CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2014 has a small, but significant number of transmission complaints at low mileage. The issue is part of a class-action lawsuit that says the Pathfinder's transmission shakes violently during acceleration between 15mph and 30mph.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
6 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
5 / 0
Average Mileage:
36,011 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.

2014 Nissan Pathfinder drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2014 Nissan Pathfinder Owner Comments (Page 6 of 9)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #71

Apr 242017

Pathfinder

  • 69,000 miles

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

The transmission in my 2014 Pathfinder has been a problem since I purchased it. I have dealt with replacing computer components in the transmission, fixing faulty braking systems that cause the car to shutdown, and a transmission that was finally replace only to fail roughly 4 weeks later! the government should stop allowing Nissan to sell any car with a cvt transmission to consumers. They are unsafe and will cause a fatality wreck due to malfunctions. Nissan refuses to replace or repurchase my vehicle even though this has been an ongoing ordeal as far back as 2015. Most recently my car transmission does not change gears properly. When I slow down and try to accelerate the car will either shudder and fail to go past 20mph. Additionally I have experienced the transmission violently jerk while driving on the highway. I had to reduce my speed due to traffic, and when I tried to accelerate the car began to make a jerking motion where the speedometer jumped to 60mph and immediately feel to 20mph. The car went through this cycle for almost one minute.

- Tucker, GA, USA

problem #70

Mar 312017

Pathfinder

  • miles
Vehicle has a defective cvt transmission. Vehicle shakes or jerks upon changing gears, during acceleration or slowing down. Vehicle is also slow to accelerate upon take off, putting me at risk for other car to crash into me. Vehicle max speed is 50mph. Mechanic states cvt is faulty.

- Converse, TX, USA

problem #69

Feb 192017

Pathfinder

  • 2 miles
From time to time, my 2014 Nissan Pathfinder will not accelerate on full throttle while driving. I noticed this for the first time when the mileage was around 22K, and now around 34K, it is happening more frequently. I took it to the dealership a week ago to address this issue. They changed a brake relay and did some recall-related software updates. Since then, it is happening more frequently. I almost got hit by another car in the interstate ramp as I could not accelerate. I looked up online and found that this was the major issue among the 2013-2014 Pathfinders and they have recalled close to the million vehicles for this. However, according to the manufacturer's tag on my car, this batch was built after the recall date (August 2014). It looks like Nissan probably have not yet found the real solution for this issue, or, their cvt transmission design is fundamentally flawed. Whatever might the reason be, NHTSA should investigate and put more pressure on them to fix it. This is definitely a safety issue...please investigate!!!

- Brookfield, WI, USA

problem #68

Jan 212017

Pathfinder

  • 46,500 miles

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

Bought 2014 Nissan Pathfinder new. About 2 weeks ago car began shaking upon acceleration both in drive and reverse. On 1/21/2017 car became stuck in 1st gear and upon stopping at a red light, car did not move at all. Car was towed to dealership and today was diagnosed with needing a completely new transmission.

- Mesa, AZ, USA

problem #67

Dec 032016

Pathfinder

  • 94,193 miles
I purchased my Nissan new in 2014 and now with 120000 I am told my vehicle needs a 3rd transmission. Nissan knows there is an issue with the 13-15 cvt's for the Pathfinder as they have redesigned the transmission to correct the problem and have issued two recalls on the software for the cvt. I requested assistance then they are not willing to do what is right and replace it at their expense. All recommended service has been done at Nissan dealerships. The original jutter issue was extreme, but I was told today that the new jutter issue is compressed and not as noticeable, but I was not informed until after it was out of warranty that is would not feel the same. I was informed that the jutter code is back and that was I was feeling is in fact the same issue.

- Weatherford, TX, USA

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problem #66

Oct 152016

Pathfinder

  • 80,000 miles
The vehicle started shuddering and shaking while driving and when I accelerated would hesitate and after a few seconds would move a little slow with continual shaking and shuddering. Once stopped and parked I tried to the vehicle back on the check engine light would come on with the battery and wouldn't start. The vehicle was towed to Nissan where they said it was the induction air flow, ECM, and cost $400. After leaving Nissan I had to take it back the next week for the same issue. The service manager drove it and said that he thought it was the transmission and that the 2014 are known to have problems. He said to bring it back in the next couple of weeks. I took it back again after being stranded 3 times, almost hit several times and once by a semi- truck when it shuddered and would not accelerate. Nissan confirmed that it needed a new transmission because it was defective. They want me to pay $4000 because it has 80,000 miles on it. I filed a consumer complaint with american Nissan Corp and they told me that there was nothing they could do because it was out of warranty. The vehicle was bought brand new. Nissan knew that the cvt was defective when they sold it. They sent out a service letter to their dealerships about the issue in September 2013. This is very dangerous and is going to cost someone their life. Nissan should backup their vehicles. A two year old vehicle should not need the transmission replaced. Especially a $40,000 vehicle. This is extremely dangerous, and theft by deception.

