2011 Nissan Pathfinder problems: recalls, complaints and whether this is a year to avoid
The 2011 Nissan Pathfinder has 45 owner complaints on record with NHTSA, which ranks it 2 of 3 Nissan Pathfinder model years by complaint volume. The worst year is 2014 (573); the cleanest is 2012 (23). 2 recall entries cover this year.
Is 2011 a good year for the Nissan Pathfinder?
The spread across this nameplate is wide: the 2014 draws 25 times the complaints of the 2012. On a run like that the model year you buy matters more than the badge, and 2011 sits in the middle of it.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recall entries |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 573 | 11 |
| 2012 | 23 | 2 |
| 2011 ← this page | 45 | 2 |
Older years have been on the road longer and collect more complaints for that reason alone, and a year that sold in higher volume collects more while being no worse.
This retrieval holds 3 of the nameplate’s model years. 2013 is absent, which means no records came back for it — not that it was clean. The ranking above is among the years shown.
The 2011 accounts for 7% of every complaint filed against the Nissan Pathfinder in this retrieval, which works out to 3.0 complaints per year on the road across the 15 years since it was sold new — the figure to compare against other years, because it removes the advantage a newer car gets simply from having had less time to accumulate reports.
Which recalls cover the 2011?
Engine and Engine Cooling
Some Of the bolts that connect the engine oil cooler and…
Free remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the connector bolts free Of charge. The safety recall began on January 30, 2012. Owners May contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Air Bags
The resin emblem on the driver's air bag cover may develop cracks and detach during air bag deployment.
Free remedy: Dealers will replace the drivers airbag cover. Owner letters were mailed December 8, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall are PC944, PC945, and PC946.
Take the campaign number to any franchised Nissan dealer. Recall repairs are free with no mileage or ownership limit, and they follow the car rather than the owner, so a used 2011 with an unrepaired campaign is a free repair you can claim. How recalls work.
Recall text is abridged from the NHTSA record. Search the campaign number at nhtsa.gov/recalls for the full notice and affected VIN ranges.
What do owners report on the Nissan Pathfinder?
Across every Nissan Pathfinder year, not the 2011 alone — NHTSA does not split component totals by model year.
- Power Train — 210 reports
- Air Bags — 91 reports
- Unknown or Other — 77 reports
- Structure — 39 reports
Which other Nissan Pathfinder years should you compare?
2012 Nissan Pathfinder → · All Nissan Pathfinder years
If you are deciding between years, the table above is the short answer and the Nissan Pathfinder page carries the full run with the component breakdown. Before money changes hands, run the VIN for open recalls and read the inspection checklist — ten minutes in the seller’s driveway finds most of what matters.
Check a 2011 before you commit
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