Problems · by component
2006 Nissan Pathfinder electrical system problems
34 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2006 Nissan Pathfinder cite electrical system, 4% of all 837 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
34
4% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the electrical system
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“Car shuts off In the middle of driving & also when simply parked. It starts jerking like it’s trying to catch up then it kills. It’s happened in front of traffic and busy roadways/intersections. It has happened more than once.”
“WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY OR THE CITY STREET, THE CAR STARTED TO JERK AND THEN SUDDENLY CUT OFF AND LOSE POWER. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST FIVE TIMES AT NORMAL HIGHWAY AND FREEWAY SPEEDS IN A STRAIGHT FORWARD MOTION. WHILE ON THE FREEWAY, I WAS ABLE TO GLIDE OVER TO STOP THE CAR AND RESTART IT. THE CAR STARTS RIGHT BACK UP AND IS DRIVABLE.THE LAST TIME WAS ON THE CITY STREET, I WAS GOING ABOUT 35-40MPH AND THE CAR AGAIN JERKS AND THE ENGINE CUTS OFF AND LOOSES POWER. HOWEVER, THIS TIME THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP PREVENTING ME TO GET OVER. I HAD TO STOP THE CAR BY BREAKING DIRECTLY IN THE LANE NEARLY CAUSING CARS TO SLAM INTO ME. AGAIN, ONCE I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK I AM ABLE TO START THE ENGINE AND DRIVE AGAIN. AFTER THIS FIRST HAPPENED, I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR A TUNE-UP, OIL CHANGE, AND A DIAGNOSTIC TEST BUT NOTHING READ AS AN ERROR. I DO NOT DRIVE FAR DISTANCES JUST MAINLY AROUND TOWN AND HAVE RECEIVED REGULAR MAINTENANCE ON MY VEHICLE. I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR BECAUSE THE LOSE OF POWER DOES NOT HAPPEN CONSISTENTLY BUT IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN IT DOES AND CAN DEFINITELY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT/INJURY/DEATH IF SOMEONE IS DRIVING TOO…”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN PATHFINDER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE WAS NOT WORKING. NORMALLY, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD DISPLAY HOW MANY MILES REMAINED UNTIL FUEL WAS NEEDED ACCORDING TO THE FUEL AMOUNT. EVER SINCE THE FAILURE BEGAN APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS AGO, THE CONTACT WAS REFUELING THE VEHICLE MORE OFTEN SINCE THE FUEL TO MILEAGE SYSTEM FAILED. THE DEALER (DARTMOUTH NISSAN, 83 S STATE ROAD, NORTH DARTMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS) WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WOULD BE A DIAGNOSTIC FEE. DUE TO THE FEE, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,000.”
“HAVE A 2006 NISSAN PATHFINDER SE, WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH THE CAR SHUT OFF AND I LOST TOTAL POWER OF THE CAR AND THANKFULLY WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER WITHOUT GETTING KILLED. THIS HAS HAPPENED 2X I LOOS TOTAL POWER AND THE CAR SHUTS OFF. I CALLED NISSAN TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL AND THEY SAID NO, HOWEVER THERE IS A RECALL #10V517000 WHICH NISSAN SAYS MY CAR IS NOT INVOLVED IN THAT ADVISED THIS MODEL HAD A RECALL FOR THIS VERY PROBLEM HAVING THE ENGINE SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING IT. IF THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS VERY REASON AND I HAVE THE MAKE & MODEL WHILE NISSAN WILL NOT INVESTIGATE WHY THIS IS HAPPENED AS IT IS A DIRECT SAFETY PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT I COULD TAKE IT INTO NISSAN FOR THEM TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS OF COURSE AT MY EXPENSE.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN PATHFINDER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALL THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WAITED A FEW MINUTES, AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V517000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE, COOLING). THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO OPEN RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WOULD NEED TO BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND REPAIRED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.”
“TIMING CHAIN IS MESSING UP WHICH ITS CLEAR THAT ALL NISSAN PATHFINDERS MADE FROM 2004-2010 HAVE THAT PROBLEM AS WELL AS THE AUTOMATIC WINDOWS NOT WORKING GOING UP OR DOWN WHEN USING AUTOMATIC AS WELL AS PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT GOING OFF RANDOMLY. OH IF IT HELPS I WORKED AT NISSAN NORTH AMERICA MANUFACTURING AND I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO TELL YOU HOW MANAGERS WOULD SEND DEFECTED PARTS TO THE LINE FOR ASSEMBLY BECAUSE THEY WOULD ALWAYS SAY "QUANTITY OVER QUALITY". ITS A SHAME AND I HOPE THAT THIS WILL HELP PUSH TO HOLD NISSAN RESPONSIBLE TO FIX WHAT THEY ALREADY KNEW WAS BAD.”
Showing 6 of 34 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 4, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.