RoadVitals

2023 Nissan Pathfinder Brakes Problems

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

Data refreshed

Brakes 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.
20
Latest Jul 11, 2026
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.
20%
of 101 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 service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 20 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 brake

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

Brakes
Filed Jul 11, 2026

PREMATURE WEAR ON REAR BRAKES

NHTSA ID
11749689
Incident
Jul 10, 2026
Brakes
Filed Mar 28, 2026

Premature wear (29k miles) of rear brake pads. I have a report from NTB aka Mavis Took it in today and found 1mm left on back brakes, front standard wear. No alerts or singals were seen in the car

NHTSA ID
11727654
Incident
Mar 28, 2026
Brakes
Filed Feb 7, 2026

On my 2023 Nissan Pathfinder I have approximately 25000 miles on it. When I step on the brakes, there is a noticable vibration as if the rotors are warped and pads worn. The brakes and rotors should not be an issue this soon.

NHTSA ID
11716505
Incident
Jan 17, 2026
Brakes
Filed Dec 22, 2025

I am reporting a concern regarding premature rear brake pad and rotor wear on a 2023 Nissan Pathfinder that appears inconsistent with mileage and normal driving conditions and may indicate a brake system design or control issue. The vehicle was purchased as Nissan Certified Pre-Owned with approximately 4,000 miles and has received multiple Nissan dealer inspections with no brake concerns noted. A Nissan Vehicle Health Report issued shortly before the issue indicated “No Action Required” for the brake system. At approximately 14,600 miles, a Nissan dealer measured the rear brake pads at approximately 3 mm, while the front brakes were still in good condition. A second inspection by an independent repair facility confirmed advanced rear brake wear and further determined that the rear brake rotors were damaged and not serviceable. The independent shop advised returning the vehicle to Nissan because the wear pattern was not consistent with mileage or normal driving behavior. Rear brakes wearing significantly faster than front brakes is atypical. The vehicle has not been used for aggressive driving, towing, or severe duty. A Nissan service advisor stated that they have seen early rear brake wear on Nissan Pathfinders and suggested it may be related to the Auto Hold brake feature. The Auto Hold feature is not used on this vehicle, raising concern that brake system logic, electronic parking brake behavior, or control software may be contributing to unintended brake application or drag. Premature rear brake and rotor wear could reduce braking effectiveness, increase stopping distance, and create a potential safety risk, especially if drivers are unaware of accelerated brake degradation. I am submitting this complaint to document a potential pattern of early rear brake system wear on this vehicle model for safety review.

NHTSA ID
11706465
Incident
Dec 13, 2025
BrakesElectricalInterior & seats
Filed Dec 13, 2025

Premature wear on rear brakes and dealers tells there fine each time I’ve taken it in for service I don’t think they even test driven the car is shakes and vibrates when you brake at speeds higher than 30-40 mph. They advised me the battery needs replacing on the last service that it’s showing some sort of signs that needs to be replaced. The heated seats on the passenger side just stopped working all of a sudden. From what I can see online from forums and people complains these are common issues on this vehicle and they are pushed on the customer. I will see what can be covered under warranty but it seems only the seat issue would be covered. This needs to be addressed the brakes are too small and under powered for this size of a vehicle especially if you are towing. It appear they wear out prematurely if your using the cruise control which I don’t use a often or drive down mountain sides or tow at the moment so it doesn’t make sense I have a 2023 Nissan pathfinder with less than 28000 miles. I will be taking the vehicle in soon to address these issues as the tech spoke to me about the battery only when I went in for an oil change and I refused the battery since the vehicle has not had any issue or sign or needing a battery and they would not cover it telling me it was more preventative.

