Nissan Pathfinder Problems

Before buying the tow vehicle you should establish what you want to tow with it. It would be a good idea to decide on the caravan you want to buy and from that determine the total weight you want the car to handle, that is the weight of the caravan when it is fully loaded ready to travel. I say that because a car rated to tow 2 tonnes means you will only be able to tow a relatively small caravan. A diesel will be more economical when towing, and if that were your priority then I would go that way. I would suggest you consider a mid-sized SUV, like a Nissan Pathfinder, Ford Territory or a Toyota Kluger.

That the dealership staff had trouble using it I think you've got good justification for some help from Nissan. We understand there are issues with the Bluetooth function, so it's probably best to consult an expert in that area.

It isn't unusual to have a problem with the auto at that sort of mileage. Most appear to be down to a problem with the oil cooler splitting, which allows coolant to enter the transmission, which can then cause problems with the inbuilt ECU.

Timing chain failures on the Pathfinder are relatively common, but that doesn't means it will happen to yours. Keeping up the service will help, and your mechanic should be able to keep an eye on it when it goes in for service.

We've also heard complaints about the Jeep but the new Pathfinder is impressive and gets The Tick from me.

Nissan specialist Jerry Newman advises that you first get it scanned, then check the connections to the electric motor on the transfer case for corrosion or anything else might affect then operation of the motor, and finally check the motor itself. If the vehicle has been used offroad it's possible that water has contaminated the connections or has entered the motor itself.

Remember that the fuel consumption figure quoted by Nissan is derived from a laboratory test, not real-life running. It’s meant to give you a guide so you can compare it to other makes and models. Even so I would expect your car to get close to the consumption in the real world that you and I live in. I would think you should be able to get between 10 and 10.5L/100 km, not 13. Go back to the dealer and ask them to have your car investigated by Nissan to find out why it’s not delivering reasonable fuel economy. If they refuse go direct to Nissan and make the same request.

Some owners have complained about the CVT in past models, but we haven't had any reports about the current model here at Carsguide. The issue complained about is shuddering on take-off. Fuel consumption is also a concern. The Pathfinder has a powerful 3.5-litre V6 engine and reports say it can slurp 10 L/100 km on the highway and more around town. If your daughter is concerned she should perhaps look at a four-cylinder SUV.

It's the Pathfinder for me.

Yes, they do. It generally seems to happen at 80,000-plus km, so you should be safe for a while. In the meantime make sure you keep the servicing up to it, as some Nissan mechanics blame a lack of servicing for the failures, although it appears to be caused by wear to the chain and the tensioner.