2013 Nissan Pathfinder Nissan Pathfinder 2013

We are 103,000+ car owners sharing real-world car information.

Join Us

2013 Nissan Pathfinder repairs by problem area

Engine (6%)

Transmission and Drivetrain (34%)

Brakes and Traction Control (1%)

Suspension and Steering (8%)

Electrical and Air Conditioning (34%)

Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (10%)

Other (7%)

Chart based on 145 repairs.
See TSBs and recalls for the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder.

2013 Nissan Pathfinder repair cost distribution

$2500+ (0%)

$1000 - $2499 (4%)

$500 - $999 (6%)

$100 - $499 (9%)

< $100 (81%)

Worried about potential repair costs? An extended warranty can provide peace of mind.

Chart based on 78 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.

2013 Nissan Pathfinder

Engine not specified

Nissan Pathfinder in Missouri, United States
Jan 2013 - Feb 2014
Nov 2013

14300 mi
A headlight was burned out. 
Jan 2014

17500 mi
There is a high whining noise when it is cold out. Cruise control does not hold speed to within acceptable limits -- it varies as much as five miles per hour Head light burned out. 

Return to top

2013 Nissan Pathfinder 4dr SUV

260-horsepower 3.5L V6 CVT FWD

Nissan Pathfinder in California, United States
Mar 2013 - Mar 2016
Jun 2013

5000 mi
My car fuel tank makes a loud sloshing noise when it is full. Took car into dealer, and was inform that a lot of Pathfinder has the same issue. Said they are waiting for Nissan corporate to redesign the fuel tank before they will fix. 
Aug 2014

29400 mi
Transmission still has a problem. 
Nissan Pathfinder in Texas, United States
Feb 2013 - Jun 2018
Jun 2015

48000 mi

US $600
Driver door mechanism broke so door could not be opened from the inside. 
Jan 2016

26700 mi

US $500
The transmission would not shift beyond first gear. 
Nissan Pathfinder in Georgia, United States
Jun 2013 - Mar 2015
Dec 2014

16000 mi
Seat belt recall. The airbag warning light would not go out. It is better now, but still comes and goes at times. My wife weighs 100-103lbs and I think she is too light and there is no fix to change the weight threshold. 
Nissan Pathfinder in Oklahoma, United States
Jun 2014 - Nov 2014
May 2014

10621 mi

US $350
1st repair for car shudder at low speeds. Dealer reprogrammed automatic transmission control unit. Did not fix problem. 
Jul 2014

16000 mi
2nd visit for car shuddering at slow speeds and hesitation when pressing accelerator. Dealer replaced torque converter. Did not fix problem. Car still studdered. 3rd trip to repair car shuddering at slow speeds and hesitation during acceleration. Dealer replaced transmission. Shuddering problem better but not gone. Hesitation during acceleration worse. 
Nov 2014

20000 mi
After approximately 7,000 miles on the second transmission. Shuttering problem started again just like the first transmission. Took car back to dealer and traded for a different car. Got rid of the problem for good. 
Nissan Pathfinder in Missouri, United States
Apr 2013 - Dec 2017
Mar 2014

13000 mi
where transmission and trans axle join together the seal was leaking fluid 
Mar 2015

26000 mi
Weatherstripping under roof racks coming off 
Jul 2015

30500 mi
Backup camera flickering and darkening during cold periods unable to use they said they would further watch in Allen repair when it went totally out 
Dec 2015

36000 mi
Replace video monitor due to backup camera flickering 
Jun 2016

43000 mi

US $160
A/C not blowing as cold of air as normal. Compressor was working. Local auto & tire shop evacuated and refilled the system. 
Oct 2016

51300 mi
CVT judder and grinding 
Nov 2016

53700 mi
Transaxle replacement under warranty 
Sep 2017

79000 mi

US $60
Rear hatch opener assembly fell apart and replaced the whole assembly which includes the release button, camera and chrome trim. Bought piece used on line. Repair even fixed shotty camera that would flicker. 
Nissan Pathfinder in New Mexico, United States
Feb 2014 - May 2017
Jun 2014

5000 mi
Had coolant smell after shutdown, dealer couldn't find ant problems. 
Jan 2015

