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2019 Nissan Pathfinder: engine and transmission complaints

ELEVATED COMPLAINT SIGNAL
34%
23 of 68 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

34% of relevant owner complaints on the 2019 Nissan Pathfinder are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is elevated. Worth an independent inspection before you commit to one.

Better than 64% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 7 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 31%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
23
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
75
this model year
Fires reported
1
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
2
4 crashes · 2 injuries

Complaints by component

UNKNOWN OR OTHER20 · 27%
ENGINE15 · 20%
SERVICE BRAKES13 · 17%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE10 · 13%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM10 · 13%
POWER TRAIN9 · 12%

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
34%
23 of 75
2020
49%
24 of 52
2021
no data
2022
25%
32 of 135
2023
37%
37 of 103

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

Cleaner alternatives

Same car, a better year

Other midsize SUVs with no elevated signal in 2019

The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.

What owners reported

ENGINE08/16/2026
There was built up sludge in my engine that caused it to fail, and I was charged to replace it
POWER TRAIN,AIR BAGS07/23/2026
Driving at 75 miles per hour on highway. We Heard an explosion, and airbags deployed. There was no collision or front end hit, there was no warning lights or sounds, no deceleration. My husband was somehow able to pull to the side, we were not injured, except for the airbag hitting me in the head, egg noted. No EMS tr…
POWER TRAIN,AIR BAGS04/23/2026
The car broke on the highway (possibly drive train? Waiting for mechanic). Despite no impact, the steering wheel airbag deployed.

Three of 23 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on this model year (2)

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport…
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Nissan Murano, 2016-2018 Nissan Maxima, and 2017-2019 Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 vehicles. Th…

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2019 Nissan Pathfinder

Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.

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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.