CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2005-2007 Pathfinder appears to have a widespread defect where coolant leaks into the transmission, causing transmission failure around 90,000 miles. Repair costs are typically upwards of $3,500.

According to the New York Times & a class action lawsuit, the defect actually extends through 2010 model year. More info here.

9.0

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$790
Average Mileage:
108,150 miles
Total Complaints:
12 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. replace radiator (10 reports)
  2. not sure (2 reports)
2005 Nissan Pathfinder cooling system problems

cooling system problem

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2005 Nissan Pathfinder Owner Comments

problem #12

Mar 092021

Pathfinder XE 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 149,450 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

This is what caused the transmission failure. Nissan has known about this for years, yet refuses to rectify the situation AT THEIR EXPENSE! I will NEVER buy a Nissan again!

- Elizabeth K., Richmond, US

problem #11

Aug 082015

Pathfinder LE 4.0L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 99,500 miles

i bought my 2005 Nissan Pathfinder in May of 2016. About week after having it i had troubles with the universal joints, which after about a month of back and forth between myself and dealer it was fixed at no cost to me. i looked it up and this was a common problem for these cars.

My next problem occurred in August. i was driving home on the parkway on a sunday and my check engine light goes on, next i notice that my temperature gauge for the engine is through the roof. i ended having to get towed home ($255) .i look up the trouble code online and to find out that my thermostat has went bad. i bought the part from napa for about ($60,forgot the exact cost) and brought it to a mechanic to install it. when i brought it there the mechanic immediately wanted to check and see if i just needed anti freeze. when he opened to add anti freeze he immediately noticed the problem .the discoloration of the antifreeze in the reserve. he knew what the problem was because he had just fixed the same problem one week earlier on the same car. he told me i needed to have the radiator replaced and to have both the transmission and cooling system flushed. he said i caught it early and there is a chance that my pathfinder will be okay. $850 to fix. he also told me that the pathfinder he fixed a week earlier had transmission issues early that day. Nissans resolution to the problem is absolute bs. my car does not fall under the extended warranty they issued for this car.

the next problem i had cam just last week, which was with a recall for the ecm. the car wasn't starting and had stalled out on the highway on my way to work,i brought it to the dealer as soon as i learned that it was a recall. the day i bring it to the dealership two more trouble codes come up (p0335 and p0340) the crankshaft position sensor circuit malfunction and the camshaft sensor circuit malfunction. i changed the crankshaft sensor hoping that would help but it did not. i learned online that there were recalls for other nissan cars for the camshaft sensor and crankshaft sensor but not for the pathfinder.

i do not recommend the car and i do not recommend any nissan vehicle based on how they handle problems with there cars. absolute bs and terrible business on there part

- Jeffrey S., North Arlington, NJ, US

problem #10

Dec 232015

Pathfinder SE 4.0L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 155,000 miles

the whole bottom of the radiator is leaking. had to take the car in for recall and Nissan said I had to drive it in. the car had to be running so they could preform the recall test. so since I drove it in they now think I have a blown gasket and told me they will not be able to perform the test. so now my car will be at Nissan for 5 days until I can get money to take care of this issue. Nissan needs to handle these issues or get better customer service.

- Alyssa J., Lawrenceville, GA, US

problem #9

Mar 022015

Pathfinder

  • Automatic transmission
  • 110,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Transmission is gone up. Just read on internet that this has been a problem with this make and model. Nissan did not make owner's aware

- Yolanda N., Randallstown, MD, US

problem #8

Feb 072014

Pathfinder LE

  • Automatic transmission
  • 140,393 miles

I am not going to buy a Nissan. That's for sure. There's problem one after another.

- diyornalis, Gulf Breeze, FL, US

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problem #7

May 292014

Pathfinder LE 4.0L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 83,601 miles

Long story, but I got the run around from Nissan and got screwed because of it. I totally forgot that Nissan had extended the warranty for the leaky radiator. It started leaking about two years ago. My mechanic said to put some fluid into it that plugs radiator leaks. I did and it worked fine up till this year. Then we started having problems with the transmission. Took it to our mechanic and he told me that the radiator leaked into the transmission. Had to replace the radiator and they flushed the transmission about 4 times. Therefore over $1,000 for the work.

