Automatic Transmission Torque Converter Problems of Nissan Pathfinder - part 2

The contact owns a 2007 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated was driving 40 mph when the vehicle began to hesitate and shake abnormally. The vehicle then independently shifted out of gear and stalled. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where a diagnostic was performed, which identified the failure as the radiator coolant penetrating the transmission. As a result, the transmission would downshift with abnormal force. The dealer advised the contact that the radiator, torque converter and the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 107,000.

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While driving with the ac on, my vehicle started to blast out hot air through the vents and overheat. My car has never ran hot before, I haven't had any problems since I've had it. I was able to pull over safely and let the car cool down. My husband removed the radiator cap and noticed a milky liquid in the radiator. We had to have the vehicle towed to a mechanic shop and they notified us of the recall on the Nissan (2005-2010 models) radiators. They said that it was a common problem that they have been seeing where the coolant mixes with the transmission fluids and cause a major repair problem. We have been told that the radiator, transmission, transmission kit, throttle, vial body, and torque converter will have to be replaced. I feel petrified to know that Nissan knew about this existing problem but refused to have these issues repaired rather than taking the easy way out and extending the warranty. We bought our truck brand new from the Nissan dealership and we also paid for the 5yr/100,000 mile warranty. I have had my truck for 5 yrs and 2 mths, something should have been done about this. We the consumers have trusted this brand for many years and we depend on our vehicles on a daily bases. My family and I were all in the vehicle when the incident happened we could have been seriously harmed in a high risk situation. We had the 90,000 mileage maintenance completed where they flushed the radiator, changed the transmission, & etc. And everything was fine. My husband have always taken my car in for timely maintenance and no one has ever mentioned the radiator issues.

The transmission started slipping/not responding/hesitation/car 'shaking' when shifting, etc so we took it to a Nissan dealer to ask what happened. They said the radiator fluid leaked into the transmission and pretty much destroyed it. I asked if they had seen this before or if there was a recall for it and they said they had not seen it nor was there a recall. I then called another non-dealer transmission center and they knew what the issue was before I even finished explaining. They said they get 2005 Pathfinders about 1 per week and currently had two on the lot -- all with the exact same issue. I called the dealership back with this info and they tried to act surprised but I could tell they knew exactly what was going on here. Here is a full (and better) description from a pending lawsuit on this problem with the vehicles like we (and so many others) experienced: "transmission failure caused by cracked radiators - faulty radiators are causing coolant to leak into and destroy the transmission. An alarming number of Nissan xterra, Pathfinder and frontier owners are stepping forward with stories about their cracked radiators which are causing coolant to leak into the transmission. Once mixed with the transmission fluid this lethal combination kills the valves, seals and torque converter -- rendering your entire transmission useless. This issue is currently contained to the 2005 model year, but we're keeping our eyes open for reports from other years. What's even more troubling is owners who have already had their transmissions "repaired" by an authorized Nissan dealer are still reporting catastrophic transmission failure. Through no fault of their own, Nissan owners who are out of warranty are left to cover the hefty repair bill, which can be over $4,500 when all is said and done. ".

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Driving the car as I normally do and felt the transmission slipping and acting funny car lost power on hwy took to an aamco transmissions mechanic and was told that the radiator coolant leaked in to transmission. So to get it fixed had to rebuild transmission,new torque converter and new radiator. I see too many people having the same problems and Nissan dose nothing to fix the problem you call them and they brush you off. Mean wail everyone is spending any-ware from $5000 to $7000. Could this get looked in to?.

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There is a Nissan manufacturer defect of faulty radiators that are causing radiator coolant to leak into and destroy the transmission of the vehicles and ends up killing valves, seals and the torque converter on 2005-2010 Nissan Pathfinders, Nissan xterras, and Nissan frontiers. This defect can cause an owners transmission to fail and lose forward propulsion on a highway and can cause catastrophic loss(ES).

