5 complaints reported

2018 Nissan Pathfinder Engine

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
5
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Aug 2025

My 2018 Nissan Pathfinder started knocking at 75000 miles and it’s getting worse by the day I’ve paid my car payment down to 4000$ and now I’m told my motor is soon to go out.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2024
Feb 2025

On May 7th at 1:22 PM, the engine in my 2018 Nissan Pathfinder catastrophically failed for the second time while my family was driving. The engine completely lost power in the middle of a very busy highway intersection, going over an overpass, where there was no shoulder. I had no ability to pull off the road. My wife had to push the disabled vehicle off the highway to avoid causing a major accident. This was an incredibly dangerous situation where my entire family’s life was at risk. My wife could have been struck by oncoming traffic while we were pushing the vehicle to safety. There was no protection or space to safely move out of traffic. This is the second catastrophic engine failure on this vehicle. The first engine failed just over two years prior and was replaced by the dealership. Despite the replacement, the second engine also failed, repeating the same critical failure that Nissan Pathfinders from this model year are widely known to experience. There were no prior warning lamps or engine codes during this incident. The engine immediately lost power and locked up while in motion. This vehicle was properly maintained, and all scheduled services were performed by licensed service providers. Additional Supporting Evidence: •Incident Date: May 7th at 1:22 PM •Photos of the disabled vehicle on the side of the highway provided. •Screenshot of text message conversation at the time of the incident (attached). •This failure is consistent with multiple NHTSA complaints, owner reports, class-action lawsuits, and technical service bulletins regarding systemic engine failures in the 2018 Nissan Pathfinder.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2025
Mar 2023

I bought a 2018 Nissan Pathfinder august of 2022 from miller and miller Chevrolet in Marianna FL. I noticed the very next day after purchasing the vehicle that there was smoke coming from the tailpipe. This occurred everytime I cracked it. I took videos and pictures and sent it to my sales rep. I took it to them three times trying to get them to figure out the issue and fix it but they were unable to detect any issues. January of 2023 my Engine completely failed I had to have it towed to the dealership. They said that some rode camshaft broke. The mechanic told me that the engine was full of metal shavings. So they replaced the entire with a used low mileage engine that failed the day I picked it up 3/20/23 . I'm told that a used engine is what they are putting in it again that they (the warranty company Zurich) will not put a new one in it. I am a bartender and got to talking about this with a regular and it so happens that his wife has the same 2018 Nissan Pathfinder and he said the had the exact same problem. Their engine failed at 57,000 miles. He had to pay $15000 to put a new engine in it. I really feel like this is a manufacturing defect and should be recalled and made right. Thank you. I bought a 2018 Nissan Pathfinder august of 2022 from miller and miller Chevrolet in Marianna FL. I noticed the very next day after purchasing the vehicle that there was smoke coming from the tailpipe. This occurred everytime I cracked it. I took videos and pictures and sent it to my sales rep. I took it to them three times trying to get them to figure out the issue and fix it but they were unable to detect any issues. January of 2023 my Engine completely failed I had to have it towed to the dealership. They said that some rode camshaft broke. The mechanic told me that the engine was full of metal shavings. So they replaced the entire with a used low mileage engine that failed the day I picked it up 3/20/23 . I'm told that a used engine is what they are putting in it again.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2023
Mar 2020

LEFT SIDE RADIATOR COOLING FAN ON MY 2018 PATHFINDER IS FAILING AFTER ONLY 26,000 MILES. OBVIOUSLY A BIG PROBLEM ON THESE VEHICLES.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2020
Feb 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, A RATTLING, METAL TO METAL NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LIA NISSAN OF GLENS FALLS (518-636-1098, LOCATED AT 373 DIX AVENUE, QUEENSBURY, NY 12804) WHERE THE FAILURE WAS DUPLICATED DURING A TEST DRIVE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE AT THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SAME DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE NOISE WAS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 10,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER, Manufacturer: Nissan North America, Inc.
Incident: May 2019

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2018 Nissan Pathfinder has 5 Engine complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.