2003 Nissan Pathfinder
The Verdict
The 2003 Nissan Pathfinder has 110 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are engine (49 complaints) and body (32 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 72/100, it earns a "Solid Pick" rating. If you're shopping for a Nissan Pathfinder, consider the 2012 model year which has 79% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2012 has 79% fewer complaints
View the 2012 Nissan Pathfinder dashboard →
Klunk Score: Solid Pick
Fewer complaints than most vehicles. Generally dependable, but check the top problems below.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
| Year | Body | Brakes | Electrical | Engine | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 74 | 10 | 20 | 19 | 6 |
| 2001 | 161 | 11 | 20 | 45 | 2 |
| 2002 | 81 | 11 | 18 | 52 | 9 |
| 2003 | 32 | 11 | 16 | 49 | 2 |
| 2004 | 20 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 8 |
| 2005 | 54 | 9 | 41 | 670 | 274 |
| 2006 | 72 | 5 | 25 | 539 | 195 |
| 2007 | 41 | 5 | 20 | 351 | 143 |
| 2008 | 26 | 7 | 40 | 160 | 95 |
| 2009 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 11 | 4 |
| 2010 | 11 | 2 | 11 | 11 | 5 |
| 2011 | 10 | 5 | 14 | 11 | 5 |
| 2012 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| 2013 | 234 | 52 | 167 | 129 | 304 |
| 2014 | 185 | 30 | 94 | 76 | 185 |
| 2015 | 97 | 15 | 68 | 81 | 57 |
| 2016 | 35 | 13 | 24 | 28 | 5 |
| 2017 | 41 | 8 | 23 | 89 | 22 |
| 2018 | 24 | 20 | 10 | 13 | 9 |
| 2019 | 29 | 12 | 8 | 18 | 6 |
| 2020 | 10 | 7 | 11 | 16 | 6 |
| 2022 | 58 | 31 | 12 | 22 | 10 |
| 2023 | 29 | 16 | 14 | 29 | 9 |
| 2024 | 22 | 18 | 5 | 18 | 5 |
| 2025 | 22 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 5 |
By Category
By Severity
Worst Problems
Complaints
Buying a used vehicle checking on issues
Unknown . The steering column broke
This vehicle no longer meets the EPA TiER 3 standards That are needed to be on the road . I as the customer am not ok with this and because of this reason I’d like the entire vehicle to completely recalled . As it is not any longer fit to be on roads . The fact is that this car presents a health risk that is known to be fatal to life . So when you ask if the re has been any fatalities the answer is , yes , the emissions from old cars like the 2003 pathfinders have killed peoples already and guaranteed thing contributed to thier death and it will continue to be a contributing factor until it is recalled completely like it should have been done in 2017 . The moment that it was no longer meeting safe legal standards.
The contact owns a 2003 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated there was corrosion on the passenger’s side front struts. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who declined the repair under Manufacturer Campaign ID: R1107 with NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V244000 (Steering, Suspension). The driver’s side front struts were repaired prior to the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the mileage requirements were not met. The failure mileage was approximately 187,000.
The gas gauge stopped working a few months ago. Had an appointment to have the fuel sensor replaced. The fuel sensor is fine. The mechanic said it was most likely the gauge. In researching over the past several months, this appears to be a huge problem with the 2003 Pathfinder. This should be recalled. I'm not sure why it it isn't since it is a wide spread issue.
FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY -- THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR 2 YEARS NOW. WHEN I FILL IT UP, IT SHOWS AS FULL, BUT WILL NEVER GO LOWER THAN JUST OVER 1/2 TANK OF GAS. I HAVE TO RESET AND WATCH MY MILEAGE EVERY TIME I FILL UP THE TANK, AND MAKE SURE I REFILL IT EVERY 225 MILES, TO ENSURE I DON'T RUN OUT OF FUEL. MY MECHANIC HAS DONE EVERYTHING HE CAN THINK OF TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT SO FAR NOTHING HAS WORKED. I NOTICED I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE TO FILE A COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS ISSUE.
