Nissan Pathfinder Service Brakes Problems
Owners have filed 324 complaints with NHTSA about service brakes problems on the Nissan Pathfinder across 30 model years. The 2013 model year has the most (62). The words owners use most often: “rear brakes” (12% of reports).
- 324service brakes complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 39mention a crash
- 12mention an injury
- 7related recalls
- 29%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.
- Rear brakes: mentioned in 40 of 324 complaints (12%)
- Brake pads: mentioned in 29 of 324 complaints (9%)
At what mileage do service brakes problems happen?
Based on 173 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 324 complaints, 39 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 12 an injury.
Nissan Pathfinder service brakes complaints by model year
| Model year | Service Brakes complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Pathfinder | 1 | 9% | — |
| 2025 Pathfinder | 9 | 17% | 5,000 |
| 2024 Pathfinder | 24 | 28% | — |
| 2023 Pathfinder | 20 | 19% | — |
| 2022 Pathfinder | 33 | 24% | 21,259 |
| 2020 Pathfinder | 6 | 13% | 1,749 |
| 2019 Pathfinder | 10 | 13% | 40,000 |
| 2018 Pathfinder | 19 | 24% | 16,000 |
| 2017 Pathfinder | 11 | 6% | 24,000 |
| 2016 Pathfinder | 11 | 10% | 51,175 |
| 2015 Pathfinder | 24 | 7% | 47,827 |
| 2014 Pathfinder | 38 | 7% | 52,299 |
| 2013 Pathfinder | 62 | 7% | 17,300 |
| 2012 Pathfinder | 2 | 9% | 64,000 |
| 2011 Pathfinder | 5 | 11% | 86,000 |
| 2010 Pathfinder | 2 | 5% | 79,500 |
| 2009 Pathfinder | 5 | 14% | 82,292 |
| 2008 Pathfinder | 6 | 2% | 100,000 |
| 2007 Pathfinder | 3 | 1% | 111,500 |
| 2006 Pathfinder | 6 | 1% | 85,000 |
| 2005 Pathfinder | 7 | 1% | 84,000 |
| 2004 Pathfinder | 3 | 4% | 103,000 |
| 2003 Pathfinder | 4 | 4% | 123,000 |
| 2002 Pathfinder | 3 | 2% | 96,070 |
| 2001 Pathfinder | 1 | 0% | 10,000 |
| 2000 Pathfinder | 2 | 2% | 132,000 |
| 1999 Pathfinder | 3 | 3% | 204,000 |
| 1998 Pathfinder | 2 | 1% | 200,000 |
| 1996 Pathfinder | 1 | 1% | 169,235 |
| 1995 Pathfinder | 1 | 1% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (7)
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.
Service brakes
Model years: 2014, 2015
Problem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 vehicles manufactured August 14, 2014, to November 5, 2014, and 2014-2015 Nissan Rogue vehicles manufactured August 12, 2014, to November 15, 2014. During the assembly process, the front wheel hub assembly fasteners may not have been properly torqued.
Risk: The under-torqued fasteners may result in a brake caliper separating from the wheel assembly causing a reduction in braking performance or reduced steering control. These conditions increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and tighten any loose bolts to the proper specification, free of charge. The recall began February 2, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
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
Model years: 2013
Problem: Nissan is recalling certain model year 2013 Pathfinder and Infiniti JX vehicles manufactured December 3, 2012, through January 29, 2013. The front brake torque member was improperly cast resulting in structural weakness. This can lead to premature failure and cracking.
Risk: If the brake torque member fails, the brake caliper may move and contact the inside of the road wheel, resulting in reduced braking, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the manufacturing date of the torque members and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 20, 2013. Owners may contact Nissan Customer Service 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.
I am reporting premature and potentially abnormal rear brake wear on my 2024 Nissan Pathfinder with approximately 19,600 miles. During an inspection, the Nissan dealership (Nissan City of Red Bank) measured the rear brake pads at only 1 mm, while the front brake pads measured 6 mm. The dealership…
The vehicle suffered a sudden, complete loss of motive acceleration at highway speeds, followed by a total powertrain breakdown and battery drain linked to an active federal safety recall. While traveling at highway speeds on Highway 169, the vehicle suddenly lost all acceleration, surged, juddered…
At 15,000 miles both rear brakes and rotors worn down at 90% which is abnormal for any vehicle. Some sort of defect.
Legend Nissan service states at 13,623 miles my vehicle needs rear brake pads & rotors resurfaced. They initially stated they will pay for parts, but I will have to pay for labor. I have been driving for over 40 years & never had a vehicle need brakes & rotors at 13,623 miles. This is a…
While pulling my 2026 Nissan Pathfinder into my residential driveway at low speed, I pressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle did not slow or stop. There was no resistance on the brake and I continued to try to compress it, but it went all the way to the floor with no effective stopping response…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Nissan Pathfinders have service brakes problems?
No. NHTSA has 324 owner complaints about service brakes 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?
Yes: 7 safety recalls list service brakes. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about service brakes problems on the Nissan Pathfinder?
The most frequent phrase is “rear brakes”, in 40 of 324 complaints, followed by “brake pads” (29).
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.