2013 Nissan Pathfinder: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder
On the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder, the failure owners report most often is other powertrain problem, and the reports cluster around 4,000 miles. The earliest to appear is seat belt or retractor failure, reported by a median of 700 miles. Overall it scores 82 out of 100, severe risk for a 2013.
Severe risk for a 2013 — 12th riskiest of the 284 2013 vehicles we can rate. 1,209 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
The failures owners actually file about
Owners have reported 59 named failure modes on the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder, and the three most-reported carry 32% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.
Other powertrain problem leads with 212 reports, about 2.4 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 1k to 29,000 miles.
CVT failure follows with 95 reports, usually reported between 1k to 60,000 miles.
Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault follows with 83 reports, usually reported between 2k to 27,500 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into transmission (405), airbag (102) and body (83).
The mileage the reports cluster at
916 of the reports on the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 14,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 74% by 50,000 miles, 92% by 100,000 miles and 99% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 3 filed above the top of the chart.
The busiest stretch is between 0 and 10,000 miles, which alone holds 45% of the dated reports.
66% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles, which is early enough that a fair number of these cars were still under a factory warranty when the owner complained.
In the order they tend to show up: seat belt or retractor failure around 725, radiator or coolant leak around 2k, torque converter failure around 2k and other powertrain problem around 4k.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 59. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 3 reports came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
Severity, and what it costs
Across the named modes, 23 mention a crash, 1 a fire and 12 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.10, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other powertrain problem at $400–$4,500, CVT failure at $3,000–$8,500, airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault at $300–$1,600 and other engine problem at $300–$4,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
42% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 212 | 187 | 1k | 4k | 29k | 2.4 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| CVT failure | transmission | 95 | 60 | 1k | 11k | 61k | 1.1 | $3,000–$8,500 | Critical |
| Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault | airbag | 83 | 66 | 2k | 14k | 28k | 0.9 | $300–$1,600 | High |
| Other engine problem | engine | 64 | 50 | 725 | 7k | 27k | 0.7 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 58 | 46 | 5k | 23k | 58k | 0.7 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Complete transmission failure | transmission | 51 | 42 | 3k | 40k | 81k | 0.6 | $2,800–$8,000 | Critical |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 48 | 34 | 29k | 45k | 62k | 0.5 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure | suspension | 40 | 14 | 117k | 130k | 145k | 0.5 | $400–$2,200 | High |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 37 | 31 | 8k | 18k | 58k | 0.4 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 27 | 26 | 4k | 22k | 40k | 0.3 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 25 | 19 | 8k | 35k | 48k | 0.3 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Torque converter failure | transmission | 23 | 23 | 600 | 2k | 5k | 0.3 | $1,100–$3,200 | High |
| Radiator or coolant leak | cooling | 17 | 16 | 450 | 2k | 20k | 0.2 | $350–$1,900 | High |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 15 | 12 | 500 | 11k | 24k | 0.2 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Loss of braking | brakes | 12 | 8 | 3k | 6k | 7k | 0.1 | $400–$3,000 | Critical |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 10 | 10 | 268 | 725 | 23k | 0.1 | $200–$900 | High |
| Door latch or handle failure | body | 10 | 8 | 36k | 51k | 65k | 0.1 | $250–$1,200 | High |
| Other steering problem | steering | 10 | 7 | — | 2k | — | 0.1 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 10 | 3 | — | 34k | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Transmission will not engage a gear | transmission | 9 | 8 | 13k | 16k | 42k | 0.1 | $1,500–$6,000 | Critical |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 9 | 8 | 34k | 49k | 53k | 0.1 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 9 | 7 | — | 20k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| Shifter, linkage or stuck-in-park failure | transmission | 8 | 3 | — | 89k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,400 | High |
