Problems with 2006 Nissan Pathfinder ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

2006 nissan pathfinder. consumer states fluid is leaking through to the transmission *tgw the consumer stated radiator fluid leaked into the transmission fluid. *jb

At 86,000 miles my transmission started to stutter. i took it to nissan dealership in fairfax va and they just said i needed a new transmission for $7500. they mentioned nothing about a potential radiator problem causing this, they basically played dumb about it. if i were to have them fix it with a new transmission, i would have had the same problem all over. the service manager said i might want to "punt" on this one and let someone else deal with the problem. i decided to take it to aamco and they told me that there is a problem with this model where the radiator fails and fluid is cross-contaminated with the transmission. i paid $5000 to have this fixed. nissan should fess up to this problem. i've been doing my research and it turns out that this problem has happened with numerous pathfinder owners. something needs to be done about this well known, documented issue. this type of issue could lead to a major accident if the transmission were to fail on the highway or a major personal safety issue if failure were to happen on back roads. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2006 nissan pathfinder. the contact was driving approximately 35 mph approaching a traffic signal and when driving from the complete stop the transmission began to hesitate in a jerking motion. in addition, a significant amount of steam emitted from the radiator and the thermostat increased rapidly to hot which resulted in the engine overheating. the vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the road and towed to an authorized dealer for diagnostic testing. the technician detected that the radiator exhibited a crack and fluid leaked into the transmission which caused extensive damage. the transmission was completely destroyed. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 86,000. the vin was unavailable. updated 07/20/11*lj updated 08/19/11

Nissan issued an extended warranty to replace faulty radiators and transmissions affected by these faulty radiators yet did not increase the warranty by the normal 12mo 12,000 mile instead they increased it to 96months and only 80,000 miles not 96,000 miles simply because most failures happen over 80,000 miles. they also claimed this was not a safety recall. when the radiator affects the transmission and the vehicle can stall during driving. how is this not a safety issue. this is from their letter informing consumers: "in vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions, a crack in the radiator assembly might occur at higher mileages leading to internal leakage of engine coolant. while the majority of vehicles will not experience this issue, nissan is extending the warranty as it applies to the radiator assembly to demonstrate our commitment to stand behind our products and our customers. nissan is extending your vehicle's new vehicle limited warranty as it applies to the radiator assembly and its component parts from 36 months/36,000 miles to 96 months/80,000 miles, including damage, repairs, replacement, and related towing resulting from this issue."a crack in the radiator is caused from thermal schock. which nissan knew about before installing the original radiator in my vehicle. i know this because they applied for a patent on jan 24,2006 which was published sept 2006 therefore they knowingly installed radiators that would undergo thermal shock ie crack. see the entire publication where they are filing for a patent recognizing the existing problematic radiators: vehicle cooling system,publication number us20060196634,application number us/11/337437,assignees nissan motor co ltd calsonic kansei corporation,inventors sato yousuke ishikawa takayuki iwasaki mitsuru filing date 24 jan 2006publication date 07 sep 2006. make nissan replace all defects. *kb

I had multiple posting previously on my 2006 brand new nissan pathfinder. first problem was with the ecm which was later fixed for about $2000, later nissan reimbursed. as lithia spring ga. nissan dealership had my suv to fix the ecm, on day of pick up, 2 front catalytic converters were defective evidence by a loud hollow noise which the dealership denied. few months later i was notified by nissan manufacturers to take my suv for a recalled maintenance on radiator assemble issues. i took my suv to the same dealership with my noticed, the dealership refused to complete the recalled maintenance and claimed that my suv had a higher mileage than what the manufacturers are recalling. two weeks later my suv went into a cloud of smoke with a rooting eggs odor and as i towed the car to the same dealership, i was charge $98 to complete diagnostic and i was informed the valves body, the transmission sensor and my transmission need a replacement for the total of offer $5000. i managed to complete payment on the car, i had just cancelled the registration on my suv. i still need help to get my suv running again. at the time of purchased i drove of with only 20 miles in my suv. it is un-acceptable that nissan and nissan dealership around the nation would not stand out to take full responsibilities to their defective products; rather, to try to clean out the pockets of nissan owners. i had a service manager at nissan lithia spring ga. asked me what type of job am i doing? i told him that is irrelevant. my speed on the day my suv went into full white smoke was between 35-40 miles. *tr

My brand new timing chain failed, destroying my engine and costing me over $8000 in repairs in addition to the cost of the timing chain ($1100). *tr

