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2005 Nissan Pathfinder

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Pathfinder years

Owner complaints for the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder are substantially higher than the model-year median of 97.

About this comparison →
1,050Owner complaints

Model-year median: 97

2Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
156
2002110
200367
20041,050
2005837
2006561
2007328
2008
Compare all Pathfinder years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Power Train
585Engine And Engine Cooling
290Fuel System, Gasoline
186Engine
144Electrical System
66
All reported categories
Fuel System, Other
61Unknown Or Other
40Fuel/propulsion System
31Vehicle Speed Control
31Air Bags
22Structure
14Equipment
10Service Brakes, Hydraulic
10Steering
9Suspension
9Service Brakes
7Visibility
7Electronic Stability Control (esc)
4Latches/locks/linkages
3Tires
3Seat Belts
2Seats
2Wheels
2Equipment Adaptive/mobility
1Service Brakes, Electric
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

956 reports with mileage · 94 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Power Train. Review the 585 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 290 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 186 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

14 crash reports6 fire reports7 injury reports

What owners actually said

1,050 reports
72,123 miles · Oct 13, 2016
Power Train

PATHFINDER 2005 HAS ONLY 73,000 MILES AND NOW HAS A PROBLEM OF CROSS CONTAMINATION BETWEEN TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR FLUIDS. REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF TRANSMISSION. VERY EXPENSIVE - REQUIRES TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION AND WASH RADIATOR. TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. PROBLEM CONFIRMED BY THE DEALER SHOP AS WELL AS AM INDEPENDE…

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PATHFINDER 2005 HAS ONLY 73,000 MILES AND NOW HAS A PROBLEM OF CROSS CONTAMINATION BETWEEN TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR FLUIDS. REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OF TRANSMISSION. VERY EXPENSIVE - REQUIRES TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION AND WASH RADIATOR. TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. PROBLEM CONFIRMED BY THE DEALER SHOP AS WELL AS AM INDEPENDENT CAR SHOP.

NHTSA ODI #10915680

16,000 miles · Oct 7, 2016
Electronic Stability Control (esc)EngineUnknown Or Other

MY NISSAN PATHFINDER 2005 STALL AND WONT ACCLERATE I PUT A NEW ENGINE 3500 A NEW GAS PUMP350 A VALE BODY 2000 NOW THEY WANT PUT ANOTHER PART 1600

NHTSA ODI #10914492

150,000 miles · Sep 22, 2016
Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILURE

NHTSA ODI #10908799

Mileage unknown · Sep 22, 2016
Power Train

2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER 92,000 , VEHICLE WON'T START AND HAD IT TOWED, WAS TOLD IT WAS DUE TO THE RADIATOR LEAKING INTO THE TRANSMISSION. AFTER HAVING SPENT $800 @ VADAN NISSAN, BECAUSE MY CAR WOULD JERKS AND STOP WHILST DRIVING, WAS TOLD IT WAS A COIL PROBLEM, AND A SENSOR ISSUE, NOTHING WAS EVER SAID TO ME ABOUT THIS HUGE PR…

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2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER 92,000 , VEHICLE WON'T START AND HAD IT TOWED, WAS TOLD IT WAS DUE TO THE RADIATOR LEAKING INTO THE TRANSMISSION. AFTER HAVING SPENT $800 @ VADAN NISSAN, BECAUSE MY CAR WOULD JERKS AND STOP WHILST DRIVING, WAS TOLD IT WAS A COIL PROBLEM, AND A SENSOR ISSUE, NOTHING WAS EVER SAID TO ME ABOUT THIS HUGE PROBLEM THE 2005 TO 2010 PATHFINDERS ARE HAVING, TOTALLY DISGUSTED WITH NISSAN.

NHTSA ODI #10908762

127,000 miles · Sep 20, 2016
Power Train

TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON INTERSTATE HAD TO BE TOWED HOME 50 MILES

NHTSA ODI #10908238

115,500 miles · Sep 19, 2016
Unknown Or Other

2012 NISSAN REPAIRED RADIATOR; 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER JUST LOST REVERSE. IT HAS 115,000 MILES. NISSAN SHOULD HELP WITH REPLACING REVERSE. IS THIS UNDER A RECALL?

