Transmission failure from coolant contamination
Hard shifting, slipping, loss of power, vehicle stalling
Check engine light: On
Catastrophic transmission failure caused by a defective radiator allowing coolant to mix with transmission fluid — hard shifting, slipping, inability to accelerate, loss of power, and vehicle stalling. This is the same 'strawberry milkshake' defect confirmed on the Nissan Pathfinder and Nissan Xterra, and also confirmed on the Ford F-150. This suggests a genuine platform-family defect across Nissan's Pathfinder/Xterra/Frontier trucks and SUVs. Nissan offered a 100,000-mile extended warranty, but complainants describe it as insufficient given when the defect actually manifests, and note service bulletins reached only dealers, not owners directly.
$3,000 – $7,000+
The same 'strawberry milkshake' failure is reported on the Nissan Pathfinder and Nissan Xterra, which share this platform family.
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Airbag recall — confirmed VIN exclusion
Warning lights, sensor and module malfunctions
Check engine light: On
Warning lights illuminating without obvious cause, sensor failures, and module malfunctions, covered under Campaigns 08V690000, 21E012000, and 23E012000. Complainants explicitly state that some VINs were excluded from these recalls despite identical symptoms to covered vehicles.
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Frame rust near leaf springs
Rust weakens the frame, causing driveline vibration
Check engine light: Off
Excessive rust on the frame near the leaf springs, with resulting frame weakness causing driveline vibration. Frame and subframe rust is reported across many manufacturers, not only Nissan.
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Fuel gauge sending unit failures
Gauge shows empty when the tank is full, check engine light
Check engine light: On
Fuel gauge shows empty when the tank is full, with check engine lights activating — a genuine safety concern given the potential to run out of fuel unexpectedly. Nissan's extended warranty for this defect covered only 72,000 miles, which complainants describe as insufficient given typical failure timing.
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Noise From the Front of the Engine
Noise from the front of the engine
Check engine light: Off
Noise from the front of the engine. This is among the more frequently reported issues on this generation, with 158 owner reports on file.
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No Start, Engine Stalls
No-start condition, or the engine stalls
Check engine light: Off
No-start condition, or the engine stalls. This is among the more frequently reported issues on this generation, with 153 owner reports on file.
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Check engine light due to a failed EVAP canister vent valve
Check engine light due to a failed EVAP canister vent valve
Check engine light: On
Check engine light due to a failed EVAP canister vent valve. This is among the more frequently reported issues on this generation, with 146 owner reports on file.
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Misfire and check engine light due to a clogged EGR valve
Misfire and check engine light due to a clogged EGR valve
Check engine light: On
Misfire and check engine light due to a clogged EGR valve. This is among the more frequently reported issues on this generation, with 70 owner reports on file.
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Coolant Outlet on Lower Intake Manifold May Leak
Coolant outlet on the lower intake manifold leaks
Check engine light: Off
Coolant outlet on the lower intake manifold leaks. This is among the more frequently reported issues on this generation, with 23 owner reports on file.
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Fuel Injectors May Fail and Cause Drivability Concerns
Fuel injectors fail, causing drivability concerns
Check engine light: On
Fuel injectors fail, causing drivability concerns. This is among the more frequently reported issues on this generation, with 17 owner reports on file.
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The most consequential problem for this generation is transmission failure caused by a defective radiator allowing coolant to mix with transmission fluid — the same 'strawberry milkshake' failure reported on the closely related Nissan Pathfinder and Nissan Xterra. Nissan offered a 100,000-mile extended warranty, but complainants describe it as insufficient relative to when the defect actually manifests, and note service bulletins went only to dealers, not directly to owners.