Short answer
Among Nissan Pathfinder model years through 2024, 2020 has the fewest NHTSA recall campaigns on record (0) and 2014 has the most (12). Recall counts are not a reliability score; they show how often a safety defect had to be corrected.
Quick read
Nissan Pathfinder: Key Facts
- Model years with data
- 26 (2000–2026)
- Distinct recall campaigns
- 43
- Fewest recalls
- 2020 (0)
- Most recalls
- 2014 (12)
- Most recalled system
- Air bags (28)
- 5-star overall rating
- 2014, 2015, 2016 and 9 more years
Nissan Pathfinder Recalls and Ratings by Model Year
| Model year | Recall campaigns | Overall crash rating | Most recalled systems |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Recent: still collecting recalls | 0 | 5 stars | None on record |
| 2025 Recent: still collecting recalls | 1 | 5 stars | Service brakes, hydraulic |
| 2024 | 2 | 5 stars | Air bags, Seat belts |
| 2023 | 1 | 5 stars | Seats |
| 2022 | 5 | 5 stars | Seats, Equipment, Latches/locks/linkages |
| 2020 | 0 | 5 stars | None on record |
| 2019 | 2 | 5 stars | Back over prevention, Service brakes, hydraulic |
| 2018 | 3 | 5 stars | Service brakes, hydraulic, Back over prevention |
| 2017 | 2 | 5 stars | Service brakes, hydraulic |
| 2016 | 2 | 5 stars | Air bags, Latches/locks/linkages |
| 2015 | 6 | 5 stars | Air bags, Engine and engine cooling, Exterior lighting |
| 2014 | 12 | 5 stars | Air bags, Electrical system, Exterior lighting |
| 2013 | 11 | 4 stars | Air bags, Electrical system, Exterior lighting |
| 2012 | 2 | Not rated | Engine and engine cooling, Suspension |
| 2011 | 2 | Not rated | Air bags, Engine and engine cooling |
| 2010 | 4 | Not rated | Air bags, Equipment, Suspension |
| 2009 | 3 | Not rated | Air bags, Equipment |
| 2008 | 4 | Not rated | Air bags, Equipment, Fuel system, gasoline |
| 2007 | 1 | Not rated | Air bags |
| 2006 | 3 | Not rated | Air bags, Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, gasoline |
| 2005 | 2 | Not rated | Air bags, Engine and engine cooling |
| 2004 | 3 | Not rated | Air bags, Suspension |
| 2003 | 3 | Not rated | Air bags, Suspension |
| 2002 | 5 | Not rated | Air bags, Suspension |
| 2001 | 3 | Not rated | Fuel system, gasoline, Structure, Suspension |
| 2000 | 2 | Not rated | Fuel system, gasoline, Suspension |
No model years match your search.
The scale of the difference
Recall Campaigns by Model Year
Distinct NHTSA recall campaigns per model year. Years after 2024 are recent and still collecting recalls.
- 20260 recalls
- 20251 recall
- 20242 recalls
- 20231 recall
- 20225 recalls
- 20200 recalls
- 20192 recalls
- 20183 recalls
- 20172 recalls
- 20162 recalls
- 20156 recalls
- 201412 recalls
- 201311 recalls
- 20122 recalls
- 20112 recalls
- 20104 recalls
- 20093 recalls
- 20084 recalls
- 20071 recall
- 20063 recalls
- 20052 recalls
- 20043 recalls
- 20033 recalls
- 20025 recalls
- 20013 recalls
- 20002 recalls
Nissan Pathfinder: Analysis
How to read recall counts
A recall campaign is a safety defect that the manufacturer or NHTSA required to be fixed. Counts depend on how long a model year has been on the road, so recent years look better than they will in time; this page therefore ranks only model years through 2024. A high count can also mean a manufacturer reacts quickly to small defects, so it says little about breakdowns or running costs.
What the recalls were about
Across all model years, the systems named most often in Nissan Pathfinder recalls are air bags (28), suspension (7), engine and engine cooling (6), service brakes, hydraulic (6) and exterior lighting (5). The number in brackets counts model-year entries, so one campaign that covers several years is counted in each.
Crash-test ratings
NHTSA has an overall star rating for 13 of these 26 model years, and 2014, 2015, 2016 and 9 more years earned 5 stars. Ratings before 2011 come from an earlier version of the program and are not directly comparable with later years. A range such as 4–5 means versions of the same model year were rated differently.
FAQ: Nissan Pathfinder Best and Worst Years
What are the best years for the Nissan Pathfinder?
By NHTSA recall campaigns, 2020 are the cleanest model years through 2024, with 0 each.
Which Nissan Pathfinder model years have the most recalls?
2014 has the most, with 12 recall campaigns each.
Does a recall mean the car is unreliable?
No. A recall is a safety correction filed with NHTSA, usually repaired free of charge. It does not measure breakdowns or running costs, so use these counts together with a vehicle history report and an inspection.
Sources & methodology
Recalls and crash ratings come from the NHTSA datasets and APIs, retrieved on 2026-10-03. A record counts for this model when its make matches and its model name starts with the same words as "Pathfinder", so variants such as body styles are included. Only model years from 2000 are used, and each recall campaign is counted once per model year. The data does not say whether an individual car was repaired, so check a specific car by VIN.
NHTSA, US Department of Transportation; this page is not endorsed by NHTSA. Maintained by Artsiom Dusau. Editorial policy