RoadVitals

1990 Nissan Pathfinder Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
12
Latest Jun 15, 2001
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
32%
of 38 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1990 Nissan Pathfinder submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming transmission

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Transmission
Filed Jun 15, 2001

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO FAILURE OF INTERNAL COMPONENETS. THERE SEEM TO BE A LARGE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AROUND THE TRANSMISSION OF THE 1990 NISSAN PATHFINDERS. I HAVE HAD 2 TRANSMISSION FAILURES IN 10 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE FOR THE FIRST FIVE YEARS WAS DIFFERENT THAN THE PRIMARY DRIVER FOR THE SECOND FIVE YEARS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM. IN ADDITION MY DEALER INFORMED ME THAT NISSAN DID REDESIGN THE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE OF FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION. THI IS A HUGE PROBLEM. IS THERE A WAY TO BEGIN AN INVESTIGATION INTO NISSAN SURROUNDING THIS VEHICLE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
746898
Incident
Jun 5, 2001
EngineTransmission
Filed Jun 22, 1999

THERE ARE 2 RECURRING PROBLEMS THAT APPEAR TO BE PATENT DEFECTS WITH MOST EARLY 90'S PATHFINDERS. THEY DESERVE INVESTIGATION BY DOT. FIRST IS PREMATURE AND REPEATED FAILURE OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, PROBABLY (BUT NOT CERTAINLY) DUE TO INADEQUATE OIL COOLING. I NOTE THAT IN THE YOUR DATABASE THERE ARE 30+ REPORTS OF TRANSMISSION FAILURES (SEVERAL OF THEM INDICATING MULTIPLE FAILURES) FOR MODEL YEARS 1989-1991. THERE ARE ALSO A DOZEN OR MORE REPORTS OF EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUD FAILURE - MOST INDICATING MULTIPLE FAILURES - AND NISSAN DEALERS REPORT THAT THIS HAPPENS TO VIRTUALLY EVERY EARLY 90'S PATHFINDER. AT $300-400 A POP, THIS IS AN OUTRAGE...AND IF YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE MANIFOLD (WHICH MAY WARP WHEN THE STUD BREAKS), IT'S $1,300 PLUS! I'VE SPENT OVER $8,000 ON REPAIRS FOR THESE 2 TYPES OF PROBLEMS, AND NISSAN IS UNRESPONSIVE. I'D LOVE TO KNOW WHAT THEIR OWN RECORDS SHOW IN TERMS OF # AND $ VOLUME OF DEALER SERVICE INCIDENTS RELATING JUST TO THESE PATENT DEFECTS. *AK

NHTSA ID
707774
Incident
Mar 1, 1993
Transmission
Filed Nov 14, 1997

TRANSMISSION FAILED.

NHTSA ID
525231
Incident
May 27, 1996
Transmission
Filed Jun 4, 1997

WAS DRIVING AND TRUCK STALLED ( CUT OFF) WHILE THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING, TOOK TO MECHANIC, HE SAID IT THAT THE REAR THRUST WASHER IN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. *AK

NHTSA ID
808801
Incident
Jan 27, 1997
Transmission
Filed Aug 13, 1996

TRANSMISSION FAILED THREE TIMES.

NHTSA ID
507444
Incident
Jun 1, 1993
Transmission
Filed May 31, 1996

TRANSMISSION BROKE DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY. PLEASE GIVE MORE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
985079
Incident
May 27, 1996
Transmission
Filed Dec 28, 1995

PURCHASE CAR NEW AT 77,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED . TT

NHTSA ID
977144
Transmission
Filed May 4, 1995

METAL PARTICALS CIRCULATING FROM AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TRANSFER CASE COOLING LINES, CAUSING RADIATOR CORE/TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *SKD

NHTSA ID
486270
Incident
May 2, 1994
Transmission
Filed May 4, 1995

PROBLEMS WITH TRANSFER CASE FOR 4-WHEEL DRIVE WHEN TRAVELING ON BEACHES NEAR OCEAN TIDE POOLS. *SKD

NHTSA ID
486269
Incident
Nov 14, 1994
Transmission
Filed Mar 17, 1995

TRANSMISSION LUBRICATION PASSAGE TOO SMALL, RESULTING IN LACK OF LUBRICANT/SLIPPING OF TRANSMISSION. *SKD

NHTSA ID
489820
Incident
Dec 19, 1994
Transmission
Filed Mar 17, 1995

TRANMISSION LURCHED/REVED THEN STARTED SLIPPING AND WOULD NOT GO IN REVERSE DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICANT AND SIZE OF ORFACE. *SKD

NHTSA ID
481390
Incident
Dec 19, 1994
Transmission
Filed Jan 26, 1995

TRANSMISSION; FAIL. TT

NHTSA ID
959268
Incident
Jan 24, 1995

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .