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Sludged engine 2018 Pathfinder**** Please comment if you have experienced this w/ 2017-2021 **** Building a case to bring to the MN Attorney General

24K views 184 replies 54 participants last post by  kotar49 
#1 ·
Grab a cup of coffee, this is going to be a longish read, but if you have had engine sludge please read to the end :)

I am like many others that have experienced issues with engine sludge. I own a 2018 Platinum edition that I bought new directly for the dealer. Last march, around 58K miles, and less than 1 month after I had my car in for my 60K maintenance and oil change, my car started to blow whitish/blue smoke upon start up. It wasn't consistently doing it at first, but after about 4 starts like that I called the Nissan Service department to explain what was happening and my concern. I know nothing about cars and I trusted Nissan with the maintenance and service of my vehicle because they are the pros and I planned to drive that car for as long as I could. The person I spoke with said the 2018 PF is known for condensation in the tailpipe and it can produce what looks like smoke on start up. I told him it smelled a bit like a 2 cycle engine which had me concerned about burning oil. He asked if I had a check engine light on and I said no. He then told me it would be a waste of time and money to bring my car in because there was no codes to run. I called again 2 weeks later because the smoke upon start up was becoming more frequent. I was given the same line about condensation in the tailpipe. Still no check engine light illuminated. Same story, no light- no diagnostics. I continued to experience the smoke on a more frequent basis, but still intermittent basis. It did seem to be worse on days with higher humidity so while I was still very uncomfortable with the answer, I went with it. I know how stupid that is now. Fast forward to July 2022,and just a couple thousand miles later, while driving the check engine turns on along with the low oil pressure light. I immediately pulled over to a gas station. I tried to get the cap off so I could add a quart or 2 of oil, but couldn't. I started the car back up to drive the 15 miles home and the low oil pressure light was off, but check engine was still illuminated. I immediately called Nissan and brought my car in even though they didn't have time to service it. I knew I had a problem.

Long story short, they said due to lack of maintenance I needed an engine replacement due to sludge build up. Of course, Nissan USA declined to cover me while under warranty citing lack of maintenance as the cause of the engine sludge. I pushed back and said I had called multiple times with concern only to be brushed off by the maintenance department. I had my oil changed about every 7500 miles at the dealership. Never once did my paperwork indicate low levels of oil or excessively dirty oil upon arrival. We did one home oil change in 2021 because we were taking a road trip and the dealership couldn't get us in before we left. Other than that, the dealer did oil changes and ALL scheduled mileage maintenance. The service manager argued that by the time I was seeing the smoke, the damage to the engine was already done due to lack of proper maintenance, and despite their service department dismissing my calls with concerns, they had no culpability. I argued that if it was a long outstanding issue the excessively dark oil should have been noted on my service notes and that my service records actually prove that I was trying to properly maintain my car by doing all scheduled maintenance. I tried to fight it with Nissan USA and they said their decision had already been rendered based on information the dealer had already submitted. The records they submitted had a gap because of the oil change we did at home because I didn't have the receipt (from July 2021, which I eventually tracked down). I told the Nissan USA warranty rep that they had incomplete information and I could now submit the receipt. She said it didn't matter because a decision had already been rendered.

I acknowledge that I went longer than the maintenance schedule indicates, but I also don't think this damage should have occurred at the interval schedule I was on. I also think that if Nissan knew this to be an issue, which I think they do, they should have recommended more frequent oil changes on my service notes.
Luckily, I made a few FB videos about the problem I had when the smoke first started and asked for opinions so I do have proof that I was concerned and I cited in the video that the dealership blew me off. I plan to take this up with the attorney general in MN to see if I can fight it and even if I don't win, I hope to make it VERY uncomfortable for that Nissan service department manager. This is where you come in. Please comment if you have had the same issues. I have read so many posts on this forum about people with the 2017-2021 models experiencing this exact same issue. I think this will go a long way toward forcing Nissan's hand to replace my engine and if there are enough documented problems, it may force Nissan to start fixing the issue on a broader scale. I think they know they have a problem, and are using the 5K hard stopping point of oil changes as a technicality to void the powertrain warranty because the issue is so widespread and it would be a huge loss to either the dealerships or Nissan USA to actually fix on a broad scale.

