2013 Nissan Pathfinder Complaint Log

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while accelerating from a stop, there was a slight jerking or hesitation before the vehicle accelerated. The failure was intermittent. While driving approximately 45 MPH after stopping at a stoplight, the vehicle shuddered and pulled to the left. The contact stated that excessive force was needed to turn the steering wheel to the right to avoid a crash. The vehicle was pulled over and parked. The vehicle was turned off until a friend arrived at the scene to assist. The friend started the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to respond in drive or in reverse. The vehicle was towed to the residence. Several days later, when the vehicle was started, the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the vehicle failed to operate. The vehicle was inspected by two persons with automotive knowledge, and the contact was informed that the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) had failed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.

My car has been having issues with what seems to be the transmission. This Nissan Pathfinder has CVT, which is continuous variable transmission. Three months ago I had a radiator blowout and had to change that and the thermostat. I believe that it was due to the transmission issues. currently I have an oil leak and I believe it’s due to your issues with the transmission.

I have a 2013 Pathfinder that is experiencing a High pitch whine coming from the transmission. when shifting in lower gears, there is a soft kick. i have only experienced a shutter once and only at lower speeds and rpm. once I'm at a higher speed it seems to get less. I have had the vehicle for 8 months. just started in the the last week. It has 157k miles.

transmission started jerking & went out leaving me stranded.

My name is [XXX] , and I am requesting urgent escalation regarding my 2013 Nissan Pathfinder, which has now gone through four CVT transmissions, including three replacements within the past year. All repairs were performed by a Nissan dealership, yet the same failure continues to occur. I have maintained my vehicle properly. This situation is becoming unsafe and financially damaging, and I am asking for Nissan’s support in resolving it fairly and promptly. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Brought our 2013 Nissan Pathfinder to Naples Nissan because of a flashing airbag warning light and a Warning light that passenger airbag was not working . Dealer fixed other recalls and charged us $179 to tell us we needed 2 new OCS sensors for $1050. We provided copy of OCS sensor recall for 2013 pathfinder (PC216 13V -069. NYB13-035a) which states dealer is responsible to remove OCS sensors and check the lot codes for campaign eligibility . Dealer has ignored the request and simply repeated that the all outstanding recalls have been taken care of and we would need to pay $1050 to repair this important safety problem . Please help us ?

The Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) assembly failed completely, rendering the vehicle inoperable. The transmission is currently available for inspection at the independent service center where repairs are being performed. The vehicle was purchased in September 2025 with approximately [UNKNOWN/LOW] mileage. Within the first week of ownership, the driver experienced violent shuddering and juddering when attempting to accelerate. This symptom worsened over a few days, eventually progressing to complete transmission failure — the vehicle could no longer accelerate or move under its own power. An independent transmission specialist identified a faulty casting in the CVT torque converter that caused internal belt/chain slippage. Once slippage began, the entire CVT assembly was damaged beyond repair. The specialist confirmed this is a known manufacturing defect in 2013 Nissan Pathfinders, not a result of owner misuse or maintenance neglect. A full CVT replacement was required.The sudden loss of transmission function while the vehicle was in operation created an immediate safety hazard. The vehicle could not accelerate when needed and could not be safely operated on roadways. This defect creates an unreasonably dangerous situation and increases the risk of crash or collision, particularly in traffic situations where acceleration is needed to avoid hazards. YES — The failure was confirmed and diagnosed by an independent transmission service center. The specialist identified the faulty torque converter casting as the root cause and confirmed this is a known defect pattern in 2013 Pathfinder CVT transmissions. The transmission is available for inspection. The vehicle was NOT inspected by a Nissan dealership prior to repair. The owner contacted Nissan Consumer Affairs multiple times (via phone and written correspondence) before taking the vehicle to the independent service center, but did not receive assistance or an inspection appointment.

Starts with juddering, loss of power. While driving you can experience a total complete loss of power which deceleration quickly which can cause other vehicles to hit you from behind. End result, shifter moves but doesnt engage gears, like you're in neutral. Engine rev's but you're getting nowhere. You're lucky to maneuver off the highway. Requires a tow and a transmission replacement without warning.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? - The issue lies within the CVT. There is violent shuddering when accelerating. It is available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? - The violent and intense shuddering caused by the failing CVT incapacitates the ability the properly steer and the potential for random loss of power could directly impact traffic conditions. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? - Not yet; I have been cautious to drive the vehicle since the issue escalated. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? - No, the vehicle has remained parked since the issue became much more serious. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? - No, the shuddering was vague and seemingly only happened upon acceleration and at low RPM’s when it initially began. It has now progressed to violent shuddering consistently occurring regardless of speed, RPM’s, or acceleration.

The transmission appears to be failing. When accelerating, the RPM increases but the vehicle speed does not respond immediately, creating a slipping and jerking effect. The vehicle is available for inspection if requested. The vehicle hesitates and jerks when accelerating, especially when merging into traffic or driving at highway speeds, which creates a risk of collision due to the loss of proper acceleration. The front tires also shake unexpectedly, making it difficult to maintain control of the vehicle. The issue is known and widely reported for this model year. Similar symptoms have been documented as transmission failures in 2013 Nissan Pathfinders. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by Nissan for this issue. No warning lights appeared. The symptoms started gradually with hesitation when accelerating and have worsened over time to frequent slipping, jerking, and tire shaking while driving.

