2018 Nissan Pathfinder — Known Issues & Recalls

Your backup camera screen sometimes goes black when you're reversing, making it hard to see behind your vehicle safely. Your infotainment screen also occasionally goes black, which prevents you from checking important information like your engine oil level. The dealer told you the screen needs to be replaced to fix both issues.

Your rear-view camera screen goes blank when you shift into reverse, preventing you from seeing what's behind your vehicle. This happened at around 131,000 miles. Fixing this will likely involve diagnosing the camera system, which could mean replacing the camera unit, checking the wiring connections, or updating the display software.

Your backup camera display occasionally shows a Nissan logo that fades away, or the screen flickers and displays an upside-down image when you shift into reverse. The dealer couldn't identify the specific cause during diagnosis. This issue relates to a known backup camera problem and may require inspection or replacement of the camera system or its electrical connections.

Your engine suddenly lost all power and shut down completely while you were driving on a busy highway overpass, with no warning lights or error codes beforehand. This is the second time the engine has catastrophically failed in this vehicle—the first failure occurred two years earlier and was replaced by the dealership. The loss of power created an extremely dangerous situation where you had to push the disabled vehicle off the highway to avoid an accident.

Your engine has started making a knocking noise at 75,000 miles, and the problem is getting worse. You've been told the engine may fail soon. The issue will likely require engine inspection and possibly major engine repair or replacement.

While driving, your airbag warning light turned on and off, then the red airbag indicator on your dashboard started flashing and won't stop. This suggests a problem with your airbag system that needs immediate diagnosis. A technician will need to scan your car's computer to identify the specific airbag fault and determine what repair is needed.

Your driver and passenger airbags deployed suddenly while you were driving on an expressway, even though there was no crash, warning lights, or impact of any kind. The deployment broke your windshield and left your car unable to drive. Both your insurance company and State Police have documented this as a manufacturer defect, but Nissan has been slow to schedule repairs and hasn't offered assistance with towing or a rental vehicle.

Your infotainment system has stopped working, which means your radio, climate control display, and backup camera are no longer functioning most of the time. This is particularly dangerous since you've lost visibility when backing up. The issue likely requires diagnosis and repair of the infotainment system unit, which may involve software updates, electrical connections, or component replacement.

Your display screen has gone completely blank, which means your steering wheel controls and hands-free phone system no longer work. This creates a safety concern since you can't use voice commands or control functions from your steering wheel while driving. Nissan has issued a voluntary recall for this issue on 2018-2019 Pathfinders, but your vehicle's VIN isn't included and the dealer has refused to fix it. The repair will likely involve replacing or reprogramming the Display Control Unit (DCU).

Your 2018 Pathfinder hesitates when you press the accelerator pedal at various speeds and when starting the engine with the push button. You'll also hear abnormal knocking from the engine, and the check engine light comes on. A dealer initially blamed sludge buildup, but when the engine was inspected by both the dealer and an independent mechanic, they found metal shavings inside the engine, indicating internal engine damage.

After installing a recalled Nuna Rava car seat cover and harness cleaning kit, your child's safety harness straps now loosen without pressing the release button—a problem you didn't experience before the recall remedy. This defeats the purpose of the recall fix, which was supposed to prevent the strap mechanism from failing. You've stopped using the car seat due to safety concerns and contacted Nuna customer support.

Your 2018 Nissan Pathfinder's engine has failed twice in a short period, with the second failure occurring just two years after the first engine replacement. The owner believes transmission CVT issues are causing the engine to fail, leaving the vehicle unable to start or run. This recurring problem suggests a potential defect that may require transmission inspection and repair or another engine replacement.

Your engine is revving at high RPMs while your car loses speed and jerks along the road, especially after driving for a while. The check engine light keeps coming back on even after being reset. This has created a safety hazard when merging into traffic or driving on hills, forcing you to pull over to avoid accidents. The issue may involve transmission slipping when the engine heats up, transmission fluid contamination, or a sensor malfunction that needs diagnosis and repair.

While driving at 70 MPH, your steering wheel suddenly locked up and became impossible to turn. Your airbag deployed during this incident. Even after turning the vehicle off and restarting it, the steering wheel remained stuck and inoperable. The problem occurred at around 11,000 miles. A complete diagnostic at a Nissan dealer or qualified mechanic will be needed to identify what caused the steering system to fail.

Your vehicle suddenly loses power and won't accelerate normally, even when you press the gas pedal all the way to the floor. It took a quarter to a third of a mile to reach 40 mph, making it difficult to drive safely in traffic. The problem started intermittently but has become more severe. A repair will likely require diagnostics of the fuel system, engine sensors, and throttle controls to identify what's preventing proper acceleration.

Your transmission may be failing, which the dealer discovered after you purchased the vehicle. After the dealer drained and refilled the CVT fluid, you're now hearing a whining sound from the transmission that wasn't present before. The dealer claims they inspected the vehicle before selling it, but this suggests the transmission issue either wasn't caught or has developed very quickly. The transmission may need to be professionally diagnosed and potentially rebuilt or replaced.

Your engine's PCV (Positive Crankcase Ventilation) system failed, preventing proper air flow through the crankcase and causing excessive pressure buildup. This led to oil blowby, thick exhaust smoke, severe engine sludge buildup, rough shaking, and loss of power steering response due to engine power loss. The fix will involve replacing the PCV valve and hoses, cleaning engine sludge, replacing spark plugs, and replacing valve covers to clear sludge blockages.

Your car randomly shuts off while driving and then restarts on its own, with jerking when it happens. When this occurs, all dashboard lights flicker off and back on, and your speakers produce a loud boom sound. You've also experienced the car not starting, and replacing the battery didn't fix the issue. This points to a potential electrical system problem that may require diagnosis of the alternator, battery terminals, or wiring connections.

Your car's fuel pump failed at 58,827 miles, causing the engine to stall while you were driving through an intersection. The vehicle wouldn't respond when you shifted into drive and eventually died completely. A certified technician confirmed the fuel pump had failed and replaced it.

Your second row passenger seat won't fold down when you pull the release handle, even though it should to let people exit from the third row. The latch mechanism isn't engaging properly to lock the seat back in place. This repair will likely involve inspecting or replacing the seat latch mechanism and hinges.