FaultScore

2016 Nissan Pathfinder electrical problems

11 of the 130 complaints about the 2016 Nissan Pathfinder are about the electrical system — 8% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 64,000 miles.

A

11

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Electrical System 11 100.0%

Electrical System across every Nissan Pathfinder year

1995 10 2.5%
1996 12 3.0%
2005 66 16.3%
2006 34 8.4%
2007 25 6.2%
2008 21 5.2%
2013 50 12.3%
2014 33 8.1%
2015 26 6.4%
2016 11 2.7%
2017 27 6.7%
2018 13 3.2%
2019 10 2.5%
2020 11 2.7%
2022 19 4.7%
2023 23 5.7%
2024 14 3.5%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Houston, TX

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

My 2024 Nissan Frontier has experienced repeated complete power loss more than three times. The vehicle shuts off unexpectedly while on the street and cannot be restarted. During some incidents, even the emergency hazard lights did not work. I had to use jump cables to restart the vehicle. I first reported this issue to Nissan in January 2025. The dealer kept the truck for about one week but stated they could not find anything wrong. The problem continues, including incidents on 04/20/2026 and 04/23/2026. This creates a serious safety hazard because the vehicle can lose power in traffic and increase the risk of a crash or injury.

NHTSA complaint #11733497 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hermitage, TN

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Car was functioning fine and then suddenly stopped one day as I was entering expressway, car just stopped and had to tow to Nissan dealer. I was told alternator is not functioning and when doing systems check CVT/transmission alert was noted and said I need new transmission. In my search I see 2016 Pathfinders were included in a lawsuit. This was not brought to my attention and I am wondering if my CVT should be replaced by Nissan at no cost to me. My care has less than 120k miles and is less than 10yrs old. Link to Nissan dealers report: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11624350 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Scottsville, KY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The engine in this vehicle has shut off two times while we were driving it. We were forced to make emergency exits off of the roadway in order to prevent injury to ourselves and others. This is a life-threatening situation when the vehicle loses engine power while it is being driven. Additionally, we have experienced multiple instances of the vehicle not starting after it had been parked. We have researched this on the internet and have found that other Nissan owners are experiencing this same issue. When the vehicle stops running while driving or when it will not start after being parked, we get these symptoms: everything lit up on the dash TPMS light, I-Key error, no speedometer, no tachometer the engine cooling fan is running vehicle will not start back up When you push the start button the dash lights come back on the cooling fan would kick on engine will not start

NHTSA complaint #11578577 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lawrenceville, GA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

MY CAR WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW, NO ACCIDENTS, AND ONLY HAS LESS THAN 53 MILES TO BE A 2016 PATHFINDER. SO TELL ME WHY THE CHEAP MOTOR FAN THAT NISSAN PUT IT IN STARED MAKING A CLANG NOISE EVERYTHING I WOULD TURN THE AIR OR HEATER ON. LIKE NISSAN WHAT IS THIS. WITH ALL THIS COMPLAINS ABOUT THE SAME ITEM, YOU GUYS SHOULD PUT A RECALL ONTHIS ITEM. IT'S ASHAMED SO FAR BAD EXPERIENCE WITH TO VEHICLES FROM YOU GUYS. EVEN ON THE NISSAN TITAN THAT WE BOUGHT BRAND NEW AT 3 MONTHS SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE ENGINE AND GAS TANK AND YOU GUYS DID NOT WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE VEHICLE. KNOWING THAT YOU GUYS COULD NOT EVEN DETERMINE WHY THE TRUCK WAS NOT WORKING. YOU GUYS EVEN BROUGHT IN AN EXPERT FROM THE NISSAN FACTORY AND STILL DID NOT FIND WHY IT WAS NOT WORKING. KNOWING WHAT WAS HAPPENING YOU GUYS WOULD NOT EVEN TRADE IN THE TRUCK FOR ANOTHER ONE. WE ENDED UP FIGHTING WITH NISSAN AND RETURNED THE TRUCK BACK. TO TOP THAT OFF I RECEIVED A BILL FOR HALF THE TRUCK PRICE. I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND NISSAN.

NHTSA complaint #11374662 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 49,000 miles Riverside, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