NHTSA ODI #10907585

156,000 miles · Sep 19, 2016
Power Train

DRIVING AND CAME TO A LIGHT AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD OR REVERSE.

NHTSA ODI #10907572

125,000 miles · Sep 12, 2016
Power TrainCrash

TAKATA RECALL I HAVE COOLENT IN MY TRANSMISSION DUE TO RADIATOR FAILURE CAUSING MY TRANSMISSION TO SLIP CAUSING MY CAR TO CRASH INTO MY HOUSE IN MY CARPORT THE REPAIR FOR THE TRANSMISSION IS $3800 AND I'M ON A FIX INCOME

NHTSA ODI #10905942

120,000 miles · Sep 11, 2016
Engine

I TOOK MY 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER INTO THE SHOP BECAUSE IT WAS HAVING TROUBLE SHIFTING GEARS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I LATER LEARNED THE BAD NEWS THAT THE HOSES IN THE RADIATOR HAVE FAILED CAUSING COOLANT TO CROSS CONTAMINATE AND MIX WITH TRANSMISSION FLUID PRODUCING A TOXIC SLUDGE THAT RUINS THE RADIATOR AS WELL AS THE TRANSMISSION. …

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I TOOK MY 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER INTO THE SHOP BECAUSE IT WAS HAVING TROUBLE SHIFTING GEARS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I LATER LEARNED THE BAD NEWS THAT THE HOSES IN THE RADIATOR HAVE FAILED CAUSING COOLANT TO CROSS CONTAMINATE AND MIX WITH TRANSMISSION FLUID PRODUCING A TOXIC SLUDGE THAT RUINS THE RADIATOR AS WELL AS THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS TOLD THAT $4,000 LATER I WOULD NEED A NEW RADIATOR, NEW TRANSMISSION AND NEW HOSES. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN ALSO TOLD ME THAT THIS PROBLEM IS VERY COMMON IN 05-06 PATHFINDERS. AFTER GOING HOME A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH REVEALED THAT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF CARS HAVE ACTUALLY DEALTH WITH THIS PROBLEM AND THERE WAS A LAWSUIT BROUGHT AGAINST NISSAN FOR THESE PROBLEMS. UNFORTUNATELY I NEVER KNEW OF SUCH A LAWSUIT AND NOW THAT I HAVE THE VERY PROBLEM IT'S TOO LATE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THAT TYPE OF SERVICE BY COMPANIES FOR SELLING FAULTY PRODUCTS TO THEIR CONSUMERS IS REALLY TOO SAD.

NHTSA ODI #10905661

190,000 miles · Sep 9, 2016
Power Train

PURCHASED A USED 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER. HAD THE VEHICLE ABOUT 2 YEARS. DRIVING HOME ONE DAY THE VEHICLE STARTED TO LOOSE POWER AS THE RPM'S STARTED TO SPIKE. WE HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD IN A VERY UNSAFE SPOT BECAUSE THE CAR COULD NO LONGER MOVE. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILING. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. …

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PURCHASED A USED 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER. HAD THE VEHICLE ABOUT 2 YEARS. DRIVING HOME ONE DAY THE VEHICLE STARTED TO LOOSE POWER AS THE RPM'S STARTED TO SPIKE. WE HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD IN A VERY UNSAFE SPOT BECAUSE THE CAR COULD NO LONGER MOVE. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS OF THE TRANSMISSION FAILING. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. WITH A QUICK GLANCE INTO THE COOLANT TANK, SEEMS TO HAVE A MIXTURE OF COOLANT AND TRANSMISSION FLUID. REPAIR COST ARE ESTIMATED FROM 2500 - 5,000+. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #10904895

Official recalls

2

10V517000 · Engine And Engine Cooling

Oct 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.

08V690000 · Air Bags:frontal

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.

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

1

DP12004 · 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.