Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit.
Owners have filed 837 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Nissan Pathfinder, and it carries 5 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 169 | 20% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 142 | 17% |
| Fuel system | 108 | 13% |
| Power train | 84 | 10% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 48 | 6% |
| Engine | 33 | 4% |
| Steering | 30 | 4% |
| Unknown or other | 27 | 3% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 24 | 3% |
| Fuel system | 23 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
I've ran out of gas twice my indicator the gas tank gauge does not show that the vehicle is empty it shows it's full and then I run out of gas on the side of the road almost get hit by cars trying to get to gas station t
NHTSA complaint: Fuel/propulsion system
The contact stated that the company owns a 2006 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that the fuel gauge displayed a full tank, then suddenly displayed that the fuel was empty, improperly displaying the fuel level. The
NHTSA complaint: Fuel system
The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware of transmission failure during the gear shifting. The contact stated that the gear shifter wou
NHTSA complaint: Power train
I was hit on the drivers side, where the front drivers door stops and the back door begins. The other drivers was estimated at going 50-60 mph. My car spun and rolled over 360 degrees. None of the airbags deployed. The s
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
Transmission oil cooler line in radiator broke causing coolant and transmission oil to mix and car is not driveable and needs $3,000 repairs
NHTSA complaint: Power train
Car shuts off In the middle of driving & also when simply parked. It starts jerking like it’s trying to catch up then it kills. It’s happened in front of traffic and busy roadways/intersections. It has happened more than
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
UNKNOWN. Every time I drive above 50 mph the car vibrates hard and it’s audible. It feels like the engine. I had it checked out by two mechanics but they couldn’t figure it out. I had my wheels balanced, bought new tire
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control
.Transmission failed do to coolant in transmission. .got stuck in traffic and couldn’t go anywhere .this is a known problem with these vehicles .vehicle has been inspected by owner who is a mechanic .there were no wa
NHTSA complaint: Power train
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2006 Nissan Pathfinder. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN FRONT AND REAR LOWER LINKS, P/NOS. 54501ZQ00A, 54500ZQ00A, 551A1ZQ00A, 551A0ZQ00A , 54501EA00A, 54500EA00A, 551A1EA500, 551A0EA500, 54501ZR00A, AND 54500ZR00A, SOLD BETWEEN NOVEMBER 25, 2009 AND MAY 14, 2010 AS REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR MODEL YEAR 2004 THROUGH 2010 TITAN, ARM
Risk: IF THE COLLAR WELD SEPARATES, THE VEHICLE HANDLING WILL DETERIORATE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Fix: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE ANY AFFECTED LOWER LINK FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 12, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
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 REDU
Risk: THIS COULD CAUSE ENGINE STALLING INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ECM RELAY INSIDE THE IPDM ASSEMBLY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 6, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006 AND MODEL YEAR 2008 FRONTIER, XTERRA AND PATHFINDER VEHICLES. THE MOLDED FUEL TANK SHELLS CAN DEFORM, CAUSING THE FUEL SENDER FLOAT ARM TO CONTACT AN EMBOSSMENT MOLDED INTO THE TANK SHELL CAUSING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FUEL GAUGE TO SHOW THAT THE VEHICLE
Risk: THIS COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO RUN OUT OF GAS AND STALL IN TRAFFIC, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT INSIDE THE FUEL TANK WITH A NEW ONE THAT HAS A MODIFIED FLOAT ARM. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BE
NISSAN IS RECALLING 242,720 MY 2005-2009 PATHFINDER, FRONTIER AND XTERRA VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PEN
Risk: THIS ISSUE COULD RESULT IN THE NON-DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAGS IN A CRASH, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT CZS WITH A REDESIGNED SENSOR. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 26, 2009. OWNERS IN THE OTHER STATES WILL RECEIVE EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR THE SENSOR TO 10 YEARS. THE
| Reliability raw | 51 | average |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 64 | average |
| Maintenance | 76 | good |
| Depreciation | 59 | average |
| Performance | 71 | good |
| Efficiency | 31 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 837 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and power train is the most reported area with 169 of them (20%). There are 5 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 51/100 (average) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 64/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2006 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: be careful, because the numbers are mixed and the complaint record is worth reading before you commit. Its overall ownership score is 60/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.