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.
1.7
hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
94,867 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
I have heard that several people are having problems with their transmission fluid getting radiator fluid in it. The classic signs and symptoms that have started with my 2006 Nissan Pathfinder are: 1. horrendous shuddering when pressing on the gas to increase my speed, 2. occasional banging when my automatic car shifts into gear, 3. delay in speed when I attempt to pass. Since all of this had started right after 100,000 miles a new transmission is not covered. I am a single mom who is a hospice nurse, I drive all day, having a reliable car puts food on the table for my kids. I don't have $3,000 to fix this problem. I could cry, I don't know what I am going to do. Right now I just keep driving it knowing it is going to break down any day. I was informed by so many people that Nissan was a great company and manufactured a great vehicle when I decided to by this Pathfinder. I am soooo disappointed!!! I will never buy another Nissan vehicle, I'm sorry, for the amount that I originally paid for this vehicle, it should not start falling apart at 108,000 miles.
The radiator cracked and the transmission oil mixed with the cooling. This resulted in the damaging of the transmission and we had to replace the radiator.
My radiator is evidently cracked, leaking coolant into my transmission, causing failure to shift. My vehicle began losing power. At one point, I attempted to accelerate through an intersection from a stand-still as the traffic light turned green. I was nearly rear-ended by the vehicle behind me as my vehicle was not moving, like being stuck in neutral.
Have a 2006 Nissan Pathfinder le and noticed the transmission was starting to make a rumble strip noise around 45 mph. Did some research and discovered that Nissan had a defective radiator which caused anti-freeze to leak into the transmission through coolant line. Knowing that the radiators were defective why wasn't Nissan ordered to recall them. It is a safety hazard if you are traveling on the highway and your transmission fails!!! I now have to pay $2500 to pay for a known defect to have radiator and transmission replace.
- Hummelstown, PA, USA
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Vehicle started making a whining noise coming from the engine area that increases with rpms and was taken to dealer and said to be faulty timing chain tensioner. Was manufactured with plastic parts for this model had price quoted to approx $3000 to repair!
Same issue as all others, drive a 2006 Nissan Pathfinder and was happy until 125tsd miles never a big repair. Now I have the same issue faulty radiator kills silent the transmission. Did visit the dealer for every service even as the problem starts little by little. First a unpleasant shifting, dealer recommends a transmission flush before the official service interval, done. After we are still not happy as we can tell the transmission shifts different as we did know it from before. See the Nissan dealer again, they write the order with the customer complaint, "customer complains about transmission problems". written statement of the dealer, transmission checked no issues found. Some miles later, total fall out of the transmission special the tcu. Good customer will not see now dealer again but a lawyer.
Had issue with transmission.brought to mechanic and found out that radiator was cracked and ruined transmission. Was told by mechanic that this was common with this vehicle.went in internet and found all kinds of info about same problem. I feel if I was notified from Nissan earlier I would not have to pay for extended warranty 2500.00.would have been free for under 80,000 miles.my car has 80,743 miles.not happy with Nissan, will not ever buy another.
Coolant leaking into transmission causing failure and slippage. When coming to abrupt stops transmission "jerks" and "bucks" also, upon accelerating, transmission slips and is unable to accelerate properly. Safety issue with proper driving capability.
Radiator developed a crack which leaked into transmission - both had to be replaced. We were told, due to a class action settlement in 2013, we were responsible for a deductible of $2,500 since our vehicle started problem after 80,000 and past March 1, 2014. Did not realize this problem until we took vehicle in, by that time mid April 2014 and at 81,990. This should be a recall.
Service engine light is staying on. Took to dealer and ses code read catalytic converter needs to be replace. Did some research online and looks like this is a common problem 02 sensor does not report airflow. $1200 dealer repair. Not sure why there hasn't been a recall.
Tried to sell the car and the buyer pointed out that the radiator must of cracked and mixed with the transmission fluid. He did not buy the car and now I am being told that I have to replace the transmission and the radiator. Apparently this is a huge problem on these cars and they need to fix this. Very upset and will never buy a Nissan again.
Car started rumbling very erratically at high speed. Had I not had good grip on wheel it would of been bad for my family or others. Glad it didn't fail completely leaving me powerless on highway. I believe this will result in deaths or serious accidents. Not to mention thousands in repairs. Had radiator replaced last year due till same problem. Something needs to be done. This always happens right outside if the extended warranty.
I was driving yesterday night when my car started jerking and stopped suddenly on the highway, thankfully the cars behind me were able to stop avoiding a crash because there was lots of traffic, but otherwise, this would have been a fatal crash. The car would not move for several minutes, people had to help push it off the highway. Then after a while it started moving again. I was able to drive the car, jerking all the way back to my house. I had previously noticed a jerking whenever I am accelerating or decelerating, I took it to the dealership and they informed me that it was an issue with the transmission of Pathfinders owing to a defect in manufacture that causes radiator fluid to mix with coolant affecting the transmission. They flushed the transmission but the jerking continued. I was searching the internet on this and saw many complaint on this. This issue need to be resolved. I am glad I was spared but life's are being put in danger.
My radiator failed and possibly leaked radiator fluid into my transmission, via an internal radiator cooler. This is a widely known problem with this model and year. Involving a class action lawsuit. My mechanic caught this problem early enough that my transmission wasn't completely destroyed. The resulting repair was $900 plus $200 for a transmission flush as a safeguard to possible radiator fluid that may have gotten into the transmission. I was outside of the mileage extension for warranty and since my transmission wasn't destroyed I didn't qualify for any help from the class action lawsuit. The repairs on this vehicle are staggering I currently have a fuel sending unit issue that is the subject of a recall but my vehicle is outside of the warranty extension. This is a poorly made vehicle that has cost me thousands in repairs. Nissan needs to be held accountable. Nissan will not take responsibility and keeps telling me to go to a dealer to get my vehicle repaired. So frustrating.
Sudden jerking in vehicle when traveling at highway speeds. The problem has been diagnosed as a failed transmission cooler which allows coolant to mix with the transmission fluid, causing internal damage to the components.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Browns Mills, NJ, USA