Car overheated/no start, had SUV tolled to auto repair shop was told by techician was told the following. Radiator failed causing coolant and trans fluid to mix. Transmission control module failed causing vehicle not to start.
2006 Nissan Pathfinder: engine overheating
57 of the 837 complaints about the 2006 Nissan Pathfinder describe engine overheating.
- owner complaints
- 57
- of this car's complaints
- 7%
- typical repair cost reported
- $4,381
- typical mileage
- 92,853
- recalls
- 1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall and 5 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below
Engine overheating by model year
What owners say
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 nissan pathfinder. The contact stated that the "overheated" warning indicator illuminated while driving approximately 25 MPH. The following day, the vehicle failed start. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who determined that the radiator failed and caused coolant and transmission fluid to mix. In addition, the transmission control module failed. The mechanic stated that the engine had to be rebuilt and a new radiator needed to be installed. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 87,270.
Coolant leaks into transmission. This ruined the transmission and should be recalled.
Radiator coolant leaked into the transmission $4000 car 10 years old however I had high mileage due to many road trips
Total transmission failure on i95 in connecticut ,10pm at night, at 55mph , with family in car. Coolant leaked into the transmission causing a total transmission failure. Nissan knows about this problem and did not contact vehicle owners to warn of the problem or offer suggested repair. Replacing the radiator would have been a $300.00 fix. Instead nissan offered no warning and the extremely dangerous transmission failure on an interstate at night happened. Total cost to repair was $4381, plus a week car rental.
Radiator coolant leak into transmission caused complete engine failure while driving on a 6 lane highway. Ability to accelerate or maintain speed ceased when pressing gas pedal. Coasted on slight downward hill for 1/4 of a mile or a little more allowing time to turn onto a side street where vehicle stopped completely.
While accelerating to get onto an entrance to I-95 my car began to vibrate at about 40 MPH and make a roaring noise. The noise went away at about 50 MPH. When I took it to my mechanic he said the problem was an known issue that nissan had involving the transmission coolant leaking into the transmission and ruining it. He explained that nissan had offered an extended warranty up to 80,000 miles. My car has 98,000. Nissan has known about their defective radiators leaking into the transmissions since 2013 and did not issue a recall. I feel like it is their responsibility to fix this problem for free. When I attempted to trade the car in no one wanted it in trade because of the known issues. I am on a fixed income and can not afford this costly repair or a new vehicle. Nissan had left us high and dry and plan to do nothing to help fix a problem that they knew existed. This is criminal! They have cheated us and ignored nissan owners dealing with this problem. I want my car fixed before it gets to 100,000 miles in case they call a cut off at that mileage again! They are totally at fault and responsible for cheating people out of hundreds of thousands dollars and the are getting away with it. My car is parked and I can't drive it for fear of going over 100,000 miles or breaking down completely on the highway and having a fatal accident. I have had to borrow my son's car to go any where I need to go. This is very frustrating and totally unfair that I even have to write this complaint since nissan admits that thousands of their vehicles are known lemons! They should pay up or be prosecuted as any other criminal would be for cheating/stealing from a consumer.
Coolant leaked into transmission, destroying the transmission, and rendering vehicle useless without thousands in repairs
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 nissan pathfinder. While driving various speeds, the transmission began to slip gears without warning. The intermittent failure recurred and became progressively worse. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the radiator coolant leaked into the transmission fluid, which caused internal damage to the transmission. The mechanic stated that the transmission would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 143,000.
While driving on interstate 25 in south denver, my pathfinder began to sputter and stall. The engine started to overheat as I pulled into a service station about two miles away. I had it towed to christian brothers auto in parker colorado. A radiator part blew, the engine overheated and was destroyed. The steam from the plastic radiator part also damaged the main computer. It was close to $10,000 for all repairs related to the radiator part failure. Approximately 8,000 miles later, my daughter and I were driving on I-70 near the vail, colorado exit, and the pathfinder started to jerk violently on the highway going 65mph. I was able to pull over to the side of the road. Scary experience for us both. This happened today, 03/24/2016. Smoke was coming from under the car. I had it towed to avon auto in avon colorado. They said the transmission is damaged, but they did not have time to look into it further. Please call or email me with further questions. [xxx] or [xxx]. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Total transmission & radiator failure due to coolant leaking into the transmission.
Coolant leaked into transmission causing car to not start and not usable.
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling
- What is wrong
- Nissan is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 armada, titan, infiniti qx56 and model year 2005-2006 frontier, pathfinder and xterra vehicles. The intelligent power distribution module (ipdm) assembly contains an engine control module (ECM) relay that has a diode for electrical current noise reduction. The ECM relay may allow silicon vapor to form and, over time, the silicon evaporates from the diode molding which causes silicon oxide to develop on the ECM relay contact due to arcing.
- Risk
- This could cause engine stalling increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the ECM relay inside the ipdm assembly. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on december 6, 2010. Owners may contact nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261.
Recall number 10V517000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2006 Nissan Pathfinder overheating
Is engine overheating a common problem on the 2006 Nissan Pathfinder?
57 of 837 owner complaints about the 2006 Nissan Pathfinder (7%) mention engine overheating. The model year with the most reports is 2005.
How much does it cost to fix engine overheating on the 2006 Nissan Pathfinder?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $4,381 (median of 17 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2006 Nissan Pathfinder?
There is 1 recall and 5 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2006 Nissan Pathfinder
Fuel gauge 192Transmission failure 120Check engine light 96Stalling 78Jerking 50Slipping 38Loss of power 27Shudder 26Hesitation 17Won't shift 12Fuel pump 10Grinding brakes 9Engine failure 8Airbag light 7Knocking 7Harsh shifting 7Water leak 7Whining noise 7Won't start 7Steering lock-up 5
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