If you are still reading this, you have probably experienced this same issue with your pathfinder and I am so sorry for that. Please take the time to comment the following:
Pathfinder year, make, model
If you bought it new or used
Your real name( if comfortable doing that)
Where you bought your Pathfinder
Whether you brought the issue up with dealership and the outcome.

An engine replacement or purchasing a new car is an expense that many cannot afford. The dealership and service departments are very quick to take our money and in doing so, they should be accountable to do the RIGHT thing. In doing so, they might cement a customer for life. The condescending dismissal of the issue I was having and the lack of accountability have ensured I will never buy another Nissan (we bought 2 new from the same dealer and would have bought a 3rd) and have fueled my desire to hold their feet to the fire. Sorry for the novel.

Sincerely,
DupedbyNissan- Roseville, MN
 
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#61 ·
Is Nissan giving y'all write-ups on WHY you need a new engine? Are they completely void of oil after it's all burnt off? I've seen multiple accounts of Nissan saying people "need" an engine replacement but I don't think I've seen any detailed write-ups on why they came to that conclusion.
 
#62 ·
Well, in my case Ihave extensive sludge in my engine. My car is burning oil at an alarming rate. I go through about 4.5 quarts of oil about every 2000-2500 miles. 🥹 Per the mechanics I have talked with, both Nissan and not, eventually the sludge will become so thick that the engine will seize. I have driven my car nearly 12000 miles since I was first told I “needed” a new engine, so obviously it was not a dire need. Nissan service techs tell me this is due to neglect in oil maintenance- aka- not changing every 5000 miles. The non-Nissan mechanics tell me there is no way the engine should look like this while maintaining an average of about 7500 mile intervals between changes in a fully synthetic oil. Unfortunately, a giant corporation is going to outlast the individual in most circumstances. This is why I was hoping to gather enough stories to make a case for us little people.
 
#64 ·
@Red Neck I agree with you on the unnecessary engine replacement thing.

Like you say, I have yet to see reports of spun rod bearings, scuffed cam lobes, loss of compression, valvetrain issues, etc on the 35DDs. I think the only hard mechanical problem reported is timing chain stretch/wear leading to noise and possibly misfires.

I'm a car guy and this problem mystifies me. There's no indications of these engines running hot. No indications of fuel dilution into the oil. No milky sludge in the oil which is telltale of a PCV system problem and no signs of excessive blowby.

Is all the timing gear shearing the oil that badly? Seems unlikely given it's not a terrible problem with the previous port injected 35DE engines.

I would love to be able to chat with the people who designed the engine to hear what their thoughts are.
 
#67 ·
If oil changes are done at 5,000 mile intervals or less, this sludging will not happen, 0w20, 5w20 or 5w30 can be used, the oil weight has nothing to do with sludge build up, Direct Injection is hard on oil, fuel dilution is common, 5w30 may be the best choice in these engines, due to shearing.
 
#69 ·
2018 Nissan Pathfinder Purchased New Nissan Dealer Richmond, Indiana No smoke, just ticking noise and took to dealership right after check engine light came on and went off.. it was timing chain. Have extended warranty but they are saying might be sludge in engine and asking for oil maintenance receipts. After taking oil pan off dealership said no sludge but needed new engine . When l ask why, they said there was little sludge in top of engine and the engine was shot due saying due to low maintenance oil changes. I have heard of two other people in my area recently with same year pathfinder with same issue… so is kind of strange that so many might be having this problem.
 
