My transmission failed last May and left me stranded. I was already tired of the dealer from all the repairs I had to endure with the fuel sending unit and electrical problem with the ECM. So I contacted a service center and they had a transmission place overhaul the transmission. After the 3rd try the car was "fixed". Until the same problem surfaced again in March 2010, LESS THAN 1 year after my transmission rebuild.

I didn't realize that the radiator could cause this issue until my own research online after the second transmission fix in March of this year. The problem has resurfaced less than two weeks after replacing my torque converter for the second time.

Nissan should recall this faulty design issue with the radiator. There are countless complaints from Pathfinder owners regarding the issue, but because it seems to be a problem that occurs after the warranty expires they refuse to take responsibility for their mechanical issue.

Well, it appears I have the same problem as many of you have had with the coolant fluid leaking into the transmission from an internal defect of the radiator. I just received my anticipated phone call from Nissan Customer Service Rep stating that Nissan was not going to cover the costs of the repair. It seems they are well aware of the problem, but obviously not willing to speak. I was informed that IF a recall was issued, I would be notified in writing. I informed the Nissan CSR that I would not take no for an answer and plan to follow this to the end.

For those of you who have had similar problems with your Nissan Pathfinder, I would highly recommend that you look into the class action law suit that is in the works by the lawfirm of Lieff, Cabreser, Heinmann and Bernstein, LLP.

Don't settle for No from Nissan.

Just felt a rumble in our car last week(like driving on a rumble strip) Called our very trusted, family mechanic and he knew exactly what we were talking about. He said to check the transmission fluid and see if it looked milky which it did which would indicate that the radiator was bad and leaking fluid into the transmission. Had the radiator replaced today-not a Nissan one because it will only end up going bad again! And our mechanic flushed our transmission twice. We don't know how much damage was done to the transmission. Nissan knows EXACTLY what is going on because our mechanic said they are no longer using those radiators in the new Pathfinders. I think we all have to keep calling and making our complaints known so they do something about this!

I have had the same problem as everyone else. However, the nice people from Nissan NA did politely tell me they dont care. The did tell me that if everyone who has this problem sends them an email about this, they might look into doing a recall and possibly fixing this for us. If you have already repaired yours yourself, they might re-imburse you if you still have all the receipts. I had a extended warranty for the powertrain, but since the transmission cooler is not covered and caused the problem, they will not honor my warranty.

It all started with the radiator and the only reason I even knew something was wrong was that my gears were switching weird. I took the car into the dealership, they told me that I needed to get a new radiator and transmission b/c my radiator fluid was leaking into my transmission. They quoted me at $6000. I then took my car to get a new radiator and transmission flush, it helped a little. With me not having $6000 just laying around, that would mean that I need to wait.

My car finally gave out 2 weeks ago. I got it towed to a transmission shop, they told me that my radiator fluid is leaking into my transmission. They took my transmission apart to look at parts and apparently everything is rusty together, not to mention the "computer" in the transmission is fried. You would think that Nissan would recognize an issue when they see that that same part is on backorder b/c I am waiting on a part.

I contacted Nissan North America to file a complaint and a week later, I get that they will not cover the cost of repairs b/c I didn't get my car serviced enough that the dealership. Asked to speak to whomever is in the next level and was denied. I then went to file a complaint with the BBB Autoline, filled out a form with an attorney that is already looking into this matter from several others, and contacted the news.

Nissan is very foul for blowing this off. I guess they figure that most people will not go to the extreme and keep fighting. Whatever you guys do, please do not stop pushing this to the top. File a complaint with BBB Autoline, fill out the form with the attorney who is investigating.

http://www.lieffcabraser.com/defects/pathfinder.php

https://www.auto.bbb.org/lemon-law-complaint-form/

We also started with the 'shimmy' while driving. It rarely happened so we thought it was the road. Until a VERY WARM So CAL Valentine's Day weekend. Driving home on the freeway I guess the radiator was working overtime to try and keep it cool (100 mile trip > which put us just barely over 100,000 miles). Some bozo made us have to slow down to less than 45mph and when we went to speed up NOTHING! I'll we heard was the engine racing but we were actually slowing down. My husbands quick thinking got us off the freeway and out of harms way. Thank goodness we weren't injured ~ OR... WAIT! Maybe some injuries would have made them have to deal with this issue ??

We took it to numerous places ~ had the transmission fluid flushed ~ the radiator flushed ~ replaced air filters and checked fuel lines. But it would still hesitate on 3 out of 5 gears. We started checking the internet for other ideas and "Voila" there it was!

We were advised to call corporate who advised us to take it in. We agreed to pay (how stupid are we) for the diagnostic to determine the actual problem. LIKE THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS GOING TO BE! Our car has been at the dealers shop since April 6th. After 4 weeks and numerous phone calls to both our dealer and corporate there final decision is still "NO". They don't even give a darn that the Pathfinder is our 2ND car. We are currently driving a 2002 Frontier with over 185,000 miles on it. So much for LOYALTY!

I just picked it up today 5/5/10 (was never authorized to be fixed). We will be parking our vehicle outside our local dealer with lemons painted on the windows and a very descriptive notice as to what happened any why. I think we will also be passing out a flyer "advising" other 2005 Pathfinder owners (there are a lot of these in our area) of the "very likely" COSTLY repairs they are in store for.

Update from May 17, 2010: 5/14/10 > UPDATE WE HAVE A POSSIBLE LAWYER!!

