Is the 2010 Nissan PATHFINDER reliable?

The 2010 Nissan PATHFINDER has 61 complaints filed with NHTSA (0.5x the segment average). Our reliability verdict: above-average. Most common issue: TRANSMISSION problems.

What are common problems with the 2010 Nissan PATHFINDER?

Top problems: TRANSMISSION (11 complaints, avg repair $500); AIR BAGS (11 complaints, avg repair $500); ENGINE (8 complaints, avg repair $500). Issues typically appear around 50K miles.

Are there any recalls on the 2010 Nissan PATHFINDER?

Yes, there are 5 recall(s): SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM, STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT SECTOR, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM), AIR BAGS:FRONTAL. Contact any Nissan dealer to verify if recalls have been completed on your specific vehicle.

How much does it cost to fuel a 2010 Nissan PATHFINDER?

The 2010 Nissan PATHFINDER gets 17 MPG combined. At current US average gas prices, driving 12,000 miles per year costs roughly $2824. See the interactive fuel cost calculator on this page for state-specific pricing.

How much does it cost to insure a 2010 Nissan PATHFINDER?

Estimated US average full-coverage insurance for the 2010 Nissan PATHFINDER is approximately $1,494/year (suv-midsize class). Actual quotes vary heavily by state, driver age, driving record, and credit — see the interactive insurance estimator on this page for state-specific pricing.

2010 Nissan PATHFINDER

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Above Average

Quick Summary

The 2010 Nissan PATHFINDER has 61 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.5x the segment average of 121. The most common issue is transmission problems (18% of all complaints), specifically: sudden transmission shift from 2wd to 4wd. while vehicle was being operated in the rear 2wd manual setting, transmission unexpectedly engages 4wd. the following dashboard warning lights are activated: 4wd; abs; slip; vdc. systems can not be reset until vehicle is brought to a stop and the veh. There are 5 recalls issued for this model year.

3 crash reports 4 injuries

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

0.5x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 5 of 8)

TRANSMISSION

11 complaints

18%

• SUDDEN TRANSMISSION SHIFT FROM 2WD TO 4WD. WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING OPERATED IN THE REAR 2WD MANUAL SETTING, TRANSMISSION UNEXPECTEDLY ENGAGES 4WD. THE FOLLOWING DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS ARE ACTIVATED: 4WD; ABS; SLIP; VDC. SYSTEMS CAN NOT BE RESET UNTIL VEHICLE IS BROUGHT TO A STOP AND THE VEH
• NO INCIDENT HAS OCCURRED TO DATE. HOWEVER, I ALSO DO NOT LIKE GAMBLING WITH MY FAMILY AND THEIR LIVES. OUR 2010 NISSAN PATHFINDER IS THE PRIMARY VEHICLE FOR MY FAMILY. THE REPORTED ISSUES WITH FAILING RADIATOR AND TRANSMISSION MUST BE ADDRESSED TO PREVENT LOSS OF LIFE. NISSAN RECOGNIZES THE ISSU
• TRANSMISSION FLUID MIXED INTO RADIATOR. VEHICLE STALLS, OVERHEATS, VIBRATES, TRANSMISSION DOES NOT FUNCTION RIGHT. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN ON CITY STREET.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“SUDDEN TRANSMISSION SHIFT FROM 2WD TO 4WD. WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING OPERATED IN THE REAR 2WD MANUAL SETTING, TRANSMISSION UNEXPECTEDLY ENGAGES 4WD. THE FOLLOWING DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS ARE ACTIVATED: 4WD; ABS; SLIP; VDC. SYSTEMS CAN NOT BE RESET UNTIL VEHICLE IS BROUGHT TO A STOP AND THE VEH”

— NHTSA complaint filing

When Problems Appear on the 2010 Nissan PATHFINDER

Based on 41 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 115K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 100-150K miles range.

Overall complaint distribution by mileage

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

AIR BAGS

Reported earliermedian 136K mi · 7 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

TRANSMISSION

In line with typicalmedian 148K mi · 7 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

ENGINE

In line with typicalmedian 129K mi · 5 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.

Recalls (5)

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM20/05/2010

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN FRONT AND REAR LOWER LINKS, P/NOS. 54501ZQ00A, 54500ZQ00A, 551A1ZQ00A, 551A0ZQ00A , 54501EA00A, 54500EA00A, 551A1EA500, 551A0EA500, 54501ZR00A, AND 54500ZR00A, SOLD BETWEEN NOVEMBER 25, 2009 AND MAY 14, 2010 AS REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR MODEL YEAR 2004 THROUGH 2010 TITAN, ARMADA, AND QX56, AND MODEL YEARS 2005 THROUGH 2010 FRONTIER, XTERRA, AND PATHFINDER VEHICLES. THE LOWER CONTROL LINK ASSEMBLY HAS TWO CYLINDRICAL COLLARS FORMING THE INBOARD ATTACHMENT POINTS TO THE CHASSIS. DUE TO AN IMPROPER WELDING PROCESS SOME COLLARS MAY CONTAIN WELDS THAT DO NOT MEET STRENGTH SPECIFICATIONS.

