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2015 Nissan Pathfinder problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
54%
138 of 257 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

54% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.

Worse than 71% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 63 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 43%).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder have transmission problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 138 of 257 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (54%), and the largest group is filed under power train (76). For comparison, the 2014 scores 54% and the 2016 scores 40%. On a test drive, check for shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
138
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
320
this model year
Fires reported
1
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
5
11 crashes · 7 injuries

Complaints by component

UNKNOWN OR OTHER79 · 25%
POWER TRAIN76 · 24%
ENGINE74 · 23%
AIR BAGS55 · 17%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL27 · 8%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM26 · 8%

The years either side

2010
55%
16 of 40
2011
48%
15 of 45
2012
too few complaints
2013
59%
428 of 890
2014
54%
260 of 573
2015
54%
138 of 320
2016
40%
34 of 107
2017
65%
112 of 186
2018
32%
23 of 77
2019
33%
23 of 76
2020
50%
25 of 53
2021
no data
2022
25%
32 of 135
2023
38%
38 of 104

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder

What one owner reported

POWER TRAIN04/07/2026
CVT judder problems on acceleration

One of 138 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder?

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns on the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

5 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
latches/locks/linkages: hood: latch22V420000 · Jun 2022
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,…
exterior lighting: brake lights: switch21V020000 · Jan 2021
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…
air bags: sensor: occupant classification16V244000 · Apr 2016
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,…
air bags: frontal15V681000 · Oct 2015
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…
service brakes15V012000 · Jan 2015
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…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2015 Nissan Pathfinder? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.

Questions people ask about the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder

Does the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder have transmission problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 138 of 257 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (54%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the transmission and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder?

No. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns on the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Nissan Pathfinder years are better?

Among the Nissan Pathfinder years we track, the 2022 (25%), the 2018 (32%) and the 2019 (33%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2015 (54%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2015 Nissan Pathfinder?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2015 Nissan Pathfinder has an elevated transmission complaint pattern, so treat it as a car that needs proof: service records showing transmission work, a cold-start test drive, and an independent pre-purchase inspection focused on the transmission. A well-kept or already-repaired example can be a fine car; an unknown one is a gamble.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.