Problems · by component

2015 Nissan Pathfinder power train problems

77 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder cite power train, 24% of all 321 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
77
24% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The vehicle suffered a sudden, complete loss of motive acceleration at highway speeds, followed by a total powertrain breakdown and battery drain linked to an active federal safety recall. While traveling at highway speeds on Highway 169, the vehicle suddenly lost all acceleration, surged, juddered violently back and forth, and then shut down completely in an active traffic lane. The dashboard electrical components remained on, but the vehicle would not crank or restart. This failure trapped the occupants in a highly vulnerable position with oncoming traffic, requiring a dangerous manual jump-start in the middle of a busy highway just to move the vehicle out of the active lanes. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealership, where the failure is directly linked to an active, unremedied federal safety campaign: NHTSA Campaign ID 21V020000 / Nissan Recall Campaign PC786 (Stop Lamp Switch Relay Malfunction). This defect causes the brake switch relay to stick, triggering a sudden brake override command that unexpectedly cuts all engine power and aggressively drains the battery while driving. The unprompted engagement of this safety defect while operating at…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 6, 2026Power train, Electrical system, Service brakesODI 11769253
“The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a loud sound coming from the front of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that a family member had driven the vehicle and informed the contact that the vehicle was experiencing a transmission failure. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 81,954.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 30, 2025Power trainODI 11707746
“The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked and vibrated, causing the steering wheel to lock up. The contact used force to maneuver the steering wheel. The contact was unsure if any warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. A mobile mechanic arrived at the residence and inspected the vehicle. The contact was informed that the CVT transmission had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure recurred, and the contact parked the vehicle. The vehicle was no longer driven due to safety concerns. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 22, 2025Power trainODI 11695011
“I bought a vehicle from Woods Nissan in Lees Summit, MO, on [XXX], and in a week I went back for details, and the car would not start. They checked and claimed nothing was wrong, and I took their word for it. I took the car to KC Auto Clinic in Independence, MO, and they found it was the judder system, which they said was an issue they were seeing in many Nissan vehicles. To me, there should be a recall on this, as it can simply shut off and cause a huge accident. Don't let this happen and wait for an accident to happen, as this can happen to anyone, driving or possibly getting into an accident with a vehicle like mine.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 8, 2025Power trainODI 11679351
“I was driving on a busy highway and when I went to accelerate after slowing down in traffic my Pathfinder started to shake and shudder and would not accelerate forward. I not only almost got rear ended but I almost got into a head on collision because I was at an intersection. The car just lost all power all of a sudden. My car has been maintained properly with routine oil changes, transmission fluid changes, it has four brand new tires on it just purchased six months ago. So now I find out that I am one of the "victims of the bad CVT transmissions that Nissan put into these vehicles and they knew it!!" I call Nissan support and they tell me basically "too bad the warranty was extended but it ended in 2022 and at 84,000 miles. It's now 2025 and you're at 105,000 miles. I am "disabled for life and on a fixed income" I don't have the money to fix the car. I have like two payments left and it's finally paid off!!! They should've done a RECALL ON THESE TRANSMISSIONS AND THEY DIDN'T!! THEY ARE DEATH TRAPS AND NOW I SEE THEY ARE GIVING $5000.00 TO MURANO AND MAXIMA OWNERS FOR BAD CVT TRANSMISSIONS!! BUT ALL OF US PATHFINDERS, ROGUE AND INFINITY OWNERS WHOSE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 18, 2025Power trainODI 11674609
“The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle and depressing the accelerator pedal, there was a significant delay in the vehicle response. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle overheated, the transmission was slipping, and the vehicle hesitated to shift into the intended gear. The contact stated that the vehicle had overheated while driving and had failed to shift beyond first or second gear on some occasions. The contact stated that the vehicle had overheated and had stalled on other occasions, and the vehicle would become drivable after half an hour. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. An unknown dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 17, 2025Power trainODI 11674300

Showing 6 of 77 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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