FUEL GAUGE INDICATED FUEL TANK WAS AT LEAST HALF FULL. VEHICLE DID NOT START BECAUSE IT WAS OUT OF FUEL. MECHANIC REPLACED MANY THINGS UNTIL IT WAS DISCOVERED CAR WAS OUT OF FUEL. COST ME CLOSE TO $1,000. CAR COULD HAVE RUN OUT OF FUEL ON A HIGHWAY WHILE IN THE FAST LANE. MANY OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I AM 74 YEARS OLD AND NEVER HAD FAILED FUEL GAUGE. I AM TOLD THE WHOLE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. NO WARNING WAS EVER PROVIDED BY NISSAN THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN. HOW MANY OF THEIR VEHICLES HAVE THIS PROBLEM.
NISSAN IS CLAIMING THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V244000 WAS ALREADY ADDRESSED ON MY VEHICLE. I TOOK MY CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL YEARS AGO FOR A RECALL BUT THEY NEVER FIXED THIS RECALL BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO BUSY. WHEN I CALL NISSAN RIGHT NOW THEY ARE CLAIMING IT WAS FIXED ALREADY. THIS WAS NEVER FIXED AND MY VEHICLE IS EXHIBITING THE EXACT ISSUES OUTLINED IN THE RECALL. MY VIN# [XXX]. I AM REQUESTING NISSAN TO FIX THIS ISSUE PER THE RECALL. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
FUEL GAUGE IS NOT READING CORRECTLY REPEATEDLY HAVE TO TOP OFF MY TANK THAT COSTS ME MORE MONEY THAN IT SHOULD TO GET BACK AND FORTH TO WORK BECAUSE I RAN OUT OF GAS AND IT COSTED ME $200 TO FIGURE OUT THAT I NEED SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THE GAS GAUGE THERE'S SO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS WHY HAS IT NISSAN DONE SOMETHING ABOUT IT THEY SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO JUST LET THIS PROBLEM GO ON AND STICK THE CUSTOMERS THAT PAY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR THE VEHICLES. I WAS GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AFTER BEING AT THE HOSPITAL ALL NIGHT WITH MY MOTHER-IN-LAW AND ME AND MY WIFE HAD TO WALK SEVERAL MILES JUST TO GET CELL SERVICE TO GET PICKED UP AND MY CAR TOWED.
MY NISSAN PATHFINDERS AIR BAG DASH LIGHT IS FLASHING. I HAVE HAD IT RESET AND IT STARTS FLASHING AGAIN AFTER A FEW HOURS OF OPERATION.
WE WERE DRIVING OUR PATHFINDER HOME IN THE WINTER THE ECSESSIVE AMOUNT OF SALT ON THE ROAD CAUSED OUR MAIN WATER FLOW TO CORRODE AND STALL THE ENGINE AND CAUSED THE RADIATORS THERMOSTAT TO BREAK AND THE CAR OVERHEATED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH MUFFLERS WERE RUSTED OUT. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE, THE REAR MUFFLER AND REAR TAIL PIPE WERE DETACHED DUE TO THE RUST. IN ADDITION, FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE TO THE REAR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.
AT SPEEDS OVER 50 MPH THE CAR BEGINS TO WOBBLE, HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM INVOLING FAULTY TRAILING ARM BUSHING/ REAR ARM BUSHING AND BEARING NEED TO BE REPLACED CAUSING WHAT IS COOMMONLY KNOWN AS THE DEATH WOBBLE. BUT LETS UP WHEN YOU LET UP OFF THE GAS? TO ME THIS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE! THAT MANY HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM, THAT I HAVE FOUND ON ON LINE FORUMS.. WHY HASN'T NISSAN RECALLED THIS ISSUE?