Transmission is making a noise after acceleration once the car gets to 40 miles an hour it starts jerking. Just purchased the car and has not even been 30 days. I first noticed this a week after purchasing.

When I push on break it doesn’t engage to Release car from park.

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jolted while upshifting and accelerating. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, and transmission fluid was added; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, where it was determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 177,000.

The rear sub-frame, to which the suspension system is connected had rusted out and failed. Two different mechanics indicated the vehicle is unsafe to drive. The first indicated that this part should not be as corroded as it is and should not have failed.

My 2013 Pathfinder keeps shuddering and jerking and swerving while driving

The transmission shudders. Causes jerking and hard shifts that makes the car move in unwanted ways. Car may shut off if shutter gets too hard. It’s pretty bad , even the repairs do not fix the issue. This definitely needs to be a recall for Nissan to take a look at

My wife's car is a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. We heard what appeared a noise coming from rear undercarriage of the car. took the vehicle to our mechanic and he told us the "cradle" was rusted thru and the car was unsafe to operate. The car has ~103000 miles, was well maintained and garage kept. I questioned this with the mechanic, I'm [XXX] and have had several vehicles, never had an issue with the degree of rust on the suspension on this car. The mechanic said this is not an unusual problem for Nissans. The cars interior and exterior is in great condition, now it's not drivable and Nissan is not offering any help. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Rear subframe rusted through and unable to be repaired. Contacted Nissan and would not assist even though some VIN # of the same year were recalled and replaced. Having a hard time finding a replacement even with a family friend who is a service advisor looking. Vehicle has not been in an accident that would cause this type of fracture in the frame. Unable to drive the vehicle for obvious safety reasons.

See attached document for complaint.

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while driving and making a turn, the steering wheel became significantly loose. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and inspected the vehicle. The contact noticed that the front passenger's side wheel had moved closer into the front fender, and the control arm had detached from the frame due to significant corrosion. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 167,000.

235/55R20 102H Tires are Defective Have Bubbles. This is 2nd tire which has a bubble. Costco will not stand behind warranty and replace all the tires!

There is a recall on the make, model and year of my vehicle but the vin says that my vehicle is not affected yet that is the only thing wrong with my vehicle. It leaks all of its transmission fluid within 10 mins of driving it. I have contacted the dealer but the dealer is over an hour away and they said that since my vehicle isn't apart of the recall they will not fix the problem even though they said that is exactly what is wrong with my vehicle and I would have to buy an entirely new transmission from them if I was to take it in to get it fixed. This is the recall information that they say is the problem in my vehicle but the VIN states it is not apart of. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 14V142000 Report Date: MAR 26, 2014 Nissan North America (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013 Pathfinder vehicles manufactured April 18, 2012, through October 3, 2012, and equipped with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). In the affected vehicles, the internal oil cooler (ITOC) hose may detach from the cooler due to inadequate clamping force, allowing transmission fluid to leak.

Rear subframe on the passenger side cracked because of excessive rust making it dangerous to drive so it's now stuck at the repair shop. Repair shop said this is not expected for a vehicle with this mileage and the other sides of the subframe are far from being in the same condition as this one.

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while the vehicle was stationary, on the lift at the independent mechanic, the independent mechanic rust on the subframe. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact had previously taken the vehicle to be repaired under an unknown recall for the hood latch. The contact stated that recommendations were made by the dealer; however, a recommendation for the subframe rust was not provided. The subframe rust was not addressed by the dealer. The vehicle was then taken to the independent mechanic, and the independent mechanic noticed the rust on the subframe. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where the contact was informed the vehicle was no longer under an extended warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,019.

vehicle does not accelerates properly after a left turn it starts jerking violently and it correct itself after a few minutes or it can jerk repeatedly before correcting. After awhile the brake-shift interlock started not working properly by getting stock in the parking position making it shift to the drive position.

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the vehicle jerked abnormally. The vehicle was taken to an Auto Zone, where a handheld diagnostic machine retrieved DTC: P1750. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the same code was retrieved. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 106,000.

In January I took my car to the dealership to repair my recalls and I complained about my car juddering jerking and stalling they told me I need a new transmission. I paid for transmission and install the car is still serving and stalling and juddeing I looked up transmission problems it shows all nissan pathfinder has a recall on cvt . Is mine included in this recall or am I needing yet another transmission

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. There was no warning light illuminated prior to the failure. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer for a tune-up, and the dealer diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the engine failure had occurred eight months after the transmission was replaced due to an unknown failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

Interior door handle failure. The handle component of the interior door handle which retains the actuator cable frequently breaks resulting in an inability to open the door from inside the vehicle. I have replaced four of these on my vehicle in the 5 years I have owned it. The drivers door has been repaired twice. The component is plastic and obviously not made sturdy enough or made of appropriate material to withstand normal use. Failure of this component results in the inability to open the door from inside the vehicle, posing a safety concern should a passenger need to exit the vehicle in an emergency situation. Had I only experienced this issue once, I would not be gravely concerned, but this component is failing too frequently to just ignore. Numerous online forums also show this to be a frequent problem in all Nissan vehicles with this type door handle. At this point, I feel Nisan should redesign the door handle with a more sturdy and structurally sound design that can hold up to normal use.and should recall and replace the door handles of all Nissan vehicles that use this particular door handle.