| Wheel bearing or hub failure | drivetrain | 8 | 5 | — | 8k | — | 0.1 | $350–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Stalling while driving | engine | 7 | 5 | — | 38k | — | 0.1 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Fuel gauge or level sensor failure | fuel | 7 | 7 | — | 480 | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Sunroof failure or glass breakage | body | 7 | 6 | — | 77k | — | 0.1 | $700–$4,500 | High |
| Tail light, brake light or signal failure | lighting | 7 | 3 | — | 86k | — | 0.1 | $100–$900 | Moderate |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 7 | 2 | — | 17k | — | 0.1 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure | electrical | 6 | 6 | — | 39k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,500 | High |
| ABS module or sensor failure | brakes | 6 | 3 | — | 2k | — | 0.1 | $500–$2,400 | High |
| Liftgate, tailgate or trunk failure | body | 6 | 5 | — | 90k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,500 | Moderate |
| Software fault or failed update | software | 6 | 6 | — | 7k | — | 0.1 | $0–$600 | Moderate |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 6 | 4 | — | 53k | — | 0.1 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 5 | 4 | — | 71k | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Parking brake failure | brakes | 5 | 2 | — | 300 | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Airbag failed to deploy in a crash | airbag | 5 | 5 | — | 37k | — | 0.1 | $1,000–$5,000 | Critical |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 5 | 1 | — | 101k | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Cooling fan failure | cooling | 4 | 4 | — | 87k | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Transmission slipping | transmission | 4 | 4 | — | 2k | — | 0.0 | $1,200–$5,500 | High |
| Alternator or charging system failure | electrical | 4 | 4 | — | 32k | — | 0.0 | $450–$1,600 | High |
| Backup camera failure | infotainment | 4 | 4 | — | 36k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Airbag inflator rupture | airbag | 4 | 1 | — | 6k | — | 0.0 | $0–$0 | Critical |
| Harsh or jerky shifting | transmission | 3 | 3 | — | 500 | — | 0.0 | $600–$4,000 | Moderate |
| Audio or connectivity failure | infotainment | 3 | 3 | — | 4k | — | 0.0 | $150–$900 | Low |
| Master cylinder or brake booster failure | brakes | 3 | 2 | — | 88k | — | 0.0 | $450–$2,200 | Critical |
| Catalytic converter failure | emissions | 3 | 3 | — | 90k | — | 0.0 | $900–$3,500 | Moderate |
| Windshield cracking | glass | 3 | 3 | — | 4k | — | 0.0 | $300–$1,600 | Moderate |
| Wiper or washer failure | glass | 3 | 3 | — | 300 | — | 0.0 | $120–$800 | Moderate |
| Overheating | cooling | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Rust or structural corrosion | body | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $500–$6,000 | High |
| Exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin | emissions | 2 | 2 | — | 8k | — | 0.0 | $250–$2,000 | High |
| Headlight failure or clouding | lighting | 2 | 1 | — | 4k | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Differential or transfer case failure | drivetrain | 1 | 1 | — | 110k | — | 0.0 | $900–$4,200 | High |
| Fuel pump failure | fuel | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $600–$2,600 | High |
| Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure | fuel | 1 | 1 | — | 9k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Wiring harness or short circuit | electrical | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Brake line, hose or caliper failure | brakes | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,600 | Critical |
| Tire blowout or tread separation | wheels | 1 | 1 | — | 23k | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,500 | Critical |
| Unclassified problem | other | 182 | 124 | 6k | 29k | 56k | 2.1 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder draws about 14 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 92nd percentile of complaint rates among 2013 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 88,143 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2013 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Other powertrain problem
After fueling my brand new vehicle for the first time, I headed out and noticed smoke around my vehicle. A neighboring vehicle motioned for me to roll down my window and said I had fluid that looked like anti freeze pouring out from beneath my 2013 pathfinder. I tried to pull over but the SUV would no longer accelerate forward and I was stuck in the middle of the road with my children. Not knowing why my vehicle was smoking, I contacted the fire department. Some people stopped to help and push the vehicle from the street. The fire department arrived and the dealership was contacted. A towing company was sent out. I was told the towing company's have been towing these brand new vehicles alot, some that were driven off the lot and had to be towed. After researching this issue, I found there are several people having the same issue and this issue was under a law suit for the 2005-2010 model pathfinders. It doesn't look like nissan has resolved the issue just yet. *tr
