2018 Nissan Pathfinder Safety Report
2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER Safety Report
Safety Decision Cockpit for the 2018 Nissan Pathfinder
This page is the hub for deciding what to inspect next on the 2018 Nissan Pathfinder. It connects recall campaigns, owner complaint patterns, service bulletins, sibling model years, component issue hubs, and the model buying guide so a shopper or owner can move from a single report into the wider safety graph.
| Signal | Value | What to inspect next |
|---|---|---|
| Recall burden | High (3) | Review campaign numbers, affected components, and dealer remedies below. |
| Owner complaints | Moderate (75) | Scan complaint narratives for recurring symptoms, mileage, crashes, fires, injuries, and dates. |
| Crash and fire reports | 3 | Treat any crash, fire, injury, or fatality-linked pattern as a priority pre-purchase inspection item. |
| Primary component hub | Engine | Compare engine issues across vehicles. |
| Cleaner nearby model year | 2020 | Compare against the 2020 Nissan Pathfinder with 44 complaints and 0 recalls. |
| Riskier nearby model year | 2015 | Check the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder before buying across this generation. |
Nissan Pathfinder Year-by-Year Comparison
The safest purchase decision usually comes from comparing neighboring model years, not reading a single page in isolation. The table below uses only validated Nissan Pathfinder years already present in the cleaned NHTSA dataset, so each comparison links to a real vehicle safety report rather than a generated combination.
| Model Year | Complaints | Recalls | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 Nissan Pathfinder | 71 | 2 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2017 Nissan Pathfinder | 183 | 2 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2020 Nissan Pathfinder | 44 | 0 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2016 Nissan Pathfinder | 104 | 2 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2015 Nissan Pathfinder | 315 | 5 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2022 Nissan Pathfinder | 123 | 5 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
2018 Nissan Pathfinder Complaint Theme Map
Complaint counts become more useful when they are grouped into inspection themes. For the 2018 Nissan Pathfinder, these are the component areas with the clearest NHTSA complaint signals. Use each link to jump from this single vehicle into broader component hubs and make-specific issue pages.
Engine
5 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Engine issues Nissan onlyService Brakes
5 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Service Brakes issues Nissan onlyPower Train
4 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Power Train issues Nissan onlyElectronic Stability Control (Esc)
4 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Electronic Stability Control (Esc) issues Nissan onlyUnknown Or Other
4 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Unknown Or Other issues Nissan onlyElectrical System
3 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Electrical System issues Nissan onlyAI Safety Analysis for the 2018 Nissan Pathfinder
Reliability Score
The 2018 Nissan Pathfinder receives a reliability score of 85 out of 100 based on analysis of NHTSA complaint data, recall history, crash reports, and safety ratings. This indicates above-average reliability relative to comparable vehicles.
NHTSA Safety Ratings for the 2018 Nissan Pathfinder
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) evaluates vehicles through controlled crash tests and assigns star ratings from 1 to 5, with 5 being the safest.
Known Issues for the 2018 Nissan Pathfinder
The following issues have been identified from NHTSA complaint data and owner reports for the 2018 Nissan Pathfinder:
| Issue | Severity | Frequency | Typical Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine Failure The engine has failed twice, with the second failure occurring catastrophically while driving, leading to a breakdown. |
High | Rare | 30k-60k miles |
| Infotainment System Issues The infotainment system has experienced multiple issues, including a blank screen while reversing and a display that goes blank while driving. |
Medium | Common | 0 miles |
| Transmission Problems The transmission is going bad, which can make it dangerous to drive, as evidenced by the FIXD module code. |
Medium | Common | 0 miles |
| Recall Issues The vehicle is part of a recall for issues with the back over prevention system and service brakes. |
Low | Common | 0 miles |
Common Problems Reported by Owners
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the following components account for the majority of reported issues with the 2018 Nissan Pathfinder:
Issues with the infotainment system, including a blank screen while reversing and a display that goes blank while driving.
Engine failures have occurred, with the second failure being catastrophic.
Transmission problems have been reported, making it dangerous to drive.
Issues with the back over prevention system have been reported.
Recall Details for the 2018 Nissan Pathfinder
The following 3 recalls have been issued for the 2018 Nissan Pathfinder by NHTSA:
Summary: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Nissan Murano, 2016-2018 Nissan Maxima, and 2017-2019 Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and unrepaired, or inspected and determined to not need a repair, under recall number 18V-601. In addition, this recall expands the previous population. The Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) actuator pumps may allow brake fluid to leak onto an internal circuit board.
Consequence: A brake fluid leak on the circuit board may result in an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ABS actuator, free of charge. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available, currently expected to be during summer 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Note: If the ABS warning light remains illuminated for more than 10 seconds after engine start up, owners are advised to park the v...
Summary: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible an...
Consequence: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.
