CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2013 has a growing number of transmission complaints at low mileage. The issue is part of a class-action lawsuit that says the transmissions shake violently during acceleration between 15mph and 30mph.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
21,367 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2013 Nissan Pathfinder drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2013 Nissan Pathfinder Owner Comments (Page 7 of 18)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #230

Apr 012014

Pathfinder

  • 5,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Vehicle stalls on hills and has bad mileage and hesitates. This has happened on several occasions. It has been checked in dallas, tx and now twice in el paso, tx. The last inspection was a recall and all I was told was it may need a new transmission. It has gotten worse and now hesitates on hills and is very sluggish. It stalls while taking off on hills. Very dangerous.... all I have received is lip service. Please contact asap.

- El Paso, TX, USA

problem #229

Jul 062015

Pathfinder

  • 44,854 miles
While I was told that this had happened previously in the vehicle (around June 22, 2015), I experienced it on 7/6/15. I was traveling on the highway at @ 68 mph. I slowed to take an offramp left onto a connector and pressed the accelerator to regain speed. There was no response; the accelerator had no power--even when pressed to the floor. The car began to lose speed. It was a busy time of day, and there was a car behind me. I took my foot off the accelerator and pressed it again; this time it was responsive. In addition to the loss of power, the car 'hitched' as I was driving and braking, and the ABS and traction control lights came on. This happened multiple times afterwards--not just on turns. On 7/7, I called Nissan service. I did not drive the car again until they fit me in (thurs., 7/9). The drive train is still under warranty, and I was informed that there was a crt reprogramming recall that needed to be done, but it had nothing to do with what was happening, so they would run multiple diagnostics at $125 or more a piece. After multiple diagnostics and a technician driving my car 44 miles, service "could not duplicate concern, " did not know of any like problems with the car, had performed the recall, and sent me home at no charge (?) on 7/10. Afterwards, I did not drive the car for several days. On 7/16, it seemed safe, and my daughter was driving with me in the passenger seat. It happened again--on a busy road! the ABS and traction control lights came on too. We stopped; I took a picture, immediately emailed it to service, & switched drivers. There's no response yet. Nissan online forums are full of 2013 Pathfinder (and Nissan crt model) owners experiencing the exact same problems, being told similar things, and having transmissions (crt) replaced but it happening again. Nissan won't acknowledge what seems to be a widespread problem with the crt & this model.

- Mableton, GA, USA

problem #228

Jun 012015

Pathfinder 6-cyl

  • 22,000 miles
While driving, vehicle looses power, acceleration, pressing on gas and nothing happens, shift car to neutral and press on gas and RPM"S go up, shift back to drive, press on gas and RPM's don't move, vehicle does not go. All the times that it has happened we had to coast either to the side of road, or to next light. This is a rear end collision waiting to happen, this is definitely a safety issue!!! took car to Nissan dealer, but since car did not detect any error codes, dealership was unable to find fix, but there is definitely something wrong with car, www.carcomplaints.com went unto this site and found more than 100 complaint similar to mine, about car loosing power. Somebody has to look into this before someone gets seriously hurt or dies. This is my wife's car and I have a 3yr old and a 2yr old that she drives around, please, someone look into this.

- Lakeside, CA, USA

problem #227

Jun 122015

Pathfinder

  • 52,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I got a Nissan Pathfinder platinum 2013, while I was driving at 40 mph, right in the middle of the road it stopped accelerating for a good 5 to 15 seconds, even thu I pressed the gas medal all the way down to the floor. That happened very often now. I took it to the sutherland Nissan dealership in fort myers, Florida, they were telling it could be the cvt transmission. I encourage everybody who has this same problem with their Nissan vehicle to come forward and complained. That cvt transmission problem is a big safety issue and that directly put people life in great danger.

- Lehigh Acres, FL, USA

problem #226

Aug 272014

Pathfinder

  • 52,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. While driving 20 mph, the vehicle failed to accelerate when the accelerator pedal was depressed. The failure recurred numerous times intermittently. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing, but was unable to be diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was unavailable. The approximate failure mileage was 52,000.

- Atlanta , GA, USA

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problem #225

Nov 082013

Pathfinder

  • 5,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. While driving approximately 55 mph, the transmission began to hesitate excessively in a jerking motion. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the transmission computerized system was reprogrammed. The failure recurred after the repair. On a separate occasion, the transmission failed to operate while driving. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, but was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 5,000.

