YearToAvoid

2011 Nissan Pathfinder Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Best The 2011 Nissan Pathfinder ranks 19th of 20 model years with a complaint index of 5 and just 45 complaints, earning a Best verdict. Its two recalls cover airbag emblems and engine connector bolts, with no crashes, fires, or deaths reported.

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

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
5/100
#19 of 20 Pathfinder years
Verdict
Best
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
45
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
2
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
0
reported in complaints
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Top issue
Airbags
Best nearby year
2012
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
16
14 city / 20 hwy
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0

Top 2011 Nissan Pathfinder problems

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

  1. Airbags12 (27%)
  2. Engine10 (22%)
  3. Suspension, Wheels & Tires7 (16%)
  4. Transmission & Powertrain7 (16%)
  5. Brakes6 (13%)
  6. Electrical System4 (9%)
  7. Other3 (7%)
  8. Seat Belts3 (7%)
  9. Steering2 (4%)
  10. Structure & Body2 (4%)

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

What owners report

  • The hood popped open suddenly while driving at 45 mph, requiring the owner to tie it down with rope.
  • Autodown windows rolled down on their own when the non-recessed keyfob button was pressed accidentally.
  • Brakes reportedly failed to respond when depressed at 20 mph, resulting in a crash into a stop sign.
  • A second-row seat belt anchor bolt pulled loose from its threaded mounting hole and would not thread back in.
  • Driveshaft mounting bolts fell off and the shaft disconnected from the front transfer case while driving.
  • Keyless entry and the physical key both failed to unlock or start the vehicle, requiring repeated attempts.
2011 Nissan Pathfinder complaints: complaints filed per month3Dec 2010May 2013Jun 2014Nov 2015Sep 2016Oct 2018Jan 2020Dec 2023
45 complaints filed with NHTSA from Dec 2010 to Jun 2025; peak Feb 2016 (3).

2011 Nissan Pathfinder recalls

2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 23V067000Feb 10, 2023Airbags404,690 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal

    Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2008-2011 Titan, Frontier, Xterra, Pathfinder, Armada, and 2008-2009 Quest vehicles. The resin emblem on the driver's air bag cover may develop cracks and detach during air bag deployment.

    Risk: A detached emblem can become a projectile during air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury to vehicle occupants.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver’s 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.

  2. NHTSA 11V592000Dec 19, 2011Engine14,718 vehicles

    Engine and engine cooling

    Nissan is recalling certain model year 2011 infiniti fx, model year 2012 infiniti m, model year 2011-2012 nissan frontier, model year 2011-2012 nissan xterra, model year 2011-2012 nissan pathfinder, and model year 2012 nissan nv vehicles. Some of the bolts that connect the engine oil cooler and the engine oil filter to the engine in these vehicles may have been manufactured to below specification strength. As a result, the bolt may break at the oil filter attachment point and can cause an engine oil leak.

    Risk: If there is an engine oil leak, the engine oil pressure would drop and the engine could seize, increasing the risk of a crash.

    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.

2011 Nissan Pathfinder fuel economy and fuel cost

City
14 MPG
Highway
20 MPG
Combined
16 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$5,000
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
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.

2011 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
2009Good1137316
2010Best1640416.5
2011Best545216
2012Best023216
2013Avoid1008901121.5

All Nissan Pathfinder years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2011 Nissan Pathfinder reliable?
NHTSA data shows the 2011 Pathfinder ranks 19th out of 20 model years, with a complaint index of only 5 and 45 total complaints, earning a Best verdict relative to other Pathfinder years.
Does the 2011 Nissan Pathfinder have any recalls?
It has two recalls: one for a cracking airbag cover emblem on the driver's airbag and one for engine connector bolts that could fail. Neither is a do-not-drive recall.
What is the top problem area for the 2011 Nissan Pathfinder?
Airbags are the top problem area, accounting for 12 of 45 complaints (27%), with a median failure mileage of 46,000 for the model year overall.
How does the 2011 Pathfinder compare to the 2013 and 2014 models?
The 2013 and 2014 Pathfinder years are rated Avoid, with complaint indexes of 100 and 95 and 890 and 574 complaints respectively, far higher than the 2011 model's index of 5.
What is the fuel economy of the 2011 Nissan Pathfinder?
The 2011 Pathfinder gets an EPA-rated 16 mpg combined (14 city / 20 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $5,000.

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.