#71 ·
2017 Pathfinder, same issue as you. Bought mine last year as a Certified Pre-owned from Nissan. Kept having issues, intermittent smoke from the tailpipe upon starting, but they couldn't diagnosis until it happened in front of them. It made sounds but no light so they can't diagnose and took it for a drive, but found nothing, etc. I kept all my emails. Like you, I told my car in for all my oil changes. 13 or 14 months later engine light comes on, i pull into a pep boys who hook it up and says all 6 cylinders are misfiring. I have it towed to the nearest nissan (not the one I bought it from bc I no longer trust them). They tell me metal in the engine and sludge, but not from me bc records show I did all my oil changes. I call the dealership that sold it to me. It gets towed to them and I am livid after a year of issues with this and being dismissed. I told them they need to remedy this quickly because I bought it certified and I will have my attorney step in (I work in law). They took it to the higher ups and they put in a new engine and it was not thru the warranty. So now I have a new engine but I am still skeptical. I hope you told them you would go to corporate because that should make them step up.
 
#72 ·
Just for informational purposes, you have your 2017 back in your hands with a brand-new engine? How quickly did they rectify it for you? Also curious if it was a long or short block from Nissan. This is a $12K engine, not including labor.
 
#85 ·
I have a 2018 PF platinum. From day 1, I've been doing my own oil changes. Up until 50K, I was doing it every 5000 miles. After 50K, I changed to every 4000 with all of the dreadful news of oil sludge. After the warranty period, I switched to Mobil Extended oil filter (M1-108A). It's $4 more. I also installed a Fumoto oil pan drain valve (F133S) which makes draining the oil as easy as flipping a small lever. No oil pan bolt to bother with. Draining is so easy. I still prefer to take the tire off to access the oil filter. It's just easier to capture the dripping oil when you spinning the filter off. I've done it with the tire on but left in the full right turn position so you can reach in there. Remember, the filter just needs to be hand tight. Don't over tightened with a tool. It's unneccessary. With oil from Costco ($16) and filter ($13) from Walmart, it cost around $30 each time. For me, this is a no brainer to lessen the risk. It's a penny per mile driven! A while ago, I drove a toyoto known to have oil sludge issues, every 3K miles was an oil change. Never sludged on me. Don't forget to change the PCV valve too.
 
#86 ·
Grab a cup of coffee, this is going to be a longish read, but if you have had engine sludge please read to the end :)

I am like many others that have experienced issues with engine sludge. I own a 2018 Platinum edition that I bought new directly for the dealer. Last march, around 58K miles, and less than 1 month after I had my car in for my 60K maintenance and oil change, my car started to blow whitish/blue smoke upon start up. It wasn't consistently doing it at first, but after about 4 starts like that I called the Nissan Service department to explain what was happening and my concern. I know nothing about cars and I trusted Nissan with the maintenance and service of my vehicle because they are the pros and I planned to drive that car for as long as I could. The person I spoke with said the 2018 PF is known for condensation in the tailpipe and it can produce what looks like smoke on start up. I told him it smelled a bit like a 2 cycle engine which had me concerned about burning oil. He asked if I had a check engine light on and I said no. He then told me it would be a waste of time and money to bring my car in because there was no codes to run. I called again 2 weeks later because the smoke upon start up was becoming more frequent. I was given the same line about condensation in the tailpipe. Still no check engine light illuminated. Same story, no light- no diagnostics. I continued to experience the smoke on a more frequent basis, but still intermittent basis. It did seem to be worse on days with higher humidity so while I was still very uncomfortable with the answer, I went with it. I know how stupid that is now. Fast forward to July 2022,and just a couple thousand miles later, while driving the check engine turns on along with the low oil pressure light. I immediately pulled over to a gas station. I tried to get the cap off so I could add a quart or 2 of oil, but couldn't. I started the car back up to drive the 15 miles home and the low oil pressure light was off, but check engine was still illuminated. I immediately called Nissan and brought my car in even though they didn't have time to service it. I knew I had a problem.