- Roopville, GA, USA

problem #65

Oct 032016

Pathfinder

  • 30,000 miles

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

Brakes are prematurely worn and makes noise. At times the vehicle shudders unexpectedly which leads to pulling off the road to inspect the vehicle.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #64

Oct 152016

Pathfinder 4WD

  • 45,700 miles
Transmission cvt issue.. while driving at low miles 5-30 mph.. car will shake shudder. Jutter shutter almost like a washing machine shaking. I did some research and it looks like I am not the only one having this issue... I checked my car for recall of issue and found out that it is not listed!!! how can I get this problem fixed ? it makes me feel very unsafe.. I bought this car because of the size and since my wife is pregnant and having a child.. we are afraid to drive the car now since it has this issue with the transmission.

- Berkeley Heights, NJ, USA

problem #63

Oct 182016

Pathfinder

  • 85,000 miles
Cvt transmission has been shaking since the first moth of purchase. The vehicle had less than 1,000 miles on the car. The dealer has said several times there was no issue with the car and said they could not replicate the issue despite my concerns. Every single time I was told there was no problems with my brand new car. I have taken the car in at least 4 or 5 times. The car will shake so hard it's almost like the car is skipping between 20-40 mph and you have to clutch the steering to maintain control or disengage the gas pedal. This happens while driving or turning and at any time the car shifts between gears at low rates of speed. This has been a recurring problem since I have owned the vehicle. This is unsafe when driving on the highway and needing to pick up speed or making a turn onto oncoming traffic. Nissan if fully aware of the transmission issues and concerns of consumers in regards to this issue. Please investigate this issue. Hold Nissan accountable, recall this transmission, and help prevent Nissan from selling faulty cars.

- Wimauma, FL, USA

problem #62

Sep 052016

Pathfinder

  • 11,500 miles
Cvt transmission shudders and shakes the whole car when driving at low speeds. Very dangerous to drive when SUV suddenly shakes so violently due to manufacturing defect from Nissan. Happens about once a month. Nissan dealer has refused to repair anything as they were not able to replicate exact issue in a test drive. NHTSA please please investigate and get Nissan to honor their warranty by fixing a dangerous and widespread issue with Pathfinder's 2013-2015.

- Brandon, FL, USA

problem #61

Sep 042016

Pathfinder

  • 38,000 miles

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

My transmission died on I 95 after only 38,000 miles. It was replaced at a Nissan dealership and then a month later the brand new transmission leaked so much fluid that the Goodyear mechanic that I took the car to(since the dealership wasn't open) couldn't find where the transmission was actually leaking from.

- Columbia, MD, USA

problem #60

Feb 062015

Pathfinder

  • 500 miles
1. front passenger seat occupant indicator. Weight activated, irractic function. 2. variable speed transmission shudders when the car is going up a grade or is subjected to a hard pull, up & down mountainous terrain or up over an elevated railroad crossing.

- Blairsville, GA, USA

problem #59

Aug 162016

Pathfinder

  • miles
Multiple issues with this SUV had to have rear shock/strut replaced. Instrument cluster panel has been replaced. Passenger side air bag comes on when person is sitting there. Cvt transmission problems. The SUV has been in the shop on multiple occasions for each issue the transmission issue has been in the shop 6 plus times and I just picked up the 2014 Pathfinder 8-16-2016 and was told and have it on my invoice that the service tech drove the SUV and feels the transmission slipping or skipping but there is nothing they can do Nissan power train warranty will not allow them to replace it because my check engine light is not showing a code. So I have a 2014 Pathfinder that is a complete safety hazard for my family and other people on the road. The SUV will cut out, slip, shutter, lose power and has the potential of causing and accident when trying to accelerate which is terrible for who ever was to hit me and also could be fatal if I was to be hit and the passenger side air bag does not deploy could really hurt/kill the passenger. Every excuse I get from Nissan is they reprogrammed the car and this never fixed anything. The car was having transmission issues back before it made it to 30,000 miles and now at 55,000 miles the SUV is having major issues with the transmission. This is a known issue but Nissan refuses to fix. Nissan instead puts this SUV back on the road knowing it is having a safety issue for acceleration and passenger side air-bag and putting people at risk. I am requesting Nissan to do a buy back of this SUV. I am not looking for a replacement with another faulty transmission or a rebuilt transmission. I have found that there is a class action law suit in federal court in Florida with people having the exact same issue. So obliviously there is a major problem with these transmissions.

- Middleburg, FL, USA

problem #58

Aug 012016

Pathfinder

  • 5 miles
At slow speed car started shaking in hot weather with A/C on.

