AI Damage2016 Nissan Pathfinder: common problems
Owners of the 2016 Nissan Pathfinder filed 107 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and air bags. The maker issued 138 service bulletins for this year. We found 1 repair videos on YouTube. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 107
- involving a crash
- 10
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 138
- YouTube repair videos
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 25% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 18% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 13% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 10% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- 6 Visibility 5% of all complaints
- 7 Wheels 4% of all complaints
- 8 Structure 3% of all complaints
- Engine: 27 complaints (25% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 8.
- Air bags: 19 complaints (18% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 6.
- Service brakes: 14 complaints (13% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
- Electrical system: 11 complaints (10% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 32.
- Powertrain: 8 complaints (7% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 44.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.5 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- CVTnamed in 4 complaints
Drive: FWD, 4WD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 107 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 27 | 1 | 8 |
| Air bags | 19 | 1 | 6 |
| Service brakes | 14 | 5 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 11 | 0 | 32 |
| Powertrain | 8 | 0 | 44 |
| Visibility | 5 | 0 | 6 |
| Wheels | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Structure | 3 | 0 | 7 |
| Seats | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Steering | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Suspension | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 34 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
I was driving on the highway when my car started vibrating (much like the feeling of when a car needs to get the wheels aligned). I got off of the highway to take it to a nearby nissan dealership service parts shop to have it looked at.
While driving 50 mph, the brakes failed when the brake pedal was depressed. As a result, the vehicle crashed into a ditch. There were no injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and later taken to an independent mechanic for body repairs.
While driving our 2016 nissan pathfinder vehicle, we felt a sudden vibration and then the next thing we knew, the right front wheel (tire and rim) fell off the car. The vehicle came down on what remained of the right front wheel assembly.
I was sitting at a red light and was rear ended and my two front seats collapsed. If I would have had anyone in the backseats they would have been badly injured or died. ...updated 12/22/16 ..updated 04/11/17 updated 09/07/2017
It stopped after a while, but later that evening I felt it again, but this time the shudder was stronger and it sounded almost like a loud bird chirping. I slowed and the noise stopped, but drove home slowly through the neighborhood in case something happened.
The crossmember aka- K frame, mfc part #55400-3JA2C. It completely rotted away where the suspension trailing arm connects from the wheel causing uneven and excessive wheel wear and poor handling while driving Yes it is available for inspection. Reproduced unknown Not inspected by authorities No warning lights
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.
The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated and sputtered while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where DTC: P17F1 (Internal CVT failure was retrieved).
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 549 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 26% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Pathfinder has 81 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 107, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other…
CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “Certification Label” or “VIN Plate/Label” may be needed. HINT: Certification Label =…
- DTC B00A0-00 STORED This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. IF YOU CONFIRM DTC B00A0-00 (OCCUPANT DETECTION SENSOR UNIT) is stored, AND OCS zero point reset cannot be performed…
- VEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- CAN COMMUNICATION – NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- CAN COMMUNICATION CODES – DIAGNOSTIC TIPS AND GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- DTC P17F0 OR P17F1 STORED IN THE TCM This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Discard all previous versions of this bulletin.
- WINDOW GLASS WARRANTY INFORMATION This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- REMOVING FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM THE WINDOW GLASS This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- CVT/TCM CALIBRATION DATA “WRITE” PROCEDURE This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- WINDSHIELD CRACKING This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- TRANSFER ASSEMBLY SEAL REPLACEMENT FOR AWD FRONT DRIVE SHAFT REMOVAL This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- CVT JUDDER AND DTC P17F0 OR P17F1 STORED This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Discard all previous versions of this bulletin.
NHTSA lists 138 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Nissan Pathfinder?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, air bags, service brakes. Total complaints: 107. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: A/C or heater (14%), vibration (12%), warning lights, check engine (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2016 Nissan Pathfinder?
NHTSA lists 138 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 2016 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 2016 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 2026-11-04.