Nissan Pathfinder Structure Problems
Owners have filed 419 complaints with NHTSA about structure problems on the Nissan Pathfinder across 27 model years. The 2013 model year has the most (83). The words owners use most often: “strut tower” (9% of reports).
- 419structure complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 14mention a crash
- 10mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $1,800typical repair cost reported by owners
- 42%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.
- Strut tower: mentioned in 37 of 419 complaints (9%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical structure repair on the Nissan Pathfinder at $1,800, and half of them between $760 and $3,450.
Based on 15 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2008–2025), 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 structure problems happen?
Based on 285 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 419 complaints, 14 mention a crash, 4 a fire, 10 an injury.
Nissan Pathfinder structure complaints by model year
| Model year | Structure complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Pathfinder | 5 | 9% | — |
| 2024 Pathfinder | 6 | 7% | 17,500 |
| 2022 Pathfinder | 7 | 5% | — |
| 2020 Pathfinder | 2 | 4% | — |
| 2019 Pathfinder | 6 | 8% | 6,000 |
| 2018 Pathfinder | 1 | 1% | 7,537 |
| 2017 Pathfinder | 5 | 3% | 36,884 |
| 2016 Pathfinder | 3 | 3% | — |
| 2015 Pathfinder | 12 | 4% | 33,000 |
| 2014 Pathfinder | 48 | 8% | 51,500 |
| 2013 Pathfinder | 83 | 9% | 45,000 |
| 2012 Pathfinder | 2 | 9% | 144,500 |
| 2009 Pathfinder | 1 | 3% | 38,000 |
| 2008 Pathfinder | 4 | 1% | 72,000 |
| 2007 Pathfinder | 3 | 1% | 144,000 |
| 2006 Pathfinder | 6 | 1% | 104,600 |
| 2005 Pathfinder | 14 | 1% | 60,500 |
| 2004 Pathfinder | 4 | 6% | 65,000 |
| 2003 Pathfinder | 12 | 11% | 155,000 |
| 2002 Pathfinder | 18 | 12% | 118,000 |
| 2001 Pathfinder | 30 | 13% | 117,000 |
| 2000 Pathfinder | 29 | 26% | 135,000 |
| 1999 Pathfinder | 18 | 17% | 156,250 |
| 1998 Pathfinder | 14 | 9% | 112,000 |
| 1997 Pathfinder | 17 | 8% | 124,000 |
| 1996 Pathfinder | 11 | 7% | 126,168 |
| 1995 Pathfinder | 58 | 34% | 140,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Structure:body:hood:hinge and attachments
Model years: 2013, 2014
Problem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Nissan Pathfinder vehicles manufactured June 20, 2012, to November 18, 2013, 2014 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid vehicles manufactured July 18, 2013, to November 18, 2013, 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles manufactured November 29, 2011, to June 14, 2013, and 2014 QX60 vehicles manufactured May 16, 2013, to November 18, 2013, and 2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid vehicles manufactured July 18, 2013, to November 18, 2013. In the affected vehicles the hood release cable assembly may have been installed incorrectly preventing the latching claw from fully engaging. The secondary latch may remain in the open position when the hood is closed.
Risk: If the primary hood latch is released and the secondary latch fails during operation of the vehicle, it could cause the hood to open during vehicle operation impairing the driver's vision, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will modify the angle of the hood release mechanism to provide additional length to the release cable, free of charge. The recall began on March 9, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:hinge and attachments
Model years: 2001
Problem: Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. Some of the brackets used to attach the two gas struts to the rear door (hatch) may have been improperly made. At high ambient temperatures, the increase in gas pressure in the strut(s) could cause one or both brackets to bend, resulting in the struts detaching from the bracket(s) when opening or closing the rear door.
Risk: If both struts detach from the brackets, the door will rapidly fall down, possibly striking someone and causing serious injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the strut brackets. Owner notification began september 24, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should 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.
I just bought a nissan pathfinder in novemeber 2025.the mileage is around 13100 miles.while driving on the highway a part of my exterior trim panel on the right rear passeger side door just ripped off and flew away. I was lucky i did not meet any accident. I conatcted the Nissan company and that i…
Sunroof exploded while driving.
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that it had rained heavily for two days, and the contact became aware that there was a significant amount of water accumulated on the front passenger's and driver's side floorboards and underneath the seats. Additionally, the contact…
Rear Door / lift gate will not go all the way up or stay up without manual assistance, causing 2 head injuries and 2 arm injuries on recent occasions. We have confirmed with the dealer & one Nissan Certified Mechanic that this is a common problem. The dealer & 2 mechanics have said they do not know…
I bought my 2025 Pathfinder in November 2025. In early December, the automatic emergency braking symbol started flashing; I took it to the Nissan dealership in Downey, and they told me that unless there was a permanent error code, they couldn't do anything. After reading comments and forum posts, I…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Nissan Pathfinders have structure problems?
No. NHTSA has 419 owner complaints about structure 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 structure?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list structure. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix structure problems on the Nissan Pathfinder?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,800 (half paid between $760 and $3,450), from 15 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about structure problems on the Nissan Pathfinder?
The most frequent phrase is “strut tower”, in 37 of 419 complaints.
Other Nissan Pathfinder problems
- Power Train problems (2,444)
- Engine problems (969)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (831)
- Air Bags problems (600)
- Suspension problems (545)
- Fuel System, Gasoline problems (505)
- Electrical System problems (460)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (325)
See all Nissan Pathfinder problems.