Long story short, they said due to lack of maintenance I needed an engine replacement due to sludge build up. Of course, Nissan USA declined to cover me while under warranty citing lack of maintenance as the cause of the engine sludge. I pushed back and said I had called multiple times with concern only to be brushed off by the maintenance department. I had my oil changed about every 7500 miles at the dealership. Never once did my paperwork indicate low levels of oil or excessively dirty oil upon arrival. We did one home oil change in 2021 because we were taking a road trip and the dealership couldn't get us in before we left. Other than that, the dealer did oil changes and ALL scheduled mileage maintenance. The service manager argued that by the time I was seeing the smoke, the damage to the engine was already done due to lack of proper maintenance, and despite their service department dismissing my calls with concerns, they had no culpability. I argued that if it was a long outstanding issue the excessively dark oil should have been noted on my service notes and that my service records actually prove that I was trying to properly maintain my car by doing all scheduled maintenance. I tried to fight it with Nissan USA and they said their decision had already been rendered based on information the dealer had already submitted. The records they submitted had a gap because of the oil change we did at home because I didn't have the receipt (from July 2021, which I eventually tracked down). I told the Nissan USA warranty rep that they had incomplete information and I could now submit the receipt. She said it didn't matter because a decision had already been rendered.

I acknowledge that I went longer than the maintenance schedule indicates, but I also don't think this damage should have occurred at the interval schedule I was on. I also think that if Nissan knew this to be an issue, which I think they do, they should have recommended more frequent oil changes on my service notes.
Luckily, I made a few FB videos about the problem I had when the smoke first started and asked for opinions so I do have proof that I was concerned and I cited in the video that the dealership blew me off. I plan to take this up with the attorney general in MN to see if I can fight it and even if I don't win, I hope to make it VERY uncomfortable for that Nissan service department manager. This is where you come in. Please comment if you have had the same issues. I have read so many posts on this forum about people with the 2017-2021 models experiencing this exact same issue. I think this will go a long way toward forcing Nissan's hand to replace my engine and if there are enough documented problems, it may force Nissan to start fixing the issue on a broader scale. I think they know they have a problem, and are using the 5K hard stopping point of oil changes as a technicality to void the powertrain warranty because the issue is so widespread and it would be a huge loss to either the dealerships or Nissan USA to actually fix on a broad scale.

If you are still reading this, you have probably experienced this same issue with your pathfinder and I am so sorry for that. Please take the time to comment the following:
Pathfinder year, make, model
If you bought it new or used
Your real name( if comfortable doing that)
Where you bought your Pathfinder
Whether you brought the issue up with dealership and the outcome.

An engine replacement or purchasing a new car is an expense that many cannot afford. The dealership and service departments are very quick to take our money and in doing so, they should be accountable to do the RIGHT thing. In doing so, they might cement a customer for life. The condescending dismissal of the issue I was having and the lack of accountability have ensured I will never buy another Nissan (we bought 2 new from the same dealer and would have bought a 3rd) and have fueled my desire to hold their feet to the fire. Sorry for the novel.

Sincerely,
DupedbyNissan- Roseville, MN
I have a 2019 Pathfinder with 40,000 miles tgat I’d gotten regular oil changes on. I took it in for smoke and leaking. My last oil change was a month ago. They told me the same thing. Engine sludge that is $20k to repair which the warranty won’t cover due to negligence.
 
#88 ·
Grab a cup of coffee, this is going to be a longish read, but if you have had engine sludge please read to the end :)

I am like many others that have experienced issues with engine sludge. I own a 2018 Platinum edition that I bought new directly for the dealer. Last march, around 58K miles, and less than 1 month after I had my car in for my 60K maintenance and oil change, my car started to blow whitish/blue smoke upon start up. It wasn't consistently doing it at first, but after about 4 starts like that I called the Nissan Service department to explain what was happening and my concern. I know nothing about cars and I trusted Nissan with the maintenance and service of my vehicle because they are the pros and I planned to drive that car for as long as I could. The person I spoke with said the 2018 PF is known for condensation in the tailpipe and it can produce what looks like smoke on start up. I told him it smelled a bit like a 2 cycle engine which had me concerned about burning oil. He asked if I had a check engine light on and I said no. He then told me it would be a waste of time and money to bring my car in because there was no codes to run. I called again 2 weeks later because the smoke upon start up was becoming more frequent. I was given the same line about condensation in the tailpipe. Still no check engine light illuminated. Same story, no light- no diagnostics. I continued to experience the smoke on a more frequent basis, but still intermittent basis. It did seem to be worse on days with higher humidity so while I was still very uncomfortable with the answer, I went with it. I know how stupid that is now. Fast forward to July 2022,and just a couple thousand miles later, while driving the check engine turns on along with the low oil pressure light. I immediately pulled over to a gas station. I tried to get the cap off so I could add a quart or 2 of oil, but couldn't. I started the car back up to drive the 15 miles home and the low oil pressure light was off, but check engine was still illuminated. I immediately called Nissan and brought my car in even though they didn't have time to service it. I knew I had a problem.

