YearToAvoid

2013 Nissan Pathfinder Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

100/100

#1 most-complained of 20 Pathfinder years

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

The 2013 Nissan Pathfinder has 890 owner complaints and 11 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 100 out of 100 — the highest of 20 Pathfinder model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is transmission & powertrain (370 complaints, 42% of the total). Complaints report 16 crashes, 1 fire, and 16 injuries.

Complaints
890
Recalls
11
Crashes / fires
16 / 1
Injuries / deaths
16 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
21.5
19.5 city / 25 hwy

Top 2013 Nissan Pathfinder problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Transmission & Powertrain370 (42%)
  2. Airbags177 (20%)
  3. Engine150 (17%)
  4. Other112 (13%)
  5. Structure & Body100 (11%)
  6. Brakes74 (8%)
  7. Electrical System61 (7%)
  8. Visibility & Wipers54 (6%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires39 (4%)
  10. Fuel System26 (3%)
2013 Nissan Pathfinder complaints: complaints filed per quarter852012 Q42014 Q32016 Q22018 Q12019 Q42021 Q32023 Q22025 Q1
1191 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2012 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2013 Q4 (85).

2013 Nissan Pathfinder recalls

11 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 22V420000Jun 13, 2022Structure & Body322,671 vehicles

    Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch

    Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Pathfinder vehicles. On certain Pathfinder vehicles, the secondary hood latch may malfunction and remain in the unlatched, unsecured, position when the hood is closed.

    Risk: An unsecured hood could unexpectedly open while driving, obstructing the driver's view, and increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the bell crank assembly, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed March 26, 2025. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall are R22A2 R22A3 and R24B7.

  2. NHTSA 21V020000Jan 20, 2021Electrical System264,431 vehicles

    Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch

    Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Nissan Pathfinder vehicles. The location of the brake light switch may cause the brake light switch relay to repeatedly open and close. Overtime, this can cause the relay to stick in the "ON" position, with the brake lights remaining illuminated even when the brakes are not applied. Additionally, this may interfere with the brake-shift interlock, allowing the driver to shift the vehicle out of the "Park" position, without depressing the brake pedal.

    Risk: Continual illumination of the brake lights can prevent other drivers from realizing the vehicle is actually slowing down, increasing the risk of a crash. With the brake override activated, the driver will not be able to accelerate normally, increasing the risk of a crash. The driver can shift the vehicle out of the "PARK" position without depressing the brake, allowing the vehicle to rollaway, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, either re-install the brake light switch or swap positions with the Automatic Speed Control Device (ASCD) switch; depending on the model year vehicle. In addition, the brake light relay will be replaced with a new one. All repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 1, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall PC786. Note: this recall supersedes 16V-380.

  3. NHTSA 16V380000May 31, 2016Electrical System79,853 vehicles

    Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch

    Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Pathfinder vehicles manufactured June 20, 2012, to June 13, 2013. The brake light switch may have been installed incorrectly causing the relay to make intermittent contact and repeatedly cycle. This may result in the relay remaining in the "ON" position, causing the brake lights to remain illuminated even when the brakes are not applied. Additionally, the brake light switch may interfere with the brake-shift interlock, allowing the driver to shift the vehicle out of the "Park" position, without depressing the brake pedal.

    Risk: If the brake override is activated, the driver will not be accelerate normally, increasing the risk of a crash. If the brake lights remain illuminated, other drivers may fail to stop when the vehicle actually brakes, increasing the risk of a crash. If the driver inadvertently shift the vehicle out of the "PARK" position without depressing the brake, the vehicle may rollaway, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake light switch and, as necessary, replace the relay, free of charge. The recall began on July 25, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

See all 11 recalls for the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder →

2013 Nissan Pathfinder fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19.5 MPG
Highway
25 MPG
Combined
21.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,025
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.

2013 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
2011Best545216
2012Best023216
2013Avoid1008901121.5
2014Avoid955741124
2015Caution74320523

All Nissan Pathfinder years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder ranks worst among Pathfinder model years (Complaint Index 100/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 890 complaints and 11 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder?
The most reported problem areas are transmission & powertrain (370 complaints), airbags (177 complaints), and engine (150 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 15,000 miles.
Does the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns for the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder, most recently reported 2022, covering structure & body, electrical system, airbags, and transmission & powertrain.
What is the fuel economy of the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder?
EPA rates the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder at 21.5 MPG combined (19.5 city / 25 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,025. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

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.