Summary: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Nissan Murano, 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2017-2018 Nissan Pathfinder, and 2017 Infiniti QX60 vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake (ABS) actuator pumps may allow brake fluid to leak onto an internal circuit board.
Consequence: A brake fluid leak on the circuit board may result in an electrical short, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the serial number on the ABS actuator, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 29, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Note: When brake fluid has leaked onto the circuit board, the ABS warning lamp will remain illuminated for more than 10 seconds after engine start up. If this occurs...
NHTSA Complaint Summaries for the 2018 Nissan Pathfinder
Below are complaint narratives filed by owners of the 2018 Nissan Pathfinder with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 2 complaints involved crashes. 1 reported injuries or fatalities.
Infotainment system stopped working. Now radio, no climate control visible and NO backup camera most of the time. Very dangerous without the backup camera
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while reversing, the rear-view camera displayed a blank screen. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall that had a similar failure description; however, the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure milea...
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal. The failure persisted, and there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine with the check engine warning light illuminated. In addition, the vehicle hesitated while starting the vehicle and pressing the Push to Start button. T...
The transmission is going bad which makes it dangerous to drive. Had it 2 days and I check my FIXD module and found code. Took to where I purchased it and the drained cvt fluid and now makes a whinning sound and garage knows. U was told they inspected it before selling it to me. No codes where on dash either.
My Nuna rava was part of the recent recall that happened. The company offered remedy kits to replace the seat fabrics as well as tools to clean where the harness straps tightened/loosened. We received the remedy kit in March after waiting 3 months for the kits to be available. I followed the instructions for cleaning of the car seat and installation of the new cover. My child’s safety was put at ...
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that occasionally, while the vehicle was in reverse(R), the digital screen displayed a Nissan Logo that faded away. In addition, the contact stated that the digital screen would blip or show an upside-down image of the rear-view camera display. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was dia...
My 2018 Nissan Pathfinder started knocking at 75000 miles and it’s getting worse by the day I’ve paid my car payment down to 4000$ and now I’m told my motor is soon to go out.
My 2018 Nissan Pathfinder SL has had to have the engine replaced once due to the CVP issues with the transmission causes in the engine to fail. It was replaced not even two years ago and now the issue has presented itself yet again and the engine has failed once again. I believe that this vehicle should be issued for recall because this is an issue that has happened twice engine has failed twice c...
On May 7th at 1:22 PM, the engine in my 2018 Nissan Pathfinder catastrophically failed for the second time while my family was driving. The engine completely lost power in the middle of a very busy highway intersection, going over an overpass, where there was no shoulder. I had no ability to pull off the road. My wife had to push the disabled vehicle off the highway to avoid causing a major accid...
The disabled vehicle when delivered by flatbed car hauler unit to the nearest dealership, Petro Nissan, 47 miles from the breakdown site would not move at highway speed but only jerked/bucked and crept along at little more than a fast walk. This condition was last experienced when the vehicle had been on a remote undulating interstate for about 2 hours. The check engine light had reappeared after...
The engine began to fail because of a lack of adequate breathability into the crankcase, causing high crankcase pressure, excessive oil blowby, severe exhaust smoke, severe engine sludge, severe engine shuddering, and lack of response to the power steering because of engine power loss. The failure of the PCV system was at fault. Produced codes P0300, P0306, and P0430. Engine sludge needed to be...
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the steering wheel seized, and the brake pedal was depressed because the contact was unable to turn the steering wheel. The contact stated that the air bag then deployed. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the steering wheel remained inoperable. The contact towed the vehicle to his place of ...
The Display Control Unit (DCU) went blank on my 2018 Nissan Pathfinder. No working display causing steering wheel controls not to work. This includes being unable to use any hands-free phone calls. This is a significant safety issue. Nissan has a voluntary recall for this problem on the 2018 and 2019 Pathfinder, but for whatever reason my VIN Is not included. Multiple attempts to have Nissan fix a...
While driving the car it randomly turns off and turns back on it also jerks initially. All lights on the dashboard turn off and back on, speakers make a loud BOOM sound! Have experienced the car not starting. Bought a new battery thinking that was the issue, it wasn't.
While driving the airbag passenger light went on then off then the red airbag light on the dashboard started flashing and continues to flash.
I was driving along at 35-40 mph and the vehicle suddenly stopped accelerating when I gave it gas. Nearly empty at the time so I thought maybe it was a gas issue. I drove it a couple of days after that and it drove just fine. I filled her up with premium gas, thinking that it would fix the problem. The third time I went to drive it was last Friday, [XXX] It would barely accelerate. it took about...
Second row seat on the passenger side base will not fold down after the release handle was pulled so occupants in the 3rd row can exit the vehicle. The latch will not engage to its in a locked position.
The vehicle had 58,827 miles when the fuel pump failed on 12/27/2023. The vehicle stalled at a 4-way intersection during an errand run. The vehicle would not move when shifted into drive and eventually die. The vehicle was towed to a repair shop (Greg's Japanese Auto), where a certified technician confirmed and replaced the fuel pump.
