2020 Nissan Pathfinder Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Best The 2020 Nissan Pathfinder ranks 16th of 20 model years for complaints, with a complaint index of 21 and no recalls, earning a Best verdict among Pathfinder years. Its most reported issue is the engine, at 38% of complaints.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 21/100
- #16 of 20 Pathfinder years
- Verdict
- Best
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 48
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 0
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 1
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Top issue
- Engine
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 22
- 20 city / 27 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 0 / 0
Top 2020 Nissan Pathfinder problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine18 (38%)
- Electrical System11 (23%)
- Other8 (17%)
- Transmission & Powertrain8 (17%)
- Brakes6 (13%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras5 (10%)
- Fuel System4 (8%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires4 (8%)
- Structure & Body2 (4%)
- Airbags1 (2%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Brakes leaked fluid and produced a high-pitched noise at very low mileage.
- Some owners reported the brakes applying on their own at low speed without driver input.
- The backup camera intermittently shorted out or went blank, sometimes along with rear parking sensor failure.
- Owners noticed an antifreeze smell inside the cabin while driving or idling, tied to the heating and cooling system.
- Engine problems included intermittent check engine lights from failed oxygen sensors, pinging or knocking under steady throttle, and unexplained oil consumption leading to engine failure.
- Moisture got into a front headlight assembly, causing an error message and reduced visibility.
2020 Nissan Pathfinder recalls
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
2020 Nissan Pathfinder fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 20 MPG
- Highway
- 27 MPG
- Combined
- 22 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,950
- 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.
2020 compared with other Pathfinder years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2020 Nissan Pathfinder reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2020 Pathfinder has a complaint index of 21, the second-lowest of the 20 Pathfinder model years with data, and carries a Best verdict relative to other years.
- What is the most common problem with the 2020 Nissan Pathfinder?
- Engine issues are the top problem area, making up 38% of the 48 complaints NHTSA lists for this year, followed by electrical system issues at 23%.
- Does the 2020 Nissan Pathfinder have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists zero recalls for the 2020 Pathfinder.
- How does the 2020 Pathfinder compare to other Pathfinder years?
- The 2020 ranks 16th worst out of 20 years by complaint index, far below high-complaint years like 2013 and 2014, which have complaint indexes of 100 and 95.
- At what mileage do 2020 Pathfinder problems typically show up?
- NHTSA data shows a median mileage of 7,000 for reported failures overall, with brake complaints showing a lower median of 1,749 miles and engine complaints a higher median of 13,350 miles.