Long story short, they said due to lack of maintenance I needed an engine replacement due to sludge build up. Of course, Nissan USA declined to cover me while under warranty citing lack of maintenance as the cause of the engine sludge. I pushed back and said I had called multiple times with concern only to be brushed off by the maintenance department. I had my oil changed about every 7500 miles at the dealership. Never once did my paperwork indicate low levels of oil or excessively dirty oil upon arrival. We did one home oil change in 2021 because we were taking a road trip and the dealership couldn't get us in before we left. Other than that, the dealer did oil changes and ALL scheduled mileage maintenance. The service manager argued that by the time I was seeing the smoke, the damage to the engine was already done due to lack of proper maintenance, and despite their service department dismissing my calls with concerns, they had no culpability. I argued that if it was a long outstanding issue the excessively dark oil should have been noted on my service notes and that my service records actually prove that I was trying to properly maintain my car by doing all scheduled maintenance. I tried to fight it with Nissan USA and they said their decision had already been rendered based on information the dealer had already submitted. The records they submitted had a gap because of the oil change we did at home because I didn't have the receipt (from July 2021, which I eventually tracked down). I told the Nissan USA warranty rep that they had incomplete information and I could now submit the receipt. She said it didn't matter because a decision had already been rendered.

I acknowledge that I went longer than the maintenance schedule indicates, but I also don't think this damage should have occurred at the interval schedule I was on. I also think that if Nissan knew this to be an issue, which I think they do, they should have recommended more frequent oil changes on my service notes.
Luckily, I made a few FB videos about the problem I had when the smoke first started and asked for opinions so I do have proof that I was concerned and I cited in the video that the dealership blew me off. I plan to take this up with the attorney general in MN to see if I can fight it and even if I don't win, I hope to make it VERY uncomfortable for that Nissan service department manager. This is where you come in. Please comment if you have had the same issues. I have read so many posts on this forum about people with the 2017-2021 models experiencing this exact same issue. I think this will go a long way toward forcing Nissan's hand to replace my engine and if there are enough documented problems, it may force Nissan to start fixing the issue on a broader scale. I think they know they have a problem, and are using the 5K hard stopping point of oil changes as a technicality to void the powertrain warranty because the issue is so widespread and it would be a huge loss to either the dealerships or Nissan USA to actually fix on a broad scale.

If you are still reading this, you have probably experienced this same issue with your pathfinder and I am so sorry for that. Please take the time to comment the following:
Pathfinder year, make, model
If you bought it new or used
Your real name( if comfortable doing that)
Where you bought your Pathfinder
Whether you brought the issue up with dealership and the outcome.

An engine replacement or purchasing a new car is an expense that many cannot afford. The dealership and service departments are very quick to take our money and in doing so, they should be accountable to do the RIGHT thing. In doing so, they might cement a customer for life. The condescending dismissal of the issue I was having and the lack of accountability have ensured I will never buy another Nissan (we bought 2 new from the same dealer and would have bought a 3rd) and have fueled my desire to hold their feet to the fire. Sorry for the novel.

Sincerely,
DupedbyNissan- Roseville, MN
Hi I experience the same issues. This is my second Nissan with engine or transmission problems. On this pathfinder the smoke came up and I called the dealer and they blew me off. I took it in after awhile. They said the same thing about sludge and it was my fault. I did skip an oil change but it shouldn’t have cause the built up that fast. I always checks the engine and made it was good. I live in California.
 
