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Nissan Pathfinder R51 (2005-2012)
GoodieHunter Region, NSW
- 9 reviews
Poor build quality, rubbish engine
Traded a beautiful WH Grand Cherokee V8 in for an R51 Pathfinder 2.5 TD Auto, primarily to save on fuel, it did do this...for the 3 months I had it.
The Pathfinder was beautiful to drive and reasonably good on fuel, had a nice transmission and was comfortable, not as comfortable as the Jeep but close. Car handles well but lacks ground clearance and articulation off road.
But the build quality of Nissan made the Jeep look like a Toyota by comparison. Cheap brittle plastics, paint rubbing of plastic trim, rattles, broken glovebox handles and sung...Read more
Purchased in January 2021 for $7,500.00.
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TeflonManjimup
Still going the distance
I've had my 2005 since new, now close to 300,000km only problem was replace injectors at 140,000km due to poor fuel on Mitchell Plateau and a clutch at 200,000km, but then I tow 2.2tonne off road trailer. It's been everywhere around and across Australia with no other issues. Fitted 2" lift kit and Polyair bags in rear coils and heavy duty sump guards underneath. Motor still as sweet as new. Towing 17L/100 (remember 2.2 Tonne towing) and 9L/100km not towing. Only fault is it is starting to rust around rear door
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AnthonyMelbourne
- 2 reviews
- 1 like
Wish they still made these..
Best car I've owned so far. Long trips, short trips and towing are nothing for this car. Bought new in 2010 the ST A/T. Now with almost 200,000kms on the clock, we have struggled to find any car as robust as this, at a reasonable price. We've really had a good experience with this 4x4 compared, to three others we've owned.
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ShotangSouth East Queensland, QLD
- 5 reviews
Great car and 4x4
We bought our R51 Pathfinder second hand over a year ago. We bought it due to the roomy boot, it's 4x4 capabilities for our bush camping trips, and the fact that it is very easy to setup the back row seats in order to make it a 7 seater. (even I fit in the 3rd row and I'm not short!)
We have so much room in the boot, and in combination with the roof racks we can go bush camping off the car. It's a great tow vehicle. We have towed camper trailers with it with no problem at all.
We've had it serviced regularly and had no mechanical issues. T...Read more
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FocusFanSydney, NSW
- 20 reviews
- 1 like
Great car overall
Ti Diesel 2009 - I'm the 2nd owner and it has been very reliable.
Pluses:
- Tough looks with square lines and large flared guards
- Driveability
- Specs
- Cabin space (seats up to 7)
- One of the few 4wd's that when 2nd and third row seats are folded down, you get a completely flat and huge boot space which is so versatile when transporting goods, camping etc
Minuses: ...Read more
- Fuel economy (only if driving short hilly trips in traffic) - Turning circle is large for city driving Has been fully serviced by Nissan from new which has helped with it's reliability. The car has only been offroad a couple of times on dirt tracks and it performed well using both high and low 4wd.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Lareina
- 5 reviews
My family love it
I used to have a Toyota Highlander 2 years ago and decided to trade it because my family is growing. I went to dealer and first thing they showed me was the Nissan Pathfinder I felt in love with it and decided to to buy it. I will recommend this to a big family like mine
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migGreat Southern, WA
- 7 reviews
I only wish I knew
A lemon!
Got a 2007 Pathfinder ST-L diesel, from new.
Started servicing it at Nissan to keep the "extended warrantee". Cost of service was very high and at the end seems that just about nothing extra is covered anyway.
Clutch went at 39K kms. Expensive replacement.
Plastic rear door handle broke (twice!); Nissan wanted to change the whole mechanism for $600+. Rip-off.
Electric windows keep failing, either go down and won't come back up, etc.
By 80K kms it developed quite a few noises and squeaks, despite having used it 95% on highway driv...Read more
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ColinPerth
- 2 reviews
- 1 like
2012 Nissan Pathfinder Ti Very immpressive, so confortable, lovely to drive very economical for qu
Driving experience excellent, handles well, very little engine and wind noise a pleasure to drive.
The only dislike is the gauges and speedo are hard to see during the day with sun glasses on, night time very good, Dash board excellent, plenty of leg room, love the reversing camera and Hi Fi Sound system
Reliability excellent, running costs 9 to 10 litres per 100 kilometers range 750 until warning light comes, very economical for such a large vehicle,
Plenty of power and torque to tow my 2 tonne boat
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ryan
- 2 reviews
- 3 likes
Under-rated car
Buy one, u will not be disappointing. What more could u want? I bought the diesel auto st-L 08. great car, i use it for 4wd on beach with family(wife,2 kids) kills it. few options if u want to make it a true tourer. Goes great around town cause it drives like a car, not a truck. The wagon in huge! u put the rear seats down, they fold flat - and u have a massive area. i can fit a king single bed in it!
