The Used Car Index

2012 Nissan Pathfinder problems

NHTSA lists 23 complaints for the 2012 Nissan Pathfinder, 2 of them mention a crash and 1 mention a fire. 1 complaints mention an injury, with 1 injuries and 0 deaths reported.

Data build 2026-10-08.

NHTSA lists this vehicle as NISSAN PATHFINDER.

At a glance

Complaints
23
With crash
2
With fire
1
With injury (complaints)
1
Injuries
1
Deaths
0
Recalls
2
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
14,718
Investigations
0
Open investigations
0
Manufacturer communications
106

Complaints per 100k sold unavailable. No sales source is available for this record.

Where the complaints are

Top systems
SystemComplaintsShare of this vehicle's complaints
ENGINE521.7%
SUSPENSION521.7%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER521.7%
AIR BAGS417.4%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM313.0%
POWER TRAIN28.7%
SERVICE BRAKES28.7%
STEERING28.7%
STRUCTURE28.7%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)14.3%
Top subsystems
SystemSubsystemComplaints
STRUCTUREFRAME AND MEMBERS1
SUSPENSIONREAR1
VISIBILITYGLASS, SIDE/REAR1

One complaint can name several systems, so shares can add to more than 100 percent.

Model-generated complaint tags

These labels are model-generated, not NHTSA data.

Failure modes
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
mechanical failure428.6%0.87
loss of control321.4%0.76
restraint or airbag321.4%0.98
structural or corrosion214.3%0.72
electrical electronic17.1%1.00
fluid or fuel leak17.1%0.50
Severities
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
moderate750.0%0.82
low428.6%0.81
high321.4%0.84

Model: typesafe/jev-1.13-20260917; schema version: tag-v1. 14 tagged complaints of 23 complaints (60.9%).

Confidence is the model's own probability for the label it chose (0 to 1), not accuracy.

Model-generated labels on tagged complaints only. Model years 2013 and newer are tagged in full; 2012 in part (see tagged_share); earlier model years have no tags. NHTSA's own flags remain separate in the complaints block.

Recalls

See new recalls and investigations this week.

2 recalls.

12V462000

Date: 2012-09-20. Systems: SUSPENSION.

Defect: Nissan is recalling certain model year 2012 Frontier, Pathfinder, and Xterra two-wheel drive vehicles manufactured from June 19, 2012, through July 12, 2012. These vehicles may have been equipped with front wheel hubs that may not meet the design hardness specifications. A wheel hub that was manufactured below hardness specification may wear prematurely and eventually crack.

Consequence: If the vehicle is driven in this condition, the wheel hub may break, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.

Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replaced the left and right side front wheel hub assemblies free of charge. The safety recall began on October 22, 2012. Owners may contact Nissan Customer Service at 1-800-647-7261.

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

11V592000

Date: 2011-12-19. Systems: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING.

Defect: NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011 INFINITI FX, MODEL YEAR 2012 INFINITI M, MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN FRONTIER, MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN XTERRA, MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 NISSAN PATHFINDER, AND MODEL YEAR 2012 NISSAN NV VEHICLES. SOME OF THE BOLTS THAT CONNECT THE ENGINE OIL COOLER AND THE ENGINE OIL FILTER TO THE ENGINE IN THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED TO BELOW SPECIFICATION (excerpt)

Consequence: IF THERE IS AN ENGINE OIL LEAK, THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE WOULD DROP AND THE ENGINE COULD SEIZE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. (excerpt)

Remedy: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CONNECTOR BOLTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 30, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261. (excerpt)

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

Investigations

0 investigations; 0 open.

Manufacturer communications

106 manufacturer communications.

Communications by system
SystemCount
EQUIPMENT23
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM19
WHEELS12
POWER TRAIN11
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING9
STEERING7
STRUCTURE7
SUSPENSION7

11031704

Date: 2026-04-13. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: STRUCTURE.

CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement a Certification Labela or a VIN Plate/Labela may be needed. HINT: Certification Label = FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) label. These items may be

11031705

Date: 2026-04-13. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: STRUCTURE.

CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement a Certification Labela or a VIN Plate/Labela may be needed. HINT: Certification Label = FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) label. These items may be

11031720

Date: 2026-04-13. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: STRUCTURE.

CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement a Certification Labela or a VIN Plate/Labela may be needed. HINT: Certification Label = FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) label. These items may be

11007001

Date: 2024-07-08. Type: Service Campaign. Systems: AIR BAGS.

VOLUNTARY SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN 2005-2013 FRONTIER, PATHFINDER, AND XTERRA; DRIVER AIR BAG COVER CAMPAIGN ID #: PC945 and PC948 APPLIED VEHICLES: 2005-2013 Frontier (D40) 2005-2012 Pathfinder (R51) 2005-2013 Xterra (N50) Check Service COMM or Dealer Business Systems (DBS) National Service History t

11004960

Date: 2024-05-21. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

CAN COMMUNICATION CODES a DIAGNOSTIC TIPS AND GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

11004961

Date: 2024-05-21. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

CAN COMMUNICATION a NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

11004962

Date: 2024-05-21. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

VEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

11001191

Date: 2024-04-30. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: VISIBILITY/WIPER.

WINDSHIELD CRACKING This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

11001194

Date: 2024-04-30. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: VISIBILITY/WIPER.

REMOVING FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM THE WINDOW GLASS This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

11001201

Date: 2024-04-30. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: VISIBILITY/WIPER.

WINDOW GLASS WARRANTY INFORMATION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.

Notes on this record

  • Complaints from the API and bulk file are merged and deduplicated by ODI number; the API alone misses records.
  • System and subsystem counts are numbers of distinct complaints, recalls or communications that name them. One record can name several systems, so shares across systems can add to more than 100 percent; a single share never exceeds 100 percent.
  • Recalls are counted once per campaign, investigations once per action and manufacturer communications once per NHTSA id, even when NHTSA lists several model names for the same record.
  • A sales denominator is a calendar-year proxy, not the population of vehicles still in use. Rates are copied from verified pipeline output.

Other names NHTSA uses

None listed.

Matched NHTSA models

Matched labels and complaints
NHTSA model labelComplaints
PATHFINDER23

Same model, other years

All model years | All Nissan models

Other Nissan models, 2012

Sources

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