2005 Nissan Pathfinder

MY 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER WAS LOSING SPEED ESPECIALLY WHEN PASSING VEHICLES ON THE HIGHWAY, THE 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE. I NOTICED THAT THE CAR WAS NOT RUNNING PROPERLY FOR OVER 3 WEEKS. I TOOK THE PATHFINDER TO A TRANSMISSION EXPERT AND THEY DID DIAGNOSTIC TESTS AND THE EXPERT SAID THAT THE RADIATOR HAD A HOLE IN IT AND RADIATOR FLUID WENT INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS GONE. HE SHOWED ME THE TRANSMISSION STICK THAT SHOWED ME THAT RADIATOR FLUID MIXED IN WITH THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. THE TRANSMISSION EXPERT SAID THAT THEY HAVE SEEN A NUMBER OF NISSAN PATHFINDERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. A WEEK LATER, I TOOK MY 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER TO ANOTHER TRANSMISSION EXPERT FOR A SECOND OPINION, THIS EXPERT DID THE DIAGNOSTICS AND CONFIRMED THAT THE RADIATOR HAD A HOLE IN IT THAT ALLOWED FOR RADIATOR FLUID TO GO INTO THE TRANSMISSION. HE ALSO STATED THAT THEY HAVE SEEN A NUMBER OF 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND HE RECOMMENDED THAT I GO TO A NISSAN DEALERSHIP TO SEE WHAT THEY SAY. I WENT SHEEHY NISSAN IN GLEN BURNIE, MD IN WHICH THEY DID A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND FOUND THAT COOLANT MIXING WITH THE TRANS FLUID CAUSING IMPROPER SHIFTING. THE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE TO REPLACE THE TRANS ASSEMBLY, RADIATOR, AND TRANS COOLER. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT NISSAN HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE RADIATOR FOR 80, 000 MILES OR UP TO 2013. I HAD 85,000 MILES ON MY 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER. I CALLED NISSAN USA AND TOLD THEM THE PROBLEM AND FAXED THE DIAGNOSTIC INVOICE TO THEM. TWO WEEKS LATER THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE PARTS AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE LABOR. LUCKILY, MY INSURANCE COMPANY PAID FOR THE RADIATOR, TRANS, AND TRANS COOLER. NISSAN HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR AND REFUSES TO DO A RECALL ON THE RADIATOR AND THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE! THIS AFFECTS 2005-2007 NISSAN PATHFINDERS AND THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD IF THE VEHICLE TRANS STALLS OR SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAYS AND ROADS. A RECALL IS NEEDED! *TR

THE PROBLEM FIRST BEGAN WITH MY 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER ON MARCH 27, 2011, WHEN I FIRST NOTICED THERE WAS NO HEAT IN THE CABIN. THEN ON APRIL 29, 2011, WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, I NOTICED MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE IN EXCESS OF 45 MPH. IT SEEMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. AS THE NISSAN WAS PARKED IN OUR GARAGE, WE NOTICED FLUID LEAKING ONTO THE GROUND. THE FLUID HAD A MILKY WHITE SUBSTANCE IN IT. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, WE REALIZED THAT WITH THIS PARTICULAR MODEL, THERE WERE KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH COOLANT LEAKING INTO THE TRANSMISSION. WE HAD THE PATHFINDER DIAGNOSED ON JUNE 3, 2011 BY BILLINGS NISSAN. WE HAD INFORMED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT NISSAN THAT WE WERE SUSPECTING THE TRANSMISSION WAS CONTAMINATED WITH COOLANT. NISSAN INFORMED US THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE THEY ARE SEPARATE UNITS AND THAT THE MILKY WHITE SUBSTANCE IN THE TRANSMISSION WAS A RESULT OF AIR ENTERING THE TRANSMISSION. AFTER MUCH DISPAIR, WE DECIDED TO TRADE IN OUR VEHICLE AND TOOK A HUGE LOSS ON THE TRADE-IN VALUE. WE FELT THAT IF WE DECIDED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION, AND THAT THE RADIATOR WAS IN FACT DAMAGED AND ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THAT WE WOULD ONLY BE FACED WITH THE SAME ISSUE DOWN THE ROAD AND WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION A 2ND TIME. ON JUNE 28, 2011, WE RECEIVED A REPORT FROM THE DEALERSHIP THAT WE TRADED THE PATHFINDER AT STATING THE TRANSMISSION WAS INDEED CONTAMINATED WITH COOLANT AND THAT THE RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION BOTH NEEDED REPLACING. IF ONLY WE HAD RECEIVED PROPER DIAGNOSIS FROM NISSAN INITIALLY, OUR COURSE OF ACTION MAY HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT AND WOULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT FIXING THE PATHFINDER VERSUS TRADING IT IN. AS A RESULT, WE HAVE LOST MONEY ON THE TRADE IN VALUE, AND HAVE INCURRED AN UNEXPECTED EXPENSE OF A NEW VEHICLE (PAYMENTS, REGISTRATION, INSURANCE). DEALER LIED TO US. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *TT

