FaultScore

1990 Nissan Pathfinder transmission problems

13 of the 44 complaints about the 1990 Nissan Pathfinder are about the transmission — 30% of everything reported for this model year.

D

13

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Automatic Transmission 9 69.2%
Column Shift 2 15.4%
Manual Transmission 1 7.7%
Differential Unit 1 7.7%

Transmission & Drivetrain across every Nissan Pathfinder year

1990 13 0.5%
1991 15 0.6%
1992 10 0.4%
1994 10 0.4%
1995 21 0.9%
1996 13 0.5%
1997 20 0.8%
1998 23 1.0%
2002 11 0.5%
2005 591 24.4%
2006 451 18.7%
2007 337 13.9%
2008 155 6.4%
2010 11 0.5%
2013 371 15.3%
2014 215 8.9%
2015 76 3.1%
2017 34 1.4%
2018 12 0.5%
2022 17 0.7%
2023 12 0.5%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Fairfax, VA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO FAILURE OF INTERNAL COMPONENETS. THERE SEEM TO BE A LARGE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AROUND THE TRANSMISSION OF THE 1990 NISSAN PATHFINDERS. I HAVE HAD 2 TRANSMISSION FAILURES IN 10 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE FOR THE FIRST FIVE YEARS WAS DIFFERENT THAN THE PRIMARY DRIVER FOR THE SECOND FIVE YEARS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM. IN ADDITION MY DEALER INFORMED ME THAT NISSAN DID REDESIGN THE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE OF FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION. THI IS A HUGE PROBLEM. IS THERE A WAY TO BEGIN AN INVESTIGATION INTO NISSAN SURROUNDING THIS VEHICLE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #746898 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cornwall Bridge, CT

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

THERE ARE 2 RECURRING PROBLEMS THAT APPEAR TO BE PATENT DEFECTS WITH MOST EARLY 90'S PATHFINDERS. THEY DESERVE INVESTIGATION BY DOT. FIRST IS PREMATURE AND REPEATED FAILURE OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, PROBABLY (BUT NOT CERTAINLY) DUE TO INADEQUATE OIL COOLING. I NOTE THAT IN THE YOUR DATABASE THERE ARE 30+ REPORTS OF TRANSMISSION FAILURES (SEVERAL OF THEM INDICATING MULTIPLE FAILURES) FOR MODEL YEARS 1989-1991. THERE ARE ALSO A DOZEN OR MORE REPORTS OF EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUD FAILURE - MOST INDICATING MULTIPLE FAILURES - AND NISSAN DEALERS REPORT THAT THIS HAPPENS TO VIRTUALLY EVERY EARLY 90'S PATHFINDER. AT $300-400 A POP, THIS IS AN OUTRAGE...AND IF YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE MANIFOLD (WHICH MAY WARP WHEN THE STUD BREAKS), IT'S $1,300 PLUS! I'VE SPENT OVER $8,000 ON REPAIRS FOR THESE 2 TYPES OF PROBLEMS, AND NISSAN IS UNRESPONSIVE. I'D LOVE TO KNOW WHAT THEIR OWN RECORDS SHOW IN TERMS OF # AND $ VOLUME OF DEALER SERVICE INCIDENTS RELATING JUST TO THESE PATENT DEFECTS.

NHTSA complaint #707774 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Clarence, NY

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT

REPEATED TRANSMISSION PLANETARY GEAR FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #537009 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Norwalk, CT

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #525231 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Long Beach, CA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WAS DRIVING AND TRUCK STALLED ( CUT OFF) WHILE THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING, TOOK TO MECHANIC, HE SAID IT THAT THE REAR THRUST WASHER IN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #808801 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELK Grove, CA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION FAILED THREE TIMES.

NHTSA complaint #507444 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Norwalk, CT

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION BROKE DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY. PLEASE GIVE MORE DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #985079 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Atlanta, GA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

PURCHASE CAR NEW AT 77,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED . TT

NHTSA complaint #977144 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tulsa, OK

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION LUBRICATION PASSAGE TOO SMALL, RESULTING IN LACK OF LUBRICANT/SLIPPING OF TRANSMISSION. *SKD

NHTSA complaint #489820 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hazard, CA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT

PROBLEMS WITH TRANSFER CASE FOR 4-WHEEL DRIVE WHEN TRAVELING ON BEACHES NEAR OCEAN TIDE POOLS. *SKD

NHTSA complaint #486269 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hazard, CA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT

METAL PARTICALS CIRCULATING FROM AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TRANSFER CASE COOLING LINES, CAUSING RADIATOR CORE/TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *SKD

NHTSA complaint #486270 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tulsa, OK

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANMISSION LURCHED/REVED THEN STARTED SLIPPING AND WOULD NOT GO IN REVERSE DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICANT AND SIZE OF ORFACE. *SKD

NHTSA complaint #481390 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Vista, CA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION; FAIL. TT

NHTSA complaint #959268 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1990 Nissan Pathfinder problems

← Full 1990 Nissan Pathfinder report