repaired · 2021 Q1
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Park outsideRisk. A brake fluid leak on the circuit board may result in an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire.
2017 Nissan PathfinderProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 188 owner complaints about the 2017 Nissan Pathfinder, most often about the engine. It is covered by 2 safety recalls, and for recall 19V-807 the manufacturer reports only 63% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 22, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: SsmIntrigue, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2017 Nissan Pathfinder has problems
188 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
83Engine3 crash/fire/injury
34Power train2 crash/fire/injury
27Electrical system1 crash/fire/injury
11Service brakes
8Steering
8Fuel/propulsion system
7Air bags
6Exterior lighting
5Visibility/wiper
2612 other systems2 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 83 | 3 |
| Power train | 34 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 27 | 1 |
| Service brakes | 11 | 1 |
| Steering | 8 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 8 | 0 |
| Air bags | 7 | 2 |
| Exterior lighting | 6 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 5 | 1 |
| 12 other systems | 26 | 2 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2 recalls
2017 Nissan Pathfinder recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2020 Q1
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
Park outsideRisk. A brake fluid leak on the circuit board may result in an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Nissan.
Mileage at failure
When do engine problems start?
45kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 61 engine complaints. 95% were reported before 100,000 miles.
6under 30k miles58under 100k miles3100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Engine
13 owners mentioned a cost$1,000median
Middle half: $950 – $1,096
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2017 vs. every other Pathfinder year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Pathfinder median. How we score
1917153839304991170159217149104112230156110671,05083756132837404523891577321105188787648137107876415
'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2017 Nissan Pathfinder safety ratings
2017 Nissan Pathfinder SUV AWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (17.9% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: Optional
- Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words
What Pathfinder owners report
Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
SLUDGE IN ENGINE- UNDER 100,000 MILES We had been keeping up with all recommended services, and it is cosmetically perfect, but the car is now a total loss. A Check Engine light came on, and we began to notice a tremor/shake and took it to Southern Team Nissan. The Nissan dealer diagnosed sludge in…
The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving in a parking lot at unknown speeds, the vehicle began jerking and stalled. The battery had become inoperable. The TPMS message was displayed. The failure was linked to Technical Service Bulletin: NTB15-015h. The local…
Engine failure in my vehicle equipped with the VQ35DD engine, which I believe is the result of a widespread and well-documented design defect involving internal sludge buildup. I have owned this vehicle for over five years and have followed the recommended routine maintenance schedule, including…
Own a 2017 Pathfinder?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.