AI Damage2018 Nissan Pathfinder: common problems
Owners of the 2018 Nissan Pathfinder filed 78 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and electrical system. The maker issued 128 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 78
- involving a crash
- 3
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 128
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 26% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 18% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 17% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 15% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 12% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 8% of all complaints
- 7 Electronic stability control 8% of all complaints
- 8 Forward collision avoidance 6% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 20 complaints (26% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
- Electrical system: 14 complaints (18% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 52.
- Engine: 13 complaints (17% of all).
- Powertrain: 12 complaints (15% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 36.
- Vehicle speed control: 9 complaints (12% of all).
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 2 complaints
Drive: FWD, 4WD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 78 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 20 | 1 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 14 | 0 | 52 |
| Engine | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 12 | 1 | 36 |
| Vehicle speed control | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 6 | 1 | 2 |
| Electronic stability control | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| Backover prevention | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 6 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
As the vehicle was attempting to shift between 2nd and 3rd gears the car jolted forward and the traction control and collision lights came on. Both lights reset when the car is off but the vehicle jolts and beeps w/in 5 mins of driving and then the lights come back.
The contact stated that while reversing, the back over prevention camera screen display malfunctioned, and there was a black image displayed, creating a hazard for the driver. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent.
The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera displayed a blank screen. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall that had a similar failure description; however, the VIN was not under recall.
The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. The failure persisted, and there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine with the check engine warning light illuminated.
Took to where I purchased it and the drained cvt fluid and now makes a whinning sound and garage knows. U was told they inspected it before selling it to me. No codes where on dash either.
The contact stated that occasionally, while the vehicle was in reverse(R), the digital screen displayed a Nissan Logo that faded away. In addition, the contact stated that the digital screen would blip or show an upside-down image of the rear-view camera display. No warning lights were illuminated.
My 2018 Nissan Pathfinder started knocking at 75000 miles and it’s getting worse by the day I’ve paid my car payment down to 4000$ and now I’m told my motor is soon to go out.
My 2018 Nissan Pathfinder SL has had to have the engine replaced once due to the CVP issues with the transmission causes in the engine to fail. It was replaced not even two years ago and now the issue has presented itself yet again and the engine has failed once again.
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 675 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 32% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Pathfinder has 81 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 78, about average.
What to check before buying
- 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.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
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 =…
- TELEMATICS SERVICE INFORMATION HINT
This bulletin applies to vehicles equipped with a 4G network compatible TCU. TCUs compatible with 3G network only are no longer supported. SERVICE INFORMATION The APPLIED VEHICLES that come equipped with a factory…
- INTELLIGENT CRUISE CONTROL INOPERATIVE AND AEB/FEB WARNING LIGHT ON OR RADAR OBSTRUCTION MESSAGE DISPLAYED…
INTELLIGENT CRUISE CONTROL INOPERATIVE AND AEB/FEB WARNING LIGHT ON OR RADAR OBSTRUCTION MESSAGE DISPLAYED WITH DTC C1A16 OR C2582 IF YOU CONFIRM IMPORTANT: The purpose of ACTION (on the next page) is to give you a…
- 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…
- INTELLIGENT KEY INITIALIZATION PROCEDURE STOPS OR WILL NOT CONTINUE This bulletin has been amended
See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Discard all previous versions of this bulletin.
- 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.
NHTSA lists 128 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Nissan Pathfinder?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, electrical system, engine. Total complaints: 78. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (19%), infotainment or screen glitches (14%), driver assists: adaptive cruise, lane keeping (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2018 Nissan Pathfinder?
NHTSA lists 128 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 2018 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 2018 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.