Radiator problems of the 2006 Nissan Pathfinder - part 2

Car shut down on dart train tracks, transmission failed to work, radiator had oil and leaked into transmission.

The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Pathfinder. While the vehicle was at the dealer for an unrelated issue, the technician discovered that the vehicle needed a new transmission. The contact stated that the radiator leaks coolant onto the transmission, which caused corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 93,000.

Check engine light indicated a problem. After review by a Nissan dealer, there is a crack in the radiator assembly that will cause fluid to leak into the transmission, rendering the vehicle inoperable. Nissan knows about this issue and a class action lawsuit was brought against Nissan. A settlement was made giving only an extended warranty, not a recall. Data shows that it breaks on most cars after the so-called extended warranty time. Leaving most with no help from Nissan to fix this issue. This should have been a safety issue not a money issue.

Transmission went on the car. Coolant from the radiator leaked into the transmission.

While in motion in a very busy traffic, the vehicle suddenly started stalling prompting my pumping of the gas pedal in panic, as well as deployment of the hazard light. The energy generated from the engine, while pumping the gas pedal, is not being transferred to the transmission. Eventually the vehicle rolls to a complete stop with the engine dead in the busy traffic, effectively putting me in harms way. I turned the ignition and the engine started, after about a quarter mile it will stall and quit again. This process repeated several times and eventually the vehicle quit for good. It will not start again. I had a wrecker tow the vehicle to the Nissan dealership where the service agent told me, approximately 24 hours later, that the problem resulted from a cracked radiator that leaked antifreeze into the the transmission and subsequently damaging or destroying the transmission. The agent told me that it will cost several thousand dollars since it will entail installing new radiator and transmission.

Radiator coolant leaked into transmission, kiiling transmission.

Noticed vehicle pulling off sluggish and wasn't shifting gears. When I made it home, I had it checked out and found transmission fluid mixing with the engine coolant. I started searching online for recall and found this is a common problem, but there isn't a recall to fix the issue. I also didn't know they extended the warranty to 80,000 miles to only have the radiator replaced. They to do something to fix the problem and make it right for their customers.

Nissan Pathfinder just got to 100,000 miles when started experiencing transmission issues, turns out there was a factory warranty that I was never informed of that would have covered the radiator/transmission issue. However because I was not having an issue until the extended warranty ended Nissan is refusing to cover the cost of repairs despite knowing about this engineering fault. It is extremely frustrating that a large company such as Nissan is able to send a vehicle out into the public with known engineering flaws and put a mileage limit on repairing the issue. It is something that will inevitably fail but it is only a matter of time so it might have occurred withing the limit for some and outside the limit for others. It is my hope that you will expose this shady and unsafe practice that Nissan has going and help get people the repairs they deserve.

Driving down the road, vehicle becomes sluggish. Notice that the temperature begins to rise rapidly. In afternoon work traffic and have difficulty negotiating traffic trying not to break down in the middle of a busy road/intersection at 5:20pm. Vehicle was take to a repair shop where I was informed that the radiator had ruptured, thus sending coolant into the transmission and transmission fluid into the engine. Current estimate is approx $3000.

Pathfinder experienced complete transmission failure. Car stalled in the middle of an intersection and the engine started smoking and fluids spilled out from underneath. People behind us had to swerve around us to avoid hitting us. Some good samaritans helped my husband push the car to the side of the road. He could no longer drive the car. Earlier in the day the car was having trouble accelerating and would jerk. We managed to get off the freeway before it stalled completely. We had the car towed to mossy Nissan and we were told by the service advisor that the manufacturer radiator that came with the car was badly designed. The radiators crack causing cross contamination of the radiator and transmission fluid which then results in complete transmission failure, which is what happened to our car. He told us there was a class action lawsuit, actually, and the settlement terms were that if your car was under 80,000 miles Nissan would cover the cost of repairs. Our car had 87,000 miles and so we had to pay $2500. Over 90,000 miles and you have to pay $3000. Over 100,000 miles and you're out of luck. We were told the repair runs about $7,000 outside the warranty period. This should have been a recall issue, not an extended warranty issue, because it is unsafe to be driving on the road when your car stalls and the transmission fails. The car has since been repaired but I no longer feel safe in a Nissan. Nissan north America refuses to take responsibility for a design flaw and the extended warranty from the lawsuit benefited no one but Nissan. You couldn't have your radiator replaced under the warranty if it wasn't malfunctioning yet. Your car needed to break down before the warranty could kick in, and at that point you were already outside the 100% coverage window.

