Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 77 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Nissan Pathfinder, and it carries 3 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 5 | 6% |
| Service brakes | 5 | 6% |
| Back over prevention | 4 | 5% |
| Power train | 4 | 5% |
| Electronic stability control (esc) | 4 | 5% |
| Unknown or other | 4 | 5% |
| Electrical system | 3 | 4% |
| Air bags | 3 | 4% |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 4% |
| Electrical system | 3 | 4% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
The vehicle veers towards the right, even though a wheel alignment was completed on 7/1/26. On 7/28/26 when driving the vehicle, it wouldn’t accelerate properly, it felt sluggish and although the gas pedal was depressed
NHTSA complaint: Power train
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while reversing, the back over prevention camera screen display malfunctioned, and there was a black image displayed, creating a hazard for the driver. T
NHTSA complaint: Back over prevention
Infotainment system stopped working. Now radio, no climate control visible and NO backup camera most of the time. Very dangerous without the backup camera
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera displayed a blank screen. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The conta
NHTSA complaint: Back over prevention
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. The failure persisted, and there was an abnormal knocking
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling
The transmission is going bad which makes it dangerous to drive. Had it 2 days and I check my FIXD module and found code. Took to where I purchased it and the drained cvt fluid and now makes a whinning sound and garage k
NHTSA complaint: Power train
My Nuna rava was part of the recent recall that happened. The company offered remedy kits to replace the seat fabrics as well as tools to clean where the harness straps tightened/loosened. We received the remedy kit in M
NHTSA complaint: Chest clip
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that occasionally, while the vehicle was in reverse(R), the digital screen displayed a Nissan Logo that faded away. In addition, the contact stated that the d
NHTSA complaint: Back over prevention
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2018 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 North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Nissan Murano, 2016-2018 Nissan Maxima, and 2017-2019 Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and unrepaired, or inspected and determined to not need a repair, under recall number 18V-60
Risk: A brake fluid leak on the circuit board may result in an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ABS actuator, free of charge. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available, currently expected to be during summer 20
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Nissan Murano, 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2017-2018 Nissan Pathfinder, and 2017 Infiniti QX60 vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake (ABS) actuator pumps may allow brake fluid to leak onto an internal circuit board.
Risk: A brake fluid leak on the circuit board may result in an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the serial number on the ABS actuator, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 29, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan cus
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additio
Risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners
| Reliability raw | 76 | good |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 75 | good |
| Maintenance | 76 | good |
| Depreciation | 51 | average |
| Performance | 67 | good |
| Efficiency | 41 | below average |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other SUVs in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 77 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and engine is the most reported area with 5 of them (6%). There are 3 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 76/100 (good) 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 75/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2018 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 70/100. 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.