Driver and passenger airbags deployed without cause while driving on busy expressway. No lights, warnings, sounds or crash in any way caused deployment. Broke windshield and car has been inoperative since. Insurance can't help and Nissan is being difficult trying to put blame on us. Insurance and State Police put in reports that it is a manufacturer malfunction and we are not responsible. Nissan w...
Front collision shuts off intermittently for no reason. Causes cruise control to shut off immediately and disabled collision avoidance breaking. If cruise is on and approaching slower vehicle car will not slow down causing driver to break aggressively.
Showing 20 of 75 complaints. Additional complaints are available via the NHTSA database.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2018 Nissan Pathfinder
Has the 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER been recalled?
Yes, the 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER has 3 recalls on record with NHTSA. Each recall addresses a specific safety defect identified by the manufacturer or NHTSA.
How many complaints does the 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER have?
The 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER has 75 complaints filed with NHTSA. Of these, 3 involved crashes. 2 injuries and 0 deaths have been reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER?
The 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER received an overall NHTSA safety rating of excellent (5/5). Frontal crash: 4/5. Side crash: 5/5. Rollover: 4/5.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER?
The most commonly reported problems with the 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER involve engine (5 complaints), service brakes (5 complaints), power train (4 complaints). Other affected components include electronic stability control (esc), unknown or other, electrical system.
How many crash reports does the 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER have?
There are 3 crash reports associated with the 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER out of 75 total complaints (4.0% of complaints involved crashes).
How many fire reports does the 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER have?
There are no fire reports for the 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER in the NHTSA database.
Are there any deaths reported for the 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER?
No deaths have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER.
How many injuries are reported for the 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER?
2 injuries have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER. These are self-reported by vehicle owners as part of their safety complaints.
Should I buy a 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER is acceptable with caveats. It has 75 complaints, 3 recalls, and a excellent (5/5) safety rating. Always have a pre-purchase inspection done by a qualified mechanic.
What components fail most on the 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER?
The components with the most failures on the 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER are: 1. ENGINE (5 complaints), 2. SERVICE BRAKES (5 complaints), 3. POWER TRAIN (4 complaints), 4. ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) (4 complaints), 5. UNKNOWN OR OTHER (4 complaints). ENGINE is the single most-reported problem area with 5 complaints.
What should I know before buying a 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER?
Be cautious of potential engine and transmission issues, and be aware of recall notifications for your vehicle. The 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER has 75 NHTSA complaints and 3 recalls on record. NHTSA rates it excellent (5/5).
How reliable is the 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER?
The 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER receives a reliability score of 85/100, indicating above-average reliability. This is based on 75 owner complaints, 3 recalls, and 3 crash/fire reports in the NHTSA database. Key known issues include Engine Failure and Infotainment System Issues.
What are the known issues with the 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER?
Known issues with the 2018 NISSAN PATHFINDER include: Engine Failure, Infotainment System Issues, Transmission Problems, Recall Issues. These are based on patterns found across 75 NHTSA complaints. 3 of these patterns resulted in formal recalls.
What are the most common issues with the 2018 Nissan Pathfinder?
Common issues include engine failures, transmission problems, and infotainment system malfunctions.
Is the 2018 Nissan Pathfinder part of any recalls?
Yes, it is part of recalls for issues with the back over prevention system and service brakes.
What should I do if I experience issues with my 2018 Nissan Pathfinder?
Contact Nissan customer service or take your vehicle to a dealership for inspection and repair.
Buyer Advice
Our recommendation: Be cautious of potential engine and transmission issues, and be aware of recall notifications for your vehicle.
NHTSA Data Summary for 2018 Nissan Pathfinder
This safety report is based on a comprehensive analysis of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 2018 Nissan Pathfinder. The data includes 75 consumer complaints filed by vehicle owners, 3 manufacturer-initiated safety recalls, 3 reported crashes, 2 reported injuries, and safety rating assessments associated with this vehicle.
The NHTSA has assigned the 2018 Nissan Pathfinder an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars, with a frontal crash rating of 4 stars, a side crash rating of 5 stars, and a rollover rating of 4 stars. These ratings are determined through controlled crash testing conducted by the NHTSA.
All data presented in this report is sourced from public NHTSA databases. Our AI analysis identifies patterns across complaint narratives, correlates them with recall history, and produces the safety assessment above. This analysis is updated as new complaints and recalls are filed with the NHTSA.
Consumers are encouraged to report vehicle safety problems to the NHTSA at nhtsa.gov. If your vehicle is subject to a recall, contact your dealer to schedule the free repair.
Disclaimer: This analysis is AI-generated from NHTSA public data and does not constitute professional automotive or safety advice. Always verify recall status at NHTSA.gov and consult a qualified mechanic.
Analysis last updated: 2026-05-16