VIBRATION AND/OR NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE APPLIED VEHICLES: 2022-2024 Pathfinder (R53) APPLIED DATES: Built on or before February 28, 2024 APPLIED DRIVETRAINS: AWD IF YOU CONFIRM A binding feeling, vibration, and/or noise coming from the rear end when turning at low speed or accelerating from a stop, AND The issue is resolved by unplugging the Actuator Assembly (AWD Actuator) on the rear Final Drive Unit. ACTION Refer to the SERVICE PROCEDURE below to: 1. Remove the Electro-hydraulic Coupling Assembly (AWD Coupler). 2. Clean the Coupling Oil Tank. 3. Inspect the Breather Tube and Bolt. 4. Replace the Electro-hydraulic Coupling Assembly (AWD Coupler). IMPORTANT: The purpose of ACTIO
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2023 Nissan Pathfinder powertrain problems
severe Owners of the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder have filed 12 NHTSA complaints about the powertrain at roughly $2,500 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See powertrain across all vehicles →
Complaints
12
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
| Model year | powertrain complaints |
|---|---|
| 2019 Pathfinder | 9 |
| 2020 Pathfinder | 7 |
| 2022 Pathfinder | 17 |
| 2023 Pathfinder (this page) | 12 |
| 2024 Pathfinder | 7 |
| 2025 Pathfinder | 6 |
1crash
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering powertrain on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
CLICKING NOISE FROM FRONT OR REAR AXLE DURING TAKE-OFF/ACCELERATION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗PREVENT FRONT AXLE THREAD DAMAGE DURING NUT REMOVAL This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗DRIVE SHAFT BOOT SERVICE INFORMATION SERVICE INFORMATION If a Drive Shaft (Axle Shaft) Boot on an APPLIED VEHICLE is found to be leaking grease, AND There is no abnormal noise or obvious CV Joint risk due to water intrusion and/or complete grease loss, check for REPAIR KIT-DUST BOOT (CV Joint Boot Kit) availability. ï· If there is a REPAIR KIT-DUST BOOT (CV Joint Boot Kit) available for the vehicle being repaired, do NOT replace the axle. Install a new boot kit following the procedure in the ESM. o Refer to the ESM: TRANSMISSION & DRIVELINE > FRONT AXLE > REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION > FRONT DRIVE SHAFT BOOT o If the complete axle (drive shaft) is replaced when only a new boot is required, the
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗ABNORMAL NOISE, VIBRATION AND/OR BINDING FEELING FROM REAR DIFFERENTIAL This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners report a pattern of serious transmission malfunctions starting at low mileage. The most frequent complaint is the transmission unexpectedly dropping into Neutral while the vehicle is stopped in Drive—sometimes multiple times in a single session at traffic lights—with no warning lights. This happens with economy mode and auto start/stop enabled; in some cases the engine stalls after shifting to Neutral, leaving the driver immobilized in traffic. One owner had the vehicle at the dealership for over four weeks after Nissan's patch failed to fix the problem and actually made it worse.
The shifter itself has malfunctioned, preventing engagement into Drive or Park and producing grinding noises. Additionally, the auto start/stop system fails to re-engage quickly enough when exiting a stop, and in roughly 1 in 10 cases causes the transmission to shift into Neutral as the driver attempts to accelerate—forcing the driver to manually select Drive while in traffic.
Delayed or hunting gear selection is common with the ten-speed transmission, with owners reporting the transmission takes time to find the correct gear when accelerating from a stop, sometimes requiring heavy throttle input. Other powertrain complaints include an intake manifold runner vacuum leak (on national back order), unintended engine revving during braking, coil pack failure at 34,000 miles, and flex plate breakage at 44,000 miles. One owner also reports abnormal rear brake wear at 30,000 miles and a parking brake that fails to hold the vehicle. A persistent vibration between 38 and 40 mph has been reported as well.
Same Nissan Pathfinder powertrain reports on nearby years: 2022
Failure modes owners describe
Transmission drops into Neutral unexpectedly
While stopped in Drive with foot on brake, the transmission shifts to Neutral on its own. Occurs most frequently in economy mode or with auto start/stop engaged. In one case, happened four times at a traffic light, with three instances resulting in stalling. No warning lights appear.
When: Starting June 2023, with increasing frequency. Reported at low mileage (14,700 miles in one case).
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle shifts from Drive to Neutral without driver input; Occurs while stopped at traffic lights or in traffic; Vehicle may stall after shifting to Neutral; Happens in economy mode and with auto start/stop engaged; No warning lights or alerts
Repairs/costs cited: Nissan dealership applied a patch that did not resolve the issue; problem worsened after patch. Dealer was able to duplicate the problem in at least one case.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan acknowledged problems with redesigned Pathfinder but patch was ineffective. Vehicle retained at dealership for extended period without resolution.
Shifter malfunction—inability to engage Drive or Park
Shifter fails to engage into Park or Drive when commanded. Vehicle may shift into Neutral unexpectedly during operation. Grinding noise heard from transmission during shifts.
