RoadVitals

2009 Nissan Pathfinder Engine Problems

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

Data refreshed

Engine 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.
11
Latest May 7, 2021
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.
30%
of 37 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 engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2009 Nissan Pathfinder submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 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 engine

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

EngineFuel system
Filed May 7, 2021

VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY AT LOW TO MODERATE SPEEDS OR IN PARK. CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WAS REPLACED WHICH WAS THE DIAGNOSED ISSUE.

NHTSA ID
11415614
Incident
May 7, 2021
Driver assistanceEngineFuel system
Filed Aug 15, 2020

THIS TRUCK IS VERY WELL CARED FOR,,ALL OF A SUDDEN ITS STALLING AT ANY TIME,,SOME HARD STARTS,,RUNS PERFECT ,THAN STALLS,WHILE DRIVING,NO STEERING,VERY SCARRY,I THOUGHT IT WAS BAD GAS I FILLED 2 MORE TIME FROM GOOD GAS STATION 89 AND 91 OCTAN,

NHTSA ID
11349535
Incident
Jul 20, 2020
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Jul 30, 2020

MY 2009 NISSAN PATHFINDER (AFTER THE WARRANTY RAN OUT), STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND OVERHEATING. LO AND BEHOLD WE HAVE AN ISSUE WHERE THE RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION FLUID IS MIXING. THIS APPEARS TO BE THE SAME PROBLEM OTHERS HAVE REPORTED AS A FAILED TRANSMISSION FLUID COOLER INTEGRATED IN THE RADIATOR THAT ALLOWED ENGINE COOLANT TO MIX WITH AND CONTAMINATE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURES OTHER THAN A SUDDEN JOLT OF THE VEHICLE LIKE THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. THIS ALWAYS HAPPENS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING AT SLOW AND HIGH SPEEDS.

NHTSA ID
11342448
Incident
Jul 15, 2020
Mileage
92,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jun 17, 2019

TAKATA RECALL- MY TRANSMISSION FLUID IS MIXING AND GOING INTO MY COOLANT SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING AND MY GAGES IN THE CAR WAS NOT INDICATING TO ME THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. ALL I NOTICED WAS A THICK CHALKY FILM IN THE RADIATOR.

NHTSA ID
11220524
Incident
May 18, 2019
Mileage
157,100 mi
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed May 31, 2019

2009 NISSAN PATHFINDER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE ALSO EXPERIENCED RADIATOR FAILURE. ANTI-FREEZE HAS TO BE ADDED TO THE VEHICLE ALMOST DAILY AND THE WATER TEMPERATURE WOULD RISE ABOVE NORMAL LEVELS. *JS

NHTSA ID
11209851
Incident
May 31, 2019
Engine
Filed Jun 3, 2017

THE TIMING CHAIN AND TENSIONER SYSTEM IS MAKING NOISE. NISSAN IS AWARE OF THIS REOCCURRING ISSUE AND HAS SENT OUT AN TSB TO DEALERS THAT DOES NOT FIX THE ISSUE. THERE REALLY SHOULD BE A RECALL SINCE THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE PROBLEM SINCE 2004 OR EARLIER. I AM LUCKY THIS DID NOT FAIL ON MY RECENT LONG TRIPS ON THE HIGHWAY. IT COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY.

NHTSA ID
10993006
Incident
Jun 2, 2017
Mileage
170,000 mi
Driver assistanceEngineVisibility
Filed Jan 12, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE DECELERATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED IN ORDER TO RESUME TO NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE CHAMBER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO PERFORMED UNKNOWN REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. UPDATED 05/06/16*LJ ACCORDING TO THE INVOICE, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WAS INOPERATIVE. UPDATED 05/11/16.*JB

NHTSA ID
10819607
Incident
Apr 1, 2014
Mileage
75,000 mi
Engine
Filed Nov 17, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN PATHFINDER. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS CROSS CONTAMINATION IN THE RADIATOR. AS A RESULT, THE TRANSMISSION AND THE RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE RADIATOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 101,000. UPDATED 10/05/16*LJ *CN

NHTSA ID
10794416
Incident
Aug 17, 2015
Mileage
101,000 mi
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Jul 21, 2014

THE DEFECT IN THE RADIATOR CAUSED THE ANTIFREEZE AND OIL TO MIX. IT THEN MIXED WITH THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. THAT WAS FIXED BY A REPAIR SHOP. NOW THE TRANSMISSION HAS SLIPPED OUT BECAUSE OF THE MIXTURE OF THE THREE FLUIDS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10615087
Incident
Feb 21, 2014
Mileage
108,000 mi
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Jan 22, 2014

WAS ON MY WAY HOME AND TRUCK LIGHTS CAME ON TRANSMISSION STARTED JUMPING AND ALL LIGHTS CAME ON ... PARKED CAR WOULD NOT CRANK THE NEXT DAY ,,, CALLED AND HAD TOWED. WAS TOLD BY NISSAN THAT TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR WAS NOT ANY GOOD AND IT WOULD COST ME $4800 TO FIX ... NO ONE OFFERED TO HELP .. I WAS TOLD THAT I COULD CONTACT NISSAN SO I DID , WAS TOLD BY NISSAN THAT IT WAS TO BAD THAT I WAS PAST THE EXTENTION OF THE WARENTY OF THE TRUCK. AND THEY COULD NOT HELP AT ALL.... AND HUNG UP. IT COST ME $3800 TO REPAIR MY CAR.. I FEEL RIPPED OFF, AND WILL MOST LIKLEY NEVER BUY ANOTHER NISSAN AGAIN EVEN THOUGH I HAVE OWNED 3. *TR

NHTSA ID
10560943
Incident
Nov 15, 2013
Mileage
110,000 mi
Engine
Filed Dec 8, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE MANUFACTURER STATING THAT THERE MAY BE A FAILURE IN THE RADIATOR AND THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE ANY PARTS UNTIL THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHIN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO INFORMED HIM THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE A PROBLEM. THERE WERE NO FAILURES AT THIS TIME. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 14,000.

NHTSA ID
10369609
Incident
Dec 7, 2010
Mileage
14,000 mi

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 .