NHTSA ID
11704850
Incident
Sep 22, 2025
Brakes
Filed Nov 14, 2025

I brought my 2023 Nissan Pathfinder in for an oil change and tire rotation at 33, 221 miles and was informed my rear brake pads were worn and my rotors needed to be re-surfaced. I understand this is a long standing issue with 2022 and 2023 Nissan Pathfinders. I rive 95% highway miles , never use my cruise control or electronic parking brake. I understand the rear brake pads are considerably smaller than the front pads causing an early wear issue. I also understand there is a class action law suit in the US District Court of Tennessee for this issue as well . I would like my complaint put on file and a case number sent to me for future reference. Regards, [XXX] Sr. Sales Manager Jeneil Biotech Inc. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
11699353
Incident
Nov 14, 2025
Brakes
Filed Oct 21, 2025

Rear brakes needed to be replaced at 20,000 miles. Dealership stated it was normal for electronic brakes to go out that early, which is absurd. Took the car to another mechanic to have the work done, turns out it was a defect in the assembly of the car and the brakes were not fully releasing so we basically were riding our brakes for 20,000 miles. According to the dealership they were getting a lot of this model in for brakes needing replacement. This needs to be looked into for a recall. I have a video of the mechanic showing the issue that I can send in if need be. This is a major safety concern considering if the brakes were to go out because of this or if the brakes would have fully not released causing potential for being hit from behind.

NHTSA ID
11694733
Incident
Mar 18, 2024
Brakes
Filed Sep 17, 2025

I was informed of a need to replace worn rear brake pads and rotors due to excessive wear after just over 19,000 miles. Being treated as a wear item despite the fact that the issue is common and known by the manufacturer as an issue. After almost 3 years no recall has been done. Thankfully this was caught prior to the brakes entering a failing state.

NHTSA ID
11688014
Incident
Sep 10, 2025
BrakesPowertrain (other)
Filed Sep 3, 2025

Incident 1: Rear brakes needing replaced within 30,000 miles. Rear brakes at that mileage is unheard of. Incident 2: Coil packs failing and leaving me stranded. 34,000 miles Incident 3: Most recent at 44,000 the flex plate is now broken. With a simple internet search the flex plate is a reoccurring issue that a lot of motorist are experiencing.

NHTSA ID
11684866
Incident
Sep 2, 2025
Brakes
Filed Apr 22, 2025

2023 Nissan Pathfinder Mileage: 51,180 I have replaced the rear rotors twice and rear pads twice since buying this vehicle NEW. In researching using Artificial Intelligence, I find that there is an abnormal frequency of this issue with nissan products. I am asking for an investigation into the cause for this and for remuneration from the manufacturer for the expenses I have incurred. I question the effectiveness of the electronic parking brake. Is it completely releasing the pads from contact?

NHTSA ID
11656016
Incident
May 21, 2024
Brakes
Filed Oct 30, 2024

I took the car in for the NYS inspection and was told that I need new rear brakes. The car is only a year old and has only 16,000 miles on it. Nissan’s own website says that brakes should last between 30-70k miles. I looked into this and found out that premature rear brake failure is a common issue with the new Pathfinder. Nissan is refusing to replace the brakes under warranty, even though it’s clearly a manufacturer’s defect for brakes to fail this quickly. This is a safety concern, because Pathfinder owners could be driving around with bad brakes, expecting them to last 2-4 times longer than they actually do. Brakes failing in one year is completely unacceptable for a modern vehicle. Nissan should recall all Pathfinders and replace the rear brakes for free for anyone affected by this. They should also figure out why the rear brakes are failing early on all of these cars and fix it. I found that there are several class action lawsuits forming around this issue. I filed a complaint with Nissan corporate and they completely dismissed me. They said that brakes are not covered under warranty, since it’s normal wear and tear. I’d argue that brakes failing at 16,000 miles is excessive and abnormal wear, even according to the standards that they set themselves. This is a manufacturer’s defect and a safety concern for drivers, who may not know that they are driving with faulty brakes.

NHTSA ID
11622709
Incident
Oct 25, 2024
Brakes
Filed Jul 18, 2024

On only 12K miles, rear breaks is generating squeaky sound and dealership informed that break pads need to be changed as it has only 2mm left which is very low for break pads to last.