39000 mi
Same coolant smell as before, dealer couldn't duplicate. Both visors won't stay up. 
Nissan Pathfinder in Massachusetts, United States
Sep 2014 - Feb 2019
Mar 2018

71000 mi
Replaced transmission due to failure. Covered under nissan warranty 
Nissan Pathfinder in California, United States
Mar 2017 - Jun 2022
Apr 2017

71000 mi

US $95
When vehicle was purchased, battery was missing a vent cap and two cells were completely dry. Dealer replaced battery free-of-charge. When vehicle was purchased, the driver side rear turn signal lens was broken, allowing dirt and water to enter the light housing. Replaced tail light housing with aftermarket assembly. 
Jul 2018

86000 mi

US $50
AC Clutch coil overheated, shorted, and became non-op. Replaced coil, clutch, and pulley 
Aug 2019

92000 mi

US $50
AC clutch coil burned out AGAIN. Replaced again. 
Dec 2020

103000 mi

US $5
Shifter lockout solenoid switch burned out. Solenoid pulls 500mA. Original switch was rated at 100mA. Replaced with 5A switch. 
Oct 2021

108000 mi

US $150
replaced front pads and rotors 
Nissan Pathfinder in Georgia, United States
Dec 2013 - Jun 2018
Jan 2014

10000 mi
Plastic roof rack trim came loose on both sides, was replaced by dealer under warranty 
Feb 2014

11000 mi
Front windshield wipers stopped moving, determined to be broken connection between wiper arms and motor. 
Jun 2014

16000 mi
Repeat repair of wiper motor linkage to blades after recent warranty repair by dealer Driver's side front running/parking lamp burned out, replaced both. Took over 10 minutes to replace the first time because hard to access enclosure, requires disconnecting battery lead due to the confined space. Probably only take 5 minutes next time. Interior driver's door handle failed (broken inside door panel) 
Apr 2015

31700 mi

US $105
Blower motor was making noise and running at reduced speed, not covered under warranty due to being caused by debris in motor. 
Mar 2018

96000 mi

US $300
Radiator fan replacement 
Nissan Pathfinder in Texas, United States
Oct 2014 - Feb 2022
Feb 2015

34600 mi
wind noise on roof rails,repaired several times sense day 1Sounds like roof is comning off in a crosswind. 
Feb 2022

118000 mi

US $1471
loud banging noise all types of driving 
Nissan Pathfinder in California, United States
Oct 2012 - Aug 2013
Jan 2013

2000 mi
Service bulletin for jittery start. A software update was required. Had problem again, this time dealer couldn't replicate. Hasn't happened again in last few days. 
Nissan Pathfinder in Texas, United States
Dec 2012 - Dec 2016
Sep 2015

35000 mi
Right rear strut leaking, covered by warranty. 
Nissan Pathfinder in Tennessee, United States
Jan 2013 - Jun 2021
Sep 2013

6000 mi
Seat cooler on drivers side not working. Cable had gotten disconnected. 
Jan 2017

24200 mi
The drivers side door opener from inside would not work. The door mechanism that pulls on a cable wire had broken off a plastic piece. Found on web that this is very common, bought new handle assembly for $15 bucks and replaced it. Very easy to do, good instruction on YouTube. 

Return to top

2013 Nissan Pathfinder 4dr SUV

260-horsepower 3.5L V6 CVT 4WD

Nissan Pathfinder in Delaware, United States
Jul 2013 - Jul 2014
Dec 2013

6000 mi
Car shudders, feels like it's going to stall sometimes when making a slow left turn. Problem did not occur when I had it to the shop. Therefore, nothing was done. It still has this periodic issue. 
Mar 2014

10000 mi
Car continues to shudder when moving slowly under load. It's like the CVT is hunting for the proper ratio, but it feels like the engine will stall (it hasn't stalled).. 
Jun 2014

14000 mi
Car continues to shudder when a light throttle is applied. This is the third time in the shop for this issue, it seems to be getting worse. This time, like the other two times, the dealer could not replicate the issue. 
Jul 2014

