2017 Nissan Pathfinder problems reported near 100,000 miles

The records describe a problem worth checking before purchase.

“Engine failure in my vehicle equipped with the VQ35DD engine, which I believe is the result of a widespread and well-documented design defect involving internal sludge buildup. I have owned this vehicle for over five years and have followed the recommended routine maintenance schedule, including on-time oil changes using high-quality oil. At no point during any inspection, service, or maintenance appointment was I informed of any sludge buildup or concerns with the engine. Only after a serious mechanical failure did the Nissan servicing dealership claim the engine was full of sludge, subsequently recommending an engine replacement. Despite my diligence in maintaining the vehicle, I am now facing an engine replacement that was entirely unexpected and has created a safety risk due to loss of motive power. This could have resulted in a serious accident, and I believe this issue merits urgent and transparent attention. Upon researching this issue, I found dozens of similar complaints from other owners with VQ35DD engines, many of whom reported premature engine failure, sludge accumulation, and PCV system defects—despite maintaining their vehicles properly. This issue is being widely discussed on forums, including: [XXX] [XXX] It is unacceptable that Nissan has not issued a technical service bulletin, recall, or extended warranty to address this problem, particularly when it may stem from a known defect in the PCV system or engine design (such as poor oil flow, crankcase ventilation failure, or GDI-related contamination). Given the facts outlined above and the potential safety hazard, a full investigation should be taken to help Nissan customers. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”

The records describe a problem worth checking before purchase.

“Timing chain failure at 88,000 miles on well maintained vehicle. Could cause catastrophic engine failure. No leading indicator.”

The records describe a problem worth checking before purchase.

“PCV Valve hose clogging rendering system useless and resulting in sludge buildup in engine. The sludge buildup causes issues with timing chain lubrication and ultimately destroys the guides causing excessive engine rattling, aluminum flakes in the engine. Causes loss of power, numerous different engine codes, and ultimately catastrophic failure of engine. Hise collapses within itself and prevents proper crankcase ventilation. See attached pictures.”

The records describe a problem worth checking before purchase.

“On Sunday [XXX] while driving to Savannah Georgia to attend a funeral my 2017 Nissan Pathfinder broke down. I was able to coast off the road out of traffic in the pouring rain. I had the vehicle towed to Statesboro tire and brake in Statesboro Georgia who was in network with my extended warranty company. On May 20th 2024 I was told the engine failed due to metal in the oil. They opened a claim and diagnosed the issue. The warranty company requested the oil pan be dropped and pictures to be submitted to them to continue with the claim. Upon further inspection there was sludge and noticeable metal in the oil pan. My extended warranty company denied the claim. I asked if i could submit my maintenance records to prove the vehicle had been maintained. I was told no by the warranty company and statesboro tire and brake didn't even submit them for me. So I had to pay for the work test had been done and have the vehicle towed back to Grovetown Ga. which is where I live. I contacted Nissan consumer relations at this point not knowing what else to do. They opened a claim and I then had the vehicle towed to the Nissan dealership near me. Which they did another diagnosis and the claim through them was also denied. I purchased this vehicle used from CarMax in Augusta Georgia with 41502 miles on it. Upon purchasing the vehicle I maintained the vehicle keeping up with all of the manufacturers recommendations for maintenance and service. I contacted CarMax to see if they could do anything because they are who I purchased the vehicle from. The service manager at CarMax was able to submit my records to the extended warranty company and the claim was approved. The engine is being replaced after almost 6 months of persistence. It is a used engine but at least it's a new engine to me. On [XXX] the vehicle had 100573 miles. There were no warning lights. The vehicle had no issues until it just died on that date. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”

The records describe a problem worth checking before purchase.

“The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the road and attempted to jumpstart the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the property and was later towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed but no cause for the failure was identified. The contact stated that several weeks afterwards, the display screen went black before the vehicle lost motive power. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the road and attempted to jump start the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle shut off as soon as the contact arrived at the local dealer. The vehicle was taken back to the same local dealer where it was diagnosed but no cause for the failure was identified. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.”

The records describe a possible crash, fire, injury, or loss of control.