I purchased my "certified pre-own" 2006 pathfinder with only 37,000 miles on it and i properly maintained it. december 2010 i noticed that my truck would lose power and sputter while driving at a speed between 40 to 60 mph, and that it would also "tremble or shake" while shifting gears. i took my truck to the dealer to have it serviced and tuned up. i was informed that the radiator was leaking into the transmission and that i needed to have both replaced. i couldn't see straight! i asked the service tech why in the hell i would need a new transmission on a vehicle with just over 100,000 miles and that i'm still paying for no less. the tech suggested that the transmission could be "saved" and i would still have to buy a new radiator and other parts. a year later- 03/12 my truck is behaving the same way so instead of returning to the dealer i decided to take it to a transmission specialist. when i informed him of my problem he asked if i had any problems with the radiator, as a matter a fact i told him i had it replaced a year ago because it was leaking into the transmission. he informed me that he's had a number of pathfinder owners coming to his shop about this very problem, and informed me that there was a class action lawsuit against nissan. i found the lawsuit on the web against nissan and since contacted the attorney and joined in the law suit. up until the moment i had this problem i was a loyal nissan owner, even back to the days when my father owned a datsun and it became my first car. it's one thing to replace a transmission simply due to normal wear, it's another to have consumers do so because of faulty design from the dealer. i'm disappointed that nissan would treat and handle their customers this way. *js

I purchased a 2006 certified nissan pathfinder in 2008. i was guaranteed 100k engine and power train warranty. i currently have 96,426kmiles and the transmission gave out about 1 month ago in saline ks. i took the car to the nissan dealer in kansas and was told that it would be covered. however after waiting over a month for the part nissan stated that the transmission gave out because of the transmission cooling system leaking therefore the transmission is not covered. i have contacted nissan corp directly and have received the same answer. this is hazardous because the transmission gave out without warning during a snow storm. likely the car managed to coast to the side of the road. i had my car shipped back to my home in clarksville tn. and was informed by the delivery driver that the parts were in the back of my car. so now i have a car that was taken apart but not fixed with a bunch of parts in the cargo area and about $2000 in debt for a rental car and shipping the car back too clarksville. since i have had this problem i have found out that the transmission and cooling systems have been malfunctioning since 2004. *tr

The timing chain has come loose due to the failure of a timing chain guide inside the motor. the plastic or rubber piece attached to the aluminum guide becomes separated from the base and falls down below the guide causing the timing chain to loose tension and rattle against the aluminum timing cover. this loosening of the timing chain causes the chain to rattle against the timing cover which could wear a hole or cause timing chain failure, could even cause the loose chain to jump a sprocket tooth a cause the engine to malfunction due to valves hitting the tops of the piston and causing bent valves and engine shut down. this is a common nissan problem with the 3.5 liter v6 engine. nissan needs to replace these poorly manufactured components. many videos on youtube can be found on this problem with the 3.5 liter v6 engine. many have complaint that nissan will not recall nor pay for the repair. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2006 nissan pathfinder. the contact stated that while attempting to place the vehicle in gear the vehicle did not accelerated over 20 mph. the contact mechanic inspected the vehicle, the failure was located at the radiator water penetrated the transmission. the vehicle will be taken to the dealer. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure and the current mileages were 71,000.

Radiator leaked water into transmission causing transmission failure. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2006 nissan pathfinder. while the vehicle was parked, the contact attempted to start the vehicle but it was making a noise. the contact had to fill the fuel tank to get the vehicle started. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where the cotnact was informed that the intelligent power distribution module needed to be replaced. the vehicle was being repaired. the contact referenced recall 10v517000 (engine and engine cooling) but was informed by the manufacturer that the vehicle was not included. the current and failure mileages were 84,880.

I have 2006 pathfinder ,it has 48k miles and is overheating.i thought is was t-stat so i replaced it. it continues to overheat so i am reading this forum for answers. please explain symptoms you were experiencing before radiator leaking into transmission was discovered. any help is greatly appreciated. thanks (this is my 2nd pathfinder,we liked the 1st one so much we bought a 2nd. never a problem with my 2001 pathfinder.) *tr