They have set up investigation pages specifically for the 2005 Pathfinder problems, and have asked people who email him to use these pages to provide basic info. The links are:

http://www.lieffcabraser.com/defects/pathfinder.php http://www.lieffcabraser.com/contact/contact-pathfinder.htm

In order to make sure there database is complete please provide the requested info on the online form.

Please provide these links to anyone who would be interested in contacting us about these problems.

THANK YOU!!

5 years old, 60 days ago I got a transmission flush thinking it would fix the problem. Nissan told me everything else that was wrong with the vehicle except that my transmission was leaking into my radiator and vice versa. Now suddenly I need a new trans and radiator!!?? WHAT!! "Well sir is there a payment plan I can do for a large job such as this?"..."Well Nissan tried to pass a new system such as that but because of the "recession" it didn't follow through"..."so I am just supposed to dish out $6000...in a recession...for a five year old vehicle?!?!?!?!?!" I know Nissan could care less about my financial state, they just want my money, that i don't have...and they don't care. That's pitiful. I am all for a class action law-suit, just give me my script ASAP.

After reading this site I am even more upset. The fact that this is happening to so many people and Nissan is not recalling the problem is huge. Nissan has put us off now for almost 2 weeks waiting on an answer about whether or not they will be covering any of the cost of the repairs. I have 3 small children and am just waiting for the transmission to freeze up while on the highway in the middle of Atlanta. We only have 56,000 miles on our car and take VERY good care of it. Change the oil when required, and YES have all fluid levels check etc... After speaking to a transmission specialist I was told that it would not have mattered if we had the transmission checked or not at the same intervals as oil changes because this problem can happen inside of driving 50 miles.

This is a SERIOUS ENGINEERING PROBLEM and Nissan should be stepping up to make this right for their customers. I will never own another one again!!! Especially if we have to pay what we were quoted from the dealer to correct THEIR PROBLEM which was $5100. TOTAL BULLSHIT!!~!

Basically the same problem everyone on this thread is having. Bad vibration at 45mph, heat went out during the winter, had to really rev the motor for the heat to kick on. Transmission is down shifting while going down the highway and a tractor trailer was behind my wife and kids when this happened and slowed them down to 30mph on the interstate. We cannot drive it now because I don't want what happened to the family that had the Toyota happen to my family. Nissan had better recall this to save face or they will be in the same boat Toyota is in. God help them if something would happen to family!!!!!!!!!

I am having the same issue which is coolant leaking into the transmission. This is happening a lot I have a friend who works for Nissan he told me this occurs a lot but Nissan refuse to do anything about it. I had to replace the radiator twice and do a flush but once the trans gets coolant it is just a matter of time until the transmission dies which is what happen to me. the technician told me they should have replaced the transmission once the coolant went into it. Nissan refuse to assist me with the matter and this started when the path finder was at 44,000 miles.now it is at 102,000miles something has to be done.

I also had the transmission issue. Took vehicle to Nissan Dealer who told me I needed to have trans. flush. I told them I had that done in Aug. by personal mech. They said it occ. has to be repeated. I took it to him and he found coolant mixed w/ trans. fluid and told me I needed a new radiator. I had that fixed, then the day I picked it up it overheated and I had to have a thermostat put on it. Now 2 1/2 mon. later it's overheating again. I can't wait to get rid of this car and get something more dependable.

I am still waiting for Nissan to call me . my warranty expired because of my millage. my car overheated and vibrates. the dialer asked me for 7000 to replace and they tell me not to drive it. I have to replace transmission and radiator flashing it is not going to help that what Nissan dealer said. I cant go to work because I don't have a car. I am not to going to pay 7000 to fix this problem they have to fix it .I pay 30.000 plus 7000 it is not worth-it. I am going to take it to lawyer. 7000 it is not 7dollar .This is going to be my last and first Nissan car ever.....

I am not alone in this problem apparently! My 2005 Pathfinder's radiator leaked radiator fluid into the transmission so that both the radiator and transmission have to be replaced to the tune of over $5000.00! I was having trouble with my heater (always have) and when I took the truck to the dealer awhile back, they said that there was air in the system and flushed radiator and re pressurized the system. Since then my truck developed the tell tale shudder and consequently the radiator had cracked allowing radiator fluid into the transmission. I can't believe that Nissan is ignoring this repetitive problem. I am writing a letter to Nissan attaching all of the complaints that I have found on the internet as well as my bill. I am going to copy the BBB, the Attorney Generals office, Consumer Reports, and Car magazines and anyone else that I think should hear about this problem. Maybe if we all inundate them with this issue, something will get done.

2 months before the transmission went out, the radiator had a trans cooling line that broke. seems to be a common problem. we had trans fluid mix with the coolant, and vice versa. we had to replace the radiator and have the trans flushed, with $10 a quart special nissan trans fluid of course. less than 2 months later the transmission started vibrating. after taking it to a trans shop was told that the transmission needed to be replaced. I said what? they cost a pretty penny. No trouble code was present in the computer. we had contacted nissan and was told this is a common problem but no recalls were issued. I made a complaint to them and they just said it was documented. I am pissed off that this problem that should of been a recall is being overlooked. I am pursuing it in a legal matter.

It seems to be a waste of time to contact Nissan USA, they don't care about or value the costumer. I was told by my dealer that my transmission needed to be flush so i allowed them to do it as a result of my decisions my radiator busted and transmission was damage. I took it back to the dealer they said the transmission was good and i only needed to replace the throttle body and tps and two weeks later i am back at Nissan then they say the transmission is bad after i paid out over a $1,000.00 for the throttle body repair. Nissan and Nissan USA needs to be boycotted and blacked balled!