2008 Nissan Pathfinder
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 328 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 6th highest complaint count among 25 Pathfinder model years with reports.
Of the 2008 reports, 9 involved a crash. 7 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, frontalFeb 10, 2023
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2008-2011 Titan, Frontier, Xterra, Pathfinder, Armada, and 2008-2009 Quest vehicles. The resin emblem on the driver's air bag cover may develop cracks and detach during air bag deployment.
A detached emblem can become a projectile during air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury to vehicle occupants.
Dealers will replace the drivers airbag cover. Owner letters were mailed December 8, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall are PC944, PC945, and PC946.
Campaign 23V067000 on NHTSA.gov
Equipment, electrical, navigational system(global positioning system)Sep 10, 2010
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES THAT WERE EQUIPPED WITH A GARMIN NUVI MODEL 750 NAVIGATION SYSTEM. THE BATTERIES CONTAINED IN THE AFFECTED GPS UNITS CAN OVERHEAT.
OVERHEATED BATTERIES COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY GARMIN TECHNICIANS BY REPLACING THE BATTERY AND INSERTING A SPACER ON TOP OF THE BATTERY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GARMIN DIRECTLY AT 1-866-957-1981 OR NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 10V401000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, front, control arm, lower armMay 20, 2010
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN FRONT AND REAR LOWER LINKS, P/NOS. 54501ZQ00A, 54500ZQ00A, 551A1ZQ00A, 551A0ZQ00A , 54501EA00A, 54500EA00A, 551A1EA500, 551A0EA500, 54501ZR00A, AND 54500ZR00A, SOLD BETWEEN NOVEMBER 25, 2009 AND MAY 14, 2010 AS REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR MODEL YEAR 2004 THROUGH 2010 TITAN, ARMADA, AND QX56, AND MODEL YEARS 2005 THROUGH 2010 FRONTIER, XTERRA, AND PATHFINDER VEHICLES. THE LOWER CONTROL LINK ASSEMBLY HAS TWO CYLINDRICAL COLLARS FORMING THE INBOARD ATTACHMENT POINTS TO THE CHASSIS. DUE TO AN IMPROPER WELDING PROCESS SOME COLLARS MAY CONTAIN WELDS THAT DO NOT MEET STRENGTH SPECIFICATIONS.
IF THE COLLAR WELD SEPARATES, THE VEHICLE HANDLING WILL DETERIORATE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE ANY AFFECTED LOWER LINK FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 12, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 10E019000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, storage, auxillary tankMar 3, 2010
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006 AND MODEL YEAR 2008 FRONTIER, XTERRA AND PATHFINDER VEHICLES. THE MOLDED FUEL TANK SHELLS CAN DEFORM, CAUSING THE FUEL SENDER FLOAT ARM TO CONTACT AN EMBOSSMENT MOLDED INTO THE TANK SHELL CAUSING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FUEL GAUGE TO SHOW THAT THE VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY ONE QUARTER TANK WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS EMPTY.
THIS COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO RUN OUT OF GAS AND STALL IN TRAFFIC, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT INSIDE THE FUEL TANK WITH A NEW ONE THAT HAS A MODIFIED FLOAT ARM. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE MARCH 22, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 10V075000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, frontalDec 29, 2008
NISSAN IS RECALLING 242,720 MY 2005-2009 PATHFINDER, FRONTIER AND XTERRA VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN THOSE AREAS OF THE COUNTRY WHICH USE HEAVY CONCENTRATIONS OF ROAD SALT IN THE WINTER, A MIXTURE OF SNOW/WATER AND SALT CAN ENTER INTO THE FRONT CRASH ZONE SENSOR (CZS) HOUSING. IF THIS OCCURS, THE CZS MAY INTERNALLY RUST RESULTING IN A SIGNAL INTERRUPTION. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE RED AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE TO ALERT THE VEHICLE OPERATOR.
