On 01/20/25, I brought my vehicle to Nissan of Downtown L.A , to fix a manufacturer recall of drivers side airbag. The invoice indicates "Inspect Driver Bag Module and Replace Driver Air Bag Cover." "Upon Inspection Performed Recall, Inspect Driver Air Bag And Replace Driver Air Bag Cover And Check Found Vehicle OK." Approximately four months later, the red airbag light on my dashboard was flashing. On 05/13/25, I returned to Nissan Of Downtown L A. I explained the issue to service advisor, Litzy Carranza. She stated if the results of the diagnostic testing weren't related to the recall issue, I would be responsible for the cost to repair. When I received the results: "Airbag Light Flashing, Check For DTCS And Found B1049 And B1054. Check Wires And Connectors Found OK. Recommend Replacing Airbag Module And Spiral Cable To Start." Litzy informed me the cost to fix issue would be approximately $2,000. I declined to have issue repaired at my cost, and I left dealership. On 05/14/25, I contacted Nissan Headquarters to file a complaint. Case #[XXX] was established. Several days later, I spoke with Marshay, Nissan Consumer Affairs. She indicated that each Nissan dealership is independently owned and operated. Therefore, Nissan Headquarters can not force Nissan Of Downtown L.A, to repair the airbag issue. However, she will have the service manager call me the next day. On 06/06/25, I received a voice-mail message from Lance, Nissan of Downtown L.A. Service Director. I did not return his phone call, since he didn't specifically indicate that Nissan would take full responsibility and repair the flashing airbag light for free. I don't know if the airbag can deploy at any time, or not at all, if I'm involved in an accident. I am already at a higher risk for serious injury due to receiving a right cornea transplant, wearing a specialty contact lens, and glasses. The force of a deployed airbag can shatter my right cornea, and shatter the lens. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INF
The worst 2010 Nissan Pathfinder problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Airbags11
- Transmission11
- Engine8
- Steering5
- Acceleration4
- Suspension4
- Fuel system3
- Brakes2
- Electrical2
- Driver assistance1
- Seat belts1
- Seats1
- Tires1
- Visibility1
- Wheels1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2010 Nissan Pathfinder
Recalls 4
Air bags: frontal
- What is wrong
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2008-2011 Titan, Frontier, Xterra, Pathfinder, Armada, and 2008-2009 Quest vehicles. The resin emblem on the driver's air bag cover may develop cracks and detach during air bag deployment.
- Risk
- A detached emblem can become a projectile during air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury to vehicle occupants.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the drivers airbag cover. Owner letters were mailed December 8, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1‑800‑867‑7669. Nissan's number for this recall are PC944, PC945, and PC946.
Recall number 23V067000 · Recall details
Equipment: electrical: navigational system(global positioning system)
- What is wrong
- Nissan is recalling certain vehicles that were equipped with a garmin nuvi model 750 navigation system. The batteries contained in the affected GPS units can overheat.
- Risk
- Overheated batteries could result in a fire.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners and the repairs will be performed by garmin technicians by replacing the battery and inserting a spacer on top of the battery free of charge. The safety recall began on september 16, 2010. Owners may contact garmin directly at 1‑866‑957‑1981 or nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261.
Recall number 10V401000 · Recall details
Suspension: front: control arm: lower arm
- What is wrong
- Nissan is recalling certain model year 2010 titan, armada, qx56, frontier, xterra, and pathfinder vehicles manufactured from november 19, 2009 through march 3, 2010. The lower control link assembly has two cylindrical collars forming the inboard attachment points to the chassis. Due to an improper welding process some collars may contain welds that do not meet strength specifications.
- Risk
- If the collar weld separates, the vehicle handling will deteriorate, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on may 20, 2010. Owners may contact nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261.
Recall number 10V208000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal: sensor/control module-inactive
- What is wrong
- Nissan has notified the federal safety agency of a defect in certain model year 2010 frontier, pathfinder, and xterra vehicles manufactured from february 22, 2010 to march 13, 2010. On some of the potentially affected vehicles, the fasteners securing the passenger front air bag module, and also the fasteners securing the steering shaft positioning bracket may not have been tightened to the proper torque specification.
- Risk
- In the event of a crash, the passenger front air bag deployment trajectory might be affected. The fasteners could possibly come out of the steering column positioning bracket increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the steering column and the passenger front air bag fasteners and any missing fasteners will be replaced and all loose fasteners will be retightened to the proper torque specifications free of charge. The safety recall began on april 19, 2010. Owners may contact nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261.
Recall number 10V115000 · Recall details
See all 4 recalls for the 2010 Nissan Pathfinder
Defect investigations
Transmission Failures
On February 29, 2012 the federal safety agency received a letter petitioning the agency to conduct a defect investigation into MY 2005-2010 Nissan Pathfinder, Frontier, and Xterra vehicles [the subject vehicles] for automatic transmission failures related to failed transmission coolers.the federal safety agency conducted a comprehensive review of data related to this subject. Our report, documenting this review, is available in the document file for this defect petition.It will also be published in the Federal Register. Of the 2,505 referenced complaints, 638 relate to a potential hazard (unable to maintain speed, no motive power, engine stall) and 1,867 concern customer satisfaction issues including, but not limited to, repair cost, vehicle shudder and shake, and engine overheating.Taking into account the allocation of agency resources and priorities and the likelihood that additional investigation would result in a finding that an unreasonable risk to highway safety exists, we conclude that further investigation is not warranted and deny the petition.ODI Complaint ID numbers are referenced on the next page.