“The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power without warning. Due to the failure, another vehicle crashed into the vehicle at a low rate of speed. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. Due to the snowy weather, the contact was advised by the police that both drivers pull off to the nearest exit and exchange information. A Police report was not filed. No medical assistance was required; however, the contact did sustain mental trauma due to the sudden failure. After the contact exchanged information with the other driver, the failure occurred two more time before she reached her destination. The contact stated that the low battery warning light appeared on the instrument panel after the second failure and the traction control warning light appeared after the third failure. The contact attempted to reach the manufacturer but was informed that she had called after business hours. The vehicle was taken to a body shop where it remained in their possession for an inspection. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 52,700.”

The records describe a possible crash, fire, injury, or loss of control.

“The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving in a parking lot at unknown speeds, the vehicle began jerking and stalled. The battery had become inoperable. The TPMS message was displayed. The failure was linked to Technical Service Bulletin: NTB15-015h. The local dealer was called and informed the contact that the failure was related to the CVT transmission and confirmed there was no coverage for the repair of the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.”

The records describe a possible crash, fire, injury, or loss of control.

“The transmission is failing. The car has about 117,000 miles on it. The transmission issue is a known problem with this vehicle and is causing safety concerns while driving it due to acceleration problems.”

The records describe a possible crash, fire, injury, or loss of control.

“The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the CVT after identifying a transmission judder. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 89,000.”

The records describe a possible crash, fire, injury, or loss of control.

“The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds the vehicle failed to properly accelerate and the transmission overheated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission cooler had leaked transmission fluid and needed to be replaced. The transmission cooler was replaced but the failure persisted. Additionally, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear hatch door opened unintendedly. The contact stated that while attempting to retrieve items from the rear hatch area, the electronic hatch door closed unexpectedly. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 48,000.”

The records describe a possible crash, fire, injury, or loss of control.

“Nissan Pathfinder vehicles to repair the CVT transmission fluid cooler hose (inter-cooler). The internal fluid cooler (ITOC) hose may detach from the cooler due to inadequate clamping force. Inter-coolers may overheat, fail operation causing leaks and possible fires. If this occurs, the CVT transmission fluid will begin to slowly leak and the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) will illuminate on the instrument panel. If the MIL is ignored, the CVT transmission fluid will drain further, resulting in noise, vibration and possible fire. If this is ignored, eventually the CVT transmission will no longer operate properly and the The vehicle will stop accelerating, which could increase the risk of a crash and endangerment. Rear hatch on some 2017 Nissan Pathfinders. Specifically, some brackets used to attach the gas struts to the rear door (hatch) may be improperly made, potentially causing the struts to detach from the brackets when opening or closing the door. This could cause the hatch to fall rapidly, potentially striking someone. Identified as 18V-601, that includes the 2017 Nissan Pathfinder for a potential issue where the lift-gate (back hatch) may not lock properly, this will allow lift-gate to open while driving, not lock securely, potentially allowing someone to fall out of moving vehicle.”

The records describe a possible crash, fire, injury, or loss of control.

“The Nissan CVT transmission on my low mileage Nissan Pathfinder 2017 with 90k miles is showing that there is an issue with transmission. it can stop working while driving and it can be an issue with safety if you are driving anywhere. it can potentially cause loss of life of my family or others.”

The records describe a possible crash, fire, injury, or loss of control.

“The Check Engine light turned on and took it to dealership on 12/14/24 and they stated that Throttle chamber may have issues. Used scanner and code P0101- Mass Air Flow Sensor Circuit was read on scanner. Vehicle struggles to get air flow into engine causes speed to struggle when trying to accelerate.”

The records describe a possible crash, fire, injury, or loss of control.

“We have just under 80,000 miles on this & the transmission has started slipping. Pulled into an intersection after slowing (we were on the right-of-way), turned right to go up a hill & transmission hesitated. Car shuddered, then tranny kicked in & up the hill we went. We've noticed similar issues when moving from a 'slowing' motion to accelerating - highway lane changes when passing, etc. The hill thing was a stunner.”

The records describe a possible crash, fire, injury, or loss of control.

“Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Nissan Murano, 2016-2018 Nissan Maxima, and 2017-2019 Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and unrepaired, or inspected and determined to not need a repair, under recall number 18V-601. In addition, this recall expands the previous population. The Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) actuator pumps may allow brake fluid to leak onto an internal circuit board. A brake fluid leak on the circuit board may result in an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire. Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ABS actuator, free of charge. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available, currently expected to be during summer 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Note: If the ABS warning light remains illuminated for more than 10 seconds after engine start up, owners are advised to park the vehicle outdoors away from other vehicles or structures and to not drive the vehicle.”

