NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
532 reports103,000 miles · Feb 27, 2015
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train
TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SHUDDER AT SPEEDS 40-50 MPH A FEW WEEKS AGO, FEELS LIKE GOING OVER SHALLOW RUMBLE STRIPS. DID RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THE ISSUE IS COOLANT LEAKING INTO THE TRANSMISSION FLUID.THIS HAS BEEN A MAJOR ISSUE WITH ALL 2005 NISSAN FRONTIERS. MY TRUCK HAS 103,XXX MILES. OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY NOW. NEVER NEW OF…
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TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SHUDDER AT SPEEDS 40-50 MPH A FEW WEEKS AGO, FEELS LIKE GOING OVER SHALLOW RUMBLE STRIPS. DID RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THE ISSUE IS COOLANT LEAKING INTO THE TRANSMISSION FLUID.THIS HAS BEEN A MAJOR ISSUE WITH ALL 2005 NISSAN FRONTIERS. MY TRUCK HAS 103,XXX MILES. OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY NOW. NEVER NEW OF THIS WARRANTY AND NOW I'M STUCK PAYING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OUT OF POCKET FOR NEW TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10691161
155,000 miles · Feb 26, 2015
Fuel/propulsion SystemPower Train
DRIVING ALONG AT 65 MILES PER HOUR SEEMED LIKE TRANSMISSION WENT INTO NEUTRAL AND ENGINE REVVED UP. ROLLED TO SIDE OF ROAD. TRUCK WOULD NO LONGER MOVE. HAD TRUCK TOWED TO GARAGE WHERE THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD COOLANT IN IT AND HAD WIPED IT OUT. TO REPLACE TRANS AND RADIATOR WAS 5300 DOLLARS.
NHTSA ODI #10690765
113,500 miles · Feb 17, 2015
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train
TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SHUDDER WHEN IN OVERDRIVE AND AT SPEEDS 40-50 MPH. SHUDDERING GRADUALLY GREW WORSE AND WORSE. OCCASIONAL CLANK SOUND WHEN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO FORWARD. DIAGNOSED AT DEALER AS RUPTURED HEAT EXCHANGER IN RADIATOR WHICH ALLOWED COOLANT TO ENTER AND CONTAMINATE THE TRANSMISSION. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10683879
120,000 miles · Feb 10, 2015
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN FRONTIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THERE WAS WATER LEAKING INTO THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND THE RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN FRONTIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THERE WAS WATER LEAKING INTO THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND THE RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
NHTSA ODI #10682646
144,000 miles · Feb 8, 2015
Power Train
I WAS DRIVING MY TRUCK NOTICE THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT HAD CAME ON AND WHILE DRIVING THE ACCELRATIONWAS VERY WEAK.I HAD THE CODE CHECK AND IT CAME BACK AS TCM AND VALVE BODY PROBLEM AND CAME HOME AND RESEARCHED TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS TRUCK TYPE. *JS
NHTSA ODI #10682000
134,000 miles · Feb 2, 2015
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train
I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY TRUCK SHUTTERS LIKE GOING OVER SHALLOW RUMBLE STRIPS FOR ABOUT 3 WEEKS. I REALIZED IT WAS MY TRANSMISSION AND SEARCHED ON TRANSMISSION ISSUES WITH MY TRUCK AND FOUND THE BIG ONE (COOLANT LEAKING INTO THE TRANSMISSION FLUID). I IMMEDIATELY FLUSHED THE COOLANT AND THE TRANSMISSION FLUID, PERFO…
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I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND MY TRUCK SHUTTERS LIKE GOING OVER SHALLOW RUMBLE STRIPS FOR ABOUT 3 WEEKS. I REALIZED IT WAS MY TRANSMISSION AND SEARCHED ON TRANSMISSION ISSUES WITH MY TRUCK AND FOUND THE BIG ONE (COOLANT LEAKING INTO THE TRANSMISSION FLUID). I IMMEDIATELY FLUSHED THE COOLANT AND THE TRANSMISSION FLUID, PERFORMED THE AT COOLER BYPASS OPERATION AND REFILLED. I'M NOW SAYING MY PRAYERS, TAKING MY VITAMINS, AND EXERCISING HOPING FOR THE BEST. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10680732
96,000 miles · Jan 20, 2015
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train
VEHICLE SHUDDERS BAD IN 5TH GEAR CLUNKING IN AND OUT OF GEAR, AND UNABLE TO MAINTAIN SPEED ON HIGHWAY. HARD UP SHIFTS FROM GEARS 1 TO 2 AND 2 TO 3. HARD DOWN SHIFT CLUNK FROM GEAR 2 TO 1. COOLANT LEAKED INTO TRANSMISSION FLUID CAUSING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION AND NEW RADIATOR NEEDED AS WELL. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10676761
89,570 miles · Jan 16, 2015
Power Train
WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THE TRUCK MADE A SOUND AS THOUGH IT WAS DRIVING OVER RUMBLE STRIPS AND IT FEELS AS THOUGH THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING OR ABOUT TO FAIL. THIS WILL LAST 5 TO 10 SECONDS AND THEN IT WILL SEEM NORMAL, AND THEN AFTER A SHORT WHILE THE SOUND AND SLIPPAGE WILL AGAIN OCCUR. I AM CONCERNE…
