2005 Nissan Pathfinder Owner Complaints

I am reporting a serious safety defect with my 2005 Nissan Pathfinder (VIN: [XXX] ). My vehicle has an open recall for the airbag emblem (NHTSA #23E-012 / PC948), which is scheduled for inspection. However, I am writing today because I am also experiencing a repeated and dangerous malfunction that is unrelated to that recall: Total loss of dashboard lights and instruments while driving No throttle response even though the engine remains running Temporary function restored only by turning the vehicle off and restarting it on the roas This behavior matches known electrical failures in this model year, often related to the IPDM, ignition switch, or ECM communication. These are not cosmetic or maintenance issues—they are life-threatening. My vehicle has done this multiple times, including at highway speeds. When I contacted South Colorado Springs Nissan, I was told they would only inspect the airbag emblem and would not evaluate this issue unless I paid for diagnostics. I find this unacceptable given Nissan’s history with these failures and the high likelihood this is a known and unresolved defect. I am requesting: That this issue be escalated within Nissan North America That Nissan consider this under a goodwill safety repair, if not covered by existing recall or campaign That the vehicle be diagnosed immediately, and Nissan be held accountable for any known defects I am also reporting this to NHTSA as a safety concern. Please confirm receipt of this email and provide next steps. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11673690

Incident

Jul 15, 2025

The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was informed the front passenger’s side air bag was defective and needed to be replaced. The air bag was not replaced due to the cost. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 175,000.

NHTSA ID

11570480

Incident

Dec 7, 2023

Mileage

175,000 mi

The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to immediately restart. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The dynamic control warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Voluntary Recall Campaign: PC068. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 170,000.

NHTSA ID

11568803

Incident

Jan 30, 2024

Mileage

170,000 mi

The component that is malfunctioning is the emblem on the airbags. Nissan has known of this issue for a while. In the event of a crash, when the airbags deploy, the emblem will also explode with the airbags and send shrapnel from it flying towards the driver and nearby passengers. If the crash wouldn't kill the driver, then this issue could as it could hit the driver in a vital part. They are taking too long to fix this issue, as it is such a vital problem that can cost people their lives.

NHTSA ID

11523319

Incident

Feb 9, 2023

The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact received recall notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23E012000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID

11516485

Incident

Apr 11, 2023

The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered. The check engine warning light was illuminated along with other several unknown warning lights. Additionally, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.

NHTSA ID

11512838

Incident

Dec 1, 2022

Mileage

180,000 mi

Car stalled out and won't restart.

NHTSA ID

11496519

Incident

Dec 8, 2022

Air Bag Front Impact Sensor has failed due to road salt. Not covered under recall because someone doesn't think Virginia uses road salt.

NHTSA ID

11493008

Incident

Nov 1, 2022

I got this vehicle from my parents which they bought brand new . So no other owners . When I got it was acting up and took to repair . They said my radiator was bad and had leaked radiator fluid . They thought could replace radiator and flush the system . I started looking at issues online . I found so many people with the same problems . I also found that Nissan was aware of a faulty crack in radiator. Which is the exact problem I had . I already spent 1000 $ in repairs with radiator and flushing system . I Am now out that money and the transmission has been effected by this issue . Tried everything possible with flushing system . Unfortunately this crack was the problem that has now left me with a perfect car that needs a transmission. So disappointed that Nissan ignores all the issues that unfortunately happened after 100,000 miles . Especially when they claim to know the radiator crack is a faulty part . That crack destroyed a perfect vehicle . Nissan should be accountable of these issues especially when their faulty part not only needed a new radiator but leaked into transmission . I am still sitting with this car . Unsafe to drive and unsafe to sell .

NHTSA ID

11428261

Incident

Aug 8, 2021

While driving on US 95 in DC, MD and NJ, when the traffic became stop and go, my SUV could not get into 1st gear to go. The engine revved, the car shook and made noises. Several times I came close to being rear-ended. This problem also occurs when starting after a red light, when accelerating on a highway (usually 3rd or 4th gear), and when turning left on a green arrow. Not only has it caused many close calls with being rear-ended, but it has also incited road rage in people who are driving behind me. Now I'm told I need a new transmission and also a new coolant system which leaks due to a fault in the system known by Nissan, and pollutes the transmission. This is a terrible safety threat and Nissan should own up to it and pay for the repairs.

