Nissan Pathfinder: which model years draw the most owner complaints?
6,290 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Nissan Pathfinder, model years 2000 to 2026. 8 model years stand out for the engine or transmission: 2005 (engine 43×, transmission 59×); 2013 (transmission 37×); 2006 (engine 33×, transmission 45×); 2014 (transmission 22×). Quietest mature years by complaint count: 2012, 2009, 2010. Counts of unverified owner reports, compared only with other years of the same model; not failure rates.
Complaints by model year
| MODEL YEAR | COMPLAINTS | VS OTHER YEARS | STANDS OUT | RECALLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 PathfinderFEW REPORTS | 112 | — | 6 | |
| 2001 Pathfinder | 230 | — | 7 | |
| 2002 Pathfinder | 156 | — | 9 | |
| 2003 PathfinderFEW REPORTS | 110 | — | 7 | |
| 2004 PathfinderFEW REPORTS | 67 | quiet: 5 of 20 | 7 | |
| 2005 Pathfinder | 1,050 | engine 43×, transmission 59× | 4 | |
| 2006 Pathfinder | 837 | engine 33×, transmission 45× | 5 | |
| 2007 Pathfinder | 561 | engine 24×, transmission 34× | 2 | |
| 2008 Pathfinder | 328 | engine 8.3×, transmission 16× | 5 | |
| 2009 PathfinderFEW REPORTS | 37 | quiet: 2 of 20 | 4 | |
| 2010 PathfinderFEW REPORTS | 40 | quiet: 3 of 20 | 5 | |
| 2011 PathfinderFEW REPORTS | 45 | quiet: 4 of 20 | 2 | |
| 2012 PathfinderFEW REPORTS | 23 | quiet: 1 of 20 | 2 | |
| 2013 Pathfinder | 891 | transmission 37× | 11 | |
| 2014 Pathfinder | 574 | transmission 22× | 11 | |
| 2015 Pathfinder | 321 | engine 7.5×, transmission 7.7× | 5 | |
| 2016 PathfinderFEW REPORTS | 105 | — | 2 | |
| 2017 Pathfinder | 188 | engine 8.4× | 2 | |
| 2018 PathfinderFEW REPORTS | 78 | quiet: 7 of 20 | 3 | |
| 2019 PathfinderFEW REPORTS | 76 | quiet: 6 of 20 | 2 | |
| 2020 PathfinderFEW REPORTS | 53 | — | 0 | |
| 2022 PathfinderFEW REPORTS | 137 | — | 5 | |
| 2023 PathfinderFEW REPORTS | 107 | — | 1 | |
| 2024 PathfinderFEW REPORTS | 87 | — | 2 | |
| 2025 PathfinderFEW REPORTS | 62 | — | 1 | |
| 2026 PathfinderFEW REPORTS | 15 | — | 0 |
"Stands out" = 40 or more complaints naming that system and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share seen across every vehicle of that model year. Newer years have had less time on the road. "Quiet" ranks only years with 7+ years on the road and 20+ complaints. NHTSA data through November 2026.
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Source: NHTSA public complaints, recalls, service bulletin and investigation databases, data received through November 2026. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not failure rates: sales volumes are unknown, so a model year is only compared with other years of the same model. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Year pages: 2001200220052006200720082013201420152017