Automatic Transmission problems of the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder - part 1

Transmission is leaking in to radiator.

My 2005 Nissan Pathfinder was losing speed especially when passing vehicles on the highway, the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder would not go into reverse. I noticed that the car was not running properly for over 3 weeks. I took the Pathfinder to a transmission expert and they did diagnostic tests and the expert said that the radiator had a hole in it and radiator fluid went into the transmission and the transmission was gone. He showed me the transmission stick that showed me that radiator fluid mixed in with the transmission fluid. The transmission expert said that they have seen a number of Nissan Pathfinders with the same problem. A week later, I took my 2005 Nissan Pathfinder to another transmission expert for a second opinion, this expert did the diagnostics and confirmed that the radiator had a hole in it that allowed for radiator fluid to go into the transmission. He also stated that they have seen a number of 2005 Nissan Pathfinders with the same problem and he recommended that I go to a Nissan dealership to see what they say. I went sheehy Nissan in glen burnie, MD in which they did a diagnostic test and found that coolant mixing with the trans fluid causing improper shifting. The recommendations were to replace the trans assembly, radiator, and trans cooler. The service manager told me that Nissan had an extended warranty on the radiator for 80, 000 miles or up to 2013. I had 85,000 miles on my 2005 Nissan Pathfinder. I called Nissan USA and told them the problem and faxed the diagnostic invoice to them. Two weeks later they told me that they would pay for the parts and I would have to pay for the labor. Luckily, my insurance company paid for the radiator, trans, and trans cooler. Nissan has known about this problem for and refuses to do a recall on the radiator and this is unacceptable! this affects 2005-2007 Nissan Pathfinders and this is a safety hazard if the vehicle trans stalls or shuts off while driving on highways and roads. A recall is needed!.

The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated the transmission on the vehicle failed twice. The contact stated the transmission began to function with some resistance. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was told the radiator failed causing coolant to mix with the transmission fluid. The failure and current mileages were 124,128.

Transmission/raditor coolant cross contamination causing the Pathfinder to stop in the middle of the highway. My 2 year old son was in the child seat in the back seat of the vehicle.

Nissan has a known issue with their radiators and faulty hoses. These result in coolant leaking in the transmission and ultimately destroying both. This issue is prevalent at 85k mikes and beyond which is out of warranty for both. This leaks causes the Pathfinder to be unsafe as it cannot be driven until it is repaired for over 6k. The Pathfinder does not shift properly and will ultimately stall completely while in use. Nissan will not cover this issue which should have been a recall.

Radiator coolant and transmission fluid mixing, causing major problems with vehicle. Hesitatnt shifting, or worse, no shifting or movement at all. Expecially dangerous on highway (interstate).

I have 2005 Nissan Pathfinder le 4x4 ,my transmission has gone bad after searching online many complaint about the transmission coolent(water) entering the transmission and locking the transmission , after doing a search online I'm not the only one with this problem 100's of complaints have been todl/advise to Nissan USA , transmission could lock on you while you are driving very serious ,dangeorus ,took SUV to dealer wanted me to buy a new transmission ,told them about all the complaint service dept. Told me that the was my problem not Nissan's printed out and show them all the complaint no luck. . . . . There should be a recall / transmission has to be change many many complaints . . . . . . . . . .

Radiator cracked and leaked into transmission which lead to transmision failure.

I have a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder 4x4 se off road with 115,000 miles . Beautiful vehicle but beginning to have problems the fuel guage will go to empty when full , also having hesitation about 40 miles an hour . I read about the horror story with radiator problem causing transmission problem . I have an appointment at a Nissan dealer this weekend for the recall on the ecm so I will have further info on the hesitation , Nissan recalled the fuel gauge problem but limited to 72,000 miles vehicle only ,I think they should up hold the Nissan rep and take care of these problems also the transmission problems due to faulty parts . These problems are not normal wear and tear .