14000 mi
Transmission shuddering was getting worse. After 5 trips to the dealer where they "could not replicate" we finally ask them to buy the car back because it was becoming a safety concern. 
Nissan Pathfinder in Connecticut, United States
Dec 2013 - Jun 2018
Jan 2014

3300 mi
The passenger seat airbag sensor was malfunctioning. It was turned OFF even though an adult was sitting in the seat. 
Nissan Pathfinder in Pennsylvania, United States
Apr 2014 - Apr 2017
Feb 2015

13300 mi
intermittent malfunction with parking sensors when using the remote start. 
Oct 2016

40700 mi
Cleaned debris out of HVAC blower motor. Debris included leaves and outside foreign objects. 
Apr 2017

49000 mi
Car would intermittently lose acceleration. Dealership could not replicate, and no codes were present. Nothing was fixed. Car would intermittently not accelerate. Dealership suspects faulty brake switch, causing the ECU to cut acceleration after false brake depression. Technicians adjusted brake switch. 
Nissan Pathfinder in Maryland, United States
Feb 2014 - Mar 2014
Mar 2014

22000 mi
The oil change warning is set but never comes on when it is time to change the oil. Told dealer and they just looked at me. Car hesitates and does not go in stop & go traffic. Then when you push harder on the accelerator it jumps and you just about hit the car in front of you. They had it 8 days to drive it wherever they want but said can't find anything wrong. 
Nissan Pathfinder in Ontario, Canada
Jan 2016 - Oct 2017
Jul 2016

50060 mi
transfer case needed replacing 
Dec 2016

60140 mi

C $900
stabilizer bar felt loose like a bad shock 
Jul 2017

70680 mi

C $1200
Ac compressor total failure Mechanic said it was there is no way this should happen 
Nissan Pathfinder in New York, United States
Jul 2013 - Jul 2013
Jul 2013

3500 mi
Replaced torque converter due to CVT shudder 
Nissan Pathfinder in Oregon, United States
Dec 2015 - Sep 2017
Aug 2017

40000 mi
airbag sensor 
Nissan Pathfinder in North Carolina, United States
Jan 2017 - Jun 2018
Mar 2018

82000 mi
Recall on "air bag might failed to deploy". Technician notice CVT jerking and slipping. Replaced under warranty so no cost to owner. Estimated cost would have been $4,600. 
Nissan Pathfinder in Georgia, United States
Oct 2015 - Nov 2016
Nov 2016

53000 mi

US $780
Both sun visors have failed. Cheap internal bracket broken and sun users won't stay in place. 
Nissan Pathfinder in Maine, United States
Nov 2013 - Mar 2017
Jan 2014

15000 mi
Clogged windshield washer nozzle. 
Nissan Pathfinder in Ontario, Canada
Jun 2014 - Dec 2016
May 2015

22320 mi
Small molding for trim around roof rails came off. Was replaced under warranty. 
Nissan Pathfinder in Indiana, United States
Oct 2015 - Jul 2017
Dec 2015

51000 mi
Transmission leaked. Several parts near it replaced. 
Apr 2017

74000 mi

US $454
Replaced right rear wheel bearing 
Jul 2017

81000 mi
CVT transmission replacement for the third time. 
Nissan Pathfinder in New Hampshire, United States
Jun 2013 - Jul 2022
Jun 2014

24000 mi
Passenger Side Airbag still not working properly 
Jun 2016

79000 mi
The transmission will lose power when accelerating. Its a known issue with the Nissan CVT. The problem has occured since about 40K miles, unfortunately Nissan considers it out of warranty and will not repair. The front right strut bearing sticks when turning. After speaking with a former Nissan mechanic he has said its a known issue with the larger heavier vehicles. Has occurred since about 40K miles, Nissan considers out of warranty. 
Dec 2016

92000 mi
CVT hesitates in lower gears. Dealer says it feels normal for a CVT transmission. I can and will have a non dealer look into it. Nissan has many issues with the CVT in the heavier vehicles. Nissan has recalled may CVT's but the 2013 model year has not been included in the recalls. They have also extended the warranty for past CVT's to almost double their initial standard transmission warranty. Again, the 2013 pathfinder has not been included in the extensions 
Mar 2017

