Top 5 Problems Nissan Pathfinder SUV 3rd Generation 2005-12

In this video, we're going to talk about the top five problems on the third generation for this '08 Nissan Pathfinder