YearToAvoid

2006 Nissan Pathfinder Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Avoid The 2006 Nissan Pathfinder ranks 4th worst of 20 model years with a Complaint Index of 84 and 837 complaints, earning an Avoid verdict. Transmission & Powertrain problems dominate at 54% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 93,050 miles.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
84/100
#4 of 20 Pathfinder years
Verdict
Avoid
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
837
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
3
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
10
reported in complaints
Fires
0
Injuries
11
Top issue
Transmission & Powertrain
Best nearby year
2010
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
16.5
14 city / 20 hwy
Injuries / deaths
11 / 0

Top 2006 Nissan Pathfinder problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Transmission & Powertrain450 (54%)
  2. Engine341 (41%)
  3. Fuel System231 (28%)
  4. Other48 (6%)
  5. Steering41 (5%)
  6. Electrical System34 (4%)
  7. Suspension, Wheels & Tires15 (2%)
  8. Airbags14 (2%)
  9. Brakes13 (2%)
  10. Structure & Body10 (1%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Owners report the transmission and transfer case getting stuck between 4WD and 2WD modes, with the drivetrain thumping when it finally shifts.
  • Some describe sudden loss of steering control, including the steering wheel locking up or tightening suddenly while driving.
  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in frontal and side crashes, including one case where a collar bone was dislocated by delayed deployment.
  • Brake failure was reported while rolling at low speed, resulting in a collision after the vehicle could not be stopped.
  • One owner described a loud knocking noise followed by loss of brakes and loss of vehicle control at highway speed.
2006 Nissan Pathfinder complaints: complaints filed per quarter432006 Q12009 Q12011 Q12013 Q12015 Q12017 Q12019 Q22021 Q4
837 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2006 Q1 to 2025 Q2; peak 2013 Q2 (43).

2006 Nissan Pathfinder recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 10V517000Oct 28, 2010Engine747,480 vehicles

    Engine and engine cooling

    Nissan is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 armada, titan, infiniti qx56 and model year 2005-2006 frontier, pathfinder and xterra vehicles. The intelligent power distribution module (ipdm) assembly contains an engine control module (ECM) relay that has a diode for electrical current noise reduction. The ECM relay may allow silicon vapor to form and, over time, the silicon evaporates from the diode molding which causes silicon oxide to develop on the ECM relay contact due to arcing.

    Risk: This could cause engine stalling increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the ECM relay inside the ipdm assembly. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on december 6, 2010. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

  2. NHTSA 10V075000Mar 3, 2010Fuel System80,689 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:storage:auxillary tank

    Nissan is recalling certain model year 2006 and model year 2008 frontier, xterra and pathfinder vehicles. The molded fuel tank shells can deform, causing the fuel sender float arm to contact an embossment molded into the tank shell causing the instrument panel fuel gauge to show that the vehicle has approximately one quarter tank when the fuel tank is empty.

    Risk: This could cause the vehicle to run out of gas and stall in traffic, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel level sending unit inside the fuel tank with a new one that has a modified float arm. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before march 22, 2010. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

  3. NHTSA 08V690000Dec 29, 2008Airbags242,720 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal

    Nissan is recalling 242,720 my 2005-2009 pathfinder, frontier and xterra vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. In those areas of the country which use heavy concentrations of road salt in the winter, a mixture of snow/water and salt can enter into the front crash zone sensor (czs) housing. If this occurs, the czs may internally rust resulting in a signal interruption. If this happens, the red air bag warning light will illuminate to alert the vehicle operator.

    Risk: This issue could result in the non-deployment of the driver and passenger front air bags in a crash, increasing the risk of personal injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the front czs with a redesigned sensor. The recall began on january 26, 2009. Owners in the other states will receive extended warranty coverage for the sensor to 10 years. These owners will be notified of the warranty extension by mail and will receive a sticker to place in their warranty booklet explaining the extended warranty coverage. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

2006 Nissan Pathfinder fuel economy and fuel cost

City
14 MPG
Highway
20 MPG
Combined
16.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,925
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2006 compared with other Pathfinder years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2005Avoid891,050216.5
2006Avoid84837316.5
2007Avoid79561116.5
2008Caution68328415.5

All Nissan Pathfinder years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2006 Nissan Pathfinder reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2006 Pathfinder ranks 4th worst among 20 model years, with a Complaint Index of 84 and 837 total complaints, earning an Avoid verdict.
What is the biggest problem with the 2006 Nissan Pathfinder?
Transmission & Powertrain issues account for 54% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 102,000 miles, making it the top problem area.
Does the 2006 Nissan Pathfinder have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2006 Pathfinder, covering the engine control module relay, a fuel tank sender float arm defect, and a front airbag sensor replacement.
How does the 2006 Pathfinder compare to other years?
The 2006 model has a Complaint Index of 84, worse than most other years except 2005 (89) and 2013 (100), while years like 2011 and 2012 score near 0 and earn Best verdicts.
What is the fuel economy of the 2006 Nissan Pathfinder?
EPA rates the 2006 Pathfinder at 16.5 mpg combined (14 city / 20 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,925.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.