#89 ·
Grab a cup of coffee, this is going to be a longish read, but if you have had engine sludge please read to the end :)

I am like many others that have experienced issues with engine sludge. I own a 2018 Platinum edition that I bought new directly for the dealer. Last march, around 58K miles, and less than 1 month after I had my car in for my 60K maintenance and oil change, my car started to blow whitish/blue smoke upon start up. It wasn't consistently doing it at first, but after about 4 starts like that I called the Nissan Service department to explain what was happening and my concern. I know nothing about cars and I trusted Nissan with the maintenance and service of my vehicle because they are the pros and I planned to drive that car for as long as I could. The person I spoke with said the 2018 PF is known for condensation in the tailpipe and it can produce what looks like smoke on start up. I told him it smelled a bit like a 2 cycle engine which had me concerned about burning oil. He asked if I had a check engine light on and I said no. He then told me it would be a waste of time and money to bring my car in because there was no codes to run. I called again 2 weeks later because the smoke upon start up was becoming more frequent. I was given the same line about condensation in the tailpipe. Still no check engine light illuminated. Same story, no light- no diagnostics. I continued to experience the smoke on a more frequent basis, but still intermittent basis. It did seem to be worse on days with higher humidity so while I was still very uncomfortable with the answer, I went with it. I know how stupid that is now. Fast forward to July 2022,and just a couple thousand miles later, while driving the check engine turns on along with the low oil pressure light. I immediately pulled over to a gas station. I tried to get the cap off so I could add a quart or 2 of oil, but couldn't. I started the car back up to drive the 15 miles home and the low oil pressure light was off, but check engine was still illuminated. I immediately called Nissan and brought my car in even though they didn't have time to service it. I knew I had a problem.

Long story short, they said due to lack of maintenance I needed an engine replacement due to sludge build up. Of course, Nissan USA declined to cover me while under warranty citing lack of maintenance as the cause of the engine sludge. I pushed back and said I had called multiple times with concern only to be brushed off by the maintenance department. I had my oil changed about every 7500 miles at the dealership. Never once did my paperwork indicate low levels of oil or excessively dirty oil upon arrival. We did one home oil change in 2021 because we were taking a road trip and the dealership couldn't get us in before we left. Other than that, the dealer did oil changes and ALL scheduled mileage maintenance. The service manager argued that by the time I was seeing the smoke, the damage to the engine was already done due to lack of proper maintenance, and despite their service department dismissing my calls with concerns, they had no culpability. I argued that if it was a long outstanding issue the excessively dark oil should have been noted on my service notes and that my service records actually prove that I was trying to properly maintain my car by doing all scheduled maintenance. I tried to fight it with Nissan USA and they said their decision had already been rendered based on information the dealer had already submitted. The records they submitted had a gap because of the oil change we did at home because I didn't have the receipt (from July 2021, which I eventually tracked down). I told the Nissan USA warranty rep that they had incomplete information and I could now submit the receipt. She said it didn't matter because a decision had already been rendered.

I acknowledge that I went longer than the maintenance schedule indicates, but I also don't think this damage should have occurred at the interval schedule I was on. I also think that if Nissan knew this to be an issue, which I think they do, they should have recommended more frequent oil changes on my service notes.
Luckily, I made a few FB videos about the problem I had when the smoke first started and asked for opinions so I do have proof that I was concerned and I cited in the video that the dealership blew me off. I plan to take this up with the attorney general in MN to see if I can fight it and even if I don't win, I hope to make it VERY uncomfortable for that Nissan service department manager. This is where you come in. Please comment if you have had the same issues. I have read so many posts on this forum about people with the 2017-2021 models experiencing this exact same issue. I think this will go a long way toward forcing Nissan's hand to replace my engine and if there are enough documented problems, it may force Nissan to start fixing the issue on a broader scale. I think they know they have a problem, and are using the 5K hard stopping point of oil changes as a technicality to void the powertrain warranty because the issue is so widespread and it would be a huge loss to either the dealerships or Nissan USA to actually fix on a broad scale.