Best part, they are cheap cheap cheap. like seriously cheap. was thinking of getting a 200 series land cruiser, couldn't justify the 30 extra th...Read more
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ConsumerNo1South East Queensland, QLD
Reliable Trusted Friend
Never really write reviews but after reading a few of the negative ones I thought I should counter them. I bought my 2008 ST-L diesel A/T new in 2008 and still have it, despite usually replacing my cars every 3 years. I have used it for city driving, long haul road trips, unsealed back routes as well as extensive beach driving as I live in a regional centre only 15 min from the coast where beach driving is permitted. Not once have I been bogged or let down by this vehicle.
As mentioned by another reviewer the two rear rows of seats fold dow...Read more
n COMPLETELY to make a huge, dead flat area in the back. This turns the Pathfinder into a two seater with a huge flat cargo space behind much like a van. I too have two dogs who love this space which is easily big enough to sleep in should one desire to put a mattress in there. Folding the front passenger seat down/forward turns the pathfinder into a one seater allowing even more cargo to be carried. The amount of stuff I have loaded/moved/transported in this vehicle is incredible and I am always amazed at how much I can fit into it. Being an 8yo, two tonne 4wd with relatively high ground clearance it was always going to drive more like a truck/bus than a passenger sedan or low slung sports car. What do you expect? By design and utility it handles like a 2 tonne, high riding 4wd on normal bitumen roads.... which means it does have some roll, road noise and isn't particularly "road hugging" on winding sealed roads as you would expect a sedan or sports car to be. That's a given and is the trade off between a vehicle designed for roads vs a vehicle designed for off road. Perhaps the other reviewers who complain don't understand the basic principles of each. Part of this trade off is its capability in off-road scenarios. For mine, the vast majority of off-road use is beach driving, of which mine does a lot of. The turbo diesel engine, although not the biggest in class has more than enough torque. Coupled with the auto transmission this vehicle just smashes through deep soft sand and keeps the two tonnes powering through it flawlessly and effortlessly. Not once have I become bogged even in the softest deepest sand, all without having to lower tyre pressures. It just keeps pushing and pushing through and if I feel a slight loss of momentum as the sand changes a quick push on the accelerator unleashes more torque and it just keeps going. The auto transmission is very well suited to sand especially considering that it also is a semi auto, meaning the driver can select a specific gear to ensure the auto doesn't change up or down. This is of course separate from the 4wd system which includes a transfer case allowing 4h and 4l. The driver can select 2wd, 4wd 4h, 4wd 4l as well as an "auto" setting which allows the vehicle to select the appropriate mode as required on the fly. When driving on sealed roads the vehicle is set to 2wd which dives the vehicle via the rear wheels. I cannot fault the reliability of this vehicle. I have had some minor issues pop up from time to time but each have been easily identified and repaired by Nissan. I have just had the turbo actuator solenoid valve replaced (a few hundred dollars) after it failed which caused a massive lack of power but other than that the only other work carried out has been my regular servicing which I ensure is done on time. I note that a lot of the negative reviews complaining about mechanical problems and reliability also include a laundry list of changes/modifications carried out personally by the owner/reviewer.... changing this, disconnecting that, removing that, replacing this etc, then they wonder why their vehicle is having problems. Tip: the teams of designers and engineers who build the vehicle do so knowing what works and what doesn't. If there was a good reason for not having something or including something mechanical I'm sure they would've done it. DIY engine mods are just asking for trouble. Anyway, I digress.... The interior surfaces of my 8yo Pathfinder are still pretty good in most places despite heavy use and no cleaning. Admittedly mine is filthy.... lots of sand, dirt and dust from the use I get out of it however when I do clean it the surfaces and carpet come up a treat. The only areas of true degradation are limited to a few small spots where there is constant use/contact such as where my thumbs sit on surface of steering wheel spoke and an area near the transmission yolk. Other areas of very high use such as arm rests are like new.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Avoid
I'm up to 360,000 km's now, can't believe this thing still goes, only kept it because it's worth nothing (other than scrap metal) and I figure I've fixed just about everything, so it's like a new one anyway. Consistent problems with most reviews in this forum:
* door handles. at least 1 will break once a year
* finish - paint seems inferior.
* door seals are hopeless. tailgate strutts seem undersized
* suspension seemed saggy from day 1 - replaced with aftermarket, rides much better since
* EGR valve......
