Nissan Pathfinder 2016 recalls, problems, complaints and safety
NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls issued for the Nissan Pathfinder 2016 and 107 complaints filed by owners. It has 10% more complaints than the average Nissan Pathfinder from 2016–2025 (98 per year).
These are recalls issued for this model and year, not for your specific car. A car may already be repaired or may not be included. Confirm with your VIN on NHTSA.
Own or buying a Nissan Pathfinder 2016? Enter its VIN to see its exact trim and engine, and confirm on NHTSA whether its recalls were repaired.
Recalls issued for the Nissan Pathfinder 2016
Latches and locks
NHTSA campaign 22V420000 · 2022-06-13
What happens
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.
Consequence
An unsecured hood could unexpectedly open while driving, obstructing the driver's view, and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
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.
The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.
Air bags
NHTSA campaign 16V244000 · 2016-04-26
What happens
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.
Consequence
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.
Remedy
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.
The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.
Complaints from other owners
107 complaints filed with NHTSA by owners of this model.
10 with a crash · 5 injuries
Most reported problems on the Nissan Pathfinder 2016
- Engine: 27 (25% of complaints)
- Air bags: 19 (18% of complaints)
- Electrical system: 11 (10% of complaints)
- Brakes: 11 (10% of complaints)
- Powertrain and transmission: 8 (7% of complaints)
Complaints are written by owners and NHTSA doesn't verify each one. They're useful to spot trends.
What to check before buying a Nissan Pathfinder 2016
- Confirm by VIN on NHTSA that the recalls on this list were repaired.
- Start it cold, listen for noises, look for oil or coolant leaks and exhaust smoke.
- The air bag light should come on for a second at start-up and go off. Confirm by VIN that air bag recalls were done.
- Test lights, windows, locks, the screen and dashboard warning lights; have trouble codes scanned.
- Get an inspection from an independent mechanic before paying.
Safety rating (NCAP)
| Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Nissan Pathfinder SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| 2016 Nissan Pathfinder SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
Nissan Pathfinder recalls by year
- 2016 : 2 recalls · 107 complaints
- 2017 : 2 recalls · 186 complaints
- 2018 : 3 recalls · 77 complaints
- 2019 : 2 recalls · 76 complaints
- 2020 : 0 recalls · 53 complaints
- 2022 : 5 recalls · 136 complaints
- 2023 : 1 recall · 104 complaints
- 2024 : 2 recalls · 85 complaints
- 2025 : 1 recall · 54 complaints
Guides for this check
Frequently asked questions
How many recalls does the Nissan Pathfinder 2016 have?
NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls issued for the Nissan Pathfinder 2016. That doesn't mean every car has them open: confirm with the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The repair is free at the dealer.
What is the most common problem with the Nissan Pathfinder 2016?
In complaints filed with NHTSA, the most mentioned component is: engine (27 of 107 complaints). Complaints aren't verified one by one, but they show trends.
Model-level information from official NHTSA sources. Confirm by VIN on NHTSA. Not a substitute for a mechanical inspection.
Last updated: October 15, 2026. Sources: NHTSA vPIC (decoding), NHTSA Recalls, NHTSA Complaints and NHTSA NCAP (5-Star Safety Ratings).