NHTSA ID

11426303

Incident

Mar 9, 2021

Transmission began to fail suddenly, resulting in a situation where the car would not accelerate in busy traffic.

NHTSA ID

11417518

Incident

May 15, 2021

IN THE LAST 4 YEARS I'VE REPLACED EMISSIONS SYSTEM BRAKES ROTORS AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM EXHAUST SYSTEM RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION. CAR WAS VIBRATING SHAKING CUTTING OUT LEAKING EXHAUST FUMES AND EMISSIONS SYSTEM FAILED.

NHTSA ID

11414577

Incident

May 15, 2018

Mileage

126,000 mi

AL ENCENDER EL CARRO Y CALENTAR PARA SALIR EL VEHCULO ENCIENDE UNA LUZ Y EN MARCHA EL SOLO SE APAGA EN MEDIO DE LAS CALLES O CARRETERAS. LOS MECANISMOS LO CHEQUEO Y JUNTO AL SERVICIO DE SEGURO ELLOS SACARON LA CONCLUSIN LA TRANSMISIN CALIENTA LOS CABLES QUE VAN AL MOTOR QUE ESTO ES UN PROBLEMA DE FBRICA Y POR ESTO YO TUVE QUE REBELDA LA TRANSMISIN POR $4.000.00 Y EL SEGURO ME AUMENTO DE $1000S A $ 4000S. NO PUEDO USA MI CARRO QUE PAGUE $20.000. FUI AL DILER DE LA NISSAN Y ELLOS ME DIJERON TENGO QUE PAGAR $165.00 PARA EMPEZAR Y DESPUS ME DIRN E CUANTO ME CUENTA EL TOTAL DEL ARREGLO. NO OBSTANTE CON EL DIAGNSTICO DEL INGENIERO DE MECNICA DEL SEGURO STATE FARM Y LOS 3 MECANISMOS QUE ESTUVIERON EN ARREGLO 1 DE MOTOR Y ELCTRICO Y TRANSMISIN. HE GASTADO MUCHO DINERO Y NO PUEDEN HACER NADA NI USAR MI VEHICULO. EN QUE USTEDES ME PUEDEN AYUDAR POR AMOR A DIOS?

NHTSA ID

11388135

Incident

Jul 5, 2013

Mileage

98,800 mi

OVER HEATS, COOLENT LEAKED INTO TRANSMISSION CAUSING TRANSMISSION TO GO OUT

NHTSA ID

11385330

Incident

Nov 5, 2020

STARTED UP DROVE FINE THEN WHEN I STOPPED IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. TURNED OFF WENT THROUGH GEARS COUPLE TIMES AND HAD TO DO THAT 3 TIMES BEFORE IT WOULD ACCELERATE AND SHIFT. I DROVE 50 MILES HOME NEXT DAY IT DID SAME THING AFTER DRIVING 1/2 MILE. GOES INTO REVERSE BUT WILL NOT GO OVER 5 MILES PER HOUR MOVING FORWARD.

NHTSA ID

11377874

Incident

Sep 7, 2020

Mileage

180,000 mi

VEHICLE CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING AND ALSO FROM TIME TO TIME, WILL HESITATE OR REFUSE TO CRANK/START. NOTICED A RECALL IN 2010 FOR ECM, WHICH IS DOCUMENTED TO HAVE BEEN REPAIRED IN 2014. HOWEVER THESE EXACT SAME ISSUES ARE TAKING PLACE WITH THE VEHICLE NOW IN 2020, DOES THIS MEAN THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETED WITH YET ANOTHER FAULTY ECM. THIS VEHICLE PLACES MY FAMILY IN DANGER WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

11351167

Incident

Aug 25, 2020

Mileage

159,000 mi

VEHICLE STARTED TO SMOKE, THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. TOTAL LOSS 7/12/2020. NOT AN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE JUST CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