This is in reference to the 2005 and 2006 nissan pathfinders and the failing in-radiator transmission coolers allowing coolant into the transmission causing them to fail. my 2006 has not failed but i am replacing the radiator today to stay ahead of the potential failure. (i am a mechanic and after reviewing approx 200 internet posts see the issue very clearly) you are welcome to the radiator i will be removing for a forensic evaluation of the internal transmission cooler, i have maintained my vehicle religiously and this would be a good indicator if there are corrosion issues with proper maintenance and low mileage. just let me know where you would like it sent. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2006 nissan pathfinder. while driving approximately 20 mph, the check engine light illuminated on the instrument panel. the contact stated the vehicle started vibrating and slowed down. the contact continued to drive home. the vehicle was taken to an auto parts store where a diagnostic test was performed; it was determined that a problem lay within the transmission. the vehicle was taken to a local transmission shop and they advised her that the transmission needed to be replaced and they turned the check engine light off. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and where the contact was informed that the radiator and the transmission needed to be replaced. the vehicle had not been repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 71,500 and the current mileage was 72,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2006 nissan pathfinder. the vehicle stalled without warning numerous times while driving at any speed. the service engine light illuminated after the failure occurred. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who performed a diagnostic test that located failures within the catalytic convert, the camshaft sensor, and the electronic control module. the dealer replaced all of the defective parts, but the failure was not corrected. the vehicles continued to stall without warning while driving at any speed. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer for further examination. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer filed report 7134302. the failure mileage was 45,000 and current mileage was 47,000.

I have a 2006 nissan pathfinder. i purchased it brand new at the end of 2005 and have been the only owner. sounds like i have the same exact problem most of the people listed here have. last week when taking in my car for its routine service i was told that both my radiator and transmission are out...they are done and i need to replace them. it is costing me approx. 5800 and i have been shocked and surprised because i had no previous obvious sign that this was going on. not even strange sounds, signs of getting over-heated or even having the sensor light go on. i mean, if the sensor light goes on for something as simple as low air pressure in my tires, i would only assume that for something as serious as my transmission, it would light on, too. apparently fluid from the radiator got into the transmission, that has damaged it all and needs to be replaced. my vehicle warranty expired at 75,000 miles...only 8,000 miles ago, but nothing can be done now and i have to pay. it seems to me that this is a general problem to many nissan pathfinders, mostly years 2005/2006. i have always taken my vehicle for service at the same dealership where i purchased it, and now this. worse thing of it all, it seems to me that these service departments deal frequently with this issue and have done nothing about contacting nissan's hq dept. because it sounds like a manufactures malfunction. i cannot believe how frequent my same situation has occurred to other nissan consumers and i strongly feel like something needs to be done. i live in los angeles county, california, and if anyone is interested in furthering some sort of investigation or legal action, please contact me. *tr

I had my nissan pathfinder recommended serviced at the nissan dealer performed on june 26 2010. they advised me my truck was in good condition. after leaving the dealer my truck started jerking and i returned to the dealer. the dealer informed me my transmission and radiator were leaking and had to be replaced. after researching online there is several complaints from other nissan pathfinder owners with the same problem. i feel nissan should recall the pathfinders. this is a safety issue because the pathfinder is jerking and stalling. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 nissan pathfinder. while having the vehicle inspected, the contact was informed that the catalytic converter was leaking. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership where the contact was informed that the vehicle was performing normally. the current and failure mileages were approximately 79,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2006 nissan pathfinder. while driving approximately 40 mph, the contact attempted to accelerate further and noticed that the vehicle did not have as much power as it usually did. the contact heard a whining noise from the engine. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that the timing chain needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the contact stated that the fuel gauge stopped operating. the contact called the manufacturer who stated that the vehicle was not included in recall 10v075000 (fuel system, gasoline: storage: auxillary tank). the vehicle was repaired by an authorized dealer. a few months later, while driving approximately 45 mph, the vehicle stalled. the vehicle did not restart so it was towed to an authorized dealer where it was repaired. the contact called the manufacturer who stated that the vehicle was not included in recall 10v517000 (engine and engine cooling). the failure mileage was approximately 72,000 and the current mileage was approximately 84,000.

National headquarters consumers affairs department: 10/10/10 in the past few months beginning may 2010 have been attempting to communicate with the nissan rep. for the northern region. i was recently informed by rep in sept 2010 that nissan refused my request for assistance in replacing the catalytic converter in my 2006 nissan pathfinder that currently, as of sept 24, 2010 has 86,000 miles. you see back in april 14, 2010 i was informed by nalley nissan of decatur ga. that i needed to have the catalytic converter replaced on my 2006 pathfinder, and that they could do the job for $1,200 -$1,500 at the time my vehicle had approximately 80,000 miles or less yet when i had work done at nalley nissan on april 14, 2010 the mileage was documented as by nalley nissan as being 125,000 in an attempt as not to repair my vehicle under the manufactures warranty free of cost. on may 24, 2010 i had a second opinion done as well as some repair work done and at this time 1 month later my car read 81,254 miles reading on the odometer knowing all of this had transpired the nissan rep informed me that nissan would not replace or assist in getting this matter taken care of. is it common that the converter should have to be replaced in a car so new. as well as the records being falsified so my vehicle would not qualify for replacement of the converter. it is virtually impossible to have had 125,000 miles on 4/15/10, and 81,254 miles on 5/24/10 not to mention that as of sept 24, 2010 my reading is 86,000 miles. also, i have been informed that a code for the gas sensor is being displayed, the fuel reading says empty yet i have just put $45.00 worth of gas in the tank also these parts would not be kept in stock if not for frequent replacement of said parts. i have copies of both receipts showing this to be a ...

