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.
1.8
hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
88,805 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.
While driving the car just stop shifting gears, dealer advise that failed transmission fluid cooler located in the radiator assembly that allowed coolant to mix with and contaminate the automatic transmission fluid, resulting in damaged internal transmission components and a damaged internal transmission computer. Reading online this is a known problem, but Nissan doesn't warn there customers about this defect. Someone could get hurt or die because of this defect.
As many of the other complaints filed, my transmission has to be replaced damaged by the flow of other fluids. Without warning, after starting my vehicle attempting to drive off, my vehicle would barely drive, transmission would not shift.....O/D off light onand would not go off. After taking it to the mechanic I was informed that the transmission as well as the radiator would have to be replaced as other fluids has flowed over into my transmission, therefore damaging it.......seemingly the way the vehicle was built.
On July 31, 2015 my car jerked and check engine light came on. By the time I got it to the shop (about 45 min later) it was having trouble accelerating from a stop. When I turned the engine off we could not get it restarted. The shop said the transmission was not communicating with the computer. I had it towed to a transmission shop and my car had the same issue as other Nissan. The coolant leaked into the transmission resulting in the computer shorting out. I now have to pay $4,200 to have the radiator replaced, the transmission rebuilt and the engine flushed. If Nissan is aware of the issue then they should have had a recall for this. From what I am reading online there are thousands of vehicles with this issue.
07 Pathfinder (pf) auto, 05/30/15 came out to find pf leaking. Radiator leaking an odd fluid, opened transmission cap and similar fluid bubbled out. Did not drive the car, looked online/called mechanic. Finally called a Nissan dealer and 2 transmission places, and as soon as I said our coolant and transmission fluid are frothy & chocolate milk like every place knew we needed a new transmission, radiator, etc. A year ago I bought the car used at a non-Nissan dealership, and brought it back then because I noticed a lag/shutter in the shifting sometimes. They were unable to replicate the problem, said it was just a function of the overdrive, and not an issue. I have continued to have a lag/shutter occasionally, but I have thought nothing of it. I was never informed that my transmission could be compromised bc of the radiator issue, & never thought the car to be a danger to anyone. Memorial day weekend 2015, less than a week before the leak referenced above, I had my entire family in the car (sister & her husband & their 9 month old baby, my father, my brother & his 5 months pregnant wife) & noticed the car was having more than normal shifting troubled & a longer lag. We were making our annual trip to the bourne Massachusetts veterans cemetery memorial day event, which requires crossing the bourne bridge and navigating several busy rotaries. Looking online at other persons experiences, I know I am lucky that this radiator/trans issue manifested in the safety of my driveway with no one in the vehicle. Why is Nissan so lax to communicate to owners of these vehicles that there is a high likelihood that your transmission will be compromised and that certain inspections should be carried out on a regular basis to make sure nothing happens to you and your loved ones" if doesnt tell me, how am I and others supposed to know to be concerned with certain warning signs"
Towed my car to the local shop and found out that the radiator has an internal crack and leaked into the transmission. Burned out the tcm and now I am going to have to pay more than $5000 to get it fixed. Called Nissan and was told I needed to replace the radiator and transmission. Not happy about this at all.
- San Jose, CA, USA
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
2007 nissian Pathfinder -radiator leaked into transmission, causing failure to transmission. Replaced radiator, all fluids and flushed out secondary radiator and reservour and new thermostat, flushed out transmission fluids. Now needs new transmission, which is the most expensive part of the job!
I'm here to submit a complaint against Nissan I had to paid 3,000 in repairs for the radiator and transmition because the radiator brakes a certain mileage and the fluid mixes with the transmition fluid causing the transmition failure, this is a problem Nissan has to address and recall those cars so the owners wont have to pay for the damage, I'm aware that many owners are having the same issue, there is a class action lawsuit but I seen very little help, I would like to do anything posible in order to get this issue addressed.