On 2/1/12, I had one incident when my car was stopped and when I accelerated and it gave me a push/pull slow to move. On 2/2/12 the same thing occurred multiple times. My check engine light eventually came on and then my car eventually would not accelerate after being stopped. I towed it to midas, who said they were unable to fix it. I brought it to lee miles transmission and they told me the radiator fluid mixed with antifreeze fluid causing corrosion and contamination within the transmission. I picked it up on 2/6/12 and it was fine driving home. While on my work on 2/7/12, the same problem occurred in which I was not able to accelerate. I had it towed back to lee miles and it's possibly the torque converter that was replaced with the transmission.

A cracked radiator caused coolant to leak into the transmission and mix with the transmission fluid. Once the coolant (antifreeze) entered the transmission it killed the valves, seals and torque converter and rendered the entire transmission useless.

About 10,000 miles ago I noticed a vibration at 40 and 60mph. I took it to a local dealer who replaced two u joints and sent me on my way. Well, vibration is back, not only that now that it is winter, my vehicle wont warm up from an idle. It never blows hot air. These are a couple of symptoms that going forward show the radiator leaking into the transmission causing damage to the gaskets, seals,gears, torque converter. Please help the radiator obviously need replacing but not only that the transmission is messed up and stalls out now from time to time. It is really expensive to replace and should be covered under a recall program so it forces Nissan to recall just the radiators beofre they start leaking.

I took my Pathfinder to the dealer complaining of shifting problems to esserman Nissan in miami florida. The service manager opened the hood and after waiting over 1/2 hour removed the radiator cap to find water in the form of a cream ( took pictures). He stated that the engine coolant most likely had gone inside the transmission and created damage, but because my car was 82k miles there was nothing the dealer could do I called Nissan and filed a case, but it was useless. I took the car to a transmission shop where they charged me $700+tax to flush the transmission, change the torque converter and install an external oil radiator for the transmission. They stated that the damage was done and although the rough shifting will be a constant, that at least I will buy some time because a complete rebuilt was 3500usd. Finally the transmission gave up on the highway when my wife entered the highway but the car did not move pass second gear. She found the next exit and called me. She made it home on second gear and high rpm. I called back Nissan, they ask me to take the car to the dealer. The car was at home so before taking it I decided to pass by and talk to the manager. He stated that if Nissan did not help me at 82k miles what made me believe that they were going to help me at 120k. I left the car at home until further notice.

A vibration occurs at about 1500 rpm. At the time my car had about 24000 miles on it. I took the car to a transmission shop and they told me my torque converter was going out. I took the car to a Nissan dealer and they told me that there was something wrong but that they could not figure out what it was and therefore it was not covered under the power train warranty. It is now 54000 miles and the car would not go into reverse very easily. I again took it to a transmission shop and they told me the transmission oil was as black as motor oil. They said the transmission needed to be replaced. I then took it to the dealer and, same story, they said it needed to be replaced but it is out of warranty by three months. They again said there was something wrong with the transmission but they could not determine what it was. Even though I made the complaint almost two years ago, they told me it was not covered by the powertrain warranty as the vehicle is now out of warranty. There is quite a litany of complaints on the internet about transmission failures from Nissan products. I am obviously quite upset and dissatisfied. I will never buy another Nissan product.

After transmission flush, transmission failed shortly thereafter. Replaced transmission June 2009. March 2010 had vibration problem and returned for transmission repair again. Second torque converter replaced. Within 1 week vibration issue returned. Dealer review confirmed that coolant from radiator had leaked into transmission and that radiator and transmission need to be replaced. This would be my second transmission, and third torque converter in less than a year, due to a faulty radiator used by Nissan in '05 & '06 models.

Several months ago, the Pathfinder started to pulsate while gaining speed. . . Dealer performed trans service, fixed problem for a few days. Pathfinder started pulsating again, even worse. Dealer advised torque converter was bad. . Second opinion mechanic advised radiator leaked into trans, and trans fluid leaked into coolant. Coolant destroyed transmission. Learned this has been a ongoing problem with Pathfinders for years, there is a weld inside the radiator that fails and the two liquids transfers. Why would the company design a radiator that has two liquids inside that can contaminate each other.