The Lane Check

Home › Cars › Nissan › Pathfinder › 2023

2023 Nissan Pathfinder problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

ELEVATED COMPLAINT SIGNAL
38%
38 of 104 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

38% of relevant owner complaints on the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is elevated. Worth an independent inspection before you commit to one.

Better than 57% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder have fuel system problems?

More than most. The pattern is elevated rather than severe. 38 of 104 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (38%), and the largest group is filed under fuel/propulsion system (21). For comparison, the 2022 scores 25%. On a test drive, check for hard starts, stalling, hesitation, a fuel smell or a check-engine light. 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
38
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
104
this model year
Fires reported
0
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
1
4 crashes · 1 injuries

Complaints by component

UNKNOWN OR OTHER28 · 27%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM23 · 22%
SERVICE BRAKES21 · 20%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM21 · 20%
ENGINE15 · 14%
POWER TRAIN13 · 13%

The years either side

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

How the 2023 compares with other Nissan Pathfinder years

Of the 12 Nissan Pathfinder years with enough complaints to score, the 2023 is the 4th-best on engine and transmission share (38%). The worst is the 2017 (65%), the best the 2022 (25%). By volume, the 2023 drew 104 complaints (38 drivetrain), against 135 for the 2022.

Nissan Pathfinder years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder

  • What the repair costs. Typical fuel system repair ranges, to price into your offer.
  • Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
  • Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
  • What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
  • Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.

What one owner reported

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN,FUEL SYSTE09/17/2026
The contact owns a 2023 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly shifted into neutral(N). The check engine, seat belt, and several other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, and the vehicle briefly experienced uni…

One of 38 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

2023 Nissan Pathfinder engine and transmission recalls

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2023 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.

1 other recall on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
seats: critical fasteners23V268000 · Apr 2023
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2023 Rogue, Pathfinder, and Infiniti QX60 vehicles. The driver's powered seat may not be fully secured to the seat frame, causing the seat…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.

Checking one particular 2023 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 2023 Nissan Pathfinder

Does the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder have fuel system problems?

More than most; the pattern is elevated rather than severe. 38 of 104 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (38%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the fuel system and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

What is the most common problem with the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder is electrical system: 23 of 104 complaints (22%) name it, followed by service brakes (21) and fuel/propulsion system (21). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 38% of the relevant total.

Is the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder reliable?

On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 38% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (elevated signal). That is better than 57% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 12 Nissan Pathfinder years we score, it ranks 4th-best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder?

No. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2023 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 2023 (38%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/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.

Check a VIN

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.