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WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THE TRUCK MADE A SOUND AS THOUGH IT WAS DRIVING OVER RUMBLE STRIPS AND IT FEELS AS THOUGH THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING OR ABOUT TO FAIL. THIS WILL LAST 5 TO 10 SECONDS AND THEN IT WILL SEEM NORMAL, AND THEN AFTER A SHORT WHILE THE SOUND AND SLIPPAGE WILL AGAIN OCCUR. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM WHICH HAS PLAGUED OTHER 2005-2010 NISSAN MODELS WHERE TRANSMISSION FLUID BECOMES CONTAMINATED WITH ANTIFREEZE FROM CRACKS WHICH DEVELOP IN THE TRANSMISSION COOLING LINE WHERE IT PASSES THRU THE RADIATOR. I HAVE CALLED NISSAN TO REPORT THIS. IT WAS ASSIGNED CASE #[XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
NHTSA ODI #10673078
121,000 miles · Jan 9, 2015
EnginePower TrainSteering
2ND TIME A SOLENOID WENT OUT RESULTING IN ALL LOSS OF POWER AND POWER STARING WAS UNMANAGEABLE, UNABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE. ANOTHER $1500 FIX. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10671227
78,000 miles · Jan 9, 2015
Electronic Stability Control (esc)EnginePower Train
CLUTCH BREAK BAND SOLENOID FAILED. LOST ALL POWER TO MY VEHICLE AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN. $1000 FOR THE PART $400 FOR THE LABOR $100 FOR TRANSMISSION FLUID. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10671225
Official recalls
3Oct 28, 2010
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 ARMADA, TITAN, INFINITI QX56 AND MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 FRONTIER, PATHFINDER AND XTERRA VEHICLES. THE INTELLIGENT POWER DISTRIBUTION MODULE (IPDM) ASSEMBLY CONTAINS AN ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) RELAY THAT HAS A DIODE FOR ELECTRICAL CURRENT NOISE REDUCTION. THE ECM RELAY MAY ALLOW SILICON VAPOR TO FORM AND, OVER TIME, THE SILICON EVAPORATES FROM THE DIODE MOLDING WHICH CAUSES SILICON OXIDE TO DEVELOP ON THE ECM RELAY CONTACT DUE TO ARCING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE ENGINE STALLING INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ECM RELAY INSIDE THE IPDM ASSEMBLY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 6, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
Dec 29, 2008
NISSAN IS RECALLING 242,720 MY 2005-2009 PATHFINDER, FRONTIER AND XTERRA VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN THOSE AREAS OF THE COUNTRY WHICH USE HEAVY CONCENTRATIONS OF ROAD SALT IN THE WINTER, A MIXTURE OF SNOW/WATER AND SALT CAN ENTER INTO THE FRONT CRASH ZONE SENSOR (CZS) HOUSING. IF THIS OCCURS, THE CZS MAY INTERNALLY RUST RESULTING IN A SIGNAL INTERRUPTION. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE RED AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE TO ALERT THE VEHICLE OPERATOR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS ISSUE COULD RESULT IN THE NON-DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAGS IN A CRASH, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT CZS WITH A REDESIGNED SENSOR. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 26, 2009. OWNERS IN THE OTHER STATES WILL RECEIVE EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR THE SENSOR TO 10 YEARS. THESE OWNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE WARRANTY EXTENSION BY MAIL AND WILL RECEIVE A STICKER TO PLACE IN THEIR WARRANTY BOOKLET EXPLAINING THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
Mar 30, 2006
ON CERTAIN KING CAB TRUCKS, IN A SEVERE SIDE IMPACT CRASH, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT DEFORMATION OF THE VEHICLE'S BODY COULD CAUSE THE FUEL FILLER CAP TETHER TO BE STRETCHED TO THE POINT OF UNSCREWING THE FUEL FILLER CAP.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS MAY RESULT IN A FUEL SPILL WHICH IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL CAP TETHER PIN ASSEMBLY WITH A MODIFIED ONE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 24, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1DP12004 · Transmission Failures
Opened Jun 11, 2012 · Closed Oct 22, 2016
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train; Power Train:automatic Transmission; Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm); Power Train:automatic Transmission:cooling Unit And Lines; Power Train:automatic Transmission:torque Converter
On February 29, 2012 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter petitioning the agency to conduct a defect investigation into MY 2005-2010 Nissan Pathfinder, Frontier, and Xterra vehicles [the subject vehicles] for automatic transmission failures related to failed transmission coolers.NHTSA conducted a comprehensive review of data related to this subject. Our report, documenting this review, is available in the document file for this defect petition.It will also be published in the Federal Register. Of the 2,505 referenced complaints, 638 relate to a potential hazard (unable to maintain speed, no motive power, engine stall) and 1,867 concern customer satisfaction issues including, but not limited to, repair cost, vehicle shudder and shake, and engine overheating.Taking into account the allocation of agency resources and priorities and the likelihood that additional investigation would result in a finding that an unreasonable risk to highway safety exists, we conclude that further investigation is not warranted and deny the petition.ODI Complaint ID numbers are referenced on the next page.