If you are still reading this, you have probably experienced this same issue with your pathfinder and I am so sorry for that. Please take the time to comment the following:
Pathfinder year, make, model
If you bought it new or used
Your real name( if comfortable doing that)
Where you bought your Pathfinder
Whether you brought the issue up with dealership and the outcome.

An engine replacement or purchasing a new car is an expense that many cannot afford. The dealership and service departments are very quick to take our money and in doing so, they should be accountable to do the RIGHT thing. In doing so, they might cement a customer for life. The condescending dismissal of the issue I was having and the lack of accountability have ensured I will never buy another Nissan (we bought 2 new from the same dealer and would have bought a 3rd) and have fueled my desire to hold their feet to the fire. Sorry for the novel.

Sincerely,
DupedbyNissan- Roseville, MN
This happened to our 2018, we’ve always kept up with maintenance, and actually it’s currently at a dealership in Burleson Texas. It has 150k miles. My name is Daniel Liere
 
#90 ·
2018 Pathfinder SV owner here. I experienced literally everything in your post, starting at 78,000 miles in July. I bought it used from a Nissan dealership in 2020 with 21,000 miles on it. The dealership quoted me $20k for a new motor and transmission. Even though the oil had been changed every 5,000 miles, because I hadn’t kept my receipts (I know, super stupid on my part) and my local mechanic shop does not report to carfax, they told me I was out of luck on getting Nissan to help. I’m a single mom and don’t have $20k to repair it, I literally have no options for a solution. I’m in if you file a class action suit.
 
#94 ·
I had the same issue..2018 pathfinder, cared for appropriately, with proper maintenance.....took it in to find it needed a new timing chain and when they were fixing that oh, actually you need a whole new engine. 10k for used. Nissan USA case is pending but they said they probably can't do anything because sludge indicates negligence. This is not normal!!!!!
 
#95 ·
I feel for ya and agree this is not normal. For the sake of data I've been asking pretty much everyone effected by this some questions.

When you say maintenance was done appropriately, does this mean you've owned the vehicle since new and have done oil changes every 5000 miles? How many miles are on your pathfinder now?
 
#100 ·
Oh wow! Funny how these dealerships mechanics uses the same line when talking to their costumer with engine issues. We we're told the same thing by Nissan dealership in NE about my 2018 Nissan PF SV with 77k miles in it. Qouted us too for a new engine which is 16k & used for 13k, which there's no way we can't afford.
 
#101 ·
2017 Pathfinder Platinum with 51,000 mostly highway miles needed a full engine replacement.
The vehicle ran well with no alerts. We had made over 4 oil changes using synthetic oil at local mechanics and shops.
For about two months the car had been producing white smoke for 5 to 10 seconds at cold start, but stopped smoking asap.

We were on a typical trip spotted a flash of a low oil light. Pulled over and checked oil and determined vehicle needed oil. Purchased and added 1 qt synthetic oil. Drove around 120 miles and had oil and filters changed by local (non-dealer) shop. They did not identify any signs of sludging.
The car was still producing smoke and was soon going to need its first smog test, so we took it to the local Nissan Dealer. They immediately identified it as having a sludged engine that needed replacement. They estimated it would cost around $24,000 US. The dealer rejected any liability for the issue and suggested that Nissan Customer Support might be able to help.
I was surprised and took the car to a local independent mechanic to confirm the issue. The mechanic was also quite surprised to confirm that a low mileage Nissan engine was sludged. He provided a quote to replace the engine with a new-from-Nissan engine for $16,000 US.
We appealed to Nissan Customer Support and after several days of phone tag they denied our claim using nearly the same wording as used by the dealer "sludging caused by lack of customer maintenance". They never requested any documentation from us showing we had done oil changes.
We had the local mechanic swap out the engine and now have a new engine.

I will now have the oil and filters changed every 3,500 miles.
 
#103 ·
We are in the same boat. Our Nissan Quest 2017 has the same engine as pathfinder. Couple of months ago we noticed thick white smoke. I took to to Nissan service and the warranty company has denied the claim with lack of maintenance which is BS because we changed the oil every 5k miles. Now I’m out of car and can’t afford anything in this economy.
 
