2005 Nissan Pathfinder

MY FAMILY AND I WERE DRIVING BACK FROM A SMALL TRIP WHILE ON OUR WAY HOME OUR TRUCK STARTING SHAKING WHEN IT REACHED SPEEDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH IT DID THIS ABOUT 3 DIFFERENT TIMES ON OUR WAY HOME. WE PULLED OVER TO CHECK BUT WERE NOT ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING, WE WERE NERVOUS BECAUSE WE HAD NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH OUR TRUCK. ONCE WE HAD MADE IT INTO TO TOWN WE WERE AT A STOP SIGN AS MY HUSBAND ACCELERATED TO CROSS THE INTERSECTION THE TRUCK HESITATED TO SPEED UP. IT APPEARED TO BE THAT THE TRUCK WAS STUCK ON 1 TO 2ND GEAR. LUCKILY IT WAS LATE IN THE EVENING AND THERE WAS NO ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHEN WE CROSSED THE INTERCEPTION, IF NOT I HATE TO THINK WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. IT FELT LIKE THE TRUCK WAS GOING TO DIE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION. NEXT DAY WE TOOK THE TRUCK IN TO OUR MECHANIC. HE INFORMED US THAT THERE WAS WATER/COOLANT FROM THE RADIATOR THAT LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION, HE ADVICE US TO TAKE IT IN TO OUR LOCAL NISSAN DEALER SHOP. WE HAD TO PAY NISSAN $96 FOR THEM TO PERFORM A DIAGNOSTIC TEST BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT ACCEPT OUR MECHANICS RESULTS. ONCE THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED IT CONFIRMED WHAT OUT MECHANIC HAD INFORMED US. WE SUBMITTED A CLAIM TO NISSAN OF AMERICA, AND SADLY THEY DENIED OUR CLAIM. THEIR REASON BEHIND THE DENIAL WAS BECAUSE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THE RADIATOR COVERED UP TO 80K MILES OUR TRUCK WAS OVER ABOUT 35K MILES. WE ARE STUCK WITH A BILL OF OVER 6K TO HAVE THE TRUCK FIXED, IT REQUIRES A NEW TRANSMISSION, RADIATOR, TRANNY COOLER LINE FLUSH AND COOLANT FLUSH. I HAVE BEEN ON THE PHONE WITH NISSAN FOR OVER 11/2 WEEK WITH NO RESULTS OTHER THAN NISSAN REFUSES TO FIX OUR TRUCK BECAUSE WE HAVE SURPASS THE 80K MILES. WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS HOW IS IT POSSIBLE FOR A 6 YEAR OLD TRUCK TO HAVE SUCH SERIOUSE PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION DUE TO A FALTY RADIATOR WHICH NISSAN WAS WELL AWARE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. AFTER PLACING THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND SWITCHING THE GEAR BACK INTO DRIVE THE FAILURE DID NOT CONTINUE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD IDLE AND LOSE POWER. THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS, WHERE THE TECHNICIANS STATED THAT THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE TRANSFER CASE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AT THE DEALER AND WAS INSTEAD TAKEN TO A TRANSMISSION TECHNICIAN. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE RADIATOR WAS CRACKED AND LEAKED WATER INTO THE TRANSMISSION, CAUSING THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,500. UPDATED 2/22/12 *CN

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

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

I HAVE A 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER LE 4X4. I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW. DURING THE LIFE OF THE CAR I OFTEN NOTICED THE CAR DOWNSHIFTING FOR NO APPARENT REASON BUT IT WOULD GO AWAY AND I FORGOT ABOUT IT. ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO AND ABOUT 113000 MILES IT GOT WORSE AND STARTED MAKING NOISES AND OFTEN IT SOUNDED LIKE I HAD A FLAT TIRE. MY MECHANIC INSPECTED THE CAR AND THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE THE TRANSMISSION SO HE REFERRED ME TO A TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST WHO INFORMED ME AFTER AN INSPECTION THAT WATER WAS IN THE TRANS AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHOT. HE SAID THIS WAS DUE TO A FAULTY PART OR SOMETHING THAT ALLOWED WATER TO GET INTO THE TRANSMISSION FROM THE RADIATOR AND THAT THERE MIGHT BE TRANS FLUID IN THE RADIATOR OR WORSE, IN THE ENGINE. HE SEEMED TO THINK THAT IF LEFT THIS WAY THE TRANS COULD SEIZE UP CAUSING A GREAT AMOUNT OF DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE AND POSSIBLY THE CAR GOING OUT OF CONTROL DUE TO THIS POTENTIAL SEIZING UP CONDITION. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO TRANS FLUID IN THE RADIATOR. I HAD IT FLUSHED AND EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE OKAY. CHECKING ON LINE I HAVE NOTICED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FOR THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL OF NISSAN REGARDING THIS EXACT ISSUE. ALMOST $4000 LATER HOPEFULLY MY PROBLEM HAS BEEN SOLVED. NISSAN NEEDS TO STEP UP AND MAKE RESTITUTION. *TT

2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER - NOTICED SHUDDER AROUND 60 MPH INTERMITTENTLY FOR ABOUT ONE WEEK THEN PROBLEM BECAME MORE FREQUENT OCCURRING AROUND 40-45 MPH. WHILE TRYING TO TAKE IT TO DEALERSHIP, TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL IN THE PATH OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. DEALERSHIP SAID THAT RADIATOR HAD FAILED, LEAKING COOLANT INTO TRANSMISSION WHICH REQUIRED BOTH TO BE REPLACED. SINCE FAILURE OCCURRED AT 90,000 MILES, WARRANTY ON RADIATOR THAT HAS A KNOWN MANUFACTURER DEFECT IS VOID AND THUS PREVIOUSLY COVERED TRANSMISSION WARRANTY IS ALSO VOID. NISSAN OF NORTH AMERICA WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AND RECALL THE PART, LEAVING THEIR CUSTOMERS STRANDED BOTH ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND IN THEIR WALLETS. TRANSMISSION FAILURE IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE FOR MANY REASONS. THE LOOPHOLE APPEARS TO BE THAT SINCE THE FAILURE IS DUE TO THE RADIATOR, ANYTHING RELATING TO THE TRANSMISSION IS NULL AND VOID. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC STATED THE ACTUATOR OF THE ANTI-SKID ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,900. UPDATED 10/5/11 *CN ALSO, THE FUEL TANK AND FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT WERE REPLACED. UPDATED 11/04/11