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2023 Nissan Pathfinder

Gas

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
4 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

92 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

RecallsNHTSA campaigns 1

Complaints4 crash · 1 injured reported 107

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 23 mpg

Starting MSRP9 trims · manufacturer $35,320

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder is sold in the U.S. as a gas large SUV with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Pathfinder 2WD, is EPA-rated at 23 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of A. Owners have filed 107 complaints, most often about the electrical system. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall. Manufacturer pricing runs from $35,320 to $50,190 across 9 trims.

Nissan Pathfinder — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Nissan Pathfinder · Photo: Deathpallie325 · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Trims & pricing

Source: manufacturer press kitWhich trim should I buy? → Compare a trim →

Trim	Powertrain	Drive	MSRP	HP	Torque	MPG comb	Seats	Cargo (2nd row)	Wheels
S	Gas	FWD	$35,320	284 hp	259 lb-ft	23 mpg	8	45 cu-ft	18 in
S	Gas	4WD	$37,220	284 hp	259 lb-ft	23 mpg	8	45 cu-ft	18 in
SV	Gas	FWD	$38,140	284 hp	259 lb-ft	23 mpg	8	45 cu-ft	18 in
SV	Gas	4WD	$40,040	284 hp	259 lb-ft	23 mpg	8	45 cu-ft	18 in
Rock Creek	Gas	4WD	$43,140	295 hp	270 lb-ft	21 mpg	7	45 cu-ft	18 in
SL	Gas	FWD	$41,740	284 hp	259 lb-ft	23 mpg	8	45 cu-ft	18 in
SL	Gas	4WD	$43,640	284 hp	259 lb-ft	22 mpg	8	45 cu-ft	18 in
Platinum	Gas	FWD	$48,290	284 hp	259 lb-ft	23 mpg	8	45 cu-ft	20 in
Platinum	Gas	4WD	$50,190	284 hp	259 lb-ft	22 mpg	8	45 cu-ft	20 in

MSRP excludes destination. Open a trim for the complete spec sheet and standard/optional equipment. Have the car in front of you? Decode its VIN to see which of these trims it is and what it was priced at.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Pathfinder 2WD	Gas	FWD	3.5L 6-cyl	20	27	23	$2,900
Pathfinder 4WD	Gas	4WD	3.5L 6-cyl	21	27	23	$2,900
Pathfinder 4WD SL/Platinum	Gas	4WD	3.5L 6-cyl	20	25	22	$3,050
Pathfinder 4WD Rock Creek	Gas	4WD	3.5L 6-cyl	20	23	21	$3,900

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 45882, 45887, 45888, 45833.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Pathfinder 2WD, Pathfinder 4WD, Pathfinder 4WD SL/Platinum	5 / 10	Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 / California LEV-III ULEV70	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
Pathfinder 4WD Rock Creek	5 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

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Recalls (1)

Source: NHTSA recall database

▲high

Seats

PC966, PC967

12,400 vehicles 94% reported repaired

Problem Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2023 Rogue, Pathfinder, and Infiniti QX60 vehicles. The driver's powered seat may not be fully secured to the seat frame, causing the seat frame welds to detach from the rear inboard seat bracket. Risk An unsecured seat with broken welds may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Fix Dealers will inspect the driver's seat rail clearance, and if necessary, replace the driver's seat cushion frame, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed June 10, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PC966, PC967.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 23V268000 reported Apr 13, 2023 Nissan North America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Pathfinder

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2023 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Nissan publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Nissan’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

107complaints filed

4 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 1 injuries · 0 deaths reported

15 per 10,000 built · Nissan reported 69,401 Pathfinder built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2022: 2 · 2023: 29 · 2024: 26 · 2025: 26 · 2026: 24

Most-cited components

Unspecified 30

Electrical System 24

Fuel/Propulsion System 23

Service Brakes 22

Engine 16

Power Train 13

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

AEB light will come on, telling me that the automatic braking system is not working. Error codes were C2501-4B and C1F05-4B

Service Brakes Jan 31, 2024 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11568961

The second issue that I have with my 2023 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum edition involves the ten-speed transmission, which desperately needs a software update. I pulled out at an intersection and gave the Pathfinder some gas. I did not come to a complete stop prior. Nothing happened because the transmission was busy searching for a gear.

