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Pathfinder named "Least Reliable Midsized SUV" by AutoGuide

23K views 35 replies 23 participants last post by  anu0512 
#1 ·
So Auto Guide took the time to go through the Consumer Reports Reliability Study and point out the least reliable vehicles in each segment. The loser of the mid-sized SUV category was, unfortunately, the Nissan Pathfinder. I have to say this doesn't completely surprise me since I read about plenty of problems that people have on this forum.

In 2013 the Nissan Pathfinder had a major overhaul and converted to a unibody design. It now rides on the same platform as the Altima and Maxima (which each have problems in their own right.)

Are you surprised the Pathfinder picked up this title?

http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2014/10/top-10-least-reliable-cars.html/9
 
#5 ·
Strongly disagree, Stephen. They have an extensive testing grounds facility here in Connecticut and have automotive engineers on their staff.

Their reviews are slightly different than what you might find on Motor Trend or Car & Driver, which are mostly interested in performance and the wow factor. CR mostly focuses on safety, reliability and economy, which is what most consumers are interested in. You might not like their findings, but they hold clout with thousands, if not millions of people.
 
#8 ·
#9 ·
I completely agree about the horrible reliability... I've spent so much time at the dealership I was in their service line and watched... count it "three pathfinders" come into the warranty service line right behind me most of them looked as frustrated as I do and what's weird is... where I'm from there aren't many pathfinders in this area compared to other areas. They only have 5 for sale on their lot right now. And over 35 frontiers It's not a popular SUV here. But when I go to south Florida they are everywhere I look.
This vehicle has issues and the service managers know that very well..I had a nice long chat to the service manger about pathfinders new platform
You'll never find a service manager that owns one I doubt.
 
#10 ·
... where I'm from there aren't many pathfinders in this area compared to other areas...
And where might that be??

It would be helpful if everyone would fill out their profile so the rest of us have a proper frame of reference. :nerd:
 
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#13 ·
I have been driving Nissan Vehicles since 1990. We had many models. None of them had any issues until I got the 2014 Pathfinder.
I hate to admit it but I find myself not really enjoying the Pathfinder. The Build quality for Nissan is terrible. I have a list of things wrong with mine but do not have the CVT issues others are having ( Thank God or that would make me take it back).
1) Lets start out front, my Hood was put on crooked. The drivers side is almost touching the fender and the passenger side has a huge gap. This is very unlike Nissan. Usually their body panel placement is top notch.
2) Front end- it's squeaky and extremely cheap feeling. Anyone who washes their Pathfinder by hand like I do I know you noticed how cheap feeling the entire front end is.
3) The Doors- The make this weird sound when you open them. They POP like they where forced closed and stuck a little. I noticed that the alignment of every door doesn't quite line up properly with the other body lines. The rear doors seem to hand into the wheel well by like a 1/4 inch.
4)The Stupid useless bottom molding- who thought this was a good idea? Remember last Gen pathfinder , you had step rails to get in and out of your Pathfinder, what the **** are these for? You can step on them and they look stupid. Again who thought that was a good idea?
5) The Tow Hitch- It's nice but the finisher looks cheap and at any moment looks like it would come off. I saw a few Pathfinders driving around with the finisher missing. I'm just waiting for mine to come off.
6) Back window- ok why doesn't it open? Thats a good idea to seal it up? Really? It was so nice to have the ability to open the window instead of having to open the entire hatch. Especially when you have a bike rack on the Hitch , you could put your helmet , gloves , bag etc through the window, can't anymore , sucks IMO.
7) Roof Rails- they seem to be set wrong no adjustment just where they are mounted and thats it. Cheap plastic strips on the roof that don't seem to hold in place well. I noticed mine seem loose.
8) Cheap looking pain job - I have dirt in my door jams , ok to most not a big deal but I see it overtime I wash it and it annoys me. Picky? Yes I am I keep my vehicles washed , waxed and in the garage. When I trade them in they look new , ventless , scratches as much as possible and no Sun fade. I also have a excessive amount of Orange peel in the paint on the sides which gives a slightly less shine. I thought about wet sanding it and buffing it out ( I use to be a Professional Detailer) but I'm not gonna as it's a lease and I'm not completely happy with so many things on this so called Pathfinder.
9) Ok lets move inside where there is less issues- my Rug was cut wrong and was missed by QC at Nissan and the Dealership when the Technician did his final inspection. I use to be a Nissan Tech and your supposed to find things like this. Around the 2nd row seating when the seats are mounted in the slide rails, there is metal floor showing through where there is suppose to be rug. I saw this after delivery and took it in to get it fixed. I really looked like it was just installed wrong and just needed to be tweaked. After they looked at it, the rug was cut wrong from the factory and needs to be fully replaced. Really? Come on!!! So they ordered a new rug and I'm gonna have it installed when I take it in for it's first Oil change.