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACT CALLED TO INQUIRE ABOUT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V244000 (STEERING, SUSPENSION). THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD THE RECALL REPAIRED AT MARTIN NISSAN (5240 GOLF RD, SKOKIE, IL 60077, (866) 800-1100) AND THEY STATED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR WAS ONLY PERFORMED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE FRAME. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CURRENTLY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE FRAME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND CONFIRMED THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
I WAS SENT TO POST CARDS AT DIFFERENT TIMES TO FIX THE RECALL ONE WAS AFTER THANKSGIVING ABOUT THE 28TH OF NOVEMBER 2018 I WENT OUT THERE THEY FAILED TO FIX THE PROBLEM THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PARTS OR THE MECHANIC WASN'T AVAILABLE SO THEY SENT ANOTHER POSTCARD SAYING CALL BACK THE PARTS ARE AVAILABLE NOW I GO THERE WHICH TODAY DECEMBER 23RD AND SHE'S TELLING ME THERE'S NO MECHANIC PEOPLE HAVE PLAYED GAMES WITH ME I WORK I DON'T HAVE TIME TO KEEP RUNNING BACK AND FORTH IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO FIX THE CAR PLEASE SEND ME TO A NISSAN THAT WILL FIX THIS RECALL PROBLEM IF I GET IN AN ACCIDENT AND SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME I'M GOING TO SUE MAJOR BIG.
2003 NISSAN PATHFINDER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO AIRBAG RECALL. *AS THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION PERTAINING TO THE AIRBAG RECALL, BUT WAS INFORMED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED AN INVESTIGATION TO CONFIRM WHETHER NOT THE VIN WAS INCLUDED. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. *JS
RECENTLY DISCOVERED A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT FREQUENTLY SHOWS ITSELF WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS (OVER 45) AND ONE HITS A BUMP OR SMALL POT HOLE THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DEVELOPS AN EXTREME WOBBLE MAKING IT VERY HARD TO CONTROL. I SUDDENLY WAS IN AN ADJACENT LANE AND WAS ALMOST HIT. DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AND EVEN HAS BEEN GIVEN A NAME. IT'S REFERRED TO AS THE DEATH WOBBLE. IF ONE QUICKLY SLOW DOWN TO WOBBLE WILL GO AWAY. I WAS TOLD BY SEVERAL MECHANICS DON'T DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY YOU'LL STAND A GOOD CHANCE OF FLIPPING THE VEHICLE. IT SEEMS THE PROBLEM IS FAILED BUSHINGS IN REAR CONTROL ARMS. UNFORTUNATELY WHEN THE PROBLEM SHOWS WHEN THE CAR BECOMES DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS TO CONTROL. REPAIRS ARE COSTLY AND OFTEN MISDIAGNOSED. IT APPEARS NISSAN IS AWARE BUT NO SAFETY WARNING OR RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. THERE ARE NUMEROUS DISCUSSIONS ON THE WEB DESCRIBING THIS ISSUE AS ON GOING WITH MANY MODEL YEARS ON PATHFINDERS AND SOME INFINITY MODELS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN PATHFINDER. WHILE DRIVING OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STRUTS WERE RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (EXECUTIVE NISSAN, 900 UNIVERSAL DR N, NORTH HAVEN, CT 06473), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V244000 (STEERING, SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,325.
WHILE DRIVING 2003 NISSAN PATHFINDER I HIT POTHOLE ON A CITY STREET, HEARD LOUD BANG, SHORTLY AFTER COMPLETELY LOST ALL BRAKING ABILITIES, UPON BRINGING MY VEHICLE HOME AND EXAMINING I NOTICE THE RIGHT FRONT STRUT HOUSING HAD SEPARATED FROM FRAME SNAPPING THE BRAKE LINE ON THE RIGHT FRONT. APPEARS TO BE THE SAME CORROSION ISSUE AS THE RECALL ON THE LEFT FRONT STRUT HOUSING.
"TAKATA RECALL' THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT COURT FLORIDA OF UNITED STATES INFORMED ME THAT MY TRUCK HAD A SAFETY RECALL. I WAS ALSO TOLD BY NISSAN DEALERSHIP TO BRING MY TRUCK FOR REPAIR. IN DECEMBER 06, 2017, I WENT TO THE DEALER GOT IT FIX AFTER A LONG 9 HRES WAIT.
110 total