- Ball Ground, GA, USA

problem #224

May 052015

Pathfinder

  • 49,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I had that Nissan Pathfinder patinum for a week, I noticed it shuddering and shaking when I press lightly on the gas pedal to accelerate., its like the vehicles shutting down on me. I took it to the dealer sutherlin Nissan in fort-myers, Florida and I'm still waiting on them. For whoever who has experienced this kind of shuddering problem, its a very scary and frightened moment. Nissan needs to do something about it as quick as possible.

- Lehigh Acres, FL, USA

problem #223

Apr 012015

Pathfinder

  • 4,100 miles
I was driving down a local street traveling about 35 miles per hour. As I was accelerating down the street my car begin to slow down without me hitting the brakes. I had to turn in the turning lane so know one would hit the back of my car. I took my car in to the Nissan dealer where I bought my car. They couldn't find anything, but the said it was a recall on a part on my transmission. They fixed it. I noticed the same thing happened two weeks later.

- Sauk Village, IL, USA

problem #222

Apr 032015

Pathfinder 6-cyl

  • 13,700 miles
Upon acceleration from idle or at traffic light, depressing the acceleration pedal produces no movement. You have to press the gas pedal all the way down, upon which no movement forward is created. Also, the passenger front airbag, even with a 160 pound passenger sits in seat, airbag light is still turned off, subsequently turning off airbag.

- Whitestone, NY, USA

problem #221

Mar 132015

Pathfinder 6-cyl

  • 17,984 miles
Had recall on transmission for software update, left dealership once it was done. Could not accelerate to get off of hill behind the dealership. Vehicle would only go in reverse. Had the pedal down to the floor and the vehicle would not move.

- Harrison, AR, USA

problem #220

Mar 112014

Pathfinder

  • 35,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure was unable to be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 35,000.

- Maryville , TN, USA

problem #219

Feb 272015

Pathfinder

  • 35,800 miles
When the car is full of passengers the transmission starts to miss shift causing a vibration. Feels unsafe when carrying passengers. Also vehicles backup camera is starting to act up. The video is screen has lines through it and sometimes the backup alarms deactivate.

- Miami, FL, USA

problem #218

Feb 132015

Pathfinder 6-cyl

  • 29,056 miles
I was pulling out of a parking lot. I drove a few yards and the car would not accelerate over 25mph even though I was pushing on the accelerator. There were no warning lights, but the RPM's would not go up. I stopped and put it in park, revved the engine, and put it in drive again. It worked fine for about a mile until I pulled up to a stop light. As the light turned green, I could not get the car to go over 25 mph. (I was turning left at the intersection, so it was very dangerous that I could not get the car to accelerate as I was facing upcoming traffic.) I pulled onto the shoulder and put it in park again. I was able to make it the additional mile home but thankfully did not have to stop at a light again. The dealership has ran diagnostics on it and can't find anything wrong with it, but I'm scared to drive it again.

- Katy, TX, USA

problem #217

Feb 102015

Pathfinder 6-cyl

  • 30,000 miles
Over the past two month I've had 4 incidents when I stop at a light or sign and when I hit my accelerator pedal to start moving again nothing happens. Sometimes I lift my foot off of the pedal and them back again and it starts working normally. Other times the accelerator starts working after a few seconds of being depressed.....more than a little nu-nerving when entering heavy traffic areas.

- Seffner, FL, USA

problem #216

Feb 032015

Pathfinder

  • 24,803 miles
Just purchased this vehicle. Drove beautiful while test driving. The next morning the vehicle started her jerking so bad that I thought something was falling out from underneath the vehicle. I thought I was going to stall out in the middle of an intersection. Wondering how safe this vehicle really is when needing to Transport children. Disgusted with the power I am finding.

- Menoken, ND, USA

problem #215

Sep 202014

Pathfinder

  • 26,000 miles
Driving would notice that car would not go when I would accelerate so took in many times to dealership which always told me it just needed updating so it happened again then they said it was the transmission and would have to replace. But the thing that upset me was they put a refurbished one in which wasn't right since I bought brand new. Still having problems took again and once again needed updating don't know what else to do dint understand why nissian doesn't take care of these issues or buy back these lemon cars frustrated. Also never received recall notice from nissian ever since I bought car I had to google search which is horrible unprofessional

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #214

Feb 042015

Pathfinder 4WD 6-cyl

  • 34,100 miles
I bought this car used, I had it for 10 days, I was driving at a low speed 10-15 mph and my Pathfinder started jerking. I thought I was driving on a bad part or my tire had blown up. I pulled into a store, everything looked fine, I left and as I was making a turn, it started the jerking again, I was heading home and only a few min away and after another turn, it started jerking again!! I called the dealership, they called saying nothing is wrong with it. I have a 2 year old! it's horribly frightening and sickening to not know when this is going to happen and to know you've spent all this money on a crap car that they won't fix under warranty!

