2016 Nissan Pathfinder: problems, recalls and what it’s worth
Known weak spot on this generation: CVT transmission (Jatco). 2 recall campaigns to confirm with a dealer.
Cold test drive: hesitation off the line, judder under light throttle at 30–45 mph, a whine that rises with speed, or the tach flaring without acceleration. Look for a CVT replacement or reprogram in the service history.
Known problems on the 2016 Nissan Pathfinder
CVT transmission (Jatco) $3,300–$5,000 to fix
The Jatco CVT on this generation is a documented failure point — shudder around 30–45 mph, RPM flare, whining, then failure, frequently 60k–120k mi. Nissan extended the powertrain warranty to 84 mo / 84k mi on many of these and settled class actions.
Check for: Cold test drive: hesitation off the line, judder under light throttle at 30–45 mph, a whine that rises with speed, or the tach flaring without acceleration. Look for a CVT replacement or reprogram in the service history.
Basis: NHTSA complaint clusters; Nissan CVT extended-warranty program; multiple class-action settlements
Known patterns for this year and model, not findings about one car. A well-kept example may already have had the fix. Costs are rough US shop prices.
2016 Nissan Pathfinder recalls
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2016 Nissan Pathfinder. Repairs are free at a dealer for the brand, and a dealer can confirm by VIN which were already done.
- Doors & latches
An unsecured hood could unexpectedly open while driving, obstructing the driver's view, and increasing the risk of a crash.
Details 22V420000
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.
Fix: 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.
- Airbags
If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
Details 16V244000
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.
Fix: Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669, Infiniti customer service at 1-888-833-3216 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.
2016 Nissan Pathfinder safety investigations and free repairs
No open safety investigations.
Free repairs to ask about (warranty extensions):
- Transmission: Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) Class Action Owner Notification On March 23, 2022, the Court presiding over a class action lawsuit gave…
- Exhaust and emissions: OBD II EVAP Tube Warranty Enhancement The update below was sent out to Regions and Dealers in August of this year.
A dealer for the brand can check these by VIN.
Source: NHTSA, Sep 24, 2026.
2016 Nissan Pathfinder safety and fuel
From NHTSA’s crash tests and the EPA’s fueleconomy.gov.
What owners complain about
107 complaints filed with NHTSA for this year and model, about average.
Share of complaints that mention each area. One complaint can mention several.
Other Nissan Pathfinder years
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2017 2018 2019 2020 2022 2023 2024
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