IllustrationCHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED AND I PULL TWO P0717 CODES INDICATING AN ISSUE WITH TRANSMISSION CONTROL VALVE WITH TCM. TOOK TO SHOP AND THEY FOUND COOLANT MIXED WITH TRANSMISSION FLUID REQUIRING A TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT.
2007 Nissan Pathfinder
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Pathfinder years
Owner complaints for the 2007 Nissan Pathfinder are substantially higher than the model-year median of 97.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Pathfinder years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
210–25K
4125–50K
5750–75K
13375–100K
216100–150K
32150K+
500 reports with mileage · 61 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 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
What owners actually said
561 reportsON FRIDAY, AUGUST THE 8TH ON THE WAY TO WORK ON THE INTERSTATE I ACCELERATED GOING UP A HILL AND THE GEAR CHANGE IN THE TRANSMISSION WAS EXTREMELY ROUGH. IT WAS LIKE WHEN A MANUAL TRANSMISSION IS KNOCKED OUT OF GEAR, OF COURSE THIS VEHICLE IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. LIKE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION BEING KNOCKED OUT OF GEAR THE VE…
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ON FRIDAY, AUGUST THE 8TH ON THE WAY TO WORK ON THE INTERSTATE I ACCELERATED GOING UP A HILL AND THE GEAR CHANGE IN THE TRANSMISSION WAS EXTREMELY ROUGH. IT WAS LIKE WHEN A MANUAL TRANSMISSION IS KNOCKED OUT OF GEAR, OF COURSE THIS VEHICLE IS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. LIKE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION BEING KNOCKED OUT OF GEAR THE VEHICLE HAD A VERY QUICK DECELERATION ALTHOUGH I AS STILL PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL. THIS ALMOST CAUSED THE CAR BEHIND ME TO REAR END ME. EVENTUALLY THE VEHICLE ACTED LIKE IT WENT BACK IN GEAR. WHEN I EXITED OFF OF THE INTERSTATE, CAME TO A STOP AT THE END OF THE OFF RAMP, AND TRIED TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE AGAIN ACTED LIKE THE MOTOR WAS ENGAGING BUT NOT THE TRANSMISSION, ALMOST CAUSING ANOTHER REAR END COLLISION. I MANAGED TO GET THE VEHICLE TO THE PARKING LOT AT WORK. IT SET THERE FOR THE DAY UNTIL I WAS LEAVING TO GO HOME. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VDC AND SLIP LIGHTS WOULD COME ON WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO START. I LEFT THE VEHICLE AT WORK. I RETURNED ON SATURDAY. I GOT A AUTO CODE FROM THE VEHICLE OF P0717 REFERRING TO THE TURBINE SPEED SENSOR. I FOUND THE 10 AMP A/T ECU FUSE WAS BLOWN. I REPLACED THE FUSE AND THE VEHICLE CRANKED BUT IMMEDIATELY BLEW THE FUSE AGAIN AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN IF TURNED OFF. I LEFT THE VEHICLE AND DID SOME RESEARCH FINDING THE ISSUE WITH THE RADIATOR FLUID CONTAMINATING THE TRANSMISSION AND CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO GO OUT. MY COMPANY MECHANIC AND I LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE ON MONDAY AND FOUND THE RADIATOR EMPTY OF FLUID AND THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CONTAMINATED. SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE SEVERELY INJURED ID THIS ISSUE IS NOT BROUGHT TO THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE IS STILL SITTING WHERE I LEFT IT UNTIL I DECIDE WHETHER I AM GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE WHAT I AM SURE IS A BAD TRANSMISSION DUE TO A FAULTY MANUFACTURERS DESIGN.
I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THERE WAS A BAD TIMING CHAIN - CALLED NISSAN AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT FINANCIALLY ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR. THERE APPEARS TO BE A CIVIL LAWSUIT REGARDING THIS ISSUE.