- Salt Lake City, UT, USA

problem #213

Oct 012014

Pathfinder

  • 16,000 miles
I purchased this car in March 2014. It was a used platinum Pathfinder with 4900 miles on it. Within months, I noticed a violent shaking when traveling at low speeds. I took it in October 30, 2014 to get the shudder fixed. I was told nothing was wrong, its just how the cvt works. So, I left. On January 22,2015, the car lost power as I was crossing into traffic on a 4 lane road. This nearly resulted in me and my children being tboned by a uhaul. Thankfully they were able to stop in time. It happened one more time on the way home that day as I pulled off from a stop light. The car gets to about 20 mph and nothing. I immediately call jerry rome Nissan and told them I wanted a rental and they needed to fix my car. I agreed to bring it in the following week. In the meantime, the power loss continued to happen. After taking the car to the dealership, a master mechanic took a ride with me and I could not get the car to do it. They hooked the car up to the computer and got no codes...and they were unable to duplicate so there is nothing wrong. I have spent the past week researching this issue and I'm sure you are aware, this is a widespread, very serious issue with these cars. Nissan is negligent in continuing to sell these cars knowing the cvt is too small for this vehicle. I contacted Nissan Consumer Affairs and they told me there was nothing I could do. Then I get a call today from jerry rome stating that they have a service bulletin about this car so they'll be reprogramming the transmission. I researched that and the bulletin they're speaking of came out Nov. 2014. It's important that everyone know the scam they're running. This is corporate greed at its finest. It's just a matter of time before some poor family gets crushed getting on a highway. Maybe that's what they're waiting for.

- Springfield , MA, USA

problem #212

Jan 212015

Pathfinder 4WD 6-cyl

  • 30,900 miles
While driving my 2013 Pathfinder at slow speeds, the vehicle would lose power and not accelerate. It has happened about 10+ times in the last two weeks. The latest time I was making a left hand turn yielding to on coming traffic. The vehicle would not accelerate and stalled in the middle of oncoming traffic. The Pathfinder was moving about 5-10 mph. The oncoming vehicle approaching had to slam on their brakes so they didn't hit us (I had 6 kids in the car). The Pathfinder then kicked in and stalled at the following light around 1/4 mile down the road. It is intermittent and hasn't happened since. Pathfinder is currently at the dealer and they say that they have it fixed by a brake switch replacement. The regional consumer specialist from Nissan na assigned to us stated he was not aware of any acceleration problems at all in Pathfinders.

- American Fork, UT, USA

problem #211

May 142014

Pathfinder 4WD 6-cyl

  • 2,000 miles
When I first purchased the vehicle my husband immediately began saying something was wrong with the transmission the problem got worse as time went by. Taking off from a stopped position it would stall before taking off. Then it started shuttering after take off. Then escalated to shuttering while driving down the road at speeds between 20-30 usually when I was in the school zone taking my kids to school. After several attempts Nissan finally decided to replace the transmission. I have a baby as well as two other children that are in this vehicle everyday. Once the transmission was replaced it started having a problem at any speed where it felt like the motor was going to jump out of the vehicle which jerked my children and scared them. I M also noticing more and more problems with it not wanting to go into gear. I have also had a problem with the back hatch coming open at various times for no reason. One day I walked out of work to find that it was open the doors to the vehicle were still locked. On another occasion I found the back hatch open and it had rained all night and the neighbor strays had slept in my vehicle all night again the doors were locked. No one had touched my keys so no reason for how it keeps mysteriously coming open. The previous Pathfinder I had would let down the front windows at various times for no reason. Said it was a safety feature...didn't seem very safe to me to come out of a store to find my windows down. Unfortunately cant trade it in because I would be too upside down. I know it will cost a lot to recall and fix all of these but how does that compare to the cost of peoples lives. Headed to Nissan again Saturday to see what they say about the transmission this time.

- Newton, TX, USA

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