* Transmission....if you buy on...Read more
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NissanDetractorBrisbane
- 2 reviews
- 2 likes
Nissan Pathfinder
Great car for functionality, poor aftermarket service. Clutch is weak/inherent fault and the head unit shows continual faults (bluetooth works intermittently, can take up to 20 seconds for radio to change, CD player not working in 3rd unit installed). Drives nicely on long distances but the faults within would make me consider more carefully when making next new car purchase in 2017.
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Fang
- 5 reviews
Rubbish do not buy
Between the EGR valve and inlet manifold is a small heat exchanger to cool the hot gasses going into the engine this ruptured inside sucking coolant into the engine destroying it, but before this happened the transmission cooler inside the radiator broke, putting water into the gearbox,it needed flushing and an external cooler fitted, so it will never do it again, a second hand engine cost $ 10300.00 fitted, the heat exchanger bypassed so it will never do it again,Google nissan pathfinder egr valve problems and see what happen,.also where the h...Read more
eater hoses come through the firewall there are two plastic fittings one a tee and one an elbow, they are flimsy and will break as luck would have it ours broke at home not on the road or the engine would most likely have over heated, I made new ones out of brass which should out last the car. it has since had two rear shock absorbers, two front struts, and a rear wheel bearing, last week it shut down on the princes hwy, it finally started and of we go, there is known issue with the IDPM in a lot off nissan vehicles, this is going to be cleaned and checked.it has just had both front wheel bearings replaced.Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
Alan.AU
nissan pathfinder 2006 not suitable as 4WD
Have driven this vehicle for 6 years this is not a serious 4 wheel drive so don't use it this way as you will be disappointed. I had to replace clutch at 80,000 klms, radiator, shockies and springs, At 80,000klm front guards and firewall cracked $7000 required to replace front end. This vehicle is fine for towing caravan comfortable on road not suitable for corregated roads as it will break the body work and even tho you may have a 6 year warranty Nissan won't honour it. I have now bought a Prado and have had no problems even having done 100,0...Read more
00 klms towing van still nothing major to fix. Can't say that about the pathfinder. The ride is good, found it reliable, and comparable with other 4x4 with consumption. Rockingham Nissan have been good to deal with Would like a bit more power for towiing, have fitted a chip that has helped. Inside surface a bit easy to damage,Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
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3.8(190)Love It
I point my machine in any direction and it just goes. I have had it up bush doing hills that my wife would get out and walk up because they were to steep but the finder just chews them up and with the right tyres (A/T) in red mud just loves it, and towing power is unbelievable. I live in the snowy mountains and I can not fault it.
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tuertoAU
DONT BUY IT!!!!!!!
Bought it brand new.Now have 41000 K.
In between: 1) Replace C.D. . 2)replace driver's door handles. 3)Turbo/motor blew up at 40000.Probably spent more time with Nissan service? than on the road.
Nissan replaced (They said) motor and turbo under warranty. Vehicle spent one month with Nissan for the work to be done. After serious arguments, Nissan provided me with a replacement vehicle for the duration of the repairs ( A small Hyunday.Hardly the type for towing my caravan.
The Nissan Customer Service: Horrendous!
Trimings, painwork, rubber...Read more
2 comments
Thanks God, got rid of the lemon!
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Total disappointment!
We purchased a 2005 Nissan pathfinder STL SUV auto second hand with 100k and have clocked up an additional 130k. This car is in getting a new gearbox as I write. We have had issues after issues, both rear door handles have been replaced, radiator replaced, endless oil leaks, cracking interior, broken clip in the sunglasses component, shuddering, rattling rubbish of a car. If anyone was considering to buy one of these cars....DONT DO IT! You only have to read all the reviews and the majority of pathfinder owners have or will end up replacing the gearbox. Never purchasing a Nissan again!
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Great workhorse. Fantastic reliability.
I have a 2006 ST-L fitted with an OME suspension upgrade by ARB. Fitted a 3" mandrel-bent exhaust system and a Steinbauer chip. Has a Nissan nudge bar up front to support 2x9" HID spots. Upgraded headlights with Phillips Blue Series halogens. I tow a 24-foot Adria Adora 662UP caravan.
My wife and I love this car since purchasing it in 2007. No mechanical issues at all. We did the mods early on, and the performance, fuel consumption and towing ability is exemplary for a much underrated vehicle. We average around 10l/100km around town and...Read more
on country roads. When towing we average around 11.5l-13l/100km depending on how hilly the trip is. The van weighs about 2.0 tonne fully loaded. Some of the great advantages not often mentioned are the adjustable seating. We have two Great Danes and turn the car into a two-sweater with a massive bedding area in the luggage compartment. There are 12V power outlets in the rear to run Fridge/Freezer and 2 cigarette lighter points up front to run GPS, phone chargers etc. Tire wear is also great. We have Yokohama A/T's still going after 80,000km. Regular servicing keeps the vehicle in top running condition. The second-hand cost of 2006-2007 ST-L and Ti models makes for a great purchase. Make sure that you get a "made in Spain" model, not the Taiwanese version that followed. The servicing costs on the Taiwanese vehicles are much higher. Also, don't go to Nissan authorised dealers for you services. They really know how to rip you off!Similar opinion? Write a review on ieatwords.com.au!
