2017 Nissan Pathfinder Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 45,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
• Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
• Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
• Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

SLUDGE IN ENGINE- UNDER 100,000 MILES We had been keeping up with all recommended services, and it is cosmetically perfect, but the car is now a total loss. A Check Engine light came on, and we began to notice a tremor/shake and took it to Southern Team Nissan. The Nissan dealer diagnosed sludge in the engine and said it would need a…Owner complaint, filed 2026

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…Owner complaint, filed 2025

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 45,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
• Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
• Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
• If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

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.Owner complaint, filed 2025

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…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 89,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 45,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
• Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
• Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact's daughter owns a 2017 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the instrument panel and the infotainment system were inoperable, and the screen was black. The contact stated that the failure persisted while driving, and the contact's daughter was unable to control the side view mirrors. The vehicle…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 89,000 miles

Unavailable front radar obstruction,just bought my car last year July,owed so much money to having this kind of problem already,dealer said everything was check out perfectly but I think they lie to meOwner complaint, filed 2021

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 24,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
• The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
• Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

ABS pump "blew" lost compression and leaked all the brake fluid down the engine and all over the control arm. Brake pedal needed to go all the way to the floor to barely use the brakes. EBRAKE light stayed on even when not in use. Traction control light also came on and stayed on.Owner complaint, filed 2023

I purchased my 2017 nissan pathfinder and have already had to replace my rear brakes and all of my tires. I didn't even have 25000 miles and was told it was due to normal wear and tear. I've had numerous vehicles and never had to replace brakes or tires with such low mileage. Obviously there is something wrong because I am seeing the…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 23,850 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 7,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
• Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

Low beam headlamps becoming to dim to safely see at night resulting in having to replace entire headlamp Replacing bulb made no differenceOwner complaint, filed 2024

Recently, I have noticed that my SUV has not had good luminating ability so I naturally assumed it was a faulty or weak bulb. I have since then changed the bulbs to LED and still the same issue exists, I cannot see 3 feet in front of me at night. It is a danger to me, my occupants and others. It seems that the headlamp assembly is…Owner complaint, filed 2023

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 50,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
• On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
• Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving, there was white smoke coming from the exhaust pipes. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the head gasket was replaced. The contact stated that later, while driving, there was an abnormal fuel odor and fuel droplets inside the cabin of the vehicle. The…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 134,000 miles

All our fuel injectors had to be replaced for a total of $2,132. This should not have happened on a 3 yr old car! We were driving recently and the check engine light went on and we smelled a lot of gas.Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 49,655 miles

What to check before you buy

• Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
• On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
• A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

The car veers to the right when my foot is removed from the acelerator or I press on the brake pedal when going at least 40 mph. The car veers to the left when I press on the accelerator to go faster than 40 mph.Owner complaint, filed 2021

Power steering fluid is leaking from my 2017 Nissan Pathfinder. Currently, the fluid level is well below the minimum level marked on the fluid reservoir. The dipstick is dry. Concerned that this can lead to an accident if the power steering fails while I'm driving, not to mention the cost of repairing the issue. My car is 1 year out of…Owner complaint, filed 2021

What to check before you buy

• The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
• Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

I was involved in a collision, and despite the force of the impact, the vehicle's airbags failed to deploy.Following the accident, the main dashboard SRS airbag indicator light began flashing. Additionally, the passenger airbag light indicates that the passenger airbag remains "OFF" even when an adult is properly seated in the front…Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Pathfinder. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for routine maintenance, and the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the air bag and sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact refused the repairs. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 100,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 35,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
• Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
• Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, the hood was raising up but did not open all the way. The contact stated that she was able to see the hood moving up and down. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated…Owner complaint, filed 2022, at 35,000 miles

The contact owns a 2017 nissan pathfinder. The contact stated that the liftgate failed to operate as designed intermittently. The contact also stated that when the liftgate started to open, it would then immediately close independently without warning. The contact took the vehicle to welch nissan (2505 s olive st, pine bluff, ar 71601)…Owner complaint, filed 2020

What to check before you buy

• On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
• Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

As I was driving my 2017 Nissan Pathfinder, when the vehicle suddenly accelerated to a high rate of speed and the gas pedal became stuck. I tried to press on the brake as much as possible but the vehicle was not successfully able to be stopped which caused a terrible motor vehicle accident.Owner complaint, filed 2025

I pulled out to turn left on a four lane city street, entered into the first 2 lanes (traffic coming from driver's side) when the car stopped accelerating and just sat motionless while cars in both lanes were moving toward me. Speed limit on that street is 50 MPH. I maintained pressure on the gas, and eventually the car began to move.…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 45,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
• Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
• Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

When traveling more than 10-15 miles, the FEB/ICC warning comes on without notice or reason, disables the cruise control and slows the car suddenly. There is no way to reset it without stopping the vehicle and restarting it. Took Service Bulletin NTB19-033a to the Action Nissan dealer in Nashville, TN. Despite it clearly indicating that…Owner complaint, filed 2022

Most notably, when I'm using adaptive cruise control, my cruise control disengages and my car alerts me that the feb [forward emergency braking] - aka - automatic emergency braking - is "unavailable" due to "front radar obstruction" this happens at very random times, at least every other day, during normal highway and city driving. It is…Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 70,538 miles

What to check before you buy

• Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
• Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that the seat belt and air bag warning lights illuminated while the driver’s and passenger’s seats were occupied. The contact stated that the passenger’s air bag light was off. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V244000 (Air Bags); as the cause for the failure…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 115,000 miles

When driver seat is moved to highest point, the side view mirror blocks your view from from seeing anything on the entire front side of the car. I'm 5ft so I need the seat all the way up. Almost had several collisions because you can't see past or around side view mirror.Owner complaint, filed 2021

What to check before you buy

• Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
• Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
• Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

Wire connector harness on alternator wires malfunctioned causing incorrect readings to computer, causing alternator to fail and battery replaced four times till mechanic replaced wire connector harness an wires.. control arm, and CV Axle failedOwner complaint, filed 2023

What to check before you buy

• Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
• Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
• The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

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…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 100,000 miles