2003 NISSAN PATHFINDER Problems
Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2003 Nissan Pathfinder. This model year has 110 NHTSA complaints — top issue: Engine Problems.
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This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about the specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer rollbacks, and open recalls.
Worst 2003 Nissan Pathfinder Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Engine Problems
Suspension Failures
Steering Defects
Considering a 2003 Nissan Pathfinder?
This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about this specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2003 Nissan Pathfinder. A single complaint may appear in multiple categories.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine Problems | 31 | — | — | — | |
| Suspension Failures | 21 | 1 | — | — | |
| Steering Defects | 14 | 2 | 1 | — | |
| Airbag Malfunctions | 14 | 5 | — | — | |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 13 | — | — | — | |
| Brake System | 13 | 2 | 1 | — | |
| Structural Problems | 12 | — | — | — | |
| Hydraulic | 9 | 2 | 1 | — | |
| Uncategorized Issues | 6 | 2 | — | — | |
| Fuel System | 6 | — | — | — | |
| Gasoline | 5 | — | — | — | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | |
| Electrical Faults | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Tire Issues | 3 | 1 | — | — | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Other | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Wheel Issues | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | — | — | — |
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Complaint counts may exceed total complaints because one report can span multiple categories.
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2003 Nissan Pathfinder. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Showing 110 most recent complaints
Buying a used vehicle checking on issues
Unknown . The steering column broke
This vehicle no longer meets the EPA TiER 3 standards That are needed to be on the road . I as the customer am not ok with this and because of this reason I’d like the entire vehicle to completely recalled . As it is not any longer fit to be on roads . The fact is that this …
The contact owns a 2003 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated there was corrosion on the passenger’s side front struts. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who declined the repair under Manufacturer Campaign ID: R1107 with NHTSA Ca…
The gas gauge stopped working a few months ago. Had an appointment to have the fuel sensor replaced. The fuel sensor is fine. The mechanic said it was most likely the gauge. In researching over the past several months, this appears to be a huge problem with the 2003 Pathfinder. T…
FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY -- THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE FOR 2 YEARS NOW. WHEN I FILL IT UP, IT SHOWS AS FULL, BUT WILL NEVER GO LOWER THAN JUST OVER 1/2 TANK OF GAS. I HAVE TO RESET AND WATCH MY MILEAGE EVERY TIME I FILL UP THE TANK, AND MAKE SURE I REFILL IT EVERY 225 MILE…
FUEL GAUGE INDICATED FUEL TANK WAS AT LEAST HALF FULL. VEHICLE DID NOT START BECAUSE IT WAS OUT OF FUEL. MECHANIC REPLACED MANY THINGS UNTIL IT WAS DISCOVERED CAR WAS OUT OF FUEL. COST ME CLOSE TO $1,000. CAR COULD HAVE RUN OUT OF FUEL ON A HIGHWAY WHILE IN THE FAST LANE. MA…
NISSAN IS CLAIMING THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V244000 WAS ALREADY ADDRESSED ON MY VEHICLE. I TOOK MY CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL YEARS AGO FOR A RECALL BUT THEY NEVER FIXED THIS RECALL BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO BUSY. WHEN I CALL NISSAN RIGHT NOW THEY ARE CLAIMING IT WAS FIXED …
FUEL GAUGE IS NOT READING CORRECTLY REPEATEDLY HAVE TO TOP OFF MY TANK THAT COSTS ME MORE MONEY THAN IT SHOULD TO GET BACK AND FORTH TO WORK BECAUSE I RAN OUT OF GAS AND IT COSTED ME $200 TO FIGURE OUT THAT I NEED SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THE GAS GAUGE THERE'S SO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOU…
MY NISSAN PATHFINDERS AIR BAG DASH LIGHT IS FLASHING. I HAVE HAD IT RESET AND IT STARTS FLASHING AGAIN AFTER A FEW HOURS OF OPERATION.