2005 Pathfinder wouldn't accelerate from 0-20mph and had shuttering feeling at 40-60mph. I fear the worst is happening.

Purchased 2005 Nissan Pathfinder. Still owe on financing. I had an issue about 2 months agao where I had the radiator and transmission replaced as a result of faulty radiator. I spent well over 4500 to replace the transmission and radiator and would like to submit my claim for the class action lawsuit pending. I will never purchase a Nissan again.

I brought car to the dealer for service and asked for the tranny to flushed they said the radiator had a leak and there was coolant in the transmission. They offered to replace the radiator and flush the system for $1,000 but didn't think that would help. The dealer wanted to replace the transmission and radiator for 8-10k. I ended up taking a loss and trading in the car couldn't see putting that kind of money into a 5 year old car. After looking on the internet found hundreds of people having the same issue very disappointing Nissan doesn't stand behind their product.

Transmission not shifting at 50 mph during acceleration on freeway. Unable to avoid fast traffic and stuck behind big rig. Slow driving more dangerous than normal flow traffic. Took to get transmission flushed and mechanic mention brownish color, but no contamination of radiator fluid. Says needs rebuilt or new trans. I took SUV back and been driving still with shifting working, but shaking at 60 mph or higher just like prior to shift issue. 65k only and from reading forums, I see many complaints and many unhappy customers including me. Hoping Nissan steps up and fixes this for free. Not sure if trading in or fixing. Love this car, but issue after issue. 2008 had both cats replaced, for lost of power.

My 2005 Nissan Pathfinder began to shutter then jerk back into normal driving as it reached speeds of 60-70 mph. It was very sporadic in the beginning, but started to happen more frequently and at lower speeds for a longer period of time. I brought the truck into Nissan with 70,000 miles, at which time I was told that the radiator leaked into the transmission causing the need for both to be replaced at the cost of $6700. 00. I did alot of research and discovered that hundreds and hundreds of people with the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder with approximately the same mileage (just after warranty expires) are experiencing the same issues. It seems as though a faulty radiator system was installed into these vehicles. They kept my truck for 12 days while trying to decide if they would offer assistance with fixing my 5 year old vehicle. The end result being, that they would pay to replace the transmission and I would pay to replace the radiator as well as the labor costs. I was told that this did not occur as a result of anything I did wrong. I asked why a recall isn't being done, at which time I was told that the number of injuries or deaths was a major factor in that determination. Although I was not injured, this is a huge financial burden to take on for a vehicle that is only 5 years old. Nissan needs to take responsibility and stand behind the parts they put in their vehicles!!.

My transmission totally went on my 2005 Nissan Pathfinder. It would not start. The computer shut the car down b/c the transmission was not working. I was stranded with my children at a shopping center. I took it first to a transmission specialist. He could not repair it b/c he could not get the parts from Nissan to fix it proper. He said he had seen 18 of these 2005 Pathfinders with the same issue. It happens at 60,000-120,000 miles. I took it to a dealership. They knew right away. I was told it was a design flaw, the coolant from the radiator leaks into the transmission causing the transmission to go out. I was told I had to replace the radiator and hoses, so this would not happen again. Nissan made changes in the radiator to correct their mistake. I had to replace my transmission, temperature gauge, and radiator with new.

Complete failure of automatic transmission in my 2005 Nissan Pathfinder se requiring the entire transmission to be replaced.

Transmission "struggles" at 40 mpg and then again at 75 mph. Told I need a complete transmission $4,500. 00! used ones can't be found in the junk yards because the demand is high!.

The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder. While the vehicle was parked she noticed transmission fluid on the ground. She took the vehicle to an authorized dealer, and they advised her that she needed a receipt. However, the dealer would or identify what type of receipt she needed. Two days later she received a recall letter; however, the dealer refused to perform the recall repair. The contact referenced recall NHTSA campaign id number: 10e019000, suspension:front:control arm:lower arm. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 50,600 and the current mileage was 55,774.

Flat unresponsive gas peedle responce excesssive driveline vibration at highway speed wheel and tire shake dealership stated nothing was wrong with the vehicle. Occurred on a regular basis until failure occured. Second servicing dealership diagnosed failed transmission radiator and complete transmission replacement/repair.

