2010 Nissan PATHFINDER problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
40 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
111,386 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2010 model year. Data snapshot: . 26 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 11 of 40 complaints (27.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 12 | 30.0% |
| Braking behavior | 4 | 10.0% |
| Steering behavior | 4 | 10.0% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 5.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 2.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags | 11 |
| Power Train | 10 |
| Engine | 6 |
| Steering | 5 |
| Unknown Or Other | 5 |
| Suspension | 4 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 3 |
Air Bags: 11; Power Train: 10; Engine: 6; Steering: 5; Unknown Or Other: 5; Suspension: 4; Vehicle Speed Control: 4; Fuel/Propulsion System: 3
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 4 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 3 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 9 |
| 150,000 and above | 6 |
Under 25,000: 4; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 3; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 9; 150,000 and above: 6
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (9). 14 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 7 |
| 2018 | 7 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2010: 2; 2011: 1; 2012: 2; 2013: 2; 2014: 1; 2015: 3; 2016: 1; 2017: 7; 2018: 7; 2019: 4; 2020: 2; 2021: 1; 2022: 3; 2023: 2; 2024: 1; 2025: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 12 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10358804 · 2010-10-01 (October 1, 2010)
SUDDEN TRANSMISSION SHIFT FROM 2WD TO 4WD. WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING OPERATED IN THE REAR 2WD MANUAL SETTING, TRANSMISSION UNEXPECTEDLY ENGAGES 4WD. THE FOLLOWING DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS ARE ACTIVATED: 4WD; ABS; SLIP; VDC. SYSTEMS CAN NOT BE RESET UNTIL VEHICLE IS BROUGHT TO A STOP AND THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. DEFECT OCCURRED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. NISSAN DEALERSHIP WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10358804 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10488773 · 2012-12-14 (December 14, 2012)
NO INCIDENT HAS OCCURRED TO DATE. HOWEVER, I ALSO DO NOT LIKE GAMBLING WITH MY FAMILY AND THEIR LIVES. OUR 2010 NISSAN PATHFINDER IS THE PRIMARY VEHICLE FOR MY FAMILY. THE REPORTED ISSUES WITH FAILING RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION MUST BE ADDRESSED TO PREVENT LOSS OF LIFE. NISSAN RECOGNIZES THE ISSUE AND THE BEST THEY COULD DO TO DATE IS TO ISSUE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE. THAT IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH. PLEASE STEP IN AND ENFORCE A SAFETY RECALL ON THOSE VEHICLES. PREVENTION IS CALLED FOR IN THIS INSTANCE. I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS WITH NISSAN CO…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10488773 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10810647 · 2015-12-16 (December 16, 2015)
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHRISE PKG LOT HEAR GRINDING NOISE, ONCE OUTSIDE I GOT TO CORNER STOP AND TURNING TO THE RIGHT I STEP ON THE BRAKES, HOWEVER THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP.IT TOOK APPROXIMATELY ONE CAR LENGTH TO COME TO STOP MOVING, ALL THE TIME WITH THE BRAKES APPLIED TO THE BOTTOM. NO OTHER INCIDENT FOR A WEEK. TWO SUNDAY'S AGO AT CHURCH THE SAME HAPPEN, APPLY BRAKES AND CAR CONTINUE MOVING , IT TOOK ABOUT A CAR LENGTHS TO COME TO STOP. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ONE WALKING AT THE CHURCH PARKING. IT IS AT THE DEALER SINCE THEN FOR REPAIR. IS WAITI…
Owner-reported narrative. 44,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10810647 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10344976 · 2010-07-23 (July 23, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE DRIVER WAS OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT REMAIN STRAIGHT. SHE HAD APPLY EXTREME PRESSURE TO THE STEERING WHEELS IN ORDER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND AVOID DRIFTING INTO THE LEFT OR RIGHT LANE UNCONTROLLABLY. THE DRIVER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TWICE BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. SINCE THE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED, THE DRIVER WAS INVOLVED IN FOUR ACCIDENTS. THE MOST RECENT CRASH (INVOLVING THREE OTHER VEHICLES) RESULT…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10344976 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11217839 · 2019-06-04 (June 4, 2019)
VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT WHILE ON FREEWAY THEN WENT INTO DIRT MEDIAN TRIED TO GET IT BACK ON THE FREEWAY AND IT STARTED ROLLING WENT ACROSS THE FREEWAY AND DOWN A STEEP EMBANKMENT. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS HARD TO STEERING AT SPEED LIMIT (75 IN AZ). PULLED TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT. ROOF SMASHED DOWN, I COULD BARELY CRAWL OUT OF THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE IS A HAMILTON TOWING, BUCKEYE, AZ
Owner-reported narrative. 200,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11217839 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10981243 · 2017-04-28 (April 28, 2017)
TRANSMISSION FLUID MIXED INTO RADIATOR. VEHICLE STALLS, OVERHEATS, VIBRATES, TRANSMISSION DOES NOT FUNCTION RIGHT. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN ON CITY STREET.
Owner-reported narrative. 153,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10981243 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11186969 · 2019-03-15 (March 15, 2019)
DEFECTIVE FACTORY RADIATOR LED TO MIXING OF TRANS FLUID AND COOLANT CAUSING CONTAMINATION AND VEHICLE FAILURE. PROBLEM INITIALLY EXPOSED WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ON HIGHWAY AT 50MPH. VEHICLE LOST POWER AND STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT THIS SPEED. HAD I BEEN AN INEXPERIENCED DRIVER, LIKE MANY OUT THERE, THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE EASILY RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURY, OR EVEN DEATH, OF MYSELF AND MY CHILDREN, AS WELL AS, OTHER DRIVERS OF THE HIGHWAY! THIS WAS THE FIRST INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH MY VEHICLE. ALL MAINTENANCE WAS, AND IS, UP TO DATE. ALL FL…
Owner-reported narrative. 148,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11186969 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11035544 · 2017-10-22 (October 22, 2017)
"TAKATA RECALL"; WHILE DRIVING ON THE CITY STREETS IN LOS ANGELES, CA THE POWER TRAIN (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) FAILED AND THE RADIATOR FAILED. THE GASKET IN THE RADIATOR THAT SEPARATES THE OIL AND WATER FAILED IN THE RADIATOR WHILE THESE FLUIDS ARE COOLED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING. ONCE THIS GASKET FAILED, THE WATER AND OIL MIXED TOGETHER. SENDING WATER MIXED WITH OIL INTO THE TRANSMISSION. THE WATER IN THE TRANSMISSION RUINS THE TRANSMISSION VALUE BODY, ELECTRICAL PARTS & GEARS ALSO OVER HEATS THE VEHICLE ENGINE. THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO B…
Owner-reported narrative. 109,577 miles reported. Look up ODI 11035544 at NHTSA ↗