DP12004
Technical service bulletins for the 2010 Nissan Pathfinder 104
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Wiring harness repair information
- Certification label and VIN plate replacement service information
- VOLUNTARY SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN 2005-2013 FRONTIER, PATHFINDER, AND XTERRA; DRIVER AIR BAG COVER CAMPAIGN...
- CAN communication codes – diagnostic tips and guidelines
- CAN communication – network diagnostic flow chart
- Vehicle key not detected / authenticated, engine will not start
- Windshield cracking
- Removing foreign material from the window glass
- Window glass warranty information
- Diagnosis of vehicle pull (DRIFT) and/or steering wheel off-center
2010 Nissan Pathfinder fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0L 6‑cyl | RWD | 15 | 22 | 17-18 |
| 4.0L 6‑cyl | 4WD | 14 | 20 | 16 |
| 5.6L 8‑cyl | 4WD | 13 | 18 | 14 |
What 2010 Nissan Pathfinder owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
rear sub frame rusted through. Vans in Mansfield Ohio showed us were were the frame was completely rusted out.
I had a 2006 Nissan Pathfinder that was “bought back” by Nissan after 6 years of use because of a “rusted frame” and now once again I have a 2010 Nissan Pathfinder, where the rear sub-frame rusted through and caused the wheel to give out and track wrong -causing a life-or-death situation. I do not need an independent or dealer to confirm, it is obvious. There was no prior warning, thank God I was not on a turnpike going fast! I went on line an evidently other Pathfinder owners have had experience the same issue of a rusted sub-frame holding the rear wheels on the vehicle. I think the NTSA is well aware of the problem concerning this issue with Nissan and should take action to have this corrected. Other Nissan owners have complained. Nissan sells the sub-frame for about 1000.00. Nissan warranty should have covered the problem being they specifically went full on body frame, because of the rust & recall of the prior generation Nissan Pathfinder - which was a unibody. Full on frame was to get owners back.
The contact owns a 2010 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was included in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V067000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
I was traveling at approx. 35 mph when the car shuddered violently for a second or two, all panel lights lit up and everything completely shut down while going through a very busy 6-lane intersection. All steering, brakes, and maneuverability were lost. I was lucky to coast to a safe spot and if this had happened on an interstate it may have easily been catastrophic. The dealer found a failed cam shaft sensors (their verbiage on the bill). Replaced both and the crank sensor.
Coolant leaked into transmission causing transmission failure . Car maker will not acknowledge the problem. Car towed to repair shop. Told $6000.00 for new radiator and transmission.Thank God I was only going 35-40 miles an hour.
The contact owns a 2010 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while approaching a traffic light at approximately 35 MPH, he depressed the brake pedal however, the vehicle inadvertently accelerated causing the vehicle to run the red light. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to coast to a stop and turned off the vehicle. The contact stated he waited 10 minutes before restarting the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The dealer replaced the brakes and brake drums. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.
Transmission completely crapped out on me due to the radiator leaking into it.
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 nissan pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving on a bumpy road, the side curtain air bag deployed without warning. The seat belt activated as designed. The driver and passenger frontal air bags did not deploy. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact to take the vehicle to a nissan dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was taken to moses nissan of huntington located at (5200 us route 60 e, building b, huntington, wv 25705), where a specialist was sent out from the manufacturer to diagnose the vehicle. The contact was informed by the inspector that data pulled from the computer simulated a possible roll over and deployed the air bag as designed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 150,248.
Service engine soon, light turned on as soon as I turned on the vehicle and have not turned off since and for no reason, until I had a diagnostic test done the code was p0181 and it appears to be an issue with fuel system. Light is still on.
Compare the 2010 Nissan Pathfinder
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Other model years
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Questions about the 2010 Nissan Pathfinder
Is the 2010 Nissan Pathfinder reliable?
Owners have filed 40 complaints about the 2010 Nissan Pathfinder, fewer than a typical Pathfinder model year.
What is the 2010 Nissan Pathfinder year score?
The 2010 Nissan Pathfinder scores 83 out of 100 (good). The score compares it with the other model years of the Nissan Pathfinder: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2010 Nissan Pathfinder?
Airbags, with 11 complaints, typically around 136,000 miles. Next is transmission (11).
How many recalls does the 2010 Nissan Pathfinder have?
4 recalls, covering air bags, equipment and suspension.
Was there a recall on the 2010 Nissan Pathfinder airbags?
Yes, 2 recalls: 23V067000, 10V115000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Nissan Pathfinder have bad airbags?
The Nissan Pathfinder model years with the most airbags complaints are 2013 (177 complaints), 2014 (92 complaints) and 2015 (55 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2010 Nissan Pathfinder get?
Official estimates for the 2010 Nissan Pathfinder range from 14 to 18 mpg combined. The most efficient version (4.0L 6-cyl, RWD) gets 15 city and 22 highway.
VIN decoder
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