The contact owned a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the hood unintendedly opened and shattered the windshield. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was determined that the vehicle was a total loss. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

When getting a new set of tires found out that drivers side rear subframe assembly rusted away where the control arm attaches after looking at a Nissan fourn there are many with the same problem worried that due to this might be a issue for me and my children traveling to he roads

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving 50-55 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal popping sound and the vehicle started to wobble. The contact decelerated and pulled over safely. The ABS and traction control warning lights were illuminated. The contact checked the vehicle but was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that the rear subframe frame and cross member had fractured. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000. The VIN was not available.

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shuddering and shaking abnormally while attempting to turn left or right. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified on the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 111,000.

See attached document for complaint.

Took my 2013 Pathfinder to Steve Shannon Tires and auto center to fix (what I thought was the issue) a wheel bearing. They called me later in the day informing me they could not replace the wheel bearing because my rear sub frame is rotted.

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle swayed to the right. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the rear subframe was extremely corroded, causing the rear driver’s side stabilizer bar to fracture. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 143,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that the tires were losing air. The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the subframe from the front end to the rear had severe corrosion. The mechanic advised the contact not to drive the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and it was determined that the vehicle needed an oil change, and that the check engine warning light would be deactivated. The oil change was performed; however, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. While driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Rust only on brackets that hold the arm on the rear sway arm stabilizer

Rear subframe rotted out. Car is garage kept.

Left rear passenger tire failed has a Bubble. 235/50R20. Tire have a manufacturing problem all tires on the vehicle need to be replaced. Costco declined!

My car powers off as I am driving it. The brakes work but nothing else. The dials go crazy and all the warning lights on my car turn on with all the other lights remaining off. I’m not sure what component stopped working when it shuts off but I would be okay with it being inspected. My safety was put at risk because I could no longer drive the car and the gas pedal doesn’t work so I don’t gain any speed leaving me stranded on the street having to pull over which could lead to an accident. The problem has been confirmed by an independent service dealer. The first sign I know the problem is gonna happen when driving is when I turn on the car and the emergency brake light turns on and the battery light.

Hello, I've purchased my Nissan pathfinder 2013 2 yrs ago . And fell in love with it. But since June 2014, it has been sitting due to the transmission going out and or stopping mid traffic. Putting my life in danger. It finally wouldn't go into gear anymore. It wouldn't go forward or backwards. I had it towed to house. We're it sits. No shops want to work on it because they are difficult to work on..I'm stuck making payments on something I can't drive. I see it has recalls on my vehicle online but not for my specific vin number..makes no sense to me..why not my vin number when in fact it's my vehicle on recalls? The exact name model and year??

Car shakes. Engine light on. Diagnostic performed by Ase certified mechanic revealing transmission code, CVT shutter which has a voluntary recall for this particular year. When I contacted the St. Petersburg Crown Nissan regarding this needed repair, I was told my vehicle would not qualify for the voluntary recall

Wife was driving to pick up the kids from school and the transmission started to shudder then doesn’t move at all until the vehicle is shut off for about an hour then it’ll start to move again but barely codes reading P0776, P0965. Also the service 4x4 came up on the dash and it fells as if something is holding it back as you drive.

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, she observed a clunking noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that water had intruded into the driver’s side sub frame where it was rusted and fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 141,000.

I started having issues with my brakes. I had recently had the front rotors and pads replaced, but I still heard squeeking, and a little fishtailing on my back end. I figured I needed my brakes in the rear checked, so I took it to Pep Boys for a free inspection. The mechanic showed me that my rear control arm on the left was very loose, and the compartment that connected to it was severely rusted thru. He told me this was across the whole back end and it was actually part of my FRAME. He said it is called a K-Frame and it should not be rusted through with my car being barely 11 years old. There are massive holes all the way across. He said that is why I thought that I might need my struts replaced because of a thunk sound when pulling off. There was no connection at all. He says I should not drive it AT ALL because my whole back end could fall off literally!

Both the front and back cradles are bad. The back ones snapped in pieces. They should not have gone bad there is no rust on my car.

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while accelerating from a complete stop, the vehicle shuddered significantly. The contact stated that the failure also occurred while driving at various speeds. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and an appointment was scheduled for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to Nissan Campaign Number: PC500 (Re-program TCM). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.

The front passenger air bag turned off when an adult or teen sits in the seat. The air bag has remained turned off. The warning light also started to flash periodically and now continuously flashes.