determined to not need a repair, under recall number 18V-601. In addition, this recall expands the previous population. The Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) actuator pumps may allow brake fluid to leak onto an internal circuit board.
Risk: A brake fluid leak on the circuit board may result in an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ABS actuator, free of charge. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available, currently expected to be during summer 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Note: If the ABS warning light remains illuminated for more than 10 seconds after engine start up, owners are advised to park the vehicle outdoors away from other vehicles or structures and to not drive the vehicle.
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slipPark outside
Model years: 2017, 2018
Problem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Nissan Murano, 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2017-2018 Nissan Pathfinder, and 2017 Infiniti QX60 vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake (ABS) actuator pumps may allow brake fluid to leak onto an internal circuit board.
Risk: A brake fluid leak on the circuit board may result in an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the serial number on the ABS actuator, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 29, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Note: When brake fluid has leaked onto the circuit board, the ABS warning lamp will remain illuminated for more than 10 seconds after engine start up. If this occurs, owners are advised to park the vehicle outdoors away from other vehicles or structures and to not drive the vehicle.
Electrical system:software; service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Model years: 2013, 2014
Problem: Nissan is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Nissan Pathfinder vehicles manufactured April 18, 2012, through September 20, 2013; model year 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles manufactured September 15, 2011, through January 16, 2013; and model year 2014 Infiniti QX60 vehicles manufactured January 17, 2013, through September 20, 2013. In the affected vehicles, during light braking on rough roads, the antilock brake system (ABS) brake pressure output software may lead to an increase in stopping distance.
Risk: The increased stopping distance may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the ABS, free of charge. The recall began on November 18, 2013. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Service brakes, hydraulic:pedals and linkages
Model years: 1996
Problem: Due to the thickness of the carpet padding on the transmission tunnel, the space between the brake pedal and the transmission tunnel could catch a driver's right foot under the brake pedal.
Risk: This condition could inhibit a driver from applying the brakes, increasing the risk of a vehicle accident.
Fix: Dealers will remove the carpet padding on the transmission tunnel adjacent to the accelerator pedal.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2024 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to the dealer for a routine oil change, the contact was informed that the driverâs and passengerâs side rear brake pads and rotors were severely worn and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that due…
The contact owns a 2019 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the ABS, traction control, and check engine warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the instrument cluster had gone black. The contact stated that the failure was…
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving 50-55 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal popping sound and the vehicle started to wobble. The contact decelerated and pulled over safely. The ABS and traction control warning lights were illuminated. The contact…
The contact owns a 2019 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that the stop lamp switch warning light and the ABS warning light were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the stop lamp switch had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the…
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle failed to respond immediately. The contact stated that the failure recurred on a raining day, causing the vehicle to glide. The air bag, traction control, and…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Nissan Pathfinders have service brakes, hydraulic problems?
No. NHTSA has 131 owner complaints about service brakes, hydraulic for the Nissan Pathfinder. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Nissan Pathfinder service brakes, hydraulic?
Yes: 5 safety recalls list service brakes, hydraulic. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about service brakes, hydraulic problems on the Nissan Pathfinder?
The most frequent phrase is “brakes failed”, in 11 of 131 complaints, followed by “stopping distance” (7).
Other Nissan Pathfinder problems
- Power Train problems (2,444)
- Engine problems (969)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (831)
- Air Bags problems (600)
- Suspension problems (546)
- Fuel System, Gasoline problems (505)
- Electrical System problems (461)
- Structure problems (419)
See all Nissan Pathfinder problems.