05 & 06 nissan pathfinders got a bad batch of radiators that were installed into there cars. the radiators are cracking and allowing the coolant to mix with the transmission fluid destroying both and leaving consumers with repair bills between $5500.00 and $7500.00. the danger in this matter is that cars are over heating on the roads, and transmissions are failing during driving. how safe can it be when a car is traveling down the road and complete loss of power happens at 70mph in the fast lane or in a steep incline. if your lucky enough to get to the shoulder safely then a family with kids could be trapped on the hwy or back roads of america forced to walk to the nearest town putting them in extreme danger of being run over and killed. also if a car overheats and someone tries to force it down the road to a town that car could catch fire. all due to nissan putting these radiators into there suvs knowing its a family car. nissan north america refuses to acknowledge the problem putting 10s of thousands of lives at risk. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 nissan pathfinder. the contact stated she was driving at 50 mph when the heater and defroster failed. the windows had to remain open in order to keep the windows from fogging. in addition, the contact stated the vehicle would exhibit an unusual increase in engine rpms intermittently. the vehicle was inspected by a local mechanic who advised that radiator fluid leaked into the inner cooling system and into the transmission, causing the heater failure. the mechanic performed a transmission flush and replaced the transmission filter and radiator. within five months, the transmission failed. additionally, the fuel level gauge would sporadically read inaccurate fuel levels, causing her to run out of fuel twice without warning. the contact referenced nhtsa campaign id number: 10v075000 (fuel system, gasoline: storage: auxillary tank) but was unable to confirm if her vehicle was included with the recall. the vehicle was not further repaired. the failure and current mileages were approximately 118,000.

Transmission stalling vehicle making vehicle jump. called nissan motors about transmission problems. have read on boards this problem with transmission and radiator is very common in these vehicles. vehicle just all of the sudden starts jumping which could cause an accident. paid too much money for this nissan to be having these kind of problems and do not want to cause an accident. nissan is not cooperating with all the consumers that own these vehicles. i am afraid it is going to completely stall in the middle of the road. *tr

Truck began to shudder as if driving on rumble strips, then overheated on major highway. the transmission fluid and cooling fluid mixed due to defect. radiator had to be replaced and truck completely flushed several times. good chance that transmission was damaged and will have to be replaced, also. total cost of repair was $1500. *tr

Due to an acknowledged defect in a hose leading from the radiator to the transmission, coolant leaked into the transmission causing catastrophic damage. we had to replace the transmission and the defective radiator to the tune of >$4000. nissan recognized there was an issue because they extended the powertrain warranty to just under the mileage where the majority of their customers were beginning to experience issues. when approached, nissan refused to authorize a reimbursement of any sort, not even agreeing to meet halfway, when they knew it was their defective part that was to blame for the damage that was done. nissan hopes that by dismissing people they will give up and not pursue further recourse. i will say now that they are sorely mistaken. there are too many people that have been affected by their negligence. it was a costly and dangerous oversight that needs to end in some sort of resolution. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2006 nissan pathfinder. while driving approximately 60 mph on normal road conditions when suddenly, the engine stalled without warning. the vehicle failed to restart and was towed to an authorized dealer. the failure was contributed to the intelligent power distribution module (ipdm). the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was 58,000.

Nissan pathfinder, 2006 dealer states radiator coolant leaking into & mixing with transmission oil. car would have a severe vibration above 40mph approx. when changing final gear. there is no heat from heater. car temp would rise at speeds over 40mph. dealer asked for $8000 for replacement of radiator and transmission. car under power train warranty but they still won't cover defect radiator. common problem found online with 2005 & 2006 models, they can catch on fire and the service engine light is not turning on. nissan hq declined any help. *tr

2006 nissan pathfinder - in august the fuel gauge stops working i have to replace the fuel pump. in december the radiator coolant and transmission fluid mix and i have to replace radiator and flush transmission fluid. in january the ipmd module goes out, car goes completely dead on freeway and almost causes an accident. in february ses light goes on again this time catalytic converter goes bad. february 24 coolant and transmission fluid mixing again taking to shop tomorrow. please look into the issues, if you search the internet you will discover this is not an isolated incident. please help. i'm sure i will be posting again next month. *tr

