2005 Nissan Pathfinder Problems

Severe Issues

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder.

20042006
Complaints
1,560
per 10K Sold
204.9
US Sales
76,149
Crashes
21
Fires
11
Injuries
18
Fatalities
1
Recalls
1

Worst 2005 Nissan Pathfinder Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#1450 complaints

Transmission / Drivetrain

Avg mileage:113,803 mi
Crash-related:5
Fires:4
#2171 complaints

Engine & Cooling

Avg mileage:105,320 mi
Fires:1
#3167 complaints

Gasoline Fuel System

Avg mileage:69,678 mi
Crash-related:2
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder.

Transmission / Drivetrain
450
complaints
Crashes
5
Fires
4
Avg Miles
113,803
Engine & Cooling
171
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
105,320
Gasoline Fuel System
167
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
69,678
Engine Problems
144
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
2
Avg Miles
122,762
Automatic Transmission
138
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
85,919
Electrical Faults
65
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
87,948
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System
64
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
86,628
Fuel System, Other
38
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
68,199
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Radiator Assembly
32
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
96,760
Fuel System
31
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
98,847
Unintended Acceleration
31
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
110,559
Fuel System, Other:Storage:Fuel Gauge System
22
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
63,403
Airbags
19
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
119,683
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
17
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
71,845
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Auxillary Tank
13
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
70,583
Steering Defects
9
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
84,794
Other Equipment
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
68,179
Brakes
7
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
1
Avg Miles
112,143
Hydraulic Brakes
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
67,861
Fuel Pump
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
58,136
Body Structure
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
68,225
Suspension Failures
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
109,667
Electronic Stability Control
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Structural Problems
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Equipment:Electrical:Radio/Tape Deck/Cd Etc.
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly
3
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Tire Defects
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2005 Nissan Pathfinder

1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting ~747,480 vehicles.

10V517000Engine & Cooling
~747,480 affected

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 ARMADA, TITAN, INFINITI QX56 AND MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 FRONTIER, PATHFINDER AND XTERRA VEHICLES. THE INTELLIGENT POWER DISTRIBUTION MODULE (IPDM) ASSEMBLY CONTAINS AN ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) RELAY THAT HAS A DIODE FOR ELECTRICAL CURRENT NOISE REDUCTION. THE ECM RELAY MAY ALLOW SILICON VAPOR TO FORM AND, OVER TIME, THE SILICON EVAPORATES FROM THE DIODE MOLDING WHICH CAUSES SILICON OXIDE TO DEVELOP ON THE ECM RELAY CONTACT DUE TO ARCING.

Other Nissan Pathfinder Years

2005 Nissan Pathfinder — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder reliable?
Verdict: Severe Issues. The 2005 Nissan Pathfinder has 1,560 NHTSA complaints, 21 crash-related, and 1 recall campaign. The most common issue is Transmission / Drivetrain with 450 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder?
Top reported problems: Transmission / Drivetrain (450 complaints, avg 113,803 mi); Engine & Cooling (171 complaints, avg 105,320 mi); Gasoline Fuel System (167 complaints, avg 69,678 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 98,997 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder?
NHTSA complaints for the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder include 21 crash-related reports, 11 fire reports, 18 injuries, and 1 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2005 Nissan Pathfinder have any recalls?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 747,480 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2005 Nissan Pathfinder?
Proceed with extreme caution. The 2005 Nissan Pathfinder shows significantly more complaints than average for its class. If you're buying one, a pre-purchase inspection and a VIN history check are essential — skip them and you're gambling.

Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.

Wider context: See the full Nissan Pathfinder reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.

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