97000 mi

US $94
There have been numerous issues that were noticed relating to the CVT transmission. The transmission would hesitate at times or would shift very hard. It was brought into the dealer multiple times each time only to be told it was a programming issue. In March of this year it was brought in again and they were told the transmission was lugging like it had slack in a belt in the transmission. This description now qualified the transmission to be taken apart at which point it was replaced under warranty. The manufacturer has a recall on the 2013 pathfinder transmissions but will only "replace" the transmission if it meets a specific criteria. Nissan has recalled many other CVT transmissions but the 2013 Pathfinder was excluded. If your vehicle is shifting hard, seem sluggish at slow speeds when coasting and turning into a driveway, have them look at it and ask about the recent recall that began in early 2017 
Apr 2017

97000 mi

US $47
My pathfinder was making a loud popping sound in the back end that I had associated to the drivetrain. The sound was apparent when applying the gas and turning. It was taken to the dealer at which point they said the sound was due to "after market break pads". This was not the case, I took it to a local mechanic who listened to it and determined it was coming from the linkage that is engaged for the all wheel drive system. He then looked up service recall bulletins and found that there was a bulletin relating to the "electric controlled coupling" which engages when the car is in all wheel drive. The bulletin called for the coupling to be replaced. This is an expensive part costing aprox $1,100.00 for the coupling only exclusive of labor. My vehicle was originally a lease that i had and I purchased it at the end of the lease. I also purchased the extended warranty, premium level. The labor and parts were covered under the extended warranty. 
May 2017

100000 mi
Original Transmission replaced under manufacturer recall. Recall called for a repair, but due to the past history with the transmission a full replacement was done along with the differential. 
Jul 2017

109996 mi
Third transmission replacement. Manufacturers transmission was recalled and replaced by the dealer. Second transmission failed and replaced with a new transmission about 60 days after the first replacement. CVT transmission issues are common with the Nissan CVT on heavier vehicles. Manufacturer of the transmission is aware of the issue but would always say it was a programming issue, it took many tries to get them to replace the first transmission. The second transmission was replaced under extended warranty (meaning we are on our third CVT). 
Aug 2017

110000 mi
We had problems with the suspension starting at about 30k miles, the manufacturer was never able to duplicate it so it persisted until and after the warranty expired. When we purchased the car off lease we also purchased the extended warranty. The car was brought back in for the initial suspension concern at which point it was determined the original suspension was bad. We had full suspension replacement on the front end. 
Nissan Pathfinder in New York, United States
Jul 2013 - May 2015
Jan 2014

12000 mi
Windshield fluid pump. Took 2 visits to diagnose and 1 to install 
Nissan Pathfinder in New York, United States
Feb 2013 - Apr 2013
Mar 2013

2000 mi
Transmission blew up after a short drive. Engine compartment smoking to the point I thought it was an engine fire, and transmission fluid leaked all over the driveway. Had vehicle towed to the dealership and tranny had to be replaced.... Passenger side window motor failed, with window half way open. Took vehicle to dealer, dealer had to order parts, replaced window motor and regulator. 
Apr 2013

2000 mi
Trying to drive out of driveway, car lost all drive power, and engine started misfiring. All warning lights lit up on dashboard, and car subsequently stalled out and would not restart. 
Nissan Pathfinder in Virginia, United States
Apr 2013 - Oct 2015
Aug 2013

4000 mi
Rubber weather stripping between roof and doors came loose. 
Mar 2014

11000 mi
Car would shudder / judder / shake at low speeds under light throttle. Transmission reprogrammed, torque converter replaced. 
May 2014

13600 mi
Judder returned the next day. Transmission replaced due to judder. Software was updated and the transmission seems to delay the lock up a bit longer to avoid judder. 
Nissan Pathfinder in Vermont, United States
Apr 2013 - May 2013
May 2013

4000 mi
tailgate rubbing against body 
Nissan Pathfinder in Indiana, United States
Nov 2012 - Dec 2013
Sep 2013