This vehicle's timing chain, automatic transmission, and radiator need to be replaced due to premature mechanical failures. The radiator is faulty and the radiator coolant now mixes with the transmission causing transmission failure. Repair costs are around $8000. A quick look at "Nissan radiator/transmission cooler litigation" on the internet reveals class action lawsuits filed for these same complaints via thousands of consumers. This is a widespread problem known by Nissan and they have not issued any recalls or warned the consumer of these problems. Nissan has offered some owners extended warranties but nothing above 100,000 miles for those with consequential damage to their transmissions due to their knowingly defective radiators. Clearly, Toyota's recent acceptance of a $1. 2 billion federal fine for deliberately concealing auto defects and safety risks from its buyers and general motor's current regulatory woe's because they cynically judged their vehicles defects not recallable when they clearly are, these are signs that enough is enough. To have faulty products is one thing, but to not inform a consumer of a faulty product that will further destroy their vehicles is reprehensible.

Noted that transmission was slipping when shifting from 1st to 2nd gear as well as issues with radiator fan coming on at idle along with no heat at idle. Took vehicle to two separate car repairs to identify the problem and was told that vehicle had failed transmission cooler which allows coolant to mix with the transmission fluid, causing internal damage to the components. Was advised that repairs would be upwards of $3k to replace transmission.

Auto transmission/radiator.

2006 Nissan Pathfinder - took in for tune-up and was notified about broken seam on radiator. Coolant was leaking into the transmission. Ended up spending over $1,000 on a new radiator and repairs and may need a new transmission. Researched the defected parts and discovered that this is a common problem with Nissan Pathfinders. Nissan needs to issue a recall for this problem. They know it exists, and it is irresponsible of them to do nothing about it. It is a safety concern.

My family and I were on the highway close to home,in traffic when our car made a pop noise and our car completely shut down. Luckily no one hit us or hurt, as like I said we were in a heavy commute. Our car was taken to our local mechanic were we found out the transmission failed due to radiator fluid leaking into the system a $5,500 repair we can not afford. We also found out this is a common problem in certain makes of Nissans, they have numerous complaints which we were never informed about. All Nissan owners should have been notified of the problem and a recall to all models!.

Faulty transmission cooler system - Nissan Pathfinder 2006 has faulty transmission cooling system that connects to radiator. Nissan product/design failed and created cross contamination of antifreeze & transmission fluid. This faulty product design poses serious safety risks to my family and others (just search on the internet & you'll see hundreds of complaints/claims & class action law suit). This issue can cause sudden stops and engine failure. My Pathfinder started running hot and that was first indication there was a problem. Mechanic said transmission fluid had leaked into the radiator and radiator fluid leaked into transmission. We had to replace the radiator, thermostat & flushed transmission 4 times (very expensive repair). This just happened and uncertain if transmission will cause problems and require replacement. We have kept regular maintenance and used extended life/synthetic products to help keep the engine & transmission well lubed. *note: we didn't qualify for Nissan recall & class action law suit due to mileage of vehicle. Based on Nissan's exclusion terms, we won't buy another Nissan product.

Transmission: having problems with transmission - it will not go on reverse. Researching on the internet I found that this is a manufacturer defect. The radiator would crack causing the coolant to mix with the transmission fluid.

I went to pick up my oldest daughter from track practice and placed my 4 year old in her car seat to start driving. Allowing the car to warm up, I pulled out of my driveway and proceeded up the hill in my neighborhood when I noticed that my vehicle would not accelerate above 20 mph. Traffic was heavy at the time. Thinking that I did not warm the car up enough I proceeded on my way up hills at a snails pace to retrieve my oldest daughter from high school. Once I made it to the high school I figured that there was something significantly wrong with the vehicle and just wanted to get the vehicle home. I had to contend with heavy traffic trying to cross a large and busy road with a vehicle that only accelerated to 20 miles an hour and at some time actually stopped without warning in the middle of the road. Although the school is only 2 miles from home it took me 30 minutes to get back safely to my house because of the off and on again drivability. I took it to the mechanic the following Monday and they indicated that my transmission failed. The car is not old and taken care of----I searched for recalls and saw the numerous complaints about the transmission and had my vehicle towed to Nissan for diagnosis. The diagnosis was a failed transmission as a result of coolant and transmission fluid mixing and they indicated that my transmission would have to be replaced as well as my radiator---this is a known quality issue with the Nissan Pathfinders. The car failed without warning putting myself and my young daughter at risk for a rear end accident in the vehicle. Nissan should be ashamed of what they have put consumers through and a mandatory recall should happen. This is a safety risk to everyone who drives a Nissan.

The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 mph, the transmission began to jerk with severe hesitation. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnosis. The technician informed that the transmission and radiator would need to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.