Power Train Dec 27, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11562102

I would like to submit a safety concern for a new vehicle that I purchased in April. The Nissan Pathfinder Platinum edition is indeed a very nice vehicle, but there are two issues that need to be addressed immediately. The first is that the windshield washer probe is located one- and one-half inches inside the hood near the windshield.

Visibility/Wiper Dec 27, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11562100

I bought my 2023 Pathfinder FWD brand new in September, 2023. First few days I bought it it would switch to neutral or cut off while sitting at a light. It is now December and the ac/heater when on full blast reduces to mild on it own, the remote start no longer sets car temp based on outside time, the light in car doesn't come on when…

Electrical System Dec 13, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11559924

Last July I felt jerking after accelerating on highway and decided to go in for service and found fuel injectors were the issues which these were replaced. Then again after 3 months now feeling jerking again and shaking after accelerating. There is no warning light appearing as I feel it.

Fuel/Propulsion System Sep 15, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11544836

Dear NHTSA, I would like to report a safety issue while driving this vehicle on Interstate 35E North of downtown St Paul, MN. While driving in traffic I went to move into a lane to the right allowing us to move in a less congested lane of traffic.

Engine Sep 12, 2023 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11544194

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Nissan itself: 3 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 6 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 4.3 per 100,000 built. Every Pathfinder model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★☆	★★★★★	★★★★☆	16%
SUV FWD	not rated	★★★★☆	★★★★★	not rated	—

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 87

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-05-01

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 87 service bulletins

Most often about: Electrical System, Equipment, Structure, Visibility/Wiper, Power Train.

NTB26-027 Service bulletin
2026-05-01 · Service Brakes
AEB WARNING WITH ONE OR MORE CURRENT DTCS STORED IN THE ADAS CONTROL UNIT 2, AND/OR THE LASER/RADAR CONTROL UNIT IF YOU CONFIRM The front radar is inoperative, the AEB warning is displayed, and one or more of the following DTCs are stored as CURRENT: · U2752-88 for “Ethernet circuit” stored in the ADAS control unit 2, · U275F-88 for “Ethernet circuit” stored in the LASER/RADAR (DISTANCE SENSOR) co
NTB26-006A Service bulletin
2026-05-01 · Fuel/Propulsion System
FUEL FILLER TUBE LOWER SEAL IS LEAKING AND DTC P0456 IS STORED IN THE ECM This bulletin is no longer active. Please discard previous versions of NTB26-006.
ITB09-063C Service bulletin
2026-04-13 · Structure — Body
CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “Certification Label” or “VIN Plate/Label” may be needed. HINT: Certification Label = FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) label. These items may be available from Infiniti by request if certain criteria are met. This bulletin lists the criteria and provide
NTB09-131C Service bulletin
2026-04-13 · Structure — Body
CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “Certification Label” or “VIN Plate/Label” may be needed. HINT: Certification Label = FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) label. These items may be available from Nissan by request if certain criteria are met. This bulletin lists the criteria and provides
NTB09-131C Service bulletin
2026-04-13 · Structure — Body
CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “Certification Label” or “VIN Plate/Label” may be needed. HINT: Certification Label = FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) label. These items may be available from Nissan by request if certain criteria are met. This bulletin lists the criteria and provides
NTB26-006 Service bulletin
2026-02-02 · Fuel/Propulsion System
FUEL FILLER TUBE LOWER SEAL IS LEAKING AND DTC P0456 IS STORED IN THE ECM IF YOU CONFIRM The vehicle has a visible leak with a smoke machine test coming from the fuel filler tube lower seal, AND DTC P0456 is stored as “Active”, “Past”, or “Pending” in the ECM. ACTION 1. Remove the supplied funnel from the rear of the vehicle or trunk. 2. Insert the funnel completely in the fuel filler tube and rem
NTB25-030A Service bulletin
2025-10-01 · Electrical System
STEERING WHEEL SWITCH BUTTONS INOPERATIVE, STICKING, OR NOT CLICKING WHEN PRESSED IF YOU CONFIRM The customer states that any of the steering wheel switch buttons are inoperative, sticking, or not clicking when pressed. ACTION Follow the SERVICE PROCEDURE to: 1. Remove the steering wheel assembly. 2. Replace the switch assembly on the steering wheel assembly. HINT: The switch assembly includes swi
NTB25-029 Service bulletin
2025-05-29 · Structure — Body
EXCESS DUST ENTERING CABIN WHILE DRIVING ON DIRT ROADS IF YOU CONFIRM That while driving on dirt roads with all doors and windows closed, that there is excessive dust intrusion into the vehicle’s cabin that is settling on the inside of the doors. ACTION Refer to the SERVICE PROCEDURE in the bulletin to: 1. Install Butyl Patches around the door seals of driver (LH) side and passenger (RH) side fron

