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.
My husband Juan Carlos Angulo and I Rosa Avalos, bought a preowned Nissan Pathfinder SUV 2005, for 3 years in a Nissan agency. A few months bought started getting letters Nissan Agency where we were told that the model I bought had dated manufacturing defects and we ordered about that; went directly to the agency to inquire Nissan these letters and informed it was only in the event that our van had already been a failure. Earlier this year we received a "claim form" from the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. We ignore this "claim form", since we had no problems with our van. Last month, the truck began to fail, we took the mechanic and transmission failure present. The mechanic told us that truck still had factory warranty as it has neither the 100, 000 miles and is 2005-2010 year manufacturing defects of these vans. Nissan called the agency and they would not help, they said that there was no guarantee and that it was the responsibility of the Nissan, we again emphasize, were of resolve and never solved anything. It had been almost a month and decided to fix the van to the mechanic and pay for our own .and now also the radiator was damaged.
We may even receive some compensation or reimbursement for bills paid by us. Appendix shipping documents to review and help resolve or know where to turn, even made .We bill payments Excuse my English is not good.
May 2013 - replaced trans & radiator due to coolant leaking into transmission
February 2014 - replaced trans cooler hose due to rupture
March 2014 - An auto body shop discovered a leak where the new hose connected to the transmission and tightened a clamp.
March 2014 - transmission failed (again). I now believe that the ruptured hose was caused by pressure spikes in a defective transmission that should never have been installed in my car in the first place.
The pathfinder was first taken to the shop on 10Mar2011 with a transmission failure at 90,000 miles. I had been to Nissan prior to that with a complaint about the AC/Heat not working correctly, but they couldn't reproduce the problem. AC/Heat problems are usually the first sign something is wrong. The next sign is usually minor shifting delays in the transmission (I mean VERY minor and VERY infrequent, where you might think.....that was odd, but you don't give it a second thought). The next thing that I did was top-off my coolant when I noticed it was low (it never occurred to me to question where that coolant went?). That action just fed more coolant into my transmission and soon after that I had a total transmission failure. I had the Radiator replaced and a complete transmission rebuild kit with new Torque Converter and new TCM and Valve Body. It was vompletly overhauled, lines flushed and cleaned all new fluids, the whole nine yards. Fast forward to 20Jun2013. My AC was not cooling at times so without thinking I opened the hood and noticed the coolant was low. I topped off the coolant (did I mention I wasn't thinking) and thought 'problem solved'. One week later, my transmission won't shift and I have an SES light, SLIP light, and OD light that remain constantly on. I just fed my transmission coolant and now the vehicle just sits in the garage. HOW do you fix this thing?
In August 2012, took car to dealership, to be told that it needed to have a new catalytic converter, tension(timing chain) repair, IDPM controller replaced for an estimated $ 5,000.
In May 2013 - the transmission goes out on the highway -estimated cost to repair $ 5,000
Other prior issues: fuel gauge replaced
ECM relay replaced by NISSAN during a recall, no issues with car until they replaced the relay, car stalls on highway going 65 mph!
Once NISSAN replaced the ECM relay my car low beams stopped working, told I need a new IDPM controller?
Purchased the vehicle in 2011 used and bought 40,000 km FCPP Protection plan.
This covered the cost of a replacement transmission. Regency Nissan (North Vancouver, BC) did the work.
They never mentioned the fact that these vehicles are likely to suffer radiator leak that destroys transmission.
Maybe should have done some proactive radiator replacement at that time to solve the Nissan - common radiator/transmission meltdown 15,000 km later. (800 km AFTER my protection plan ran out!!!)
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
click to see larger images
My husband Juan Carlos Angulo and I Rosa Avalos, bought a preowned Nissan Pathfinder SUV 2005, for 3 years in a Nissan agency. A few months bought started getting letters Nissan Agency where we were told that the model I bought had dated manufacturing defects and we ordered about that; went directly to the agency to inquire Nissan these letters and informed it was only in the event that our van had already been a failure. Earlier this year we received a "claim form" from the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. We ignore this "claim form", since we had no problems with our van. Last month, the truck began to fail, we took the mechanic and transmission failure present. The mechanic told us that truck still had factory warranty as it has neither the 100, 000 miles and is 2005-2010 year manufacturing defects of these vans. Nissan called the agency and they would not help, they said that there was no guarantee and that it was the responsibility of the Nissan, we again emphasize, were of resolve and never solved anything. It had been almost a month and decided to fix the van to the mechanic and pay for our own .and now also the radiator was damaged.
We may even receive some compensation or reimbursement for bills paid by us. Appendix shipping documents to review and help resolve or know where to turn, even made .We bill payments Excuse my English is not good.
Thank you very much and appreciate your help.
- Rosa A., San Jose, CA, US