do nissan pathfinders have transmission problems

Do Nissan Pathfinders Have Transmission Problems?

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Last updated on June 28th, 2023 at 10:38 am

Nissan Pathfinder is a vehicle that was launched in the early 1980s. It first came out as a 2-door SUV with a body on frame model.

In 1990, 2 more doors were added making it a 4-door vehicle then. The car is a comfortable family vehicle with a powerful powertrain.

Furthermore, the vehicle has 3 rows of seat with 8 seaters. Seven or 8 passengers can seat on it comfortably. It is quite a popular vehicle, and it’s mostly used by the family.

Although it is a great vehicle, the car has had its own share of problems. Read this related article VW Touareg Or Nissan Pathfinder, Which One Is More Reliable

Nissan pathfinder often develops transmission problems. This post is going to discuss some of the common problems with Pathfinder Nissan vehicle and Pathfinder recall.

Here are additional topics discussed in this article, so feel free to go to the area that most interest you:

  • Do Nissan pathfinders have transmission problems? What problems do Nissan Pathfinders have?
  • 2014 Nissan Pathfinder transmission replacement cost and 2014 Nissan Pathfinder transmission recall
  • 2013 Nissan pathfinder recalls transmission and 2018 Nissan pathfinder recalls

Related Articles:

Do Nissan Pathfinders have Transmission Problems?

My direct answer to this question is yes. Nissan pathfinder car has been known to have transmission problems. The problem is mostly common with the 2005 to 2007 pathfinder.

The defect with this model of pathfinder is noticed in its coolant which has been known to often leak thereby causing transmission failure at around 90,000 miles.

The solution to this problem usually costs the owners a lot. Fixing a transmission problem of a Nissan pathfinder can cost $3500 or above.

The cost of the transmission depends on the type of solution involved. The pathfinder radiator and transmission might have to be replaced, or the radiator and transmission flush might be due for replacement. Another solution is to rebuild the transmission completely, or replace the radiator.

The transmission issue with the transmission is most common with the 2005 to 2007 model of Nissan pathfinder.

The later models of Nissan pathfinders have also reportedly had their own issues. There have been lots of problems with the transmission.

The vehicle often develops jerking or shuddering problems. The 20014 model has reportedly had some improvement in the transmission. However, the major issue with it is that its transmission shakes during acceleration at about 15 to 30 mph.

Please watch this video for the list of Nissan vehicles that have problems.

What Problems Do Nissan Pathfinders Have?

Transmission Issues

There have been lots of reports describing various problems with the pathfinder transmissions.

One major problem that seems to have often affected Nissan pathfinder is coolant leaking in the transmission.

This has caused constant problem and failure of the transmission. This problem usually costs the car owners a lot of money.

A Nissan transmission failure might cost about $3500 or more to fix it.  This is because the transmission and radiator will require immediate replacement.

Excess Smoke

Another problem with the Nissan pathfinder is the release of smoke from the tailpipe. Excess white smoke could be as a result of fault with the vehicle engine. It is usually caused when the coolant is leaking into the engine.

This then, results in gasket damage. It does not matter the model of your Nissan, once you start seeing excess smoke coming from the tailpipe, you need to get a professional diagnosis.

This is to redeem the problem as fast as possible before it leads to a bigger one.

Power steering issue

Another widely reported problem with Nissan pathfinder is in the power steering. The steering often makes a whining like whistling. However, this issue does not seem to affect the operations of the car. 

But it is recommended to check and investigate any noise emanating from your vehicle. Most users of the Nissan Pathfinder have said that there seems to be no permanent solution to this problem.

Worn timing chain

Frequent failure of timing chain is another problem that is common with Nissan pathfinder. A lost timing chain could lead to engine lock.

If the car is in motion when the fault occurs, it could lead to a loss of power steering or engine propulsion.

When the timing chain is faulty, it needs to be replaced as fast as possible. The cost of that is about $1800.

2014 Nissan Pathfinder transmission replacement cost

The average replacement cost of this might be about $3500 or more. What determines the cost are labour cost and other parts of the vehicle that need replacement. Replacing the transmission of a vehicle is quite expensive.

The 2014 Nissan pathfinder is one of the cheapest SUVs in the market. It is a good choice if you are on a tight budget.

It has a spacious and comfortable passenger seating, fantastic crash-test score, and an impressive fuel economy.

The 2014 Nissan model is however not very reliable as it has its own problems. The most common problem with this vehicle is in its performance when it accelerates.

Drivers have always reported that the Nissan pathfinder shudders when it’s accelerating. This is usually due to failure of CVT control valve that is inside the transmission.

Whenever this happens, the transmission or CVT may have been due for replacement.

2014 Nissan Pathfinder transmission recall

The Nissan pathfinder models made between the 20th of June, 2012 and 13th of June 2013 were recalled due to malfunctioning in the brake light switch system. The switch might have been installed incorrectly which causes repeated cycle relay.

2013 Nissan pathfinder recalls transmission

Nissan recalled some pathfinder models that were made in 2013. This is due to the problem of the brake light. The brake light was reportedly installed wrongly. It caused an intermittent cycle with the relay, as a result.

2018 Nissan pathfinder recalls

The Nissan 2018 has been recalled three times as there have been three different safety issues.

The first recall was in June 9, and it was due to a problem with the service brakes and hydraulic. It was also recalled the following year on the 11th of July 11 over the same issue.

Then, it was recalled in November 9th the same year because there was back over prevention with the sensing system.

Conclusion: The Nissan pathfinder is a great car but there have been reports of transmission problems with the car. One way to stay on top of any problem with the vehicle is to never miss any maintenance service as written in the manual. This will enable your mechanic to discover and fix on time any problem that arises in the transmission.

In this post on do Nissan pathfinders have transmission problems I have shown you what problems Nissan Pathfinders have talked about the estimated of 2014 Nissan Pathfinder transmission replacement cost and 2013, 2018 and 2014 Nissan Pathfinder transmission recall.

I really hope this post has helped you? don’t forget the bookmark this page future reference.

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