While I was driving with my 5 year old and 5 month old my 2013 pathfinder on 12/29 (which I had for 1 month)it started feeling like it was missing gears and sputtering. The rpms started to rev up between 4000-5000 and was only going about 45 MPH and the vehicle was not going any faster, and the car was jerking as I was driving it. I stopped and turned the car off hoping it was just a fluke but when I stared it would not move when I was in reverse I then put in drive again it was doing the same thing but this time the check engine light came on, and I even pressed the cruise to see if that would work and it wouldn't work either. I brought it to the dealership and they told me it was a transmission module chip that needed to be replaced. I waited 10 days and finally they said it was ready. I picked it up and literally turned around because it was doing the exact same thing except this time as I took my foot of the pedal the vehicle did not decelerate and continued to drive at 60mph without me pressing the gas until I hit the brake it started to slow down, thank god, all while my baby is in the car with me. Since then it has been at…
CVT failure
Detected intermittent heat failure in the rear of the vehicle as well as the area surrounding the occupant's feet. Check engine light came on after 10 days of ownership. Dealership determined code was "transmission fluid pressure switch." the service tech erased the code without performing service. 5 days later driver detected transmission slippage. Drove the vehicle to the dealership. Service tech and driver took a test drive. Service tech confirmed transmission was slipping. While driving back to the dealership, the driver pressed the gas pedal and the car wouldn't move. This created a safety issue for the driver and service tech. It happened twice more and the vehicle almost got stuck under the door trying to return to the dealership. Diagnosis by dealer: CVT failure. *tr
Detected intermittent heat failure in the rear of the vehicle as well as the area surrounding the occupant's feet. Check engine light came on after 10 days of ownership. Dealership determined code was "transmission fluid pressure switch." the service tech erased the code without performing service. 5 days later driver detected transmission slippage. Drove the vehicle to the dealership. Service tech and driver took a test drive. Service tech confirmed transmission was slipping. While driving back to the dealership, the driver pressed the gas pedal and the car wouldn't move. This created a safety issue for the driver and service tech. It happened twice more and the vehicle almost got stuck under the door trying to return to the dealership. Diagnosis by dealer: CVT failure. *tr
Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault
Base on manual, the "passenger airbag off" sign will be light on (it means that the passenger airbag will disable) if a child or adult (less than 70 pounds) seat at the passenger front seat. But for my 2013 pathfinder, my 9 year old daughter who weight about 50 pounds sited at the front seat (passenger side) and wearing seat belt, but the "passenger airbag off" sign is off (it mean the air bag still engage ). As the result, my daughter will be in danger due to airbag deployment if accident happen. *tr
Purchased a new 2013 pathfinder and the 1st trip we took with a passenger in the front seat we noticed the airbag light was on indicating it was not activated. I thought that was weird, but didn't think much of it. Few weeks went by and issue was still occurring so I took it to the dealer and they did a reset of the seat sensor and it seemed to be working properly for approx 2 weeks. Issue happened again, dealer reset and it appeared to worked ok for a few days. Dealer was now told the seat base needs to be replaced but there is a national back order on the part due to this issue. Needless to say I will not allow anybody to ride as a passenger in the front until this is resolved. I am not happy about this serious safety issue at all. *tr
Recalls on the 2013 model year
NHTSA has issued 11 recall campaigns covering the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder, affecting an estimated 448,961 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch, exterior lighting:brake lights:switch and air bags:sensor:occupant classification. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
322,671 vehicles 2022-06-13- Defect
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Pathfinder vehicles. On certain Pathfinder vehicles, the secondary hood latch may malfunction and remain in the unlatched, unsecured, position when the hood is closed.