10000 mi
Passengers seat belt light was on with no one in the seat. Dealer replaced the two seatbelt control modules in the passengers seat. 
Nissan Pathfinder in New York, United States
Oct 2012 - Dec 2012
Dec 2012

2000 mi
New type of power steering sounded like it whined awfully loud to me. Dealership compared it to another new Pathfinder and said it is normal. Passenger seat belt/air bag pressure sensor reset. Dealership reset the sensor and deemed it good to go. New type of power steering sounded like it whined awfully loud to me. Dealership compared it to another new Pathfinder and said it is normal. Passenger seat belt/air bag pressure sensor reset. Dealership reset the sensor and deemed it good to go. 
Nissan Pathfinder in British Columbia, Canada
Nov 2012 - Jul 2013
Dec 2012

620 mi
Seat belt sensor for passenger seat remained on without a passenger. Tail gate replaced. Rear tailgate would open and then close immediately. 
Jul 2013

4340 mi
Vehicle shuddered at low speed. Felt like going over rumble strips. Nissan has fix for torque converter and this problem. Dealership has replaced this vehicle for me with another Pathfinder of the same model. 
Nissan Pathfinder in Pennsylvania, United States
Nov 2012 - Nov 2015
Jul 2013

7500 mi
Vehicle exhibits shudder at light throttle, low speed intermittently. Dealer replaced torque converter. Subsequently, found transmission leak, dealer corrected. 
Nov 2015

33000 mi
Whine noise, transmission bad per dealer. Suspension making clunking noise. Per dealer, leaking strut 
Nissan Pathfinder in New York, United States
Apr 2013 - Dec 2016
May 2013

3800 mi
Parking brake was not holding car on hill Rear windshield washer was not washing windshield. Water was just dripping. Dealer said tube was pinched. 
Feb 2014

11700 mi
Passenger air bag light coming on when passenger sits while car is in drive. Doesn't seem to happen when car is in park. 
Mar 2015

27000 mi
Strut and shock separated from mount on right front side 
Dec 2015

35000 mi
Feels like losing grip on turns, probably bushings or sway bar needs to be replaced Rust in trunk 
Nissan Pathfinder in Washington, United States
Apr 2013 - Feb 2016
Aug 2013

11000 mi
Engine studder Passenger airbag failure 
Jan 2014

20300 mi
Passenger airbag sensor does not work consistently. 
Jul 2014

26200 mi
Replace CVT, broken door handle and passenger airbag sensor fix. 
Dec 2014

33000 mi
Driver side window stuck open. 
Jan 2016

48000 mi
Transfer case had to be replaced. 
Nissan Pathfinder in Maryland, United States
Jun 2013 - Dec 2015
Apr 2014

12700 mi
Weatherstripping for roof rails peeled off 
Aug 2014

18300 mi
Intermittent low-speed shudder/loss of power. Dealer reprogrammed per TSB but said transmission would have to be replaced if it continues to happen. 
Sep 2014

19000 mi
Recall re: airbag sensor. Didn't always detect a passenger in the front seat. Needed reprogramming. 
Apr 2015

29500 mi
Rear hatch automatic sensor faulty - started to close as soon as liftgate was fully open. Airbag sensor still not working properly. Doesn't always detect passenger. CVT recall 
Jul 2015

32700 mi
Car shudders occasionally at low speeds despite multiple reprogramming. Shuddered a lot going up a steep hill at low speed. Transmission replaced. Also replaced drive axle and passenger side CV due to installation error. Airbag sensor does not always recognize a passenger in the front seat. This has been an on and off problem since car was purchased. When dealer looked at it the problem didn't show up so no repair was made. 
Aug 2015

34900 mi
New transmission was installed. Afterwards car was leaking transmission fluid, especially when parked on an incline. Faulty tranny installation (seal) was corrected.  
Nissan Pathfinder in Texas, United States
Dec 2012 - Oct 2015
Jan 2013

42300 mi
Appears an oxygen sensor malfunctioned after dealer washed the car. 
Mar 2015

55000 mi

US $129
All electronics in the car suddenly stop working. Replaced battery because dealer can't find anything wrong. 
May 2015