The records describe a problem worth checking before purchase.

“CVT Warranty Extension In an effort to assure customer satisfaction, demonstrate our confidence in continuously variable transmissions (CVTs), and to address customer concerns including those expressed by customers in the class actions, Nissan will extend the warranty coverage on the CVT. The warranty extension includes the CVT assembly and internal CVT components, gaskets, and seals, CVT control valve body, torque converter, cooler kit (if applicable) and reprogramming of the Transmission Control Module (TCM), on the vehicles listed in this announcement. The warranty is being extended from its original duration of 60 months/60,000 miles to 84 months/84,000 miles (whichever occurs first). Coverage of other vehicle components remains unchanged, and all other terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions of Nissan’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty continue to apply. ***** What Dealers Should Do ***** 1. If an owner contacts a dealer with a CVT concern in an owned or leased vehicle, verify warranty coverage for the specific VIN and then inform the customer of any diagnostic charges. NOTE: Some owners may have opted out of the warranty extension by excluding themselves from the class action settlement, thus it is important to check the VIN for each vehicle to verify coverage. 2. Use the appropriate Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) and/or Electronic Service Manual (ESM) to diagnose the root cause of the customer concern and identify the correct repair to resolve the customer concerns. NOTE: Dealers will need to follow the warranty process and obtain pre-approval from the Powertrain Call Center (800-973-9992, option 2) for any vehicles requiring CVT replacements when the replacement cost exceeds a Dealer’s Claims Administration/Authorization Limits (DCAL). Control valves and CVT belt and pulley kits do not require pre-authorization for repairs made under warranty.”

The records describe a problem worth checking before purchase.

“CVT Warranty Extension In an effort to assure customer satisfaction, demonstrate our confidence in continuously variable transmissions (CVTs), and to address customer concerns including those expressed by customers in the class actions, Nissan will extend the warranty coverage on the CVT. The warranty extension includes the CVT assembly and internal CVT components, gaskets, and seals, CVT control valve body, torque converter, cooler kit (if applicable) and reprogramming of the Transmission Control Module (TCM), on the vehicles listed in this announcement. The warranty is being extended from its original duration of 60 months/60,000 miles to 84 months/84,000 miles (whichever occurs first). Coverage of other vehicle components remains unchanged, and all other terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions of Nissan’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty continue to apply. ***** What Dealers Should Do ***** 1. If an owner contacts a dealer with a CVT concern in an owned or leased vehicle, verify warranty coverage for the specific VIN and then inform the customer of any diagnostic charges. NOTE: Some owners may have opted out of the warranty extension by excluding themselves from the class action settlement, thus it is important to check the VIN for each vehicle to verify coverage. 2. Use the appropriate Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) and/or Electronic Service Manual (ESM) to diagnose the root cause of the customer concern and identify the correct repair to resolve the customer concerns. NOTE: Dealers will need to follow the warranty process and obtain pre-approval from the Powertrain Call Center (800-973-9992, option 2) for any vehicles requiring CVT replacements when the replacement cost exceeds a Dealer’s Claims Administration/Authorization Limits (DCAL). Control valves and CVT belt and pulley kits do not require pre-authorization for repairs made under warranty.”

The records describe a problem worth checking before purchase.

“CVT Warranty Extension UPDATE August 30, 2022 Please discard earlier versions of this bulletin. The announcement from June 2, 2022 has been revised to include: • The voucher program ID numbers provided in the FAQ section of this dealer announcement have been changed. The new voucher program ID numbers are:  Nissan program ID: 22N2299CVT  INFINITI program ID: 22I2299CVT”

The records describe a problem worth checking before purchase.

“CVT Warranty Extension UPDATE August 30, 2022 Please discard earlier versions of this bulletin. The announcement from June 2, 2022 has been revised to include: • The voucher program ID numbers provided in the FAQ section of this dealer announcement have been changed. The new voucher program ID numbers are:  Nissan program ID: 22N2299CVT  INFINITI program ID: 22I2299CVT”