I brought my 2006 Nissan Pathfinder to a local Nissan dealership to check out a completely unrelated issue when I was made aware that my car had the problem of a cracked radiator that contaminates the transmission fluid that could lead to major problems if not corrected. Since I have less than 90,000 miles, I'd have to pay a CO-pay of $2500 out of pocket. Evidently there is no recall on this issue, although there should certainly be one since this has happened to many other cars and shouldn't be the responsibility of the consumer to pay for an issue that is clearly a manufacturer's defect. I personally am not in a position to simply dump $2500 into a vehicle and this makes this problem even more difficult and hard to accept. Something absolutely needs to be done about this.

2006 Nissan Pathfinder transmission problems. Vehicle transmission started to vibrate and whine and within 1 mile the transmission was not working. I was in traffic and could not move at all. Had car taken to transmission repair shop and the shop automatically knew the problem. There was coolant leaking into the transmission from the radiator. He said it was a know issue with the Nissan Pathfinders and it was too late to do anything. I cannot believe this was a known issue and was not recalled. I had 2 children in the car and this could have caused a serious accident. Luckily, it did not. I am know stuck with a $4,000 bill to get this fixed. I will never purchase a Nissan again if this is how they treat their customers.

On the highway, the transmission started to feel as if the car was going to stall. The coolant light indicator moved rapidly to the high end, which seemed to indicate a radiator or coolant problem. I pulled off the highway and let the car cool down, before proceeding on back roads to get home. The car continued to act as if it was going to stall even at 15-20 miles per hour. Shortly thereafter, the service engine light came on. I had the car towed to my Nissan dealership and was advised that the radiator caused the transmission to fail. Nissan is aware this is a problem but as my car is over 80,000 miles, I will need to pay $2,500 to fix the problem!.

During highway speeds noted chattering/chuttering when accelerating at approximately 60-65 mph. Later after exiting the interstate, slowing down while approaching intersection, during automatic transmission down shift, vehicle seemed to lunge forward. Scary in city traffic. Upon return to home, removed radiator cap, coolant fluid was color and consistency of peanut butter. Fearing blown head gasket, check engine oil which was fine, check of transmission fluid revealed very runny and more of a peanut butter color on the dip stick. Removed transmission drain plug for a better fluid inspection, what drained was very watery, reddish, brownish, peanut butter colored fluid. Drained approximately 3 quarts. Replaced drained fluid with new, set up appointment and drove vehicle to Nissan service center. Cursory search of the web identified excessive number of other consumers complaining of same issue. Couple hours later, Nissan service manager informed me that there was cross contamination between coolant and transmission. Because vehicle had greater than 80000 miles, service manager informed me would be a CO-pay of $2500. 00. Repair work completed, money paid, now attempting to have Nissan reimburse.

Car shutters when we get to about 45 mph and you can feel some issues with the transmission. After doing a lot of research, apparently this is a known issue by Nissan. There was a class action law suit that says this is not a safety hazard so they made an arrangement to cover some, but not all, in full. Apparently radiator fluid is leaking into the transmission and ruining the transmission. The settlement says that at my mileage, over 90,000 miles but before 100,000 they will fix the problem for $3000! wow! how sweet of them. I can't believe this is not a recall. There are threads and threads of people complaining about this exact problem. It effects 2005-2010 models. They say it only effects a small amount, that is because they haven't even seen the impact yet. Are we going to wait until someone is really injured to do a recall. This is absolutely ridiculous. Guess I will just drive it like this and hope that it doesn't hurt me or someone else, since Nissan says it is not a safety hazard. How issues with a transmission are not a safety hazard is beyond me. I think this needs to be addressed again. This is my second Nissan and the second one that I have had to have a transmission replaced in. The other one was replaced in the first year because of another issue that they couldn't fix. No more Nissans in this house!.

The car stalled in oncoming traffic more than once. Nissan dealership says it needs a new transmission, radiator, catalytic converters, cam sensors and fuel system. It has been nothing but trouble since we purchased it and it dangerous to drive.

On August 19th while traveling on the highway when I noticed what appeared to smoke coming from my engine and noticed my temperature gauge reading that it was overheating. I pulled over on the shoulder and observed, what I now know was, coolant vaporizing from my engine. At this time all the mechanics I called where wrapping up for the day, so I had it towed and taken to a local Nissan service the next morning. After paying $49. 95 for the inspection the service center informed me that the radiator failed mixed coolant in the transmission fluid killing my transmission as well. They gave me an estimate of $5,901, $6,373. 08 after taxes, to fix the damages. I remembered being sent a notice of a radiator recall, that I was told didn't concern my vehicle when I brought it in, so I asked about it. I was told that there was a class action suit against Nissan for this issue and they extended the years/mileage on the warranty and I should call their 800 number. I called the number and was told that the recall didn't effect my VIN# and that my mileage was outside of the extension. I wasn't prepared for $6k in additional expenses so I started looking around for a more affordable price. I ended up finding a shop that was able to do the work for $2,784, and during the price shopping and repairs I spent $495. 72 on a rental to get around. During this ordeal I both asked the mechanic who assessed my vehicle and google the issue on the internet. Both showed that I was experiencing the same issue that my VIN wasn't supposed to be effected by, and that it was a common issue for my model. Both sources also informed me that the situation was a ticking time bomb that nothing short of coolant system work around or replacing Nissan's defective radiator would stop it from occurring.

