2024 Nissan Pathfinder: What to check before buying

The engine shuts off under auto stop-start and fails to restart. In some cases the vehicle drops into neutral at a stop sign or dies in an intersection. Repeated check engine lights lead to a series of part swaps, including the battery, sensors, fuel injectors and fuel pump, without a lasting fix. Faults often clear on restart, so dealers find nothing stored. Other reports describe dead batteries, a power outlet that keeps failing, AC blowing hot air, and fuzzy night images from the 360 camera that dealers call normal. Stalling in traffic is a real crash risk.

The transmission pops out of gear, refuses to upshift with a loud whine, or loses acceleration at highway speed even with the pedal floored. Some reports describe the engine shutting off at a stoplight while the transmission drops to neutral. On hills, the vehicle then rolls backward. One total power loss is traced to a flexplate failure. Dealers often cannot reproduce the fault, so many cars go back unrepaired. A camshaft sensor code and timing chain concern appear near 86,000 miles. The main risk is sudden power loss in traffic.

Sputtering and stalling while driving, at speeds up to 55 mph, is the most common report, and a fuel pump replacement does not always stop it. One engine fails after coolant gets inside, pours white smoke and needs full replacement. A transmission failure at 1,198 miles is filed here too: the vehicle stops, shifts into reverse on its own, then waits 28 days for repair. The forward distance sensor also cuts out at random, disabling automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise even after the sensor is replaced.

Rainwater gets in on both sides and through the center console, leaving a moldy smell. In one report, a dealer says the ceiling needs replacing at about 2,000 miles but makes no repair. The tailgate glass shatters on its own while the car sits parked, with no sign of impact. The driver side mirror shakes at speed, which makes lane changes unsafe. Nissan calls the shaking normal and refuses to fix it. The same mirror complaint shows up under the other category.

The rear brake pads wear out long before the fronts. Reports describe rear pads worn to metal at 26,000 miles and fully worn by 12k, while the front pads still look new. One report blames the electronic brake force distribution system for clamping the rear brakes hard without driver input. That causes sudden slowdowns in traffic and creates a crash risk. Nissan has not addressed the pattern, and one dealer refuses to run a warranty diagnosis.

Neither report describes a typical steering fault. In one, the factory Bridgestone tires wander in grooved pavement and pull the vehicle along the grooves in the rain, which weakens driver control. In the other, the vehicle stalls while driving and the transmission sticks in first gear even though the display shows Drive. The dealer blames the driver for bumping the shifter and makes no repair. Both problems affect control at speed.

Warning lights for the engine, ABS, collision system and traction control come on together. In one case a wheel speed sensor reads 407 mph, and replacing it does not keep the lights off. The collision warning system also cancels cruise control and slows the vehicle on an empty highway at 80 mph, so traffic behind closes in dangerously. Unexpected braking at speed is the main risk, and technicians struggle to find the cause.

The gas pedal snaps off during acceleration with no warning, leaving no throttle while merging onto a highway. The broken piece looks like a cheap plastic part. A separate report describes a new vehicle losing engine power twice on highways, with a tow and warning alerts lasting several days. The battery is the suspected cause, but the owner doubts that is the whole problem. Both failures mean losing power in moving traffic.