Nissan corporation has a manufacture defect in their radiator which causes coolant to leak into the transmission. This action need a nationwide recall on both parts (radiator and transmission). Just like Toyota corporation had nationwide attention, Nissan need the same ordeal. The vehicle in question is a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder. This vehicle has extended warranty which was not honor. Quoted when purchasing the extended warranty, "everything is cover from bumper to bumper, even down to the bolts". This is a misleading statement from the warranty department. Warranty department would not honor the warranty due to coolant was in the transmission. Money was paid for this purpose, now they say the warranty does not cover this mishap. After researching and talking with skills mechanics, it was discovered that the coolant came from a defective (busted) radiator. The mechanics stated this is becoming a common problem.

I have taken my 2005 Nissan Pathfinder to my dealer ,because of a rumbling sound;the mechanic said that the radiator has a internal damage and cause the antifreeze to leak to the transmission. I do have a extended warranty that the dealer also refuse to take because the radiator is not cover but the transmission it is,but they still will not repair the transmission.

We own a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder. Recently the transmission is slow to engage. It has failed at times while pulling out from a stop. It places the vehicle occupants in a dangerous situation because the vehicle fails to move forward and you are pulling out into traffic. Our vehicle has 65000 miles on it, just over the warranty limit. We recently took it to the local dealership who diagnosed the problem to a faulty radiator and transmission. A $6000 repair estimate was given to us. From what information I have found by my own research, this is a common occurrence that Nissan is fully aware of but refuses to recall. We have contacted Nissan consumer affairs which has been a total waste of time. This problem is a serious safety issue in my opinion.

2005 Nissan Pathfinder le, have had to replace the fuel sensor unit at own expense when it wouldn't show correct amount of fuel left in tank below half full. This problem occurred about 50k miles. Now with just under 95k miles, am having issue with transmission not locking into overdrive. This is the situation often described as heavy vibration around 45 mph, as well as around 60 mph. Have had dealer as well as independent shop look at this both saying it is a well known issue across the country with this make/model/year. As of this point - no cross-contamination has been found with the coolant and the transmission fluid. I am looking at around 5k in costs for a new transmission which has never been involved in an heavy accident nor driven off-road or anything besides city and highway driving. Not very reliable from my point of view and needs to be investigated why so many have been faulty - and if found to be design, then why isn't it at least part of the responsibility of Nissan to help owners of these vehicles?.

The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stopped at a stop sign and when she attempted to accelerate forward, the vehicle instead moved backward. The vehicle was taken to the dealership where she was informed that the transmission and radiator needed to be replaced because of a leak in the radiator which also caused the transmission to stop functioning correctly. The vehicle was at the dealership being repaired at the time of the complaint. The current and failure mileages were approximately 74,000.

I bought my 2005 Nissan Pathfinder new from the dealer. At about 70,000 miles I started having transmission problems and was told that Nissan had a severe problem with the radiator leaking into the transmission and ruining it. I had to replace the transmission and the radiator at a cost of about $3,000. I believe that Nissan should have had a recall since this problem is so widely documented. I have also had to have the power module, the thermostat , the sunvisor, and the hydraulic lifts for the back hatch all replaced with the car still under 80,000 miles. Needless to say, I won't be looking for a Nissan product when I shop for my next car.

My 2005 Nissan Pathfinder with 67k miles developed a "shudder" at 40 mph and 60 mph, approximately when the car was shifting from 3rd into 4th gear and from 4th into 5th gear. Took it to the dealer and was told that the transmission cooler (part of the radiator system) had leaked coolant into the transmission, ruining the transmission, and that both would need to be replaced, at a cost of approximately $5700. The vehicle is one month short of five years old, but is 7k miles past the warranty expiration and has been problem-free up to this point. After doing some research online, I found hundreds of similar complaints, along with reports that Nissan was refusing to pay for repairs to the transmission because the root problem was with the radiator. This is a well-documented problem online; why is Nissan refusing to do a recall? you'd think they'd want to avoid the pr disaster Toyota is currently enduring . . .

