Nissan
Pathfinder

The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the CVT after identifying a transmission judder. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 89,000.

Engine failure in my vehicle equipped with the VQ35DD engine, which I believe is the result of a widespread and well-documented design defect involving internal sludge buildup. I have owned this vehicle for over five years and have followed the recommended routine maintenance schedule, including on-time oil changes using high-quality oil. At no point during any inspection, service, or maintenance appointment was I informed of any sludge buildup or concerns with the engine. Only after a serious mechanical failure did the Nissan servicing dealership claim the engine was full of sludge, subsequently recommending an engine replacement. Despite my diligence in maintaining the vehicle, I am now facing an engine replacement that was entirely unexpected and has created a safety risk due to loss of motive power. This could have resulted in a serious accident, and I believe this issue merits urgent and transparent attention. Upon researching this issue, I found dozens of similar complaints from other owners with VQ35DD engines, many of whom reported premature engine failure, sludge accumulation, and PCV system defects—despite maintaining their vehicles properly. This issue is being widely discussed on forums, including: [XXX] [XXX] It is unacceptable that Nissan has not issued a technical service bulletin, recall, or extended warranty to address this problem, particularly when it may stem from a known defect in the PCV system or engine design (such as poor oil flow, crankcase ventilation failure, or GDI-related contamination). Given the facts outlined above and the potential safety hazard, a full investigation should be taken to help Nissan customers. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Timing chain failure at 88,000 miles on well maintained vehicle. Could cause catastrophic engine failure. No leading indicator.

As I was driving my 2017 Nissan Pathfinder, when the vehicle suddenly accelerated to a high rate of speed and the gas pedal became stuck. I tried to press on the brake as much as possible but the vehicle was not successfully able to be stopped which caused a terrible motor vehicle accident.

PCV Valve hose clogging rendering system useless and resulting in sludge buildup in engine. The sludge buildup causes issues with timing chain lubrication and ultimately destroys the guides causing excessive engine rattling, aluminum flakes in the engine. Causes loss of power, numerous different engine codes, and ultimately catastrophic failure of engine. Hise collapses within itself and prevents proper crankcase ventilation. See attached pictures.

My Nissan pathfinder has consistently had a AC compressor unit replacement several times. There is OBVIOUSLY a sealing issue on this part /vehicle. It’s absolutely unacceptable to replace a AC compressor unit 3 times within the 5 years of owning this vehicle.

The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds the vehicle failed to properly accelerate and the transmission overheated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission cooler had leaked transmission fluid and needed to be replaced. The transmission cooler was replaced but the failure persisted. Additionally, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear hatch door opened unintendedly. The contact stated that while attempting to retrieve items from the rear hatch area, the electronic hatch door closed unexpectedly. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 48,000.

Nissan Pathfinder vehicles to repair the CVT transmission fluid cooler hose (inter-cooler). The internal fluid cooler (ITOC) hose may detach from the cooler due to inadequate clamping force. Inter-coolers may overheat, fail operation causing leaks and possible fires. If this occurs, the CVT transmission fluid will begin to slowly leak and the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) will illuminate on the instrument panel. If the MIL is ignored, the CVT transmission fluid will drain further, resulting in noise, vibration and possible fire. If this is ignored, eventually the CVT transmission will no longer operate properly and the The vehicle will stop accelerating, which could increase the risk of a crash and endangerment. Rear hatch on some 2017 Nissan Pathfinders. Specifically, some brackets used to attach the gas struts to the rear door (hatch) may be improperly made, potentially causing the struts to detach from the brackets when opening or closing the door. This could cause the hatch to fall rapidly, potentially striking someone. Identified as 18V-601, that includes the 2017 Nissan Pathfinder for a potential issue where the lift-gate (back hatch) may not lock properly, this will allow lift-gate to open while driving, not lock securely, potentially allowing someone to fall out of moving vehicle.