Thats really it in the inside. I'm quite pleased with the interior other then that. Yeah I hate the cheap 80's looking screen which should be upgraded 6 years ago as my 2008 Pathfinder had the same exact screen as well as my 2011 Murano. It's pretty crappy by todays standards. I'm surprised it's still used. Mine is a SV so it doesn't have NAV.

I know I might seem to be extremely picky with my vehicles but I got use to a very high standard with Nissan over the years and I expect it from them. All my Nissans in the past where top notch , no issues at all. Maybe I'm just getting all of them in one vehicle but I find it un except able coming from them. If I was driving a GM I would expect some flaws. I also was a GM Tech back in the Pontiac days and they had many issues. When I switched to the Nissan side I was amazed on the difference in quality and at that time I purchased my first Nissan , it was a 1990 Nissan Maxima SE which was wonderful. What a great car especially coming from GM Products.

So for articles like these where they say the Pathfinder is the least reliable SUV I wouldn't believe it if you asked me that question 6 months ago. I would strongly disagree. Today after owning the 2014 Pathfinder SV, I'm starting to question if 1 will I get another Pathfinder when my lease runs out? 2 Will I move back to the Murano where my 2011 was amazing with absolutely NO issues at all or 3 Move completely away from a company which I hold in such high regard for so long is not letting me down.
I'll be honest people I completely hate talking about my Pathfinder like this but it's the truth and I see no reason to hide all the things I have been let down by it. It's a shame because I can except so many things that has changed in this Pathfinder form the last Gen. I get the more car like non truck like approach better MPH which is a strong point on this I love it there. But I think Nissan should have taken smaller steps from the last Gen and retained some more qualities that make a Pathfinder a Pathfinder. This could have been a completely new Vehicle and dropped the Pathfinder name and I think I could except it more doing so.
 
#14 ·
Tell us how you really feel, Mantis, lol!

But seriously, I think a lot of your points are valid, like the paint finish being cheap, but unfortunately, as I've said before in another post, I truly think you got a lemon. Mechanical issues aside, you are the only one I've noticed experiencing some of the problems you've described, such as the crooked hood, incorrectly cut carpet and the loose hitch finisher.

Some of your other gripes like the bottom molding, the back window not opening and the cheap 80's looking screen are personal preferences that you knew about, but decided to purchase the vehicle anyway.

We all make choices in life. Some are bad. Some are good. Seriously, if owning your Pathfinder does not bring you joy, why suffer with it? Sell it. Find someone to buy you out of your lease and move on! Life's too short.
 
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#15 ·
Wow Mantis...your Pathy must have been built after Fridays beer swilling lunch hour. I have a couple of issues BUT nothing like you have. No wonder your pissed! :crying:
 
#16 ·
One observation I can make, though its purely anecdotal: the hybrid seems to be more solidly built and refined then an equivalently equipped V-6 model, which really doesn't make any sense since they are essentially the same vehicle with the exception of the engine/drivetrain and some Hybrid badges.

We had some minor nitpicks about my wife's pathfinder (driver's door needed a bolt tightened a few months into ownership, the driver's seat seems slightly crooked, as there is a smaller gap between it and the center console then the passenger's seat, minor stuff like that), but three months into owning the Hybrid, I still can't find a single fault with it. Perhaps the QC was a little better on the hybrid line, and someone actually caught all the minor problems before they left the factory.
 
#20 ·
One observation I can make, though its purely anecdotal: the hybrid seems to be more solidly built and refined then an equivalently equipped V-6 model, which really doesn't make any sense since they are essentially the same vehicle with the exception of the engine/drivetrain and some Hybrid badges.