- Consequence
- An unsecured hood could unexpectedly open while driving, obstructing the driver's view, and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the bell crank assembly, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed March 26, 2025. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall are R22A2 R22A3 and R24B7.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
264,431 vehicles 2021-01-20- Defect
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Nissan Pathfinder vehicles. The location of the brake light switch may cause the brake light switch relay to repeatedly open and close. Overtime, this can cause the relay to stick in the "ON" position, with the brake lights remaining illuminated even when the brakes are not applied. Additionally, this may interfere with the brake-shift interlock, allowing the driver to shift the vehicle out of the "Park" position, without depressing the brake pedal.
- Consequence
- Continual illumination of the brake lights can prevent other drivers from realizing the vehicle is actually slowing down, increasing the risk of a crash. With the brake override activated, the driver will not be able to accelerate normally, increasing the risk of a crash. The driver can shift the vehicle out of the "PARK" position without depressing the brake, allowing the vehicle to rollaway, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, either re-install the brake light switch or swap positions with the Automatic Speed Control Device (ASCD) switch; depending on the model year vehicle. In addition, the brake light relay will be replaced with a new one. All repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 1, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall PC786. Note: this recall supersedes 16V-380.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
79,853 vehicles 2016-05-31- Defect
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Pathfinder vehicles manufactured June 20, 2012, to June 13, 2013. The brake light switch may have been installed incorrectly causing the relay to make intermittent contact and repeatedly cycle. This may result in the relay remaining in the "ON" position, causing the brake lights to remain illuminated even when the brakes are not applied. Additionally, the brake light switch may interfere with the brake-shift interlock, allowing the driver to shift the vehicle out of the "Park" position, without…
- Consequence
- If the brake override is activated, the driver will not be accelerate normally, increasing the risk of a crash. If the brake lights remain illuminated, other drivers may fail to stop when the vehicle actually brakes, increasing the risk of a crash. If the driver inadvertently shift the vehicle out of the "PARK" position without depressing the brake, the vehicle may rollaway, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake light switch and, as necessary, replace the relay, free of charge. The recall began on July 25, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION
3,296,947 vehicles 2016-04-26- Defect
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty…
- Consequence
- If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669…
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
919 vehicles 2015-10-20- Defect
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima and Pathfinder vehicles, 2013-2014 Nissan Sentra vehicles, 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles, 2014-2015 Infiniti QX60 vehicles and 2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid vehicles. The affected vehicles received an incorrect occupant classification system (OCS) control unit during a repair. These OCS control units may incorrectly classify the front passenger seat as empty, when it is occupied by an adult.
- Consequence
- If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger air bag would be deactivated. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted) could increase the risk of injury to the passenger.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the OCS software, free of charge. The recall began on November 30, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
170,665 vehicles 2015-01-26- Defect
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Nissan Pathfinder vehicles manufactured June 20, 2012, to November 18, 2013, 2014 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid vehicles manufactured July 18, 2013, to November 18, 2013, 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles manufactured November 29, 2011, to June 14, 2013, and 2014 QX60 vehicles manufactured May 16, 2013, to November 18, 2013, and 2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid vehicles manufactured July 18, 2013, to November 18, 2013. In the affected vehicles the hood release cable assembly may have been installed incorrectly…
- Consequence
- If the primary hood latch is released and the secondary latch fails during operation of the vehicle, it could cause the hood to open during vehicle operation impairing the driver's vision, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will modify the angle of the hood release mechanism to provide additional length to the release cable, free of charge. The recall began on March 9, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
3,065 vehicles 2014-03-26- Defect
- Nissan North America (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013 Pathfinder vehicles manufactured April 18, 2012, through October 3, 2012, and equipped with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). In the affected vehicles, the internal oil cooler (ITOC) hose may detach from the cooler due to inadequate clamping force, allowing transmission fluid to leak.
- Consequence
- The loss of transmission fluid could cause the transmission to function improperly and the vehicle to stop accelerating, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will install an oil hose repair kit, free of charge. The recall began on May 12, 2014. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
989,701 vehicles 2014-03-25- Defect
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Altima, LEAF, Pathfinder, and Sentra, model year 2013 NV200 (aka Taxi) and Infiniti JX35 and model year 2014 Infiniti Q50 and QX60 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the occupant classification system (OCS) software may incorrectly classify the passenger seat as empty, when it is occupied by an adult.