11338935

Incident

Jul 12, 2020

Mileage

110,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A LEAK UNDERNEATH THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE INSPECTED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WAS COMING FROM THE BRAKE LINES. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE BRAKE FLUID LEAK DAMAGED THE BATTERY. THE MECHANIC REPAIRED BRAKE LINE AND REPLACED THE BATTERY HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED WITH THE BATTERY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE SAME INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE SECOND FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO ANDERSON NISSAN (3842 AZ-95, LAKE HAVASU CITY, AZ 86404) WHO DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE WITH A LOOSE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION WITH THE BATTERY RELAY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND RETURNED TO THE CONTACT HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED THE NEXT DAY. THE CONTACT HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED ONCE AGAIN HOWEVER, THE BATTERY FAILED FOR THE THIRD TIME. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED BACK TO THE SAME DEALER WHERE THEY DISCOVERED A DEFECTIVE RADIATOR WHICH CAUSED FLUID TO LEAK INTO THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN DIAGNOSED WITH ENGINE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000.

NHTSA ID

11327965

Incident

Feb 1, 2019

Mileage

90,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR CONTROL ARM WAS SEVERELY CORRODED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING THE VEHICLE THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR SUSPENSION. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 178,000. *BF Consumer stated vehicle had recalls through it's history and believes front suspension and brakes were welded.

NHTSA ID

11321190

Incident

Feb 2, 2020

Mileage

178,000 mi

I HAS TO REPLACE THE 2 GASKETS ON THE OIL GALLEY GASKET IN THE TIMING COVER. IT COAT ME OVER 1000 DOLLARS AND I HAD A 2005 NISSAN XTERRA THAT HAD 5HE SAME PROBLEM AND IT COST BE THOUSANDS TO FIX AND I HAD TO JUNK IT BECAUSE IT SMOKED SO MUCH THEN VALVE TRAIN GOT F RIED..

NHTSA ID

11297144

Incident

Aug 1, 2019

Mileage

125,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP SIGN WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORWARD INTO TRAFFIC AND SUDDENLY STOPPED. THE MAINTENANCE, 4WD, AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. ALSO, THE GEAR SHIFTER SYMBOLS WERE BLANK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID HAD A BURNING ODOR. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED TWO DAYS LATER. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME STUCK IN FIRST GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE SAME INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000.

NHTSA ID

11290040

Incident

Nov 20, 2019

Mileage

131,000 mi

TIMING CHAIN FAILED WAS AT HOME IN DRIVEWAY AND IT FAILED

NHTSA ID

11283028

Incident

Nov 18, 2019

Mileage

229,000 mi

RADIATOR INTERNALLY FAILED CAUSING FLUIDS TO MIX. COOLANT WAS RUN THROUGH THE TRANSMISSION CAUSING IT TO FAIL.

NHTSA ID

11252586

Incident

Aug 26, 2019

Mileage

120,000 mi

ANOTHER CAR STOPPED QUICKLY IN FRONT OF ME. I HIT THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT DIRECTLY TO THE FLOOR AND I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. UPON INSPECTION AFTER THE ACCIDENT I SAW THAT BOTH BOLTS HOLDING THE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE VACUUM CANISTER WERE BROKEN, (PULLED APART).

NHTSA ID

11234119

Incident

Jun 26, 2019

Mileage

206,000 mi

I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE HAVING NO IDEA OF THIS ISSUE, I DIDN'T INVESTIGATE BECAUSE THIS IS OUR 7TH NISSAN AND THEY HAVE BEEN GOOD CARS. I WAS DRIVING 75 MPH TO WORK AT RUSH HOUR AND THE TRANS STARTED LETTING LOOSE AND SHUDDERING SO BAD I HAD TO PULL OVER ONTO THE SHOULD AND THAT'S JUST AS SAFE AS DRIVING THIS THING. PAID A LOT OF MONEY TO HAVE IT SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY. BUT EVERYONE THAT ASKS WHY I TELL THEM BECAUSE NISSAN DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THEIR LOYAL CUSTOMERS. WE INTENDED FOR OUR 14 Y/O TO DRIVE IT BUT NO WAY IN THE WORLD WOULD I LET THAT HAPPEN

NHTSA ID

11208144

Incident

May 14, 2019

Mileage

120,000 mi