Risk: IF THE COLLAR WELD SEPARATES, THE VEHICLE HANDLING WILL DETERIORATE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Fix: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE ANY AFFECTED LOWER LINK FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 12, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

Fuel Cost Calculator for 2010 Nissan PATHFINDER

Live EIA prices

Annual miles driven: 12,000

Your state (affects local gasoline price)

Per year

$2,824

Per month

$235

Per mile

23.5¢

MPG

City driving (worst-case MPG)

$3,201/yr

Highway driving (best-case MPG)

$2,182/yr

Based on EPA fuel-economy ratings and EIA weekly retail prices (2026-07-20). Real-world cost varies with driving style, trim/engine, terrain, and traffic.

5-Year Gas Price History

EIA weekly retail data · 2021 → today

Show:

Current

$4.00

5-year low

$2.78

5-year high

$5.01

Since 2021

+27%

Source: US Energy Information Administration weekly retail gasoline prices.

Estimated Insurance Cost for 2010 Nissan PATHFINDER

Estimate only, not a quote. Modeled from NAIC + HLDI averages for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver with clean record + full coverage. Your actual quote depends heavily on your age, driving history, credit, ZIP code, and insurer.

Your state (affects local premium average)

Full coverage / year

$1,494

Full coverage / month

$125

Liability only / year

$639

vs US avg

-11%

How this estimate is calculated

US base full-coverage premium$1674

× state (US)1.00x

× vehicle class (suv-midsize)1.05x

× theft risk1.00x

× safety rating1.00x

× vehicle age0.85x

= Full coverage estimate$1494

Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.

Maintenance & Warranty

Recommended Nissan PATHFINDER Service Intervals

Oil change

5K mi / 6 mo

Tire rotation

5K mi

Brake fluid

24 months

Transmission fluid

60K mi

Engine coolant

105K mi

Spark plugs

105K mi

Cabin air filter

15K mi

Engine air filter

30K mi

Differential (AWD/4WD)

60K mi

CVT-equipped models (Altima, Sentra, Rogue, Pathfinder) MUST use Nissan NS-3 CVT fluid, not conventional ATF. Frequent CVT service extends life significantly.

"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.

Nissan New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage

Bumper-to-bumper (basic)

3 yr / 36K mi

Powertrain

5 yr / 60K mi

Hybrid/EV battery

8 yr / 100K mi

Corrosion (rust perforation)

5 yr / unlimited mi

Roadside assistance

3 yr / 36K mi

These are the terms for a new Nissan. If you're buying a used 2010 PATHFINDER, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Nissan dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 61 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: SUDDEN TRANSMISSION SHIFT FROM 2WD TO 4WD. WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING OPERATED IN THE REAR 2WD MANUAL SETTING, TRANSMISSION UNEXPECTEDLY ENGAGES 4WD. THE FOLLOWING DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS ARE ACTIVATED: 4WD; ABS; SLIP; VDC. SYSTEMS CAN NOT BE RESET UNTIL VEHICLE IS BROUGHT TO A STOP AND THE VEH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED AS IF I AM NOT IN THE SEAT INSTEAD OF GOING OUT LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO. IT IS ACTING AS IF A SMALL CHILD OR SMALL ADULT IS IN THE SEAT. I AM 5FT 11IN TALL AND WEIGH 135 LBS. THIS FAR EXCEEDS THE FDA DESIGN/MANUFACTURING QUALIFICATIONS. THE LIGHT HAS BEEN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: SUDDEN TRANSMISSION SHIFT FROM 2WD TO 4WD. WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING OPERATED IN THE REAR 2WD MANUAL SETTING, TRANSMISSION UNEXPECTEDLY ENGAGES 4WD. THE FOLLOWING DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS ARE ACTIVATED: 4WD; ABS; SLIP; VDC. SYSTEMS CAN NOT BE RESET UNTIL VEHICLE IS BROUGHT TO A STOP AND THE VEH
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
STEERING: TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE DRIVER WAS OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT REMAIN STRAIGHT. SHE HAD APPLY EXTREME PRESSURE TO THE STEERING WHEELS IN ORDER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND AVOID DRIFTING INTO THE LEFT OR RIGHT LANE UNCONTRO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
RECALLS: Verify all 5 recalls have been completed — free at any Nissan dealer
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)