WE WERE DRIVING OUR PATHFINDER HOME IN THE WINTER THE ECSESSIVE AMOUNT OF SALT ON THE ROAD CAUSED OUR MAIN WATER FLOW TO CORRODE AND STALL THE ENGINE AND CAUSED THE RADIATORS THERMOSTAT TO BREAK AND THE CAR OVERHEATED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH MUFFLERS WERE RUSTED OUT. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE, THE REAR MUFFLER AND REAR TAIL PIPE WERE DETACHED DUE TO THE RUST. IN ADDITION, FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE T…
AT SPEEDS OVER 50 MPH THE CAR BEGINS TO WOBBLE, HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM INVOLING FAULTY TRAILING ARM BUSHING/ REAR ARM BUSHING AND BEARING NEED TO BE REPLACED CAUSING WHAT IS COOMMONLY KNOWN AS THE DEATH WOBBLE. BUT LETS UP WHEN YOU LET UP OFF THE GAS? TO ME THIS …
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACT CALLED TO INQUIRE ABOUT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V244000 (STEERING, SUSPENSION). THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD THE RECALL REPAIRED AT MARTIN NISSAN (5240 GOLF RD, SKOKIE, IL 60077, (866) 800-1100) AND THEY STATED THAT THE RECALL…
I WAS SENT TO POST CARDS AT DIFFERENT TIMES TO FIX THE RECALL ONE WAS AFTER THANKSGIVING ABOUT THE 28TH OF NOVEMBER 2018 I WENT OUT THERE THEY FAILED TO FIX THE PROBLEM THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PARTS OR THE MECHANIC WASN'T AVAILABLE SO THEY SENT ANOTHER POSTCARD SAYING CALL BACK THE …
2003 NISSAN PATHFINDER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO AIRBAG RECALL. *AS THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION PERTAINING TO THE AIRBAG RECALL, BUT WAS INFORMED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED AN INVESTIGATION TO CONFIRM WHETHER NOT THE VIN WAS IN…
RECENTLY DISCOVERED A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT FREQUENTLY SHOWS ITSELF WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS (OVER 45) AND ONE HITS A BUMP OR SMALL POT HOLE THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DEVELOPS AN EXTREME WOBBLE MAKING IT VERY HARD TO CONTROL. I SUDDENLY WAS IN AN ADJACENT LANE AND WAS ALMOST HIT.…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN PATHFINDER. WHILE DRIVING OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STRUTS WERE RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DE…
WHILE DRIVING 2003 NISSAN PATHFINDER I HIT POTHOLE ON A CITY STREET, HEARD LOUD BANG, SHORTLY AFTER COMPLETELY LOST ALL BRAKING ABILITIES, UPON BRINGING MY VEHICLE HOME AND EXAMINING I NOTICE THE RIGHT FRONT STRUT HOUSING HAD SEPARATED FROM FRAME SNAPPING THE BRAKE LINE ON THE RI…
"TAKATA RECALL' THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT COURT FLORIDA OF UNITED STATES INFORMED ME THAT MY TRUCK HAD A SAFETY RECALL. I WAS ALSO TOLD BY NISSAN DEALERSHIP TO BRING MY TRUCK FOR REPAIR. IN DECEMBER 06, 2017, I WENT TO THE DEALER GOT IT FIX AFTER A LONG 9 HRES WAIT.
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Real owner reports for the 2003 Nissan Pathfinder.
Recalls for 2003 Nissan Pathfinder
7 campaignsNHTSA recall campaigns for the 2003 Nissan Pathfinder. Recalls are free to fix at any authorized dealer. Run a VIN check below to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
2003 Nissan Pathfinder — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2003 Nissan Pathfinder reliable?▾
Severe Issues. The 2003 Nissan Pathfinder has 110 NHTSA owner complaints, 11 crash-related, and 7 recall campaigns. The most reported issue is Engine Problems (31 complaints). Source: NHTSA via VinSpector AI.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Nissan Pathfinder?▾
#1: Engine Problems (31 complaints). #2: Suspension Failures (21 complaints). #3: Steering Defects (14 complaints)
At what mileage do problems start on the 2003 Nissan Pathfinder?▾
Mileage data is not available or insufficient for this model year.
How safe is the 2003 Nissan Pathfinder?▾
The 2003 Nissan Pathfinder has 11 crash-related complaints and 1 fire reports out of 110 total NHTSA complaints. 5 injuries were reported. For NCAP lab crash test star ratings, visit nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Does the 2003 Nissan Pathfinder have any recalls?▾
Yes — 7 NHTSA recall campaigns affect the 2003 Nissan Pathfinder. The largest issue: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
Should I buy a 2003 Nissan Pathfinder?▾
The 2003 Nissan Pathfinder has severe issues — review the top problems before buying. Pay particular attention to Engine Problems issues. Always run a VIN check on the specific car you're considering to check for accident history, open recalls, and title brands.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinSpector AI.
Wider context: See the full Nissan Pathfinder reliability report with year-by-year comparison.
Check Your Specific 2003 Nissan Pathfinder
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99.