The dealer found on my 20007 Nissan Pathfinder a coolant in transmission and trans fluid in radiator which means there is a cross contamination and an internal transmission cooler failure. Bottom line they told me I needed a new transmission and radiator costing me over $5300. In researching cheaper places, I came about with a law suit about 5 years ago regarding this same issue against Nissan. I also found many complaints from several people and the dealers are not doing anything about this. I've been told by my local mechanic that this is something that could have been prevented. I don't know why Nissan didn't offer a recall on the xterras, and Pathfinders and help people like me, not spend thousands of dollars on these vehicles. I am still paying for this car, have only had it for less than 3 years and bought it pre owned. I brought it several times to huntington beach dealer in ca, for the regular maintenance and not even once, I was offered to extend my warranty, or offered to look at my radiator and fix the problem before it became a big issue. I contacted headquarters and I was told I don't qualify for the "extended warranty" it ends at 100K miles and my car is over 124K miles. Also, I would have to pay $3K of my money before the dealer would cover any major repairs... really"??? is this helping out someone" a lot of my family members own Nissan and I have spread the word of how bad these cars are, and when we look for help, they slam the door at our faces. This is not right, this is something that could have been prevented and Nissan is making thousands of dollars from hard working people like me, fixing problems, they should have fixed in the first place. I have a 6 year old and pregnant now, and commute over 70 miles back and forth every day, they are lucky my car didn't stop on the freeway and caused a big accident.I would be suing them now.
Possible transmission failure. Brought vehicle to be inspected and could get a clear answer which one of the observations was perform at a Nissan dealer. The fluids seems to be mixed, transmission with radiator fluid. Seems as this has been and on going problem with Nissan. Dealer tells me the cant find the recall.
The vehicle had transmission troubles and was taken into a repair facility. There is a crack in the radiator which has caused antifreeze to get into the transmission. The transmission needs to be replaced as well as the radiator. Car stutters and jumps and is very scary to drive. Will cost over $4500 to repair.
I have a 2007 Nissan Pathfinder that started making loud rumbling noises while driving. We replaced the radiator after the car over heated and a milky substance leaked. We've had the transmission flushed twice. We were told by a mechanic that the radiator liquid mixed into the transmission. I'm very disappointing to find that there are so many others with the same issue and that Nissan is doing nothing to help.
Transmission failed due to faulty radiator in our 2007 Nissan Pathfinder. Our 17 year old son was driving on a very busy interstate late Sunday June 16th, 2013. The car's transmission failed suddenly with no known notice. Luckily he was able to steer of the side of the road until assistance could come. This is an issue that Nissan is definitely aware of. They will not recall these radiators while fully knowing that the transmission of all 2005 through 2010 Pathfinders will eventually fail leaving their consumers at a safety risk. The replacement of all radiators and transmissions are only covered up to 80,000 miles or 8 years, whichever comes first. After that, the consumer is on the hook for repairs. Please help to have these radiators recalled!
The radiator has leaked coolant into the transmission and now the truck doesn't start. The transmission no longer works and neither does the radiator due to a faulty wire between the radiator and transmission. Nissan knows all about the defect but refuses to recall it.
Vehicle jerks violently at 50 mph and 70mph. Multiple incidents where vehicle has lost all acceleration power in freeway. Near missed accidents. Valve body is flooded and vehicle does not start anymore.
This vehicle has approx 80K miles when heat stopped working and transmission started shifting hard. I was informed by my mechanic that coolant had mixed with the transmission fluid and that it was a known problem at Nissan. We replaced the radiator and fluids. A few months later the transmission is inoperable and Nissan has refused to acknowledge the issue. My mechanic at midas of richmond va informed me that he sees this problem all the time and that Nissan is doing nothing. Clearly, Nissan knew this was a problem and has refused to take any action due to the high cost of the repair. This is clearly a safety issue as well as a known defect issue. I cannot believe the manufacturer would be allowed to install a major vehicle component with a known defect and for the customer to have no recourse.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Miami, FL, USA