2016 NISSAN PATHFINDER, STARTED MAKING LOUD CLANKING NOISES AND VIBRATING IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONING WENT ON. DID NOT MATTER IF THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION. FIRST NOTICED AFTER EXITING THE HIGHWAY AND NOTICED THE TEMP NEEDLE WAS SLOWING CLIMBING. THE BEARING ON ONE OF THE COOLING FANS CRAPPED OUT WITH ONLY 49,000 MILES. WAS LUCKY TO HAVE CAUGHT IT BEFORE IT OVERHEATED OR BLEW THE MOTOR. AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR NOT COVERED BY THE DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA complaint #11302149 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ST Cloud, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I DON'T RECALL THE EXACT DATE OF THE FIRST TIME I TOOK IT. TAKEN THE VEHICLE TWICE AND HAD TO INSIST MULTIPLE TIMES IN ORDER FOR NISSAN TO KEEP THE CAR AND KEEP TESTING AS WELL AS FOR THEM TO OPEN A CASE. THE SCREEN FOR THE 2016 PATHFINDER HAS TURNED SOLID BLUE A FEW TIMES BUT NOT SURE WHAT CAUSES IT. DEALERSHIP BLAMED THE CELL PHONE WHICH I DON'T BELIEVE THAT TO BE TRUE. THEY WILL NOT FIX IT BECAUSE THEY SAY THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO DUPLICATE IT SO THERE'S NOTHING THAN CAN DO. THIS SCREEN IS WHERE CLIENTS LIKE MYSELF SEE THE FULL VIEW OF THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE (SAFETY) AS WELL AS OTHER PARTS GPS, A/C & HEATER TEMPERATURE CONTROL, RADIO CHANNELS, WEATHER ETC. I REFUSE TO BELIEVE NO ONE ELSE HAS HAD THIS ISSUE AND I REFUSE TO IT'S THE PHONES FAULT (MANY CELL PHONE USERS WHICH IS A LARGE NUMBER WOULD HAVE BEEN SENDING TONS OF COMPLAINTS). I STRONGLY BELIEVE IT'S A NISSAN ISSUE WITH THE CAR THAT I THINK IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE IF THE SCREEN TURNS BLUE WHEN BACKING UP

NHTSA complaint #11282670 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 81,000 miles Chattanooga, TN

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

2016 NISSAN PATHFINDER WITH 81,000 MILES. DUAL COOLING FANS BEHIND RADIATOR HAVE LOUD RATTLE, ESPECIALLY WHILE A/C IS BEING USED. NISSAN OF CHATTANOOGA EAST STATES COMMON FAILURE AT BEARINGS INSIDE THE DUAL COOLING FANS BEHIND RADIATOR. THIS IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY BUT IS SO VERY COMMON THERE ABSOLUTELY SHOULD BE A RECALL BY NISSAN

NHTSA complaint #11209375 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Clear Brook, VA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

2016 PATHFINDER NISSAN. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR PART REPLACEMENT THAT WAS CAUSED FROM A MANUFACTURING ISSUE. *AS

NHTSA complaint #11173996 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 50,000 miles Upper Marlboro, MD

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

RADIATOR: NISSIAN PATHFINDER RADIATOR FAIL AFTER OWNING FOR LESS THAN 2 YEARS. THIS IS COVERED UNDER EXTEND WARRANTEE. BUT BASE ON THE PAST RADIATOR RECALL, THE VECHILE RAIDATOR MAY NOT BE UP TO SPECS.

NHTSA complaint #11174625 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 64,000 miles Warrior, AL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

COOLING FAN ASSEMBLY FAILED ON 1/26/2019 AT 64,XXX MILES. NEW ASSY WAS PURCHASED ON 1/26/2019 FROM TONY SERRA NISSAN IN CULLMAN, AL COSTING $560.29 (PART AND TAX ONLY). I R/R THE ASSY MYSELF, AS I HAVE EXPERIENCE IN THE AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR FIELD, IT TOOK ME JUST SHY OF 2 HOURS TO REPLACE THEM (TIME AND CARE WAS TAKEN). THE SERVICE MANAGER (I FAILED TO ACQUIRE HIS NAME) STATED TO ME ON THE PHONE THAT IT IS A KNOWN/FREQUENT ISSUE. IT WAS A SUDDEN ISSUE, NO NOISES DETECTED ON 1/25/2019. A LIGHT CLICKING DETECTED OUTSIDE ONLY ON 1/26/2019 AT 09:30 HRS, AFTER A <50 MILE ROUND TRIP TO PURCHASE THE PART, EAT, AND GROCERY STORE STOP, ON 1/26/2019 AT 16:00 HRS, A HEAVY KNOCK COULD BE READILY HEARD OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS A 'LOUD ROAR' AND VIBRATIONS DETECTED INSIDE THE VEHICLE WITH ALL WINDOWS CLOSED, STATIONARY VEHICLE, AND ENGINE AT IDLE. SYMPTOMS WOULD DISSOLVE WHEN THE A/C WAS DEACTIVATED. ALL REGULAR MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON TIME, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF BRAKE FLUID CHANGE. VEHICLE IS ALSO REGULARLY CLEANED.

NHTSA complaint #11172787 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 70,000 miles Charleston, WV

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW DOESN'T WANT TO GO UP OR DOWN WHEN IT'S COLD, SOMETIMES STOPS WORKING ALL TOGETHER, HAVE SEEN MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON LINE CONCERNING MOTOR IN DOOR. HAPPENS WHEN STATIONER OR IN MOTION

NHTSA complaint #11162363 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2016 Nissan Pathfinder problems

← Full 2016 Nissan Pathfinder report