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Nissan Pathfinder loss of power problems

220 of the 7,336 owner complaints about the Nissan Pathfinder describe sudden loss of power, most of them for the 2013 model year.

owner complaints
220
worst model year
2013
typical repair cost reported
$4,000
typical mileage
78,500
Is there a fix? There are 2 recalls for this area of the car. See below

By model year

Often reported together

Shudder 43Transmission failure 29Stalling 28CVT failure 22Jerking 16Hesitation 12Check engine light 12Slipping 11

Trouble codes mentioned

P1759 1P1757 1P0430 1P0306 1P0300 1

What owners say

Filed Nov 2, 2026 · Suspension · AZ

I am filing a safety complaint regarding my 2025 Nissan Pathfinder, purchased new in June 2025. Since purchasing the vehicle, I have experienced multiple recurring mechanical and safety concerns that remain unresolved despite approximately four dealership repair visits and nine days out of service. The vehicle experiences excessive vibration during startup, while idling, and when placed in reverse. It also makes a noticeable clunking noise when shifting into park and an intermittent metallic grinding noise during cold starts. At times, the vehicle feels as though it may stall, and the engine RPMs fluctuate while the air conditioning begins blowing warm air. Additionally, the vehicle has displayed a collision warning system malfunction, experienced an unexpected battery failure, and required strut replacement. Motor mount concerns have also been identified. Despite repeated dealership visits, several issues remain unresolved. The dealership has repeatedly stated that certain problems could not be duplicated, even though I have video evidence documenting some of the symptoms. I am concerned about the possibility of unexpected power loss, mechanical failure, and malfunctioning collision safety systems, particularly while transporting my children. I am requesting that the federal safety agency investigate these potential safety defects and determine whether other 2025 Nissan Pathfinder owners are experiencing similar issues.

Filed Oct 16, 2026 · Electrical · PA

[XXX] 2023 Nissan Pathfinder Purchased from Carvana [XXX] I was traveling from Vermont to Pennsylvania. At a [XXX] rest area, the vehicle failed to start after being parked approximately 15 minutes. Dashboard lights illuminated, but the engine would not crank, and subsequent attempts became progressively weaker. A tow truck operator jump-started the vehicle, which then restarted successfully several times. Approximately 200 miles later, while traveling in four lanes of rush-hour traffic on [XXX], the vehicle suddenly experienced a complete engine and electrical shutdown without warning. I lost all power and came to a complete stop in a middle lane. It could not be restarted. I could not safely exit the vehicle because of surrounding traffic and remained buckled in my seatbelt until police arrived to block traffic. The vehicle was towed to Ramsey Nissan. Ramsey Nissan diagnosed a failed battery, rated at 700 CCA and measuring 452 CCA. The dealership reported that the starter and alternator tested normally and no diagnostic trouble codes were stored. The battery was replaced. The dealership did not provide a documented explanation establishing why the engine shut off while the vehicle was moving or whether an intermittent electrical or charging-system fault was ruled out. I am concerned that the underlying cause may remain unresolved and that a recurrence could result in serious injury or death to myself, my passengers or another person traveling on the same road. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Oct 5, 2026 · Electrical, Fuel system · NC

Purchased new 1/15/2025. First issue with this car happened Oct 2025 with something electrical drawing power. This caused AT codes, auto start/stop codes, front and rear collision codes etc. Took it in they charged the battery and told be they didnt know what was causing the draw. Replaced the battery 10/11/2025. 11/19/2025 had another catastrophic electrical failure at 19,426 miles on OD. Vehicle threw all of the codes. Nissan kept the vehicle and charged and cleared codes. 12/18/2025 vehicle started hesitating and threw codes again. Nissan replaced the fuel pump. Front and rear collision malfuctions remained frequent along with infotainment reboots. Oct 1 2026 vehicle threw all codes again while driving causing loss of power and drivability. Had to be towed in. Vehicle acted the same way as previous. Nissan is now trying to claim it had to do with a improperly seated air filter causing the maf sensor to fail, they cleaned it"reseated" air filter and stated the car was running but they could not get it to do a idler relearn and told me I could pick up the vehicle but they recommended replacing the maf. The car is still sittting at nissan because i refuse to pick it up unless they cover that under there emissions warranty and put in writing that this is the sole issue and any problems with the vehicle in regards to prior issues already complained about will result in replacement of vehicle etc