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P0456 P0456 on Nissan →	A very small leak in the evaporative emissions system.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Gas cap →	2 bulletins
P161F	Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.	Engine	2 bulletins

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 0.57%

failed emissions

2,470 initial inspections of 2,431 vehicles.

Measure	The 2023 Pathfinder	Every 2023 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	0.57%	1.6%	2,466
Failed the safety inspection	1.3%	1.1%	2,470
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.16%	0.16%	2,470
Miles driven a year	11,427	10,038	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	37,173	32,673	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2023 vehicle” is every 2023 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Pathfinder by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2026 A 0 15 23 mpg 2025 A 1 55 23 mpg 2024 B 2 86 23 mpg 2023 this page A 1 107 23 mpg 2022 C 5 136 23 mpg 2020 A 0 48 23 mpg 2019 B 2 76 Park outside 2018 C 3 78 Park outside 2017 C 2 187 Park outside 2016 C 2 107 23 mpg

Common questions about the 2023 Pathfinder

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

How much does the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder cost?

Manufacturer pricing runs from $35,320 for the S FWD to $50,190 for the Platinum 4WD, across 9 trims. Those are MSRPs from the manufacturer's own press material; they exclude destination, options, taxes and whatever the dealer adds. Every trim and price is listed above.

Does the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 1 recall campaign for the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder. The most serious on file is 23V268000, covering Seats. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder?

NHTSA gave the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it A (92/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder?

Across the 4 EPA-rated configurations of the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder, the best EPA combined figure is 23 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What do owners complain about on the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder?

Owners have filed 107 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder, most often about unspecified, electrical system, fuel/propulsion system. Of those, 4 involved a crash, 1 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder?

The EPA smog rating for the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder is 5 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder?

The manufacturer has filed 87 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder, most often covering electrical system, equipment, structure. The most recent is dated 2026-05-01. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder failed the emissions check on 0.57% of first inspections — lower than the 1.6% for every 2023 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.3% (every 2023 vehicle: 1.1%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

Which 2023 Nissan Pathfinder trim is the best value?

$14,870 separates the cheapest of the 9 trims from the most expensive, so the answer depends on which of the differences you would actually use. Every trim has its own page here with the manufacturer's full specification and equipment list, plus a short summary of exactly what it adds over the base trim — worth reading before a dealer frames the walk-up for you. The trim-by-trim ladder shows what every step up costs and what it makes standard.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	4 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	4 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	1	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	107	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	2 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	87	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	none	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	We had no VIN pattern to decode for this model year, or the manufacturer filed nothing usable.
Trims, pricing & equipment	9 trims	Manufacturer press kit	Transcribed from the manufacturer's own press material, every value carrying the document it came from.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly. Trim-level specifications and pricing are transcribed from the manufacturer's official press kit; every value carries its source in the data file.

JSON for this page · API