- Consequence
- If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger airbag would be deactivated. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted) could increase the risk of injury to the passenger.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the OCS software, free of charge. The recall began on April 14, 2014. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
151,695 vehicles 2013-10-17- Defect
- Nissan is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Nissan Pathfinder vehicles manufactured April 18, 2012, through September 20, 2013; model year 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles manufactured September 15, 2011, through January 16, 2013; and model year 2014 Infiniti QX60 vehicles manufactured January 17, 2013, through September 20, 2013. In the affected vehicles, during light braking on rough roads, the antilock brake system (ABS) brake pressure output software may lead to an increase in stopping distance.
- Consequence
- The increased stopping distance may increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the ABS, free of charge. The recall began on November 18, 2013. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
SERVICE BRAKES
19,258 vehicles 2013-04-12- Defect
- Nissan is recalling certain model year 2013 Pathfinder and Infiniti JX vehicles manufactured December 3, 2012, through January 29, 2013. The front brake torque member was improperly cast resulting in structural weakness. This can lead to premature failure and cracking.
- Consequence
- If the brake torque member fails, the brake caliper may move and contact the inside of the road wheel, resulting in reduced braking, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the manufacturing date of the torque members and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 20, 2013. Owners may contact Nissan Customer Service at 1-800-647-7261.
AIR BAGS
82,038 vehicles 2013-03-01- Defect
- Nissan is recalling certain model year 2013 Altima, LEAF, Pathfinder, Sentra, and Infiniti JX35 vehicles. Sensors within the passenger Occupant Detection System (ODS) may have been manufactured out of specification. This may cause the system to malfunction and permanently suppress the passenger airbag.
- Consequence
- If the vehicle is involved in a crash necessitating airbag deployment and the passenger airbag is suppressed, there may be an increased risk of personal injury.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ODS sensors and replace them as neccessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 6, 2013. Owners may contact Nissan Customer Service at 1-800-647-7261.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2013 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Where 2013 sits in the model line
Severe risk for a 2013 — 12th riskiest of the 284 2013 vehicles we can rate. Every score on this site is a rank inside its own model year, which is what makes a 2004 and a 2019 comparable at all.
Across the 29 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2000 comes out best at 62 and 2013 worst at 82, with 2013 itself at 82.
If the model year is negotiable, 2000, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2001, 2002, 1998, 2009, 2016, 1996, 2011, 2012, 2019, 2010, 2020, 2008, 2005, 2017, 2007, 2015, 2023, 2025, 2006, 2024, 2018, 2014 and 2022 score lower than 2013 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 2012–2020 generation specifically, 2016 is the strongest year at 66 and 2013 the weakest at 82.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2012-2020 generation, 2016 Nissan Pathfinder scores best at 66 and 2013 Nissan Pathfinder worst at 82.
What to look at before buying one
The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: seat belt or retractor failure from about 268, radiator or coolant leak from about 450, other fuel system problem from about 500 and torque converter failure from about 600.
On a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether seat belt or retractor failure has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.
Treat it as where to point the inspection, not as a prediction. A well-maintained example can sail past every mileage on this page, and a neglected one can fail well before the first of them.
Where these figures stop being useful
1,209 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 1,209 reports, 916 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 76% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder?
The most-reported failures are other powertrain problem (212 reports, median 4,000 miles), cvt failure (95 reports, median 10,000 miles) and airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault (83 reports, median 12,500 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
At what mileage do 2013 Nissan Pathfinder problems start?
Seat belt or retractor failure is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 700 miles and a quarter of reports before 300 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 14,000 miles.
Is the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder reliable?
It scores 82 out of 100 on our risk index, which is severe — 12th riskiest of the 284 2013 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2013 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Nissan Pathfinder is best?
Within the 2012–2020 generation, 2016 scores best at 66 out of 100 and 2013 worst at 82. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed