YearToAvoid

2023 Nissan Pathfinder Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 18 engine-area complaints for the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder, 17% of its 104 total complaints. No related recall is listed. Owners most often describe the vehicle unexpectedly shifting into neutral or stalling while driving, with a median failure mileage of 14,700 miles.

Engine complaints
18
17% of 104
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
14,700 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Vehicle unexpectedly shifts into neutral while driving at highway speed, sometimes with dash warning lights illuminated.
  • Engine revs on its own (RPMs climbing) when braking or releasing the accelerator, occasionally followed by unintended acceleration.
  • Engine stalls or shuts off while driving at moderate speed, then is slow or fails to restart.
  • Stop-start idle feature causes the engine to hesitate or fail to restart smoothly when pulling away from a stop.
  • Owners report a loud noise on startup and rough or jerky gear changes tied to the neutral-shift issue.
  • Electrical or software faults reportedly trigger limp mode or loss of acceleration on the interstate.

When 2023 Nissan Pathfinder engine complaints were filed

First complaint Jun 28, 2023, latest Sep 17, 2026.

2023 Nissan Pathfinder engine complaints: complaints filed per month2Jun 2023Sep 2023Jan 2024Mar 2024Jun 2024Jul 2025Jul 2026
18 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jun 2023 to Sep 2026; peak Aug 2023 (2).

Engine recalls for the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Engine complaints by Pathfinder model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20109 (23%)
  2. 201110 (22%)
  3. 20126 (26%)
  4. 2013150 (17%)
  5. 201486 (15%)
  6. 201594 (29%)
  7. 201630 (29%)
  8. 201787 (47%)
  9. 201822 (29%)
  10. 201921 (28%)
  11. 202018 (38%)
  12. 202224 (18%)
  13. 202318 (17%)
  14. 202421 (26%)
  15. 202510 (20%)

Frequently asked questions

How many engine complaints does the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder have?
NHTSA lists 18 engine-related complaints for the 2023 Pathfinder, which is 17% of the 104 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder engine or neutral-shift issue?
No related recall is listed in NHTSA data for this engine problem area on the 2023 Pathfinder.
At what mileage do 2023 Pathfinder engine problems usually show up?
The median mileage at failure among reported cases is 14,700 miles.
What is the most common engine complaint for the 2023 Pathfinder?
Owners most frequently describe the vehicle unexpectedly shifting into neutral while driving, sometimes paired with stalling or engine revving.
Have any crashes, fires, or injuries been reported with this engine issue?
NHTSA data shows 0 crashes, 0 fires, and 0 injuries linked to the 18 engine complaints for the 2023 Pathfinder.

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.