Problems · by component

2005 Nissan Pathfinder fuel system, gasoline problems

186 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder cite fuel system, gasoline, 18% of all 1,050 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
186
18% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the fuel system, gasoline

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I WAS STRANDED IN A PARKING LOT BECAUSE MY CAR WOULD NOT START. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, I FIND OUT IT IS THE "INTERMIX" BETWEEN THE RADIATOR AND THE TRANSMISSION. I NEVER RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THIS FROM NISSAN, BUT NOW UNDERSTAND IT WAS A KNOWN AND FREQUENT FAILURE - BY DESIGN. ESSENTIALLY, AFTER 90,000 MILE, THE CAR IS WORTHLESS BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. AFTER PAYING $5,000 FOR THE REPAIR, I DROVE OFF THE LOT ONLY TO HAVE MY FUEL PUMP FAIL. LITERALLY, I DROVE OFF THE LOT AND THE ENGINE BEGAN MISFIRING. UNBELIEVABLE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 26, 2016Fuel system, gasoline, Power train, EngineODI 10919161
“I'M ONE OF MANY VICTIMS THAT HAVE ENDURED FAULTY FUEL SENDING UNITS AND INACCURATE GAS GAUGES THAT CAUSE ME TO RUN OUT OF GAS WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. WITH SUCH A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM, IT IS A PURE SCAM THAT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. NISSAN SIMPLY EXTENDS THE WARRANTY TO 72,000 MILES, WHICH DOES NOTHING TO HELP THE THOUSANDS OF VICTIMS WITH MORE MILEAGE. JUST AS THEY DID WITH THE RADIATOR DEFECT THAT CONTAMINATED THE TRANSMISSION, NISSAN IS GETTING AWAY WITH OFFERING HELP UP ONLY TO THE POINT WHEN THE PROBLEM BEGINS TO APPEAR. THIS MAKES THEM APPEAR THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING, BUT THEY ARE DOING NOTHING FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF VICTIMS. HOW CAN YOU LET THEM GET AWAY WITH THIS APPROACH? IT LEAVES VICTIMS WITHOUT HELP, AND LEAVES OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE CARS ON THE ROAD. IT'S DANGEROUS TO RUN OUT OF GAS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU LIVE IN COLD CLIMATES AND HAVE SMALL CHILDREN. HELP. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 22, 2014Fuel system, gasoline, Electrical system, EngineODI 10615501
“CAR WOULD JUST DIE WHILE DRIVING. THE GAUGE WOULD READ EMPTY EVEN WITH A HALF TANK OR MORE OF GAS, I ALSO CALLED NISSAN DEALERSHIP TO CHECK ON RECALL OF THE FUEL SENDING UNIT, THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THERE WAS NO RECALL. SO I STARTED DOING THE WORK MYSELF, GOT HALFWAY DONE AND ASKED A BUDDY FOR HELP AND HE INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS IN FACT A RECALL ON THAT PART. SO I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEN THEY ALL OF A SUDDEN HAD A RECALL AND DID THE WORK FOR FREE. SINCE THEN (BEFORE) 100,000 MILES, MY RADIATOR FLUID FILLED MY TRANSMISSION AND RUINED IT, AND MY TRANSMISSION FLUID FILLED MY RADIATOR AND RUINED IT TOO. SO OUT OF POCKET FOR TRANSMISSION REBUILD AND REROUTING OF THE COOLANT LINE ($3000). NOW I JUST DRIVE BECAUSE I HAVE TOO, ANYTIME I STOP I HAVE TO KILL IT TO KEEP IT FROM OVERHEATING. BUT I HAVE NO OTHER VEHICLE SO NOTHING I CAN DO. NISSAN CONTINUES TO JUST NOT CARE AT ALL. I WILL NEVER HAVE ANOTHER NISSAN. YOU COULD GIVE ME A NISSAN FOR FREE AND I WOULDN'T TOUCH IT. STRAIGHT GARBAGE COMPANY. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 22, 2014Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, gasoline, Power trainODI 10584345
“THE FUEL GAUGE SENSOR HAS GONE UP IN MY TRUCK. IT HAPPENED IN DECEMBER 2012. I CANNOT TELL WHETHER I HAVE GAS IN THE TRUCK OR NOT. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED AS I CANNOT AFFORD THE REPAIR. I HAVE NOTICED THAT OTHER 2005 PATHFINDER OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 7, 2014Fuel system, gasolineODI 10558797
“THIS CAR HAS HAD ONE ISSUE AFTER ANOTHER. MY FUEL SENSOR WENT OUT, HAD A RECALL ON THE RELAY (WAS STALLING AS I WAS DRIVING), HAD MY TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR MIX FLUID AND CAUSE BOTH TO FAIL AND MY CATALYTIC CONVERTERS ARE DEFECTIVE. I NEED THE CATALYTIC TO BE CHANGED SO I CAN PASS A SMOG CHECK... IT HAS BEEN SUCH A PAIN, EXPENSE AND CONCERN FOR SAFETY. WHEN IS NISSAN GOING TO REALIZE THAT THEY MADE FAULTY VEHICLES? DO PEOPLE HAVE TO HAVE HORRIFIC ACCIDENTS BEFORE THEY DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT ? I PAID GOOD MONEY, HARD EARNED MONEY FOR THIS VEHICLE, BRAND NEW. THE COSTS TO REPAIR ARE RIDICULOUS. MY HUSBAND HAS A CAR OLDER THAN ME, MORE WEAR AND TEAR AND HAS NEVER HAD AN ISSUE. THE CATALYTIC ISSUE NEEDS TO BE FIXED BEFORE IT KILLS THE MOTOR AND MAKES IT A USELESS BOX. TO ME, NISSAN DOESN'T CARE ABOUT ITS CUSTOMERS OR THEIR SAFETY. THE RELAY AND TRANSMISSION ISSUES ALMOST CAUSED US HUGE ACCIDENTS. WITHOUT QUICK THINKING AND QUICK REFLEXES WE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE !!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 15, 2013Fuel system, gasoline, Power trainODI 10552521
“MY WIFE WAS DRIVING TO A ROAD,FOR CHARITY, WHILE GETTING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR WOULD NOT GO FORWARD, THE MORE YOU GAVE IT GAS THE CAR TOOK OFF LIKE A ROCKET. I TOOK THE CAR OUT FOR A TEST RIDE, THE SAME THING HAPPEN,AT THE STOP SIGN THE CAR WOULD RAVEUP.AND TAKE OFF LIKE A .ROCKET. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME IT IS GOING TO COST A LOT TO FIT THIS PROBLEM. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 11, 2013Steering, Fuel system, gasoline, Power trainODI 10551819

Showing 6 of 186 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 5, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.