I AM A CAR DEALER IN MONTANA, PURCHASED A 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER AT THE AUCTION WITH 85,000 MILES FOR RE-SALE. SHOWED IT ONCE TO A CUSTOMER, IT RAN FINE, I DROVE IT HOME 8-6-11. 78 MPH ON CRUISE CONTROL ON THE INTERSTATE. THE TRANSMISSION DIS-ENGAGED, I BARELY RECOVERED FROM HITTING THE MEDIUM AT THAT SPEED. TURNS OUT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT THE TRANSMISSION COOLER LEAKS FLUID INTO THE TRANS ON 90% OF THIS MODEL YEAR. EVEN THOUGH I AM A DEALER...THIS IS NOT RIGHT. $4500.00 REPAIR. THANKFULLY IT WAS NOT ONE OF MY CUSTOMERS. NISSAN SHOULD RE-CALL EVERY ONE OF THESE AND MAKE IT RIGHT. I CANNOT BELIEVE THERE HAS NOT BEEN A DEATH FROM THIS FAILURE. I AM SURE THERE HAS BEEN MANY STRANDED TRAVELERS THAT MAY HAVE DIED AS A RESULT. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ALONG AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WHEN THE PATHFINDER SEEMED TO BE LOOSING POWER AND IT APPEARED THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. I PULLED OFF THE 4-LANE; PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK; TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF; RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUED ON MY TRIP. IT INITIALLY SEEMED AS THOUGH IT WAS CORRECTED; HOWEVER, WHEN I STOPPED FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT THE VEHICLE WOULD REV BUT WAS SLOW TO PULL OUT. I WAS ABLE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A NISSAN DEALERSHIP. LATER THAT EVENING I RECEIVED A CALL THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID APPEARED BURNT AND THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED TO THE TUNE OF APPROXIMATELY $6,900. THE SERVICE REP TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS RADIATOR FLUID MIXED IN WITH THE TRANSMISSION FLUID IN THE TRANSMISSION. I ALSO HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO NISSAN THROUGH ITS WEBSITE. THE VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY 149,000 MILES. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES OR DEATH IF ONE WAS PULLING INTO OR OUT OF TRAFFIC WHEN THIS PROBLEM IS ENCOUNTERED. A RECALL MUST BE MADE FOR THE SAFETY OF NISSAN OWNERS AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE WHO ALSO MAY BE IMPACTED BY THIS PROBLEM.

CRACK IN THE RADIATOR ASSEMBLY OCCURRED LEADING TO INTERNAL LEAKAGE OF THE ENGINE COOLANT. 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BEGAN HARD SHIFTING IN THE FALL OF 2010. THIS WAS A CONSTANT DAILY OCCURRENCE IF THE DRIVER FORGOT TO TAKE THE PATHFINDER OUT OF OVERDRIVE. IT SOUNDED LIKE THE OLD 1970S FORD UNIVERSAL JOINT AS IT SHIFTED INTO GEAR. AT TIMES THE CAR FELT LIKE THE BACK-END WAS BEING PULLED IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. AT CRUISING SPEED, THE BACK WHEELS WOULD SOUND LIKE THEY WERE RUNNING OVER THE CORRUGATED CONCRETE NEAR A TOLL BOOTH OR LANE DIVIDERS ON A HIGHWAY AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD CAUSE THE CAR TO SHUDDER. IT WOULD SEEM TO FALL OUT OF GEAR WHILE THE CAR WAS MOVING AT SPEED. GOING UPHILL, THE PATHFINDER WOULD HARD SHIFT AND HESITATE TO ENGAGE INTO GEAR. ACCELERATING ON TO THE FREEWAY WAS NEVER AN ISSUE, BUT IT WOULD NOT IMMEDIATELY SHIFT INTO THE APPROPRIATE GEAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, IT WOULD STAY IN NEUTRAL WHEN SHIFTED INTO REVERSE. THE MOST COMMON SYMPTOM WAS THE SHUDDERING NOISES AT 30 MPH. IF THE OVERDRIVE WAS TURNED OFF, ALL SYMPTOMS WOULD DIMINISH OR DISAPPEAR COMPLETELY. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER IN DECEMBER AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER IN MAY AND THEY COULD DUPLICATE, BUT NOT CONSISTENTLY AND SAW NO MIXING OF COOLANT AND TRANSMISSION FLUID. TOWED IT IN TO THE DEALER IN AUGUST, THE DAMAGE IS DONE, THE FLUIDS HAVE MIXED AND THE TRANSMISSION COMPUTER HAS SHORTED OUT. REPAIR RECOMMENDED IS TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION (INCLUDING COMPUTER) AND RADIATOR AND HOSES. CUSTOMER CANNOT AFFORD THE $6,000 PRICE TAG ON THE REPAIR. NISSAN NORTH AMERICA WILL NOT ASSIST AS PATHFINDER IS OUT OF WARRANTY. *KB

