Nissan Pathfinder problems, complaints & recalls by model year

Far fewer Worsening Rising

Across 8 model years (2018–2026), NHTSA has logged 596 owner complaints and 12 safety recalls for the Nissan Pathfinder. That averages 19.2 complaints per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical (index 0.48 against all tracked vehicles). Within the Midsize SUVs segment it ranks #2 of 14 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest); the segment average is 52.5.

Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count

596Complaints · 2018–2026

19.2Complaints per year on the road

0.48Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles

#2 of 14Midsize SUVs

12Campaigns · Do-not-drive / park-outside 2

190Last 12 months

Analysis

The trend is worsening. Measured on complaints filed in the first two years on the road and compared with other vehicles of the same model year, the 2023 and 2024 models run 130% above the 2018 and 2019 models (44 early complaints per model year versus 21).

The 2024 model year has the highest rate (30.5 complaints per year) and the 2020 model year the lowest (7.8). Model years 2024 and 2025 run at least 50% above this model's average of 19.2 complaints per year on the road across its tracked model years. Model years 2018, 2019 and 2020 run at least 40% below this model's average of 19.2 complaints per year on the road.

Across all tracked model years the most common problem area is Engine (18.0% of complaints), followed by Brakes (18.0%) and Electrical (16.3%). 21 complaints (3.5%) describe a crash or fire; across all model years owners report 14 injuries and 0 deaths.

In the last 12 months owners filed 190 complaints versus 110 in the previous 12 months — up 73%. The 2024 model year generated the most recent reports (58). Across model years, half of all reported incidents occur within 24 months of the model year's start.

Recalls: 12 recall campaigns across the tracked model years, most of them received in 2021 (3), 2 with a do-not-drive or park-outside warning, 1 fixable over the air. No NHTSA investigation covers the tracked model years.

Within its segment it has more complaints per year than Dodge Durango, but fewer than Honda Passport, Kia Sorento, Chevrolet Traverse and Ford Edge.

Model years at a glance

Year	Complaints	Complaints per year on the road	Complaint index	Complaints in first 2 years on the road	vs. same-year average	Last 12 months	Recalls	Most common issue
2018	77	8.8	0.22	30	0.35	7	3 ⚠	Electrical	View ›
2019	76	9.8	0.24	12	0.15	10	2 ⚠	Engine	View ›
2020 Fewest complaints	53	7.8	0.19	5	0.09	13	0	Engine	View ›
2022	136	28.4	0.7	64	0.87	21	5	Brakes	View ›
2023	104	27.4	0.68	57	0.69	32	1	Electrical	View ›
2024 ▲50%+	85	30.5	0.76	32	0.46	58	2	Brakes	View ›
2025 ▲50%+	54	30.2	0.75	—	—	38	1	Body & structure	View ›
2026 Too new to rank	11	11.0	0.27	—	—	11	0	Electrical	View ›

▲50%+ = 50%+ above this model's average yearly rate. “Too new to rank”: under two years on the road, so the model year cannot be named the one with the fewest complaints yet. 1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road. Complaints in first 2 years on the road: vs. same-year average. How we count

Trend · vs. same-year average

Complaints in first 2 years on the road ÷ All-vehicle average (1.00)

When complaints were filed

Last 12 months: 190 · Previous 12 months: 110 Rising

Other

28 · 4.7% · 2.54 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge

Airbags & seat belts

23 · 3.9% · 1.02 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge

Driver-assist systems

22 · 3.7% · 0.64 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge

Fuel system

20 · 3.4% · 0.77 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge

Wheels, tires & suspension

14 · 2.3% · 0.94 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge

Steering

8 · 1.3% · 0.21 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge

Lighting

3 · 0.5% · 0.32 vs. all vehicles · Too few recent reports to judge

Only problem areas with at least 40 complaints get their own page.

Vehicle age at incident

<1 yr25.7%
1–2 yrs24.7%
2–3 yrs19.0%
3–5 yrs17.8%
5+ yrs12.9%

Median age at incident: 24 months

What owners report

While pulling my 2026 Nissan Pathfinder into my residential driveway at low speed, I pressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle did not slow or stop.

Brakes · 2026-09-21 · ODI 11765919 · Crash
I bought my 2025 Pathfinder in November 2025. In early December, the automatic emergency braking symbol started flashing; I took it to the Nissan dealership in Downey, and they told me that unless there was a permanent error code, they couldn't do anything.

Driver-assist systems · 2026-06-21 · ODI 11745429
I purchased the car in June 2025 and the sunroof exploded while I was driving down the highway in Dec. 2025. The explosion scared me, the driver. Shattered glass covered me, my front passenger, and my adult son in the back seat.

Body & structure · 2026-10-13 · ODI 11770989
Since purchasing this new Nissan in October 2025, the vehicle feels very unstable with random movement side to side on the interstate. My side impact warnings go off very frequently when traveling in my sales territory due to this.

Driver-assist systems · 2026-10-11 · ODI 11770430
My 2025 Nissan Pathfinder has experienced recurring transmission problems, including unexpectedly switching from Automatic Drive into Manual 1st Gear without driver input.

Engine · 2026-10-09 · ODI 11770150

Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.

Segment peers · Midsize SUVs

#	Models	Complaints	Complaints per year on the road	Complaint index	Trend	Recent activity	Recalls	Most common issue
1	Dodge Durango	786	15.2	0.38	Improving	Within ±30% year on year	18	Lighting
2	Nissan Pathfinder	596	19.2	0.48	Worsening	Rising	12	Engine
3	Honda Passport	759	24.8	0.61	Improving	Rising	17	Electrical
4	Kia Sorento	1,446	33.7	0.83	Stable	Rising	18	Engine
5	Chevrolet Traverse	1,738	42.0	1.04	Stable	Within ±30% year on year	14	Transmission / powertrain
6	Ford Edge	2,244	44.4	1.1	Improving	Within ±30% year on year	20	Engine
7	Toyota Highlander	2,162	45.8	1.13	Improving	Rising	21	Transmission / powertrain
8	Hyundai Santa Fe	2,092	58.4	1.45	Worsening	Rising	27	Engine
9	Honda Pilot	2,945	63.4	1.57	Stable	Within ±30% year on year	27	Engine
10	Ford Explorer	3,270	64.0	1.59	Improving	Within ±30% year on year	77	Transmission / powertrain
11	Subaru Outback	3,816	71.8	1.78	Improving	Within ±30% year on year	15	Body & structure
12	Kia Telluride	2,014	74.3	1.84	Improving	Rising	17	Body & structure
13	Jeep Grand Cherokee	3,477	82.4	2.04	Worsening	Within ±30% year on year	53	Electrical
14	Hyundai Palisade	2,471	105.3	2.61	Worsening	Within ±30% year on year	16	Airbags & seat belts

Recalls by year received

Campaigns: 12
Do-not-drive / park-outside: 2
Over-the-air fix: 1

Safety recalls: 2018 (3) · 2019 (2) · 2020 (0) · 2022 (5) · 2023 (1) · 2024 (2) · 2025 (1) · 2026 (0)

Investigations

No NHTSA investigation covers the tracked model years.