Power Train. Review the 337 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 128 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 114 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

11 crash reports2 fire reports4 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

23 reports

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17,400 miles · Jul 22, 2009

Air Bags

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MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON THE M1 DOING 70 MPH WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE IMPACT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND EXPLODED FOR NO REASON. LUCKILY MY HUSBAND FROZE AND SLOWLY MOVED OVER TO THE SLOW LANE. THE VEHICLE WAS RECOVERED AND TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WERE THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND WHY IT HAD GONE OFF. SO THEY CALLED NISSAN FOR ADVICE WHO THEN CAME OUT AND TOOK THE AIR BAG SENSOR SYSTEM OUT TO BE TESTED. THEY ALSO SAID THAT THEY FOUND A SCRATCH AND 2 SMALL DENTS UNDERNEATH OF THE DRIVERS SIDE FOOT RAIL WHICH WERE FRESH AND THAT WE MOST OF DROVE OVER SOMETHING AND THAT COULD HAVE SET THE MOTION SENSOR TO TRIGGER THE AIR BAG TO DEPLOY. I EXPLAINED THAT WE HAD NEVER DROVE OVER ANYTHING OR KNOWN TO HAVE HAD ANY DAMAGE DONE TO THE UNDERNEATH OF THE VEHICLE. THEY REPLIED THAT THE MOTION SENSORS MOST HAVE FELT THAT THE CAR MIGHT HAVE OVER TURNED THEREFORE ACTIVATING THE OPPOSITE SIDE AIR BAGS. AFTER SEEING THE INDENTATION FOR MYSELF I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THE VEHICLES WHEELS WOULD HAVE NOT LIFTED OFF THE ROAD SO HOW CAN THE SENSORS THINK THAT IT WAS GOING TO TURN OVER. TWO DAYS LATER I RECEIVED A CALL EXPLAINING THAT NISSAN WAS TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DAMAGE AND THAT IT WAS NOT GOING TO BE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY, BUT THEY REPLACED THE SENSOR SYSTEM WITH A BRAND NEW ONE. WHY WOULD THEY REPLACE IT IF THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE OLD ONE? I ASKED THEM WHAT WOULD NEED REPLACING THEY SAID A NEW SEAT, AIR BAGS AND ROOF LINER AND THAT IT WOULD COST THOUSANDS. NORMALLY I WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT THAT TIME OF DAY WITH MY 2 CHILDREN SAT THERE AND I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SLEEP SINCE IT HAPPENED DUE TO THINKING WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED, AS IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A FATALITY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10277948

Mileage unknown · Sep 17, 2008

Air BagsCrashInjury

MY 2007 NISSAN PATHFINDER (WITH CURTAIN AIRBAGS) WAS REAR-ENDED AND TOTALED. THE THIRD ROW SEATS WERE CRUSHED AND THE THIRD ROW WINDOWS WERE BLOWN OUT. THE AIRBAGS IN THE THIRD ROW DID NOT DEPLOY. WHY? THE PATHFINDER HAS OPTIONAL CURTAIN AIRBAGS, BUT I KNOW THAT WAS MY NUMBER 1 REQUEST FROM THE DEALER SINCE I HAVE 3 CHILDRE…

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NHTSA ODI #10242564

9,200 miles · Nov 27, 2007

Air Bags

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TL*THE CONTACT LEASED A 2007 NISSAN PATHFINDER. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD POP NEAR THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. SHE THEN SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING AND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND SHE HAD NOT STRUCK ANYTHING. SHE NOTICED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND IT HAS REMAINED ON SINCE THE INCIDENT. NISSAN INFORMED HER TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 9,300 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,200. *UPDATED 12/12/2007 *BF UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR .UPDATED 03/04/08. *LJ UPDATED

NHTSA ODI #10210056

Official recalls

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

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)

Power Train:automatic Transmission:cooling Unit And Lines

Power Train:automatic Transmission

Power Train:automatic Transmission:torque Converter

Power Train