NHTSA ID
11603293
Incident
Jul 1, 2024
Brakes
Filed May 28, 2024

Was told today that my rear brakes need to be replaced by the dealer. The vehicle has only 18,000 miles and most of that is highway. They said it seems the rear brakes are wearing out faster than normal on these due to the small size of the pad and electronic parking brake. This is not safe and unfair.

NHTSA ID
11591096
Incident
May 28, 2024
BrakesPowertrain (other)
Filed May 27, 2024

This is a new car with 30,000 miles on it. There are two issues, the brakes apparently do not distribute the braking workload evenly or the parts were counterfeit from manufacture. The rear brakes had to be replaced, pads and rotors resurfaced. The front brakes were unaffected and good. Back brakes should not need replacing before front brakes, yet the rotors were scarred with grooves. I have a photo of one of the rotors. Additionally, the (Auto-start & stop) at a halt does not kick in quickly enough to avoid a collision when moving and merging into traffic from a standstill.

NHTSA ID
11590861
Incident
May 21, 2024
Brakes
Filed May 21, 2024

At 18,000 miles I was told that I would need to replace the rear brakes as well as the rotors. I only drive in the city and I am not a hard driver. I have never had to replace brakes and rotors within a year of driving.

NHTSA ID
11589973
Incident
Jan 22, 2024
Brakes
Filed Apr 10, 2024

Rear brakes are worn to require replacement of brakes and rotors at 12,500 miles. No off road driving. Just normal highway and city. Took vehicle in for oil change and dealer service technician noted the wearing of the brakes pads and rotors.

NHTSA ID
11582111
Incident
Apr 5, 2024
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Jan 31, 2024

AEB light will come on, telling me that the automatic braking system is not working. Error codes were C2501-4B and C1F05-4B

NHTSA ID
11568961
Incident
Jan 12, 2024
Brakes
Filed Jan 30, 2024

During routine maintenance, it was noted that the rear brakes needed replacement. The vehicle is only over a year old and had less than 20,000 miles when this was recorded. In speaking with the dealership maintenance team, they stated that this is a known issue and that Nissan refuses to take any responsibility for faulty systems within their vehicles. The potential for brakes to go out randomly looks pretty likely, increasing the safety risk to the driver and others.

NHTSA ID
11568866
Incident
Jan 30, 2024
Brakes
Filed Aug 29, 2023

The contact owns a 2023 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard. The vehicle failed to stop immediately. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 21,000.

NHTSA ID
11541390
Incident
Aug 14, 2023
Mileage
21,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistanceFuel system
Filed Aug 26, 2023

I write to report the issues which are a safety hazard to me & whom ever operates it or I transport in it, Which creates a higher concern for my & their safety . I purchased a 2023 Nissan Pathfinder SL on July 6, 2023 an eight seater model 4WD with 8 miles on the speedometer manufactured by Nissan as per label on door April 2023.The problem I have experienced recently after a month & two weeks now. The vehicle starts are normal but once the vehicle is on the road and is within normal operation temperature. I noticed that I must start applying brakes earlier than usual on where the same roads which I have driven other vehicles in order to stop did not have to do this. Is like if I don't do so & ignore not applying the brakes earlier now I must use greater than before foot pedal pressure that when is stop the vehicle jerks forward like it wants to continue on. Also there is a lost of gas pedal power when trying to enter the highway flow traffic, That since I was almost rear-ended twice already is kind of depressing creepy feeling that now I wait longer or seat at a lane in order to safely enter the flow of traffic or passing. In fear that the lost of power of this vehicle if I try to pass or enter will stall out and put others in danger if it does happen. There is also hesitation, jerking form engine & transmission at high & lower speeds. That requires more attention on the early braking problem I have described above. It seems the pilot assist & stop/start when off are still operating in the background. I have returned to the dealer service center that when he inform that I am not the only one affected. Nissan engineers working on it. The dealer allowed me a temp rental replacement vehicle for now but for how long?

NHTSA ID
11540933
Incident
Aug 25, 2023

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.

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