- Foster City, CA, USA

problem #57

Jul 262016

Pathfinder

  • 42,000 miles
I started noticing a slight slip in the transmission when I first purchased the vehicle, I didn't think much of it because it was a new vehicle. Then I would notice shaking periodically on the freeway; thinking it was the road. Now, fast forward my car obviously has a bigger issue. I was on the freeway and my car began to spudder and jerk and felt like I was going to lose power. I immediately exited the freeway and took the streets worried it was going to fall apart on me. I drove a few miles and jumped back on the freeway thinking it would go away. Nope! same thing happened and I was extremely frightened that I was going to get smashed from behind. The spudder feels as if you are going off roading. This occurred on the freeway when proceeding to accelerate after slowing in traffic. I thought for sure I was breaking down and my vehicle was staling.

- El Monte, CA, USA

problem #56

May 102016

Pathfinder

  • 25,000 miles
I purchased a 2014 Nissan Pathfinder as a new vehicle in October 2015. Since purchasing the vehicle I noticed the vehicle shuddering at low speed or when turning. This shuddering has become more frequent and now happens when the vehicle is cruising down the road. We have also noticed that the passenger airbag will show that there is no body in the seat even when there is someone sitting in the seat. The first time we took the vehicle back to the dealership the mechanic was not able to experience the issues that we had communicated to them and dismissed our claims. Will be going back to the dealership to discuss shuddering issue as it feels like the transmission is going to fall out.

- Pearland, TX, USA

problem #55

Jun 052016

Pathfinder

  • 37,750 miles
I purchased a 2014 Nissan Pathfinder as used vehicle in September 2015. Since purchasing the vehicle my wife has complained about the vehicle shuddering at low speed or when turning. This shuddering has become more frequent and now happens when the vehicle is cruising down the road. We have also noticed that the passenger airbag will show that there is no body in the seat even when there is someone sitting in the seat. The first time we took the vehicle back to the dealership the mechanic was not able to experience the issues that we had communicated to them ad dismissed our claims. Contacting dealership 6/6 to have vehicle issues checked again.

- Tempe, AZ, USA

problem #54

Apr 012016

Pathfinder

  • miles
The computer in my 2014 Nissan Pathfinder continued to present difficulties. These malfunctions were documented with Nissan and the computer was in fact replaced. We were in negotiations with Nissan to warranty the computer with the powertrain warranty. On April 1, 2016 my wife started the vehicle in the driveway and went inside to let it warm up. When she went out (approximately 10 minutes later) the vehicle was gone. It had slipped into drive on its own and gone straight down into the woods, taking out two trees and hitting a telephone pole at the bottom of the hill. The airbags did not deploy. Nissan's finding were that the black box within the vehicle did not show anything and, therefore, they were not taking responsibility for it. We have all the documentation for the difficulties with the vehicle leading up the collision.

- Chambersburg, PA, USA

problem #53

Apr 252016

Pathfinder

  • 38,000 miles
Transmission failure- my vehicle has had a shudder when turning and at low speeds since day one, and it was purchased brand new. It now has 38,000 miles. Each time I brought it in for the shudder, the dealer would blame it on some 'other' issue. Since I bought the car, I have replaced the tires 2 times at the advice of the dealer (yes, they tried to blame it on the tires) and have had the brakes replaced at their advice. None of that fixed the shudder. I've spent a few thousand dollars proving that. Last week it was at the dealer for 4 days, and they admitted there is still a shudder, which is constant and gets worse when going uphill, but said it is because my tires are "square". brand new tires they just talked me into buying. They told me there is nothing more they will do and asked me to come get my vehicle. This is the fourth dealership my car has been to. I picked up the vehicle and not 2 blocks down the road at about 10 mph it started violently jerking and no amount of gas would make it go. It stalled in the middle of the road, with my baby in the back seat. It did the same thing several more times on the way back to the dealership. Their mechanic drove it and again, it immediately jerked violently as he first pressed the gas pedal- he did not experience it stall (or said he didn't ). now they admit it is not tires and said they need the computer to verify that there is a problem. They won't fix it unless the computer says there is an issue, even though it is not drivable. Nissan corporate called me today to say the computer says there is no issue and told me I have to return the loaner car and pick my broken down Pathfinder back up. No repair will be performed, since the "computer" isn't getting a fault code. So I am stuck with a $40,000 hunk of junk that I can't drive or even sell. Corporate even said that if it is not drivable, I should tow it away.

- Kennesaw, GA, USA

problem #52

Jun 242014

Pathfinder

  • 3,000 miles
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Pathfinder. While driving approximately 50 mph, the transmission exhibited hesitation and began to violently jerk. The failure recurred sporadically. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on numerous occasions. The transmission was reprogrammed. The manufacturer was notified and sent an engineer to investigate the failure; however, there was no resolution. The failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 3,000.

- Grayson, GA, USA

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