5 weeks later the transmission was going into 4WD by itself and turning the anti slip off. Went back to my mechanic but they were closed on a Saturday so went down the road to Nissan. The service department there was great. After telling them my story about the radiator and transmission they showed me the extended warranty protection that Nissan now has. But, I replaced my radiator with an after market radiator. Not good! They told me that if I had originally taken the car to them they would have given me a new radiator and transmission for $2,500. So I called Nissan consumer affairs and told them my story. After a lot of back and forth they said that since I don't have the original factory radiator, they can't help me with my transmission. The part that failed was the accelerator pedal assembly. $575.00. Nissan wouldn't help me with this either as they say the car is too old. I also had to rent a car for an extra cost of $210.00. Out a lot of money for a known problem that Nissan refuses to do anything about.

I had called a lawyer to see if a stern letter from him would help, but he had the opinion that I might be throwing good money after bad.

I did not realize that Nissan was so bad with it's products and service. Too bad, but now I know to stay away from this car brand.

Lesson learned.

- amilew, Bolton, CT, US

problem #6

Jun 122013

Pathfinder V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 95,657 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I brought our pathfinder to our mechanic for an oil change and inspection. He discovered that the radiator was defective. He said that this is the third Nissan he has had in recently with the same problem. When I called the Nissan dealer about a recall, he talked for several minutes (without pausing). To sum it up, he said he has been dealing with these complaints for two years and all he could offer was a $3000 deductible for a new radiator and transmission. We don't even know if the transmission is bad. He said, chances are that it will go bad. He also said he wishes that Nissan had recalled the radiators when they discovered the problem. Would have saved Nissan lots of money. My thought: car owners wouldn't have to be dealing with blown radiators and potentially dangerous results. I will never buy a Nissan again and plan on telling everyone who will listen. So we are scheduled to have our radiator replaced on Monday. Not sure if the coolant got into the transmission. We have a great mechanic, so we will discuss the extent of the damage with him and decide what to do. Sad thing is that we had planned on selling this vehicle at the end of this year. We need to make sure that this problem is resolved before we pass it to someone else. Sure wish the stupid dealer who sold us the car would have given us the same consideration.

- Lisa C., Danville, VT, US

problem #5

Mar 282013

Pathfinder LX V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 100,100 miles

I feel financially abused! I am a single mom with children and grandchildren that I transported in this automobile.

Now, Im being told I am financially responsible for the problems of this vehicle. I do not have the money I feel like they are going to charge me. Right now, I am too distraught to even continue on this site.... I will return later.

- tracymichigan, Detroit, MI, US

problem #4

Feb 092013

Pathfinder LE 4.0L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 113,711 miles

My heating in the vehicle stop working and it led me to check the cooling system. The fluids were down and continued to drop after topping up. I took the vehicle in for repairs only to find out that the cooling system had been leaking into my transmission. I need to have the cooling system repaired at $1300 before taxes and it is not known if I will need a transmission yet or what damage has occurred to the trainee, who knows what my final bill will be but the extended warranty has expired.

- Adrien L., Victoria, BC, canada

problem #3

Apr 092012

Pathfinder LE

  • Automatic transmission
  • 102,000 miles

The check engine light came on and I took it to the dealership. They said there was a crack in radiator and it needed to be replaced. Fluid may have leaked into the transmission so they flushed the transmission also. One day later the car hesitated, the check engine light came on and I had it towed back to the dealership. Now the transmission has to be replaced. I see on the internet that several pathfinder owners have had the same problem and the warranty only covers the issue up to 80k miles. I am filing complaints on all sites and investigating the class action suit. This is highway robbery.

- tarpley, Smyrna, GA, US

problem #2

Jan 052012

Pathfinder SE 4.0L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 55,000 miles

My pathfinder is getting a new radiator and trans under the 80,000 mile radiator warranty!!!!!!!!!!

Update from Jan 17, 2012: Thanks to this site I found out I have a extended warranty

- Viktor C., Sterling Heights, MI, UK

problem #1

Nov 162011

Pathfinder LE V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 93,100 miles

Radiator leaking due to seam separation. Not sure if coolant has leaked into transmission, which if it has, will destroy my transmission. In regards to the transmission, I have experienced a few times over the past year where the transmission will not up-shift when attempting to get up to speed in a hurry.

- Peter O., Brighton, MI, US

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