Filed Sep 20, 2026 · Electrical · TN

THIS is the third MAJOR safety that I have had at this point, with FOUR in total and that isn't the little things, that is the MAJOR SAFETY events where we've been terrified to drive the vehicle. I had washed my car in the car wash and after exiting about a mile down the street, the vehicle made a jar and all the lights on the dash started throwing malfunction errors like a Christmas tree again. I was stalled at the busy intersection. I had total loss of power and it was 98 outside by myself . I had two gentlemen help me try to get into neutral to get out of the busy intersection. We finally were able to get to the Walmart parking lot across the street. Called Nissan, the service team asked to disconnect battery etc and see, which we had already done, and then we did it again. I was terrified to drive to the dealership with it and when I did, AGAIN, NIssan responded with they cannot duplicate the codes, showing no codes, even after I showed them the photos. This vehicle is unsafe for anyone to drive it. Even if Nissan buys this back on a repurchase and then puts it on the road, someone or multiple fatalities will happen with this vehicle. WE believe their main communication system doesn't communicate . The Nissan app itself throws me ABS codes for weeks and they show no ABS codes on a separate incident. We have a vehicle that we are terrified to take on the road and can depend on. Nissan fails to acknowledge they have an issue with their safety systems. Also, while driving down the road about a week before this, the driver's door latch was just clicking up and down and literally trying to open the door going down the highway at 70 MPH. Another safety thing that happens continuously, the passenger safety indicators in the back seat, constantly error out. Nissan's response, they are aware of this one, just disable them. Well, I don't have children, however, seriously that is their advice if a child dies?

Filed May 9, 2026 · Transmission · PA

The vehicle is a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder experiencing a major transmission/CVT failure that creates serious safety concerns. Only 69 days after purchase, the transmission began failing and the vehicle became unsafe and unreliable to operate. The vehicle experiences severe transmission-related drivability problems, including hesitation, loss of proper acceleration, delayed response when attempting to move, jerking/shifting issues, and concern that the vehicle may suddenly lose the ability to move or maintain speed while driving. These issues create a dangerous situation, especially while driving in traffic, entering highways, crossing intersections, or transporting passengers. The transmission failure affects the vehicle’s ability to safely accelerate and maintain normal operation. A sudden loss of power or inability to properly accelerate could increase the risk of a crash, rear-end collision, or becoming stranded in traffic. The condition became severe enough that the vehicle is no longer dependable transportation. After the failure, the vehicle was evaluated by Nissan and I was informed the transmission showed signs of serious pre-existing issues. I was also advised there were possible indications that diagnostic trouble codes may have been cleared or hidden before the vehicle was sold, preventing the full condition of the vehicle from being discovered before purchase. The estimated repair cost is approximately $15,000. Due to the severity of the transmission defect, I do not believe the vehicle is safe for normal operation without major repair or replacement of the transmission/CVT system. This defect has created significant safety concerns for myself, my family, and others on the road because of the risk of sudden transmission failure, inability to safely accelerate, or loss of vehicle movement during operation.

Filed Apr 24, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · TX

My 2024 Nissan Frontier has experienced repeated complete power loss more than three times. The vehicle shuts off unexpectedly while on the street and cannot be restarted. During some incidents, even the emergency hazard lights did not work. I had to use jump cables to restart the vehicle. I first reported this issue to Nissan in January 2025. The dealer kept the truck for about one week but stated they could not find anything wrong. The problem continues, including incidents on 04/20/2026 and 04/23/2026. This creates a serious safety hazard because the vehicle can lose power in traffic and increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Filed Feb 5, 2026 · Engine, Transmission · TX

My 2024 Nissan had a malfunction light of my auto on/off come on and then a malfunction of the traction control. I turned the car on and off which cleared the lights. I then began driving again and those came on as well as check engine light and reduced power came on while on the highway. The code was the camshaft sensor. I replaced this and codes still appear. Another mechanic put my car back on the computer and it is showing my timing chain at a 7. This is very disappointing considering car has less than 86000 miles on it. It isnt under warranty anymore as I do drive a lot. Oil changes were down regularly and this was a cash purchase. I loved my car up until this point. But at this point once I spend the extremely high amount to get this fixed I will be leaving nissan behind.

