2015 Nissan Pathfinder
The Verdict
Worst problem area
Transmission & Drivetrain
Transmission & Drivetrain is the largest identified problem area: 76 of 320 complaints (24%) mention it. 79 complaints mention a component NHTSA leaves uncategorised. Complaints mentioning Airbags & Restraints include more reported injuries (5) than those mentioning any other identified area.
Complaints filed fell from 574 in 2014 to 320 in 2015.
Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | vs. 2015 Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 2,850–2,950 | 2,400–2,950 | 2,400–2,950 | 2,700–2,950 | 2,700–2,950 | |
| Combined MPG | 21–22 | 21–26 | 21–26 | 21–23 | 21–23 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 19–20 / 25 | 19–25 / 25–28 | 19–25 / 26–28 | 19–20 / 26–27 | 19–20 / 26–27 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 406–416 | 323–418 | 342–422 | 390–423 | 395–415 | |
| Complaints filed | 890 | 574 | 320 | 105 | 186 | |
| Recalls issued | 11 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 2 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 16 | 19 | 11 | 10 | 8 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| Injuries reported | 16 | 32 | 7 | 5 | 8 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder have?
5 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What gas mileage does the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder get?
EPA rates it 21–26 MPG combined.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2015 Nissan Pathfinder?
EPA estimates $2,400–$2,950 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (5)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 6 | 3.5L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD | 20 mpg | 27 mpg | 23 mpg | $2,700 | 389 g/mi |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 6 | 3.5L | 4-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 19 mpg (low) | 26 mpg (low) | 22 mpg | $2,850 | 413 g/mi |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 6 | 3.5L | 4-Wheel Drive | Regular | Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 19 mpg (low) | 26 mpg (low) | 21 mpg (low) | $2,950 (high) | 422 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 4 | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 4 | 2.5L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD | 25 mpg (high) | 28 mpg (high) | 26 mpg (high) | $2,400 (low) | 342 g/mi (low) |
| Configuration 5 | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 4 | 2.5L | 4-Wheel Drive | Regular | Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD | 25 mpg (high) | 27 mpg | 26 mpg (high) | $2,400 (low) | 344 g/mi |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 75 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 76 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 26 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Brakes | 32 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 55 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 21 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 79 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (5)
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH · Campaign 22V420000 · Jun 14, 2022
Defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Pathfinder vehicles. On certain Pathfinder vehicles, the secondary hood latch may malfunction and remain in the unlatched, unsecured, position when the hood is closed.
Consequence: An unsecured hood could unexpectedly open while driving, obstructing the driver's view, and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the bell crank assembly, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed March 26, 2025. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall are R22A2 R22A3 and R24B7.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH · Campaign 21V020000 · Jan 21, 2021
Defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Nissan Pathfinder vehicles. The location of the brake light switch may cause the brake light switch relay to repeatedly open and close. Overtime, this can cause the relay to stick in the "ON" position, with the brake lights remaining illuminated even when the brakes are not applied. Additionally, this may interfere with the brake-shift interlock, allowing the driver to shift the vehicle out of the "Park" position, without depressing the brake pedal.
Consequence: Continual illumination of the brake lights can prevent other drivers from realizing the vehicle is actually slowing down, increasing the risk of a crash. With the brake override activated, the driver will not be able to accelerate normally, increasing the risk of a crash. The driver can shift the vehicle out of the "PARK" position without depressing the brake, allowing the vehicle to rollaway, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, either re-install the brake light switch or swap positions with the Automatic Speed Control Device (ASCD) switch; depending on the model year vehicle. In addition, the brake light relay will be replaced with a new one. All repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 1, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall PC786. Note: this recall supersedes 16V-380.
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION · Campaign 16V244000 · Apr 26, 2016
Defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.
Consequence: If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669, Infiniti customer service at 1-888-833-3216 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL; AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION · Campaign 15V681000 · Oct 20, 2015
Defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima and Pathfinder vehicles, 2013-2014 Nissan Sentra vehicles, 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles, 2014-2015 Infiniti QX60 vehicles and 2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid vehicles. The affected vehicles received an incorrect occupant classification system (OCS) control unit during a repair. These OCS control units may incorrectly classify the front passenger seat as empty, when it is occupied by an adult.
Consequence: If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger air bag would be deactivated. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted) could increase the risk of injury to the passenger.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the OCS software, free of charge. The recall began on November 30, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
SERVICE BRAKES · Campaign 15V012000 · Jan 16, 2015
Defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 vehicles manufactured August 14, 2014, to November 5, 2014, and 2014-2015 Nissan Rogue vehicles manufactured August 12, 2014, to November 15, 2014. During the assembly process, the front wheel hub assembly fasteners may not have been properly torqued.
Consequence: The under-torqued fasteners may result in a brake caliper separating from the wheel assembly causing a reduction in braking performance or reduced steering control. These conditions increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and tighten any loose bolts to the proper specification, free of charge. The recall began February 2, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.