2006 Nissan Pathfinder se the radiator seems to have a bad leak and bad smell, motor keeps over heating causing it not to be driven until motor has cooled off, I need to keep putting water in radiator. The transmission seems to jerk and makes a loud sound when changing shifts and driving. The motor also has a squicky sound when driving. I have taken the car for repair and the same thing happen again only this time even worse I can not afford the high Nissan service and part prices. I am still paying on this car, Nissan should fix the problem at no charge if there is a defect that caused so much trouble to my car not to mentioned the safety of my three children and I. Nissan needs to recall 2006 Nissan Pathfinder radiator and transmission cross contamination.

I was driving my truck on the expressway. The past few days there has been a vibration, a clunking noise and very slow accelaration. Until recently, there have been no signs of engine problems. Today on the expressway the truck started vibrating badly and lost accelaration. I was able to coast over to the side of the road but I almost caused a serious accident. I had an appointment schedule with Nissan on Friday due to the recent symptoms; however, after this morning I took the truck to the dealership. I spoke with someone at the shop who indicated tan extended warranty was issued for radiator and transmission problems. I never received a letter from Nissan and I certainly would have brought the truck in for repair. I almost caused a very serious accident.

As my wife and I with our 5 children were on our way to church, driving at 45mph the car started jerking dropping at 20mph with traffic behind us on a two way highway we had to pull over on a dirt embankment. We took the car to Nissan dealership and the service rep estimated the cost of $9,000. Problem in radiator crack line inside transmission fluid cooler. Antifreeze leak into transmission causing damage.

500 miles away from home on vacation. Went for routine oil change only to find transmission fluid in the radiator and coolant in the transmission. Had to purchase a new radiator and have both systems flushed for a total of 1,300. 00 dollars. The transmission seemed good on the way home, but would like to be reimbursed the 1,300. 00 and have some piece of mind that Nissan will cover the transmission if it goes out.

We purchased our Pathfinder from a dealership June 1, 2012. On July 2, 2013 we were driving back home and the transmission started to slip. Upon researching online immediately when we got home, we found that many, many others had the same issue and that it is caused by faulty design of the radiator and transmission. The radiator cracks and leaks directly into the transmission so there is no warning that there is an issue until it's too late. The next morning I immediately drove it to our nearest Nissan dealer to have it checked out. They informed me after my description of what was going on that indeed, that is probably what was wrong but they couldn't get me in to check it out for another 6 days (and it would be $109) to diagnose. They also informed me that Nissan has issued a conditional warranty of them. Up to 80,000 miles, they cover any expense past $2,500. Up to 90,00 miles, they cover any expense past $3,000. Up to 100,00 they cover any expense past $3,500. There is no coverage past 100,000 miles and the average cost to repair is $7000. 00. Our transmission failed at 108,000 miles. Now we are stuck paying out of pocket for a flawed design that Nissan acknowledges is their fault. How is there not a mandatory recall on these models and Nissan not required to replace these issues in full on their dime. . For their mistake? the conditional warranty offered is a joke and I am infuriated that Nissan is not covering our flawed vehicle also. This failure is in no wise due to any neglect or misuse of the owner/operator's part. Where is the responsibility for this product? why must we continue to promote a mindset of neglecting responsibility for what we produce? where is the quality? where is the follow-through?.

Vehicle overheated and radiator fluid contaminated the transmission. I spoke with Nissan and asserted that this is a known factory defect. Nissan refuses to honor or warrantee repair costs.

After driving around I had milky substance coming out of the over flow. When I checked it, the transmission was dry and it had mixed in the with radiator fluid. On a short trip before it was realized what had happen, the transmission was slipping and shifting hard.

Car stopped in the middle of traffic going up a hill and overheated and had white foam dripping fron the engine and underneath. The coolant and transmission fluid cross contaminated and it ruined the radiator and transmission. I replaced the radiator and had the transmission flushed. Car worked until 8-30-13, when vehicle began to shudder, rpm gauge ran to 5000, vehicle had no power on a highway causing a potential safety issue. A crash could have ensued. Had car towed to dealer. The transmission is out. Now I am faced with a $3000 fee/copay, for something I didn't cause! Nissan needs held responsible.

My radiator cracked fluid leaked into my transmission. I have had the transmission fixed twice.