Verdict
2016 Nissan Pathfinder: Complaints, Recalls & Known Issues
What the public record actually says about the 2016 Nissan Pathfinder — every figure below is a NHTSA or EPA number, not an opinion.
The read
Middle-of-the-pack complaint volume for SUV.
Owners filed 105 NHTSA complaints — more complaints than 51% of 2016 SUVs. Air Bags leads the reports (18%). 2 safety recall campaigns on record — check the VIN and remedy terms with a dealer.
Based on NHTSA complaint volume against 2016 SUVs, not adjusted for how many were sold. It describes the model year, not the individual car you are looking at.
Complaints filed
105
Reports to NHTSA, 2016
Safety recalls
2
NHTSA campaigns on record
NHTSA crash test
Overall NCAP rating
Combined MPG
22
EPA estimate
Complaint volume vs. segment peers
More complaints than 51% of 2016 SUVs
The bar is this car's percentile among 2016 SUVs by complaint volume — a full bar means the fewest complaints in its class. Not adjusted for sales.
Known issues
Air Bags issues lead owner complaints (18% of 105 reports), followed by engine (18%).
+ 10 more component categories with fewer reports.
Share of all 105 NHTSA complaints for this model year, grouped by the component owners named. Bars are scaled to the largest category. Examples: ODI 11384700, ODI 11582778, ODI 11511363, ODI 11501521, ODI 11475467.
Recalls(2)
Open a recall to read what NHTSA says is wrong, what can happen, and how it gets fixed. Check the VIN and remedy eligibility with a dealer; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though a manufacturer may offer more coverage.
Air Bags · 16V244000Details +Close −
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.
Risk: If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669, Infiniti customer service at 1-888-833-3216 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.
Latches/Locks/Linkages · 22V420000Details +Close −
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Pathfinder vehicles. On certain Pathfinder vehicles, the secondary hood latch may malfunction and remain in the unlatched, unsecured, position when the hood is closed.
Risk: An unsecured hood could unexpectedly open while driving, obstructing the driver's view, and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the bell crank assembly, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed March 26, 2025. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall are R22A2 R22A3 and R24B7.
A campaign can apply to this model year without being incomplete on a specific vehicle. Check the VIN with NHTSA or a dealer to confirm whether a particular car needs repair.
Investigations
1 NHTSA investigation on record
Investigations are agency reviews, not findings that a vehicle is defective.
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this preliminary evaluation to investigate consumer complaints alleging hood latch failures occurring on certain model year (MY) 2013-2016 Nissan Pathfinder vehicles. Complaints received indicated a sudden and unexpected opening of the hood while the vehicle was in motion, blocking the driver's visibility.During this investigation Nissan collected parts from the field to analyze for root cause of the alleged failures. On June 13, 2022, Nissan submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA regarding a hood bell crank assembly defect in certain MY2013-2016 Nissan Pathfinder vehicles produced at the Smyrna, TN plant. According to Nissan's DIR, an accumulation of dust and dirt contamination on and around the bell crank lever pivot joint, which actuates the secondary hood latch, can create a condition that can cause the lever to remain in the open position after it has been disengaged. In this condition, the secondary hood latch may not hold the hood closed as designed while the vehicle is in motion obstructing the driver's forward view and increasing the risk of a crash.A remedy plan for all affected vehicles is currently under development. See recall action 22V-420 for further details. Nissan's action resolves the issues raised by this investigation, and therefore, this investigation is closed.The VOQs cited above can be found with ID numbers: 11456378, 11448298, 11436637, 11431131, 11427702, 11423321, 11406574, 11398825, 11389741, 11387952, 11375938, 11349105,11306735, 11302647, 11190468, 11166607.
Crash-test ratings
2016 Nissan Pathfinder SUV AWD NHTSA source
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
2016 Nissan Pathfinder SUV FWD NHTSA source
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Fuel economy by trim
| Trim | Engine | Drivetrain | Transmission | City | Hwy | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pathfinder 2WD | 3.5L 6-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 20 | 27 | 23 |
| Pathfinder 4WD | 3.5L 6-cyl | 4-Wheel Drive | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 19 | 26 | 22 |
| Pathfinder 4WD Platinum | 3.5L 6-cyl | 4-Wheel Drive | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 19 | 26 | 21 |
EPA laboratory estimates by trim and engine. Actual mileage varies with driving, weather, load, and maintenance. EPA source.
Before you buy
Useful next checks
Federal records tell you about patterns. These checks can tell you more about the specific car in front of you.
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Compare model years
"Fewest reports" and "most complained" describe raw NHTSA complaint totals, not vehicle reliability. The last few model years are left unlabelled because they have had less road time.
2016 Nissan Pathfinder: frequently asked
What does the complaint record show for the 2016 Nissan Pathfinder?
Owners filed 105 NHTSA complaints about the 2016 Nissan Pathfinder — more complaints than 51% of comparable 2016 SUVs, so it sits toward the weaker end of its class. That's a signal, not a guarantee about any single car.
What are the most common problems on the 2016 Nissan Pathfinder?
The most-reported problem areas are Air Bags (18% of complaints) and engine (18%).
How many recalls does the 2016 Nissan Pathfinder have?
2 recalls have been issued that affect the 2016 Nissan Pathfinder, covering components such as air bags. Check the VIN with NHTSA and ask a dealer to confirm remedy eligibility; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though manufacturers may offer more coverage.
What gas mileage does the 2016 Nissan Pathfinder get?
The EPA rates the 2016 Nissan Pathfinder between 21 and 23 mpg combined, depending on trim and drivetrain.