2014 Nissan Pathfinder: hesitation when accelerating

Filed Jun 23, 2026 · Body, Engine · AL

Rear Door / lift gate will not go all the way up or stay up without manual assistance, causing 2 head injuries and 2 arm injuries on recent occasions. We have confirmed with the dealer & one Nissan Certified Mechanic that this is a common problem. The dealer & 2 mechanics have said they do not know how to fix this without replacing the entire lifting assembly. We did not ask for estimates. We should not have to, but we can live with the problem now that we are aware of it. Transmission was replaced with new Nisson equipment by the previous owner, costing $5,000+. The problems we are having are the same they were having. The vehicle runs rough, hesitates, vibrates & shakes a lot. It is not very safe in traffic. There is a place for a dipstick to check transmission fluid. We have confirmed with 3 parts stores, 2 mechanics & finally with Nissan, they did not make a dipstick for this car or several other models. One way to check the transmission fluid is to jack up the car, remove a port on the transmission & fill it until if overflows (Cost is approximately $1,100.00, vs a dipstick costing less than $30.00 retail for comparable cars) Another way to check is to jack up the car, drain the transmission fluid, change the filter, replace the seal & cover, then pour in the exact correct amount of transmission fluid through the dipstick hole. However, the only way to know it is actually full is to leave the above-mentioned port out until the fluid overflows. (Our 3 cost estimates range from $1,400.00 to $1,850.00) Had we known of the transmission problems occurring with many if not most Nissan cars, we would not have bought the vehicle. Our research shows these are very common problems with this car & Nissan. We don't know if this applies to what you do, but this car also burns through spark plugs & ignition coils very quickly. We have had to replace all spark plugs 2 times plus 8 ignition coils in the 2-1/2 years we have owned it & driven it only 28,000 miles.

Filed Jun 4, 2026 · Transmission · TX

The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while accelerating from a complete stop, the vehicle hesitated and shuddered. The contact stated that the failure persisted while driving. An unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The vehicle was towed to a transmission specialist, where it was diagnosed with an unknown transmission failure. The vehicle was not yet repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was previously repaired under a transmission recall; however, the VIN was not currently included in a transmission recall. The failure mileage was unknown.

Filed Jun 16, 2025 · Transmission · MT

The CVT in my 2014 Nissan Pathfinder is experiencing judder and hesitation due to internal failure (Code P17F0), which affects drivability and acceleration from a stop. This creates a safety risk in traffic, intersections, and merging. Nissan acknowledged similar issues in other models with extended warranties, but not in this model despite identical symptoms.

Filed Jan 27, 2025 · Engine, Transmission · TX

Transmission sputters, hesitates at acceleration & after stopping sputters to move. Then died in intersection turning left. Evening tow sat behind vehicle for safety. In 1 situation actually rolled back at slight incline RR tracks after took my foot off brake. Had to put into park, before I could move forward. Vehicle will cause accident After research, noted multiple complaints about the transmission, these vehicles should not be on the road, Or resold until certified by Nissan. I am [XXX] [XXX] and can not possibly deal with this type of situation. 2 recalls can not locate a dealer who will correct 1.Jan 20,2021 Manufacturer Recall NumberPC786 the federal safety agency Recall Number 21V‑020 2. Hood Latch Assembly> 2nd Latch notice from Nissan / the federal safety agency Recall number 22V -420 Hood may open without warning. Unable to upload recall notice or repair bill INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Aug 26, 2024 · Transmission · 84,000 miles · MI

The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while attempting to accelerate from being stationary, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating. The failure also occurred while decelerating and turning before attempting to accelerate. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was contacted regarding the failure, but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.

Filed May 29, 2024 · Transmission · 154,215 miles · WI

The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH and slowing down, the vehicle was vibrating and shaking while downshifting to a lower gear. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was also hesitating and jerking into gear while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the CVT transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 154,215.

Filed Mar 28, 2023 · Transmission · WA

The car shudders and hesitates when first driving in the morning. CVT transmission is not responsive causing delays in acceleration. Critical safety issue that could lead to an accident. I was nearly hit because the car did not respond as it should on acceleration.

Filed Sep 16, 2022 · Transmission · 87,000 miles · TX

The contact's husband owns a 2014 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated during acceleration. Additionally, the steering wheel vibrated while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with CVT failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer advised the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer for a diagnostic test. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.

Filed Sep 4, 2022 · Transmission · DE

While driving down a four lane divided hwy, the vehicle suddenly stopped accelerating despite the accelerator being pressed. A noise was heard ialong with severe vehicle studdering/vibration mmediately before the failure. Fortunately, i was able to coast into a parking lot without incident. However, had this transmission issue occurred 30sec earlier, i would have stalled out while turning left across oncoming traffic, potentially leading to a significant accident impacting myself and other drivers. Once into the parking lot, I tested the vehicle in various gear positions (low, 2wd, etc) and the vehicle would only respond when it was placed in reverse. I could not get the vehicle to accelerate forward or even obtain any engine rev when in a forward gear such as low, 2wd 4wd, etc. The vehicle has been towed to my mechanic's shop and he will conduct a full evaluation later this week. However, his initial diagnosis based on my description of the event, was that it was a transmission failure. I agree with his initial assessment particularly given the known transmission issues with this make/model year of the pathfinder. There was not any warning lamps at or before or even after the time of the event. The vehicle had experienced brief symptons of studdering in the recent weeks leading up to the failure. And the day prior, the vehicle experienced severe studdering and vehicle hesitation.

Filed Jul 25, 2022 · Steering, Transmission · 97,000 miles · FL

The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel became firm. The contact stated that extra effort was needed to steer the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that the vehicle would hesitate upon the depression of the accelerator after a complete stop. Additionally, the vehicle would shake as the engine would rev while idle without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.

Filed Dec 10, 2021 · Transmission · PA

the CVT transmission jerking/shuddering/hesitation

Filed Aug 30, 2021 · Transmission · NY

CVT transmission Failure. First failure was approx 53,000 miles. 2nd failure was at 82,500 miles. The first failure threw a code while in for service to investigate an engine shudder. We were experiencing some moderate engine shudder and hesitation. The second occurrence was a very dangerous situation. CVT would barely move (extreme hesitation) at low speed making turns with oncoming traffic to get home potentially deadly. These vehicles probably need to be repurchased by the manufacturer and taken off the streets. At a minimum Nissan should be forced to further extend the CVT powertrain warranty and take responsibility for these poorly designed units. Failures occur with no warning. Had the same situation occur on the highway with a Nissan Altima as well. Instant failure with no warning.