#104 ·
Your quest has the IMO, much better VQ35DE port injected engine (I owned a 2016 Quest). The Pathfinders in question in this thread have the direct injected VQ35DD. The DD is the problem engine, not the DE.
 
#106 ·
How many miles on the vehicle, how long have you owned it and how often did you do oil changes?

Hopefully you caught it at point it's still salvageable. It would be worth pulling the valve covers and oil pan to manually clean as much as you can out of there. Swap the spark plugs in the process and of course new PCV valve and hose.
 
#109 ·
Hi All,
Want to share my experience with this engine. Infiniti QX60 2017 VQ35DD (90K miles) now.
136,872 km - oil and filter change at Nissan Zdunek officials.
143400 km - The error started appearing about a month ago on cold starts and low temperatures. The error would come and go 3-5 minutes after warming up and restarting. At plus temperatures, the error appears from time to time during a cold start. The oil level is stable, the engine does not burn oil, the dynamics remain unchanged.
143536 km - oil and filter change at another service (oil very dirty). Error record (P0524) cleared using computer diagnostics. It did not affect the frequency of error occurrence: when the engine is cold it comes on immediately, after warming up and restarting the engine it disappears.

Video:
Cold start, outside temperature +2C:

Warm restart, outside temperature -1C:


Oil pressure sensor change didn't help - high chanhces that problem with sludge and drained oil channels. Next step will be to remove and check oil pan.
P.S. Is there any risks with galley gaskets like at VQ35DE\VQ35HR?

 
#110 ·
Hi All,
Want to share my experience with this engine. Infiniti QX60 2017 VQ35DD (90K miles) now.
136,872 km - oil and filter change at Nissan Zdunek officials.
143400 km - The error started appearing about a month ago on cold starts and low temperatures. The error would come and go 3-5 minutes after warming up and restarting. At plus temperatures, the error appears from time to time during a cold start. The oil level is stable, the engine does not burn oil, the dynamics remain unchanged.
143536 km - oil and filter change at another service (oil very dirty). Error record (P0524) cleared using computer diagnostics. It did not affect the frequency of error occurrence: when the engine is cold it comes on immediately, after warming up and restarting the engine it disappears.

Video:
Cold start, outside temperature +2C:

Warm restart, outside temperature -1C:


Oil pressure sensor change didn't help - high chanhces that problem with sludge and drained oil channels. Next step will be to remove and check oil pan.
P.S. Is there any risks with galley gaskets like at VQ35DE\VQ35HR?

View attachment 20289 ,
Hi Sergiy,

You're most likely going to be up against a sludged motor here. As regards the galley gasket- if I'm understanding what you're asking correctly, you'll want to replace it if you pop the timing cover. There's a couple of threads here where folks have done the timing work themselves. I'm currently replacing a sludged DD with a DE. They're very similar physically- the differences are in the small parts, predominantly. Hope this is helpful.
 
#115 ·
2019 Pathfinder had 58k on it. Bought it in Colorado changed the oil and drove it home to Michigan. Put approximately 2000 miles on it. Burned probably close to 3 qts of oils. Seems like its burning 1 qt every 600 miles or so. Runs great except for the white smoke on hard right turns or on inclines. Of course I am just over the power train warranty now. Just shocked on how much oil it’s going through. I did replace the pvc valve which was defective. i Am guessing sludge build up As well. What a shame I really like the car besides the occasional smoke screen and oil consumption.
 
#116 ·
Just took my 2018 Pathfinder platinum in for a pinging in the engine at 62000 miles. Was told I had multiple engine misfires but never got a check engine light. Was also told of engine sludge when all they did was pull the engine oil cap. Didn't pull valve covers or any front covers. Charges me $179.00 and all they did was as hook up a computer and open the oil fill cap. I am a retired military mechanic and have done all my oil changes at the recommended intervals.I us d Castrol synthetic oil. They Told me I needed a new engine. They claim lack of oil changes and maintenance. Screw Nissan, they have got the last of my business. Traded that pos in for a Ford.
 
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