CarComplaints.com Notes: While there are fewer "radiator leaked into transmission" complaints for the 2008 model year, they are starting to pile up. Buyer beware.
Nissan has extended their radiator warranty on 2005-2010 Pathfinders to 8 years/80,000 miles. However the average mileage for transmission failure for earlier model years is 95,000 miles, which conveniently (for Nissan) is just past the limit of their extended warranty. Owners beware.
9.1
really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$3,940
Average Mileage:
118,800 miles
Total Complaints:
81 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
replace radiator & transmission (68 reports)
not sure (8 reports)
no solution. transmission and radiator must be replaced (5 reports)
Nissan Pathfinder/Frontier Transmission Bypass Solution - Step-by-step instructions to bypassing the problematic transmission fluid cooler in 2005-2010 Nissan Pathfinders and Frontiers. This simple, 20-minute, $15 fix will permanently solve the famous transmission/coolant issue! Perform this procedure and you will prevent the only problem your Pathfinder will ever see. Save your beautiful rig!
Find a good Nissan mechanic
Search for Car Problems
2008 Nissan Pathfinder Owner Comments (Page 5 of 5)
My 2008 Nissan Pathfinder has a radiator that failed causing engine coolant to mix with the automatic transmission fluid thus causing a total failure of my transmission. In researching after the failure i have found this is a very common problem with Nissan Pathfinders, Frontiers, and Exteras from 2005-2008. It is to the point where people have taken the transmission line out of the coolant system loop prior to the radiator failing in attempt to save the transmission from the inevitable failure. These radiators need to be recalled to prevent another transmission from total failure and thus prevent serious accidents resulting in injury or death in the future. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN!
In my instance while driving my wife and my 7 day old first born son to his doctors appointment my Nissan Pathfinder began to hesitate and slip, then catch, and slip, and lock up, and jerk, and then only slip. I was forced to push my vehicle a distance while vehicles proceeded to pass me at a high rate of speed. All the while my wife and 7 day old infant inside. I then needed to have my car towed to the dealership. After calling the Nissan dealership i was told that is fairly common and they were not surprised. 2005-2008 NISSAN PATHFINDERS, EXTERAS, AND FRONTIERS HAVE FAULTY RADIATORS THAT ARE CAUSING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE TO THE TRANSMISSION AND ARE EXTREMELY UNSAFE FOR THE PASSENGERS OF THESE VEHICLES. Does someone have to die before Nissan admits to and fixes this avoidable problem?! This is very common knowledge for all transmission repair shops as well as Nissan dealerships.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
My 2008 Nissan Pathfinder has a radiator that failed causing engine coolant to mix with the automatic transmission fluid thus causing a total failure of my transmission. In researching after the failure i have found this is a very common problem with Nissan Pathfinders, Frontiers, and Exteras from 2005-2008. It is to the point where people have taken the transmission line out of the coolant system loop prior to the radiator failing in attempt to save the transmission from the inevitable failure. These radiators need to be recalled to prevent another transmission from total failure and thus prevent serious accidents resulting in injury or death in the future. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN!
In my instance while driving my wife and my 7 day old first born son to his doctors appointment my Nissan Pathfinder began to hesitate and slip, then catch, and slip, and lock up, and jerk, and then only slip. I was forced to push my vehicle a distance while vehicles proceeded to pass me at a high rate of speed. All the while my wife and 7 day old infant inside. I then needed to have my car towed to the dealership. After calling the Nissan dealership i was told that is fairly common and they were not surprised. 2005-2008 NISSAN PATHFINDERS, EXTERAS, AND FRONTIERS HAVE FAULTY RADIATORS THAT ARE CAUSING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE TO THE TRANSMISSION AND ARE EXTREMELY UNSAFE FOR THE PASSENGERS OF THESE VEHICLES. Does someone have to die before Nissan admits to and fixes this avoidable problem?! This is very common knowledge for all transmission repair shops as well as Nissan dealerships.
- downey.jay, Tucson, AZ, US