MikeBrisbane
2005 STL
Purchased 2005 STL 2.5 litre Diesel still under extended warranty a few years ago. the only drama we had was assuming they were automatically geared up for towing, for caravan they are not. clutch plates needed replacing costing 2k and advised to get rear air bags to support rear weight.
But apart from that what a great vehicle!, the diesel is averaging 800 to 850 k per 65 litre tank, also being a 4 cyl rego is a lot cheaper
.recently spoke with previous owner who purchased 2009 fuel injected 3litre diesel and is getting less than 600. Hate the new shape too, the xtrail looks better.
People keep ripping off front door lever lock covers hot item as expensive to colour match and replace
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ShelTownsville
What a joke!!
What a joke the nissan pathfinder is!!!!!! Don't buy it people! They put a fly wheel clutch in instead of a solid unit, they die after 30,000kms and according to nissan that's a great clutch to last that long!! The paint is defective-repainted. Cd player screws up all the time. Alternator is defective, starter motor is defective!!! If you want a car that is in a workshop more than you drive it, then by all means, buy it!!! Nissan take no responsibility for anything!!! It's not only pathfinders, a lot of their cars are useless, we have met a lot...Read more
of people all with the same issues!! We are all too scared to drive our cars!!! Too many times we have been broken down on the side of the highway!! Thanks for nothing nissan!!! 7 SEATS CLUTCH, ALTERNATOR, STARTER MOTOR, PAINT WORK, CD PLAYER ALL FAILED-continue to fail3 comments
Hi Shel. Can ask what year the car is. Was looking at the Jeep Grand Cherokee however the terrible reviews of customer service particularly have done the trick and have started to look at the new pathfinder
We had 2004 Nissan Navaras at work, both had many components fail and break - alternator, electronic 4wd system failed, park brake, door handles etc etc. Seems like Nissan is still bad. Just took Mits... Read more
ubishi Pajero for outback drive 1000km - it was fantastic. Reviews for Pajero are all positive. Will buy Pajero VRX in future.Hi Darren, the car is a 2008.If you haven't already purchased, can I recommend anything Toyota, ie Landcruiser/Prado. Goodluck!
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Questions & Answers
Gavin B.asked
Looking at purchasing a 2006 petrol Pathfinder. Is there any dramas with the petrol motor? And any other problems I should know about.
1 answer
Sorry, can’t answer your question as my pathfinder is not that old and mine is a hybrid. My car is nearly 5 years old and the only problem I have had was when we returned from holidays and my battery was flat, that affected the electronics a bit but it was still drivable and Nissan reset the problem free of charge.
Toni O.asked
hi anyone had a problem of water gushing out the over flow?? replaced radiator, rad caps and thermostat.. its not really over heating any more but still water gushing out.. thought it was over flow from over filling but had it running for a while and no difference.. could it be water pump?
1 answer
Yep. Nearly always a cracked head. You can get the coolant tested in your radiator for exhaust gases, they overpressurise the exhaust system. Heaps of stuff on the net about it, especially under D40 Navara or YD25
crob1822asked
So my 2008, for some reason its a little bipolar with motor temperature. It randomly likes to get hot and dump antifreeze out the top of the overflow res. Replaced thermostat, new caps on the radiator and overflow res, flushed system. Anyone encounter this issue?
2 answers
Yes. Unfortunately it's the symptoms of a cracked head, they are famous for it.
You can get your fluid sampled in your rad to confirm. A head is about $1300 plus labpr if that's your only issue but they can crack cylinders too.
You could try a liquid head repair then drain aftet a month and replace with evans waterless coolant to reduce system pressure then drive it til it goes bang. Search d40 yd25 issues.
Thanks for the info, I actually had the head replaced the first time I had this issue. I couldn’t imagine that would be the cause again right? Had the liquids tested and they’re good. I’m at a loss at this point unless there might be something else?
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tuerto
Further to my first review, the "lemon" needed replacement of door handles (2); A/C replacement of parts ($700); and the latest: it blew a oil coolant hose causing the motor to over heat, all few hund... Read more
reds Kms after the 100000 km. Service. "Lemon" in the mechanic for the last week because no spares are available in Australia.Nissan help: NIL