2010 Nissan Pathfinder: common problems

Owners of the 2010 Nissan Pathfinder filed 40 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 40
involving a crash: 2

What fails most often

1 Air bags 28% of all complaints
2 Powertrain 28% of all complaints
3 Engine 15% of all complaints
4 Steering 13% of all complaints
5 Suspension 10% of all complaints
6 Vehicle speed control 10% of all complaints
7 Fuel/propulsion system 8% of all complaints
8 Electrical system 5% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Air bags: 11 complaints (28% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Powertrain: 11 complaints (28% of all).
Engine: 6 complaints (15% of all).
Steering: 5 complaints (13% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Suspension: 4 complaints (10% of all).

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

4 L · petrol · 6 cyl
5.6 L · petrol · 8 cyl
automatic, 5-speed

Drive: 4WD, RWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 40 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

airbag warning light6 · 15%
warning lights, check engine5 · 13%
overheating, coolant loss3 · 8%
airbags did not deploy2 · 5%
jerking, harsh shifts2 · 5%
rust, corrosion2 · 5%
stalls while driving2 · 5%
vibration2 · 5%
A/C or heater1 · 3%
engine failure or replacement1 · 3%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Air bags	11	1
Powertrain	11	0
Engine	6	0
Steering	5	2
Suspension	4	0
Vehicle speed control	4	0
Fuel/propulsion system	3	0
Electrical system	2	0
Engine and cooling	2	0
Service brakes	2	0
Electronic stability control	1	0
Seat belts	1	0
Seats	1	0
Tires	1	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Airbags did not deploy. Vehicle was hard to steering at speed limit (75 in az). Pulled to the right and left. Roof smashed down, I could barely crawl out of the back of the vehicle. Vehicle is a hamilton towing, buckeye, az
Air bags · crash · 2019-06-04 · NHTSA complaint #11217839
Tl contact owns a 2010 nissan pathfinder. The contact stated that when the driver was operating the vehicle, the steering wheel would not remain straight. She had apply extreme pressure to the steering wheels in order to control the vehicle and avoid drifting into the left or right lane uncontrollably.
Steering · crash · 2010-07-23 · NHTSA complaint #10344976
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.
Air bags · 2025-07-03 · NHTSA complaint #11671137
I had a 2006 Nissan Pathfinder that was âbought backâ by Nissan after 6 years of use because of a ârusted frameâ 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.
Suspension · 2023-05-12 · NHTSA complaint #11521638
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 NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V067000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not…
Air bags · 2023-03-01 · NHTSA complaint #11509721
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.
Powertrain · 2022-09-17 · NHTSA complaint #11484939
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.
Powertrain · 2022-05-25 · NHTSA complaint #11466139
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.
Service brakes · 2022-03-09 · NHTSA complaint #11455873

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20102
20111
20122
20132
20141
20153
20161
20177
20187
20194
20202
20211
20223
20232
20241
20251

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 5,948 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 16% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Pathfinder has 176 complaints (42 years in the data). This year has 40, below average.

What to check before buying

Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2010 Nissan Pathfinder?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, powertrain, engine. Total complaints: 40. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbag warning light (15%), warning lights, check engine (13%), overheating, coolant loss (8%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2010 Nissan Pathfinder?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 2010 Nissan Pathfinder from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 2010 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.