THIS ISSUE COULD RESULT IN THE NON-DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAGS IN A CRASH, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT CZS WITH A REDESIGNED SENSOR. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 26, 2009. OWNERS IN THE OTHER STATES WILL RECEIVE EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR THE SENSOR TO 10 YEARS. THESE OWNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE WARRANTY EXTENSION BY MAIL AND WILL RECEIVE A STICKER TO PLACE IN THEIR WARRANTY BOOKLET EXPLAINING THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 08V690000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: power train
155 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Apr 27, 2012
MY 2008 NISSAN PATHFINDER SUDDENLY STOPPED WHILE DRIVING. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THE RADIATOR CRACKED AND FLUID GOT INTO THE TRANSMISSION. THERE WERE NO SIGNS THAT JY CAR WAS HAVING ANY PROBLEM PRIOR TO THIS. BECAUSE MY CAR IS 1000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY THEY REFUSE TO WARRANTY IT EVEN THOUGH THIS IS Q KNOWN PROBLEM. MY CAR IS LEASED AND I CAN NOT TURN IT IN UNTIL I HAVE IT IN WORKING CONDITION. IN ORDER TO FIX IT THE DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE ME $9,000. *TR
Power train, Visibility, Mar 12, 2012
I TOOK MY CERTIFIED PATHFINDER IN FOR A FAULTY WINDOW SWITCH AND WHILE IT WAS THERE HAD THEM CHECK THE POWER TRAIN FOR A NOISE I WAS HEARING EVERY INITIAL 1ST TO 2ND GEAR SHIFT AFTER START UP. DEALER NOTIFIED ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS CONTAMINATED OR INCORRECT FLUID. I WAS THEN TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO COVER THE COST OF REPLACING THE FLUID. I CONTACTED NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS, AS NOT ONLY IS THE VEHICLE COVERED BY THE NISSAN CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED PROGRAM, BUT I ALSO BOUGHT THEIR SECURITY PLUS WARRANTY. THE TRANSMISSION SERVICE IS NOT DUE FOR ANOTHER 6,000 MILES, AND THE FLUID SHOULD NOT BE CONTAMINATED OR BE THE WRONG COLOR AND HAVE THE VISCOSITY OF WATER, PER THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPT. THEY ARE NOT EVEN ADVISING A STANDARD TRANSMISSION SERVICE, THEY WANT TO REPLACE ALL THE FLUID, AS WHAT IS CURRENTLY IN THE SYSTEM IS UNUSABLE. NISSAN CPO IS DENYING MY CLAIM TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION FIXED, TAKING THE STANCE THAT THEY DO NOT WARRANTY FLUIDS. I AM NOT ASKING THEM TO WARRANTY THE FLUID, STANDARD MAINTENANCE IS MY RESPONSIBILITY. HOWEVER THERE IS AN ISSUES AS TO HOW/WHY THE FLUID GOT CONTAMINATED AND IS NO LONGER USABLE, AND NEEDS TO BE FLUSHED. NISSAN DOES NOT WANT ANY PART IN ADDRESSING THAT ISSUE, EVEN THOUGH THEIR CPO AND SECURITY PLUS WARRANTIES ARE SUPPOSED TO COVER THE ENGINE AND DRIVE TRAIN. AS IT TURNS OUT THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES, APPARENTLY THERE IS AN ISSUES IN THE RADIATOR, WHICH ALSO HAS THE TRANSMISSIONS COOLER BUILD INTO IT, ALLOWING COOLANT TO SEEP INTO THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. KNOWING THIS NISSAN IS STILL TAKING THE STANCE THAT THEY DO NOT WARRANTY FLUIDS AND IS REFUSING TO SERVICE THE TRANSMISSION. THEY ARE BASICALLY ASKING ME TO REPLACE THE FLUID AND HOPE IT DOES NOT GET CONTAMINATED AGAIN AND HOPE NO OTHER ISSUES ARISE FROM A TRANSMISSION OPERATING FOR WHO KNOW HOW LONG WITH BAD FLUID THAT WAS THE INCORRECT VISCOSITY. *TR
Power train, Jan 5, 2012
CRACKED RADIATOR ALLOWS FLUID TO LEAK INTO TRANSMISSION, CAUSING ERRATIC OPERATION, POTENTIAL SUDDEN FAILURE. TRANSMISSION HAS TO BE REPLACED. *TR
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Power train, Aug 13, 2010
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACTED EXPERIENCED FAILURES WHILE HE SHIFTED GEARS THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN, AND WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO STOP IT THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND IMMEDIATELY WHICH CAUSED HIM TO INCREASE THE BREAKING DISTANCE. HE THOUGHT IT WAS DRIVERS ERROR, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE FRONT SHOCKS; THE REPAIR DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER TOOK REPORT 6887492; HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE, BECAUSE THE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WASN'T DONE AT THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Electrical system, Latches/locks/linkages, Vehicle speed control, Jun 22, 2008
THE COMPUTER SYSTEM IN THE 2008 NISSAN PATHFINDER MALFUNCTIONS AND ALL GAUGES, SPEEDOMETER, AND WARNING SYSTEMS STOP WORKING. THIS HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING. THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL CAUSE THE CARS TO ACCELERATE. *TR