RADIATOR DEFECT, THAT NISSAN HAS KNOWN SINCE 2012, CLASS ACTION SUIT, FOR PATHFINDERS AND XTERRAS LEAKED FLUID INTO TRANSMISSION BLOWING MY TRANSMISSION. NISSAN REPLACED TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR BUT CHARGED ME $3,000 AS CO-PAY. NISSAN HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS ISSUE FOR A WHILE AND YET NEVER SUBJECT OF RECALL NOR WERE OWNERS NOT…
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RADIATOR DEFECT, THAT NISSAN HAS KNOWN SINCE 2012, CLASS ACTION SUIT, FOR PATHFINDERS AND XTERRAS LEAKED FLUID INTO TRANSMISSION BLOWING MY TRANSMISSION. NISSAN REPLACED TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR BUT CHARGED ME $3,000 AS CO-PAY. NISSAN HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS ISSUE FOR A WHILE AND YET NEVER SUBJECT OF RECALL NOR WERE OWNERS NOTIFIED OF THIS ENGINEERING DEFECT OF THE RADIATOR. NISSAN REFUSED TO INDEMNIFY ME FOR THE CO-PAY CLAIMING I WAS LUCKY I GOT THAT FROM THEM. WHEN QUESTIONED AS TO WHY THESE RADIATORS WERE NEVER RECALLED, THEY REFUSED TO RESPOND AND STATED THEY WERE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO NOTIFY OWNERS OF THIS DEFECT. MY TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR WENT WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE CAUSING MY CAR TO SWERVE ALMOST RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DEFECT IT IS ABSURD THAT THE OWNERS SHOULD HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING BECAUSE OF THIS RADIATOR THAT WAS ENGINEERED DEFECTIVE.
THE TRANSSMISION DON'T CHANGE CORRECTLY
MY WIFE WAS IN A HEAD ON CRASH, A MAN TURNED LEFT IN FRONT OF HER SHE HIT HIM. THE WREAK WAS HEAD ON FOR HER TRUCK AND SIDE IMPACT FOR HIM. THANK GOD SHE WAS WEARING HER SEAT BELT BECAUSE NO AIR BAGS WERE DEPLOYED. THE SPEED LIMIT IN THAT AREA IS 45 MPH. HOW DOES A HEAD ON CRASH AT 45 MPH NOT DEPLOY ON THE DRIVER SIDE? WE BOUGH…
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MY WIFE WAS IN A HEAD ON CRASH, A MAN TURNED LEFT IN FRONT OF HER SHE HIT HIM. THE WREAK WAS HEAD ON FOR HER TRUCK AND SIDE IMPACT FOR HIM. THANK GOD SHE WAS WEARING HER SEAT BELT BECAUSE NO AIR BAGS WERE DEPLOYED. THE SPEED LIMIT IN THAT AREA IS 45 MPH. HOW DOES A HEAD ON CRASH AT 45 MPH NOT DEPLOY ON THE DRIVER SIDE? WE BOUGHT THE CAR USED FROM AN INDEPENDENT DEALER IN DALLAS TX IN 2010.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 NISSAN PATHFINDER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED SEVERELY FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE MULTIPLE TIMES WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED INTO THE RADIATOR. THE RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REP…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 NISSAN PATHFINDER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED SEVERELY FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE MULTIPLE TIMES WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED INTO THE RADIATOR. THE RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,000.
ANTI FREEZE LEAK INTO TRANSMISSION.
3RD EVENT. DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, ENGINE LOSES POWER, WILL NOT ACCELERATE OVER 30 MPH. ON PREVIOUS EVENTS REVERSE REMAINED USEFUL AND VEHICLE RECOVERED. TAKEN TO SHOP, TOLD NOTHING COULD BE FOUND WRONG AND EVENT DID NOT RECUR ON THEIR TEST DRIVE. CONTINUED TO DRIVE VEHICLE MANY MONTHS, NO ISSUE. THIS EVENT, CAR WOULD NO…
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3RD EVENT. DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, ENGINE LOSES POWER, WILL NOT ACCELERATE OVER 30 MPH. ON PREVIOUS EVENTS REVERSE REMAINED USEFUL AND VEHICLE RECOVERED. TAKEN TO SHOP, TOLD NOTHING COULD BE FOUND WRONG AND EVENT DID NOT RECUR ON THEIR TEST DRIVE. CONTINUED TO DRIVE VEHICLE MANY MONTHS, NO ISSUE. THIS EVENT, CAR WOULD NOT REVERSE AND WAS DRIVEN TO THE HOME OF MY FAMILY WHERE I WAS ENDING MY VACATION. NOW STRANDED 4 HOURS FROM HOME. CALLED OUT FROM WORK TOMORROW TO RESEARCH AND DECIDE WHAT ACTIONS TO TAKE.
CAR WOULD NOT START. LOCAL MECHANIC COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHY. TOWED 30 MILES TO DEALERSHIP. WAS TOLD COOLANT LEAKED INTO TRANSMISSION AND WOULD NEED TO COMPLETELY REPLACE TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $5,000. NISSAN KNOWS THIS IS AN ISSUE, HOWEVER THE MILEAGE IS TOO HIGH FOR THEM TO HELP ME OUT AT ALL.
Official recalls
108V690000 · 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
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.