Filed Jan 25, 2026 · Acceleration, Engine · NY

Vehicle stalled on highway during extremely low outside temperatures and snow covered roadway. Engine malfuction, reduced power error code briefly appeared followed by a complete engine stall. Vechicle had no power and immediately needed to be steered to safety. Near whiteout conditions lead to an extremely dangerous situation, nearly causing a nearly collision. Prior to this incident, the vehicle had been at the dealership for a similar issue without complete engine stall. Dealer could not diagnose issue as no OBD codes remain after engine failure. This is an extremely dangerous vehicle. Immediate action is required.

Filed Jan 22, 2026 · Driver assistance, Fuel system · LA

My vehicle has had 3 fuel pump failures in under a year, requiring 3 separate fuel pump replacements by an authorized Nissan dealership. The fuel pump failure causes the vehicle without warning to stall in active traffic, loss of power and the drivers seat to move back away from the steering wheel. The infotainment center has also failed 2 times and had to be replaced 2 separate times by an authorized Nissan dealership. The infotainment center failures also cause the back up and side view cameras to become inoperable. The vehicle and repair records are available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of others is put at risk because the repeated and unpredictable fuel pump failures cause the engine to stall in active traffic and the loss of power. This is unsafe because the stalling has happened in hazardous situations like while exiting the interstate. The drivers seat also moves away from the steering wheel and brake while the car is in motion creating a risk of loss of control. Additionally, when the infotainment system fails so do the side view and back up cameras increasing the risk of an accident. Although the vehicle is currently operational, the pattern of failures creates an ongoing safety risk. An authorized Nissan dealership confirmed the failures and replaced the fuel pump three times and the infotainment system twice. The vehicle was inspected and repaired multiple times by an authorized Nissan dealership, and the issues were reported to Nissan Consumer Affairs. The failures occurred intermittently and without warning.

Filed Jan 17, 2026 · Engine · NY

Engine malfunction with loss of power occurred while driving. The vehicle entered reduced speed mode which created a dangerous situation for myself and others. This problem occurred 3 consecutive times during an extremely cold day. The code will clear after restarting the engine, but the issue randomly resumes during driving. Nissan towed the vehicle to a dealer. The dealer cleared the code and suggested they could not figure out the problem. I would not take the vehicle back without a comprehensive explanation of what occurred and a logical repair. This issue remains unsolved.

Related recalls

Engine and engine coolingReported December 19, 2011 · 14,718 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2011 infiniti fx, model year 2012 infiniti m, model year 2011-2012 nissan frontier, model year 2011-2012 nissan xterra, model year 2011-2012 nissan pathfinder, and model year 2012 nissan nv vehicles. Some of the bolts that connect the engine oil cooler and the engine oil filter to the engine in these vehicles may have been manufactured to below specification strength. As a result, the bolt may break at the oil filter attachment point and can cause an engine oil leak.
Risk
If there is an engine oil leak, the engine oil pressure would drop and the engine could seize, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the connector bolts free of charge. The safety recall began on january 30, 2012. Owners may contact nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261.

Recall number 11V592000 · Recall details

Engine and engine coolingReported October 28, 2010 · 747,480 vehicles affected
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 Nissan Pathfinder loss of power

Which Nissan Pathfinder years have sudden loss of power problems?

The model years with the most reports are 2013 (62 complaints), 2005 (34 complaints) and 2006 (27 complaints).

How much does it cost to fix sudden loss of power on the Nissan Pathfinder?

Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $4,000 (median of 45 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.

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