58700 mi
Same issue reported in March 2015. This time the dealer was able to diagnose it as a bad stereo system causing the problem. 
Nissan Pathfinder in Iowa, United States
Aug 2013 - Jun 2022
Jun 2013

3000 mi
Problem was passenger airbag sensor sometimes disabled even when an adult was sitting there. The dealer checked the airbag sensor and was unable to reproduce problem. Told me airbag sensors are temperamental and it's normal. 
Aug 2013

4000 mi
Rubber weather stripping between roof and doors came loose. Replaced by dealer. Dealer replaced torque convertor 
Nov 2013

7300 mi
Hesitated several different times on several different days after a pause and right turn. 
Apr 2014

8500 mi
When opening the rear door, it would immediately reverse and close once open all the way. 
Mar 2016

23000 mi
The climate control drops out of Auto mode sometimes. 
Oct 2016

26200 mi
OCS seat belt recall repair 
Mar 2017

27000 mi
Rubber seals on roof rails were coming off. Dealer replaced both roof rails at no cost even though warranty period expired. 
Jul 2019

44000 mi

US $800
Transfer case bearing failed, entire transfer case needed to be replaced. Nissan paid for 90% out of warranty. 
Mar 2021

49000 mi

US $1351
Transfer case leaking oil, needed to be resealed. Nissan covered half of the $2,700 cost out of warranty. 
Nissan Pathfinder in Virginia, United States
Jun 2013 - Feb 2019
Jan 2015

25800 mi
Sun shade visors making poping noise when put down. 
Nov 2017

35000 mi
Drivers interior door handle broke off. 
Nissan Pathfinder in British Columbia, Canada
Jun 2013 - Aug 2014
Jul 2014

9920 mi
CVT transmission shuddered as I turned around a corner. It did it again on a straight road and then again on an incline. Dealer gave me a loaner while they tried to recreate the problem. Service dept said they flashed the transmission md 
Nissan Pathfinder in Massachusetts, United States
Apr 2013 - Sep 2021
Jun 2013

2000 mi
Car intermittently rumbles for a second or two at low speeds, as though driving over a rumble strip. 
Aug 2013

5100 mi
Technical Service Bulletin required torque converter be replaced and transmission reprogrammed. Reprogram (done in June) was incorrect. Had to be redone. 
Mar 2017

75000 mi
Bluetooth not working properly. Can't answer calls coming in on cell phone; bluetooth disconnects once call is answered, and cell phone must be used by hand to take call. Dealer only willing to state that investigating repair would cost a couple hundred dollars just to diagnose the problem. Could not guarantee it is fixable. 
Nissan Pathfinder in Connecticut, United States
May 2013 - Dec 2014
Jun 2013

2000 mi
Odometer,trip odometer, and shift lever position intermittently fail to display Dealer planned to replace instrument cluster, but apparently only re-programmed odometer. It now remains illuminated when car is running, but is the first thing to light up when door is opened and the last to go off(?). 
Oct 2013

4200 mi
Car shudders severely when attempting to maintain low speed. This trip was to diagnose problem only. Dealer is ordering a replacement transmission. 
Nov 2013

4600 mi
Replaced transmission 
Mar 2014

6000 mi
After shutting off engine warning chime sounds randomly for no reason when door is opened. Next time car is to be used remote start will not work and dome lights normally activated on approach do not go on. If chime doesn't sound both work. After transmission was replaced shift linkage is apparently loose even after a return for adjustment. To prevent the above chiming and subsequent failure of remote start etc. the lever has to be very carefully moved into park position. 
Nissan Pathfinder in New Jersey, United States
Jul 2013 - Jun 2018
Sep 2015

23000 mi
Side mirrors and seat memory stopped working. The dealer replaced the BCM unit under warranty 
Aug 2016

36600 mi
Dealer found a computer code that the transmission may fail. Nissan dealer replaced the whole transmission under warranty 

Return to top

See TrueDelta's information for all SUVs
See TrueDelta's information for all Nissan models.

2013 Nissan Pathfinder Repair Histories

See our lemon odds and nada odds page to see vehicles with no repairs or vehicles with more than three repairs. To see how frequently 2013 Nissan Pathfinder problems occur, check out our car reliability stats.