STARTED EXPERIENCING SHUDDER WHEN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MOVED BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR. SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT AT DEALER TO INVESTIGATE AND MINIMIZED DRIVING IN THE MEANTIME. SYMPTOM DID NOT OCCUR OVER TWO DAY PERIOD UNTIL DRIVING ON THIRD DAY WHERE THE ISSUE WORSENED RAPIDLY UNTIL TRANSMISSION BECAME INOPERABLE ABOVE 10 MPH. I INVESTIGATED THE ISSUE AND LEARNED THAT THIS IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE PATHFINDER WHERE THE RADIATOR FLUID FAILS INTO THE TRANSMISSION, CAUSING BOTH THE RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. I INSPECTED THE ANTIFREEZE TO OBSERVE TRACES OF TRANSMISSION FLUID. CHECKING THE TRANSMISSION FLUID, THE FLUID WAS DARKEN AND ABOVE THE HIGH-LEVEL MARK FOR THE FLUID LEVEL. I HAD DEALER INVESTIGATE AND THIS IS IN FACT WHAT HAD FAILED. NISSAN HAD EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 80K MILES SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. MY CAR CURRENTLY HAS 89K MILES AND I AM LOOKING AT A $6000 REPAIR BILL THAT I REFUSE TO REPAIR. NISSAN IS OFFERING ZERO ASSISTANCE TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH NISSAN PATHFINDERS. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE ISSUE WITH NISSAN AND THERE HAVE BEEN NO ACTIONS OTHER THAN RAISING THE WARRANTY TO 80K MILES. THIS IS GROSS ERROR IN THE DESIGN OF THE PRODUCT AND CAN CAUSE SIGNIFICANT INJURY DEPENDING ON THE TIMING OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. DO PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE TO GET NISSAN TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR POOR DESIGN? I AM DONE WITH NISSAN AS A BRAND AND SUGGEST THAT THE FED INVESTIGATE THEIR INACTION IN ADDRESSING THIS PROBLEM. *TR

SINCE APRIL 2011 MY 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER STARTED TO RATTLING AND VIBRATION UNDER THE VEHICLE. AFTER HAVING IT CHECKED BY A MECHANIC IN MAY 2011 HE STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND COOLANT IS MISSING TOGETHER. THE FLUID WAS CHANGED ON JUNE 26, 2011, THAT CAME OUT LOOKING LIKE CHOCOLATE MILK AND IT IS STILL VIBRATING AT 45 AND 64 MILES PER HOUR. I UNDER STAND THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURER PROBLEM FOR THE WAY IT WAS DESIGNED AND SHOULD BE FIXED BY THE CAR DEALERS AND NOT THE CONSUMER. THE SOLENOID IN THE TRANSMISSION JUMPS OFFLINE AND ONCE THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF AND BACK ON IT RESETS AND THE VIBRATION CONTINUE AS YOU DRIVE. THE CHANGING OF THE TRANSMISSION FLUID DID NOT HELP THE PROBLEM. *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE WHEN SHIFTING GEARS AND WOULD NOT ENGAGE WHEN SHIFTED INTO REVERSE. AND THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNG FORWARD AT ANY TIME. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD ABNORMALLY AT ANY TIME WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND ASSISTED THE CONTACT WITH THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,900 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,000.

THE FAMILY AND I ALL GOT INTO THE CAR AFTER GROCERY SHOPPING, IT SEEMED TO BE A NORMAL NIGHT EXCEPT WHEN MY MOTHER WENT IN FOR REVERSE TO GET OUT OF THE PARKING SPOT THE CAR ACCELERATED BACKWARDS AND THE CAR TOOK OVER, OUR MOTHER WAS YELLING SAYING ' THE BRAKES WONT WORK ' EVERYBODY WAS IN SUCH A PANIC THE CAR HIT TWO CIRCLES IN THE STORE PARKING LOT. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS THERE. WE RAN INTO THE STORE GATE WHICH WAS THERE JUST IN CASE THOSE SORT OF THINGS HAPPEN BUT MY BROTHER WHO WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT STOP THE CAR BY PUTTING IT IN PARKING. *TR