The transmission cooler is located in the radiator and cracked. this results in the mixture of anti-freeze and transmission fluid. so the ending result is anti-freeze in the transmission and transmission fluid in the radiator. the transmission starts slipping then fails.......there is a long list of problems with this at the edmunds car web site. http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/webx?ed_displaymakemodelrelateddiscussions@@.ef14c39!make=nissan&model=pathfinder. *tr

I purchased an after-market engine cold air intake for my 2006 nissan pathfinder. approximately a month after i installed the intake a piece of metal from the intake broke of and got lodged in the throttle of my vehicle during a trip to los angeles, ca. the metal piece caused my car's engine to stall the die completely on the freeway within a matter of seconds. i was able to safely get my vehicle to the side of the road. i had the vehicle towed to a mechanic in barstow, ca who removed the metal debris from the throttle. the mechanic informed me the metal had broken loose from inside the intake. when i removed the intake and examined the inside i found more pieces of metal ready to break free. the metal fragments were left hanging and cleaned up after the metal was cut and the o2 sensor fitting was welded on. *tr

2006 nissan pathfinder. consumer requests that warranties be applicable to his vehicle *tgw the consumer stated the fuel sending unit was operating sporadically. the consumer was informed his vehicle was not included in the recall and the vehicle was over the warranty miles. the consumer received a warranty notification in the mail which stated his vehicle was included in 80,000 miles or less warranty. on march 24, 2008 the vehicle was taken to the dealer, because there was an odor of anti-freeze coming from the vehicle. they determined there was a leak in the radiator and it was fixed under warranty. in april 2008, the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer twice, because he continued to smell anti-freeze. they checked the vehicle both times, but did not find anything wrong with the radiator and could not find any leaks.

Tl*the contact owns a 2006 nissan pathfinder. upon purchasing the vehicle, the contact noticed that the check engine light was illuminated. she was informed that the fuel gauge sensor needed to be replaced. she stated that the fuel gauge indicator needle remains on the empty symbol, even when fuel is in the vehicle. the contact took the vehicle back to the dealer two weeks later to have it repaired. the dealer informed her that the cause of failure was a short in the cluster and the part had to be ordered from puerto rico. the part arrived a week and a half later and the dealer replaced the cluster. one week later, the odometer began to display the incorrect mileage. the odometer was later repaired. two weeks later, the vehicle began making a loud squeaking noise as soon as it was started. the contact took the vehicle back to the dealer and was informed that the cause of failure was the tension belt. the dealer replaced the belt, but later discovered that the part was defective. the belt was replaced again, but the dealer was unsure if the replacement part would be defective as well. the vin, engine size, number of cylinders, speed, and powertrain were unknown. the current mileage was 12,566 and failure mileage was 693.

I own a 2006 nissan pathfinder. after hearing about many transmission issues due to a faulty radiator/seal, i decided to be proactive since i only have 41,000 miles and one year remaining on my power train warranty. i called nissan usa informing them of my concern, and to see if there was a fix in place before my warranty was up in one year. the woman informed me that unless there was a specific problem at this time, nothing could be done. i was calling to try to save them from an upcoming issues/repairs under warranty. i also called my local dealership, and he heard about the issue and stated that no fix or recall is in place. after owning multiple nissans over the past 15 years, this new was disheartening. nissan documented my call (i have a conf. number). i already had u-joint replaced. alternator tensioner, and timing chain replaced under warranty. *tr

2006 nissan pathfinder was taken today for a routine yearly inspection. only issue i have had with it is the heater periodically doesn't work correctly. at the nissan dealer, i have been told the vehicle is in need of an entire transmission and radiator replacement due to the fact that a "cooling line is broken and all antifreeze mixed in with the transmission fluid". estimated cost is $7000. in addition, the catalytic converter needs replaced. the repairman indicated "many" pathfinders have this problem. after searching on-line, there are multiple people angry that their pathfinders are having the exact same issue, yet nissan is still not assuming any responsibility for any of this. i also filed a complaint with nissan customer service. this is quite disconcerting, as the vehicle is only 4 years old, and i am now being told i shouldn't even be driving it. they are offering to help only by giving us a great deal on a trade. however, i no longer trust nissan, and would not trade for another nissan. i am asking nissan for some explanation, and some financial assistance on this issue, but i have not had a reply. the dealer only offers a "great" trade-in value - the manufacturer hasn't replied yet (assuming they will reply at all". thank you for your time on this matter and anything you can do to assist. *tr