VehicleVerdict

2005 Nissan Pathfinder engine problems

The 2005 Nissan Pathfinder has 438 engine complaints filed with NHTSA — 28% of the year's total, and up sharply from the prior model year.

438

Engine complaints

28%

Share of year

3

Crash-involved

1

Related recalls

Engine complaints by year

Pathfinder engine complaints by model year438 complaints1987: 6 complaints1988: 5 complaints1989: 4 complaints1990: 17 complaints1991: 9 complaints1992: 8 complaints1993: 27 complaints1994: 36 complaints1995: 54 complaints1996: 16 complaints1997: 17 complaints1998: 6 complaints1999: 7 complaints2000: 6 complaints2001: 18 complaints2002: 43 complaints2003: 32 complaints2004: 7 complaints2005: 438 complaints2006: 333 complaints2007: 243 complaints2008: 84 complaints2009: 11 complaints2010: 8 complaints2011: 10 complaints2012: 6 complaints2013: 110 complaints2014: 66 complaints2015: 75 complaints2016: 28 complaints2017: 84 complaints2018: 13 complaints2019: 15 complaints2020: 14 complaints2022: 18 complaints2023: 14 complaints2024: 17 complaints2025: 7 complaints
Pathfinder engine complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

Related recalls

10V517000EngineOctober 28, 2010 · 747,480 units

Defect

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.

Consequence

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.

What owners report

“A CAR RAN INTO OUR LANE MADE A SUDDEN STOP IN FRONT OF ME, TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR I TURNED TO THE RIGHT AND HIT A BRICK BUILDING. MY AIR BAG DEPLOY ON THE DRIVER SIDE BUT NOT THE PASSENGER SIDE. MY WIFE WAS IN THE PASSENGER SIDE AND SHE SUFFERED A CONCUSSION SHE HAD HER SEATBELT ON. HER FACE WAS…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · May 6, 2015 · crash

Common questions

How many engine complaints does the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder have?

NHTSA has 438 complaints about the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder engine — 28% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Are there recalls for the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder engine?

Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for this model year is tied to the engine: 10V517000.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.