Additional source detail variants (5)
Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)
On February 29, 2012 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter petitioning the agency to conduct a defect investigation into MY 2005-2010 Nissan Pathfinder, Frontier, and Xterra vehicles [the subject vehicles] for automatic transmission failures related to failed transmission coolers.NHTSA conducted a comprehensive review of data related to this subject. Our report, documenting this review, is available in the document file for this defect petition.It will also be published in the Federal Register. Of the 2,505 referenced complaints, 638 relate to a potential hazard (unable to maintain speed, no motive power, engine stall) and 1,867 concern customer satisfaction issues including, but not limited to, repair cost, vehicle shudder and shake, and engine overheating.Taking into account the allocation of agency resources and priorities and the likelihood that additional investigation would result in a finding that an unreasonable risk to highway safety exists, we conclude that further investigation is not warranted and deny the petition.ODI Complaint ID numbers are referenced on the next page.
Power Train:automatic Transmission:cooling Unit And Lines
On February 29, 2012 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter petitioning the agency to conduct a defect investigation into MY 2005-2010 Nissan Pathfinder, Frontier, and Xterra vehicles [the subject vehicles] for automatic transmission failures related to failed transmission coolers.NHTSA conducted a comprehensive review of data related to this subject. Our report, documenting this review, is available in the document file for this defect petition.It will also be published in the Federal Register. Of the 2,505 referenced complaints, 638 relate to a potential hazard (unable to maintain speed, no motive power, engine stall) and 1,867 concern customer satisfaction issues including, but not limited to, repair cost, vehicle shudder and shake, and engine overheating.Taking into account the allocation of agency resources and priorities and the likelihood that additional investigation would result in a finding that an unreasonable risk to highway safety exists, we conclude that further investigation is not warranted and deny the petition.ODI Complaint ID numbers are referenced on the next page.
Power Train:automatic Transmission
On February 29, 2012 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter petitioning the agency to conduct a defect investigation into MY 2005-2010 Nissan Pathfinder, Frontier, and Xterra vehicles [the subject vehicles] for automatic transmission failures related to failed transmission coolers.NHTSA conducted a comprehensive review of data related to this subject. Our report, documenting this review, is available in the document file for this defect petition.It will also be published in the Federal Register. Of the 2,505 referenced complaints, 638 relate to a potential hazard (unable to maintain speed, no motive power, engine stall) and 1,867 concern customer satisfaction issues including, but not limited to, repair cost, vehicle shudder and shake, and engine overheating.Taking into account the allocation of agency resources and priorities and the likelihood that additional investigation would result in a finding that an unreasonable risk to highway safety exists, we conclude that further investigation is not warranted and deny the petition.ODI Complaint ID numbers are referenced on the next page.
Power Train:automatic Transmission:torque Converter
On February 29, 2012 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter petitioning the agency to conduct a defect investigation into MY 2005-2010 Nissan Pathfinder, Frontier, and Xterra vehicles [the subject vehicles] for automatic transmission failures related to failed transmission coolers.NHTSA conducted a comprehensive review of data related to this subject. Our report, documenting this review, is available in the document file for this defect petition.It will also be published in the Federal Register. Of the 2,505 referenced complaints, 638 relate to a potential hazard (unable to maintain speed, no motive power, engine stall) and 1,867 concern customer satisfaction issues including, but not limited to, repair cost, vehicle shudder and shake, and engine overheating.Taking into account the allocation of agency resources and priorities and the likelihood that additional investigation would result in a finding that an unreasonable risk to highway safety exists, we conclude that further investigation is not warranted and deny the petition.ODI Complaint ID numbers are referenced on the next page.
Power Train
On February 29, 2012 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter petitioning the agency to conduct a defect investigation into MY 2005-2010 Nissan Pathfinder, Frontier, and Xterra vehicles [the subject vehicles] for automatic transmission failures related to failed transmission coolers.NHTSA conducted a comprehensive review of data related to this subject. Our report, documenting this review, is available in the document file for this defect petition.It will also be published in the Federal Register. Of the 2,505 referenced complaints, 638 relate to a potential hazard (unable to maintain speed, no motive power, engine stall) and 1,867 concern customer satisfaction issues including, but not limited to, repair cost, vehicle shudder and shake, and engine overheating.Taking into account the allocation of agency resources and priorities and the likelihood that additional investigation would result in a finding that an unreasonable risk to highway safety exists, we conclude that further investigation is not warranted and deny the petition.ODI Complaint ID numbers are referenced on the next page.
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