The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder. While driving approximately 35 mph, the vehicle momentarily stopped accelerating for a few seconds. After a few seconds, the vehicle continued to accelerate. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was told the transmission fluid needed to be replaced. While replacing the transmission fluid the authorized dealer noticed the transmission fluid and radiator fluid were mixing. The radiator was replaced and the fluids were flushed. The failure mileage was 88,000 and the current mileage was 106,000.

Regular driving minimal to hardly any towing. Transmission and coolant flushed religiously at 30k since taken ownership. Current mileage 80k. Failure of radiator cross contaminates atf and coolant, eventually destroying transmission costing $5000 to repair aside from disabling the vehicle. This is an issue on many 2005 Pathfinder, xterra and frontiers equipped with 4. 0l v6 coupled with 5 speed automatic transmission. Vehicle is currently at the dealership. Nissan must take responsibility.

This is reference to 2005 Nissan Pathfinder le. I was driving on the freeway and the SUV started to slow down. I press down the gas pedal to give it more power but it wouldn't accelerate. I pulled to side of the freeway and turn the engine off to diagnose the problem. I couldn't find anything wrong so I tried to restart it but would not crank over. The metro freeway towing company try to jump start it 3 times but would not start. I had it tow to the Nissan dealer in the city of west covina which they discover that the coolant from the radiator leaked into the transmission. The mixure of the two components burned out the ecm module in the transmission. The cost of replacing the radiator and transmission is approximately $5400. 00, the vechicle is still at the Nissan dealer which I am currently trying find a resoluation to this matter. Bottom line who is going to pay for this bill since there are numerous complaints about this issue.

2005 Nissan Pathfinder with 74,500 miles needs transmission replacement and radiator due to leaking of radiator coolant into transmission, mixing up with transmission oil damaging transmission. Looking at customer complaints online, it looks as every Pathfinder with above 60,000 miles suffers the same problem.

1) car started to stutter at first, then kick, then buck when hitting 60mph. Then it started doing it at 30mph, 45mph and again at 60mph. 2) it won't automatically shift (yes it is an automatic) in 3 or more gears once the car has been warmed up 3) car was taken to dealer for diagnostic (at their request) and they said the most "cost effective" way is to replace the radiator and the transmission due to a leaking radiator hose that manages to get liquid into the transmission.

2005 Nissan Pathfinder shudders at speeds between 40-60 mph. Local dealer says tranny and radiator need to be replaced at a cost of 5000-$7000. Bought the SUV with 73000, it now has 79000. Many others have complained of this problem , Nissan needs to take action on their faulty engineering.

The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder. While the contact was driving 40 mph, the transmission shifted from 5th gear to overdrive without assistance. There were no prior warnings. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for inspection. The technician recommended that the transmission be replaced. The vehicle has not been repaired at this time. The current and failure mileages were 79,000.

While driving our 2005 Pathfinder on the hwy I noticed smoke ( a lot)coming from the back of the vehicle. The car was also losing rpms (like the tranny was slipping) the shop said the radiator leaked into the transmission and fried the transmission ($7000). Nissan here locally stated they have seen this problem before in the model. The engine stopped smoking after 20 minutes, had to evacuate four children on the hwy. This is second posted complaint about this problem. The shop states this is a design flaw.

Own a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder with 64,000 right now. . Which is out of warranty. Had the check engine light on for couple of months. . The truck has been at the dealer and also private mechanics. . . Nobody could find anything wrong with the car until it completely shut down on me. Wouldn't start had it towed to the nearest mechanic he said the car had electrical problems had the whole fuse box replaced paid $450 two days later the check engine light came on again took it to the dealer nothing wrong was found went back home. . Right now my car is at a private mechanic. . . Because wouldn't go more than 40 mph. . . . The mechanic said is the radiator which is broken and antifreeze leaked in the transmission please help. . . . I see there's a lot of people having the same problem these vehicles are defective just to get it fixed is close to $10,000.