When: Reported at low mileage.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle will not engage into Park; Vehicle will not engage into Drive from Park; Grinding noise from transmission during gear selection; AT warning light illuminates; Random acceleration during shifting
Codes mentioned: AT warning light
Repairs/costs cited: Shifter replaced by dealer. Codes cleared after repair.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer diagnosed shifter malfunction and performed replacement.
Intake manifold runner vacuum leak
Vacuum leak in intake manifold runner causes high-pitched whistling noise from front right of vehicle during acceleration. Complaint notes leak is on national back order, suggesting systemic supply issue. Owner states intake manifold is part of powertrain but Nissan refused warranty coverage.
When: At 40,000 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: High-pitched whistling from front right during acceleration; Potential for lean air-fuel mixture, engine misfires, rough idle, poor acceleration, and stalling if unrepaired
Repairs/costs cited: Part on national back order. Owner reports high demand for replacement part.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan denied warranty coverage, claiming intake manifold runner not covered under powertrain warranty.
Delayed gear selection and transmission hunting
Transmission delays in finding and selecting appropriate gear, particularly after stopping and accelerating again. Transmission appears to 'hunt' for correct gear. Requires excess throttle input to force engagement.
When: Reported on 2023 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum with ten-speed transmission.
Symptoms owners cite: Transmission slow to select gear when accelerating from stop; Transmission 'searching' for gear; Requires excessive throttle input to force engagement; Vehicle unresponsive initially to throttle input
Repairs/costs cited: Owner states transmission desperately needs software update.
Unintended engine revving and acceleration
Engine revs to 2,000 RPM when brake pedal is depressed, causing unintended acceleration. Also occurs when accelerator pedal is released. No warning lights illuminate.
When: At approximately 14,700 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Engine revs to 2,000 RPM when braking; Unintended acceleration while braking; RPM increase when releasing accelerator; No warning lights
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not diagnosed or repaired; dealers stated failure could not be duplicated.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer referred contact back to dealers; issue unresolved.
Rear brake premature wear
Rear brakes require replacement well before front brakes, which is abnormal brake wear distribution. Rear rotors show scoring and grooves. May indicate uneven braking load distribution or defective components.
When: At 30,000 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Rear brake pads worn to replacement threshold; Rear rotors scored with grooves; Front brakes unaffected and in good condition; Abnormal wear pattern (rear before front)
Repairs/costs cited: Rear brake pads and rotors replaced; front brakes resurfaced.
Coil pack failure
Engine coil packs fail, leaving vehicle stranded.
When: At 34,000 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle stranded due to coil pack failure
Repairs/costs cited: Coil packs required replacement.
Broken flex plate
Flex plate breaks during operation. Owner states this is a recurring issue among Pathfinder owners based on internet research.
When: At 44,000 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Broken flex plate
Repairs/costs cited: Flex plate requires replacement.
Auto start/stop delay creating safety hazard
Auto start/stop system does not re-engage quickly enough when driver releases brake pedal to accelerate from a stop, leaving vehicle vulnerable in merging situations. Also documented that transmission kicks into Neutral about 1 in 10 times when auto start/stop system releases, requiring driver to manually shift back to Drive while in traffic.
When: Throughout vehicle operation.
Symptoms owners cite: Auto start/stop does not re-engage quickly enough; Vehicle vulnerable to collision when merging from standstill; Transmission shifts to Neutral when exiting auto stop mode (approximately 1 in 10 instances); Driver must manually shift to Drive while in traffic; No warning lights triggered
Repairs/costs cited: Nissan dealer unable to resolve; claimed issue not previously reported despite multiple internet complaints.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer stated issue had not been reported, though owner found multiple online complaints.
Vehicle vibration between 38–40 MPH
Vehicle exhibits vibration when driving at speeds between 38 and 40 mph.
When: During normal operation.
Symptoms owners cite: Vibration when driving 38–40 mph
Parking brake failure—vehicle rolls away
Vehicle rolls away after driver engages parking brake and exits vehicle, suggesting parking brake does not hold.
When: During normal parking.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle rolls away after parking brake engaged; Brake does not hold vehicle on grade or level surface
Synthesized from 12 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
The second issue that I have with my 2023 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum edition involves the ten-speed transmission, which desperately needs a software update. I pulled out at an intersection and gave the Pathfinder some gas. I did not come to a complete stop prior. Nothing happened because the transmission was busy searching for a gear. Thankfully no driver came up on me from behind, but if they…
Heard a high pitch whistle sound coming from front right of vehicle when accelerating. Mechanic confirmed it’s a vacuum leak in the intake manifold runner. Nissan says this is not part of powertrain warranty will not cover. Last I checked the intake is part of powertrain. Vehicle has 40,000 miles on it. Have seen multiple other complaints about this issue online. Part is on a national back order…
Had powertrain trouble with your 2023 Nissan Pathfinder?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder?
It's a meaningful issue. 12 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $2,500.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Based on the 12 complaints filed, powertrain issues most often appear around 14,700 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2023/Nissan/Pathfinder.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.