We had some minor nitpicks about my wife's pathfinder (driver's door needed a bolt tightened a few months into ownership, the driver's seat seems slightly crooked, as there is a smaller gap between it and the center console then the passenger's seat, minor stuff like that), but three months into owning the Hybrid, I still can't find a single fault with it. Perhaps the QC was a little better on the hybrid line, and someone actually caught all the minor problems before they left the factory.
I knock my pathfinder for just a few things:

1) Hood flutter when driving on the highway
2) Some slight orange peel/texture on both front fender where they join the bumber. Also noticed that the paint chips fairly easily. I have a few places where the paint has been chipped and you can see the primer. Plan on touching these up with nissan paint and some toothpicks.
3) Loose bottom door trim. Seems like it needs more adhesive.
4) Power steering seems a tad noisey/whiny
5) The driver seat does seem a bit off/crooked. My dealer was cool and let me test out other Pathfinder's and even swapped my seat out for another one. Same thing happened. The gap between the console is closer than the passenger side. One thing I've noticed is that the steering column is tilted toward the center of the dashboard. This would explain why the driver seat is tilted in. If you get into the back seat you will notice that the driver seat lines up with the steering column. Both of which are tilited in toward the middle of the car. So when driving you get a sense of driving at an angle. I believe the PF is supposed to be designed this way. although may take getting used to. Some may never notice. I don't particularly care for it to be this way, but at this point it is what it is.

These are my top 5 complaints. Nothing drastic, but just little annoyances. I've owned the PF just over 6 months and almost 6,000 miles. So far so good mechancically speaking.

I think with mass produced cars you either get a good one or a bad one. Majority of people will be satisfied with their PF. I remember when I bought my 2004 Murano that there were tons of transfer case and CVT issues on forums and online. Mine performed flawlessly for 9 years and I put 145,000 miles on it. Go figure...
 
#17 ·
I am afraid to say it as I feel like I might jinx myself. 6 Months and 8200 miles in, I have had no problems. I love it. Would I like the back window to go down, sure. I wish the sat radio had better signal strength, but that's really my only complaint so far.


Reading some of the issues here makes me afraid all **** is going to break loose any minute though!
 
#18 ·
I am afraid to say it as I feel like I might jinx myself. 6 Months and 8200 miles in, I have had no problems. I love it...

...Reading some of the issues here makes me afraid all **** is going to break loose any minute though!
Chances are, you're going to be okay. Remember, bad news is more interesting to report than good news, so the doom and gloom stories predominate and probably don't accurately reflect the percentages of satisfied owners on this forum.
 
#19 ·
I wonder if the bad press by Consumer Reports will end up being a be a good thing for 2013+ Pathfinder owners. The early Rogues had plenty of CVT issues and Nissan extended the CVT warranty to 10 years/120,000 miles. I hope they will do the same for the Pathfinder.
 
#22 ·
I first bought a 2014 PF-S and immediately noticed the hood flutter. I actually pulled over and opened it, as I thought it may not have been closed.

When I returned the S model (due to jutter issue) and got the SL-Prem model, I immediately noticed the hood flutter was still there, fluttering away at higher speeds.

I'm more comfortable with it now, as I've checked it with three different PFs and they're all the same. The hood is secure and not going anywhere.

Distracting to say the least, but my concern that the hood my pop-up while driving is gone.

Cheers! :)
 
#23 ·
where to begin . . .
- no compass or bluetooth streaming in the SV package? Come on, man!
- fixed roof rails in a vehicle with this kind of outdoor adventure heritage? Come on, man!
- Tow hitch receiver so short there's no room for the cotter pin on your retainer? Come on . . . you get the point.
- clunky audio interface
- the ridiculous placement of the interior brightness button
- steering wheel telescoping way too short
- floor molding and carpet cheap, cheap, cheap
- no second row power
- the black hole under the audio controls where things disappear and make it impossible to plug into the power outlets

Yup, I still bought it. What I wanted was 4Runner feel and capabilities with improved gas mileage. What I got was an average of two miles per gallon improvement. I didn't get the feel or the capabilities - this truck is smaller than it looks.

On the plus side . . .
- I like the way the CVT drives (especially on hills)
- I love the storage in the very back (above the spare)
- Great seats. I don't like the fabric, but the shape for me is quite comfortable.
- sliding second row seat

So I'm not in love at month four and 5k miles. It's not even really a crush. But I like it enough to keep it.
 
#25 ·
After owning my Pathfinder Platinum since August 2013 and driving it 9500 miles I can honestly say I'm generally happy with it. Its comfortable and gets decent mileage for a vehicle its size.
Now...two things I noticed early on about this vehicle. I feel the paint job is substandard. The paint itself is thinly applied and it doesn't have the deep reflection (especially noticeable on the sides), that my other vehicles have. My 1991 Cadillac has better (side) paint reflection and that original paint is now 23 years old. When I brought this up in earlier posts, many here said that they had no issues with paint quality. I pleased to see others now noticing this and its not just me. My other issue is the very cheap carpet. I refer to it as glorified felt paper...the floor mats are of better quality. I find this cheap carpeting unacceptable in a vehicle costing $40,000.
Just my two cents here.
 
#26 ·
I have to agree the paint is crap. But to be honest, I think it's more related to Nissan than just isloated to the PF. I parked next to a brand new Rogue that was tan in color a month or so ago. The car didn't even look like it it had a clear coat on it.

I can speak from personal experience because someone backed into my front bumber and it needed to be repainted. The body shop did a great job on the repair, but the problem is the front bumper looks outstanding and is super glossy and the rest of the car is dull. You can tell there's a contrast between the two where the bumper meets the sheet metal. Color is spot on, but the thickness difference is apparent. Thankfully it's just a bumper and not a door, etc. I don't see how any body shop can match up the thinly applied paint that Nissan uses and make it look factory. Nissan lays their paint and clear with a lot of texture. It will be very diffcult to match.
 
#28 ·
The PF is the first vehicle I've owned that automatically moves your power driver seat via the memory button or when you turn car off.

I'm 6'1" and 215lbs. When I hit the memory button, having the seat begin to move is quite an obstacle for the car. The seat motors don't seem to appreciate my 215lbs. It works, but it grinds and moves extremely slow (compared to when the seat is empty or even when my wife is sitting there). I'd almost say that if I held a 50lb weight on my lap, the seat motor wouldn't function. What weight are these things rated for?

Sorry, just reading through these posts and thought they were interesting to hear non engine/drivetrain type issues.
 
#30 ·
I responded to Consumer Reports survey and I ripped our Pathfinder.

Nissan has, in a sense, lied to us by denying issues with the CVT. Well, enough of us obviously spoke up.

I'm sure we've cost Nissan some Pathfinder sales.

They should have treated us better. Word of mouth, it's a bitch.
 
#31 ·
With enough people complaining about this so called Pathfinder which by the way I don't feel it is worthy to wear the name. I can say that as I'm on my 3rd Pathfinder and this one is by far the worse one ever.Worse Nissan ever IMO in my experience.
Nissan was a brand you could hold in high regard. I don't feel that way anymore after the terrible built quality of my 2014 SV.
 
#32 ·
44,000 miles in and no complaints, other than the broken inside door handle and the shortage of carpet around the pedals. The little recalls have been annoying. Still no CVT issues, thank heavens. Fingers crossed that I still feel the same in a few years. I'd love to keep my Pathfinder for a while.
 
#33 ·
Hi - I really miss my 2009 Pathfinder... I have a 2014, just turned over 55,000 miles and I have the following problems ( I live about an hour from NYC)
1) Fit and Finish:
* Leather driver seat is cracking
* Rear hatch latch broke
* rust on trailer hitch
* seat belt retraction is weak and fails
2) Mechanical
* AC Compressor needed replacement at 38k so out of warranty
* I am about to be on my 3rd hood release cable
* Alignment bolt rusted and they can no longer get the rear in alignment
* Exhaust system failure (going to shop later in the week). It blew out while driving appears to be near the front where the assembly connects to the rear. Likely not going to be covered by warranty
* CVT had issues that they fixed under warranty

General -
I miss the truck feel of the older gen Pathfiders. I also do not feel that this "truck" can tow they way a truck should. It struggles with my boat (2800 lbs) when loaded and even when not loaded it pulls the back down.

I'll see what they say when I bring it in for the exhaust, but I think I am done with this "car" and will look for something more durable and suited for camping/boating. This is made for going to church on Sunday.
 
#36 · (Edited)
There is noise coming from the gearbox is not that much noise but it noticeable and the car is done 13800 Km Unfortunately, I imported the vehicle from the USA so there is no dealer warranty for me, So I have given to good transmission workshop and he said a lot of other things like this & that problem and quoted around 1700$ but still, I didn't get my car back due to part unavailability. Once it will fix then I will ask him what he replaced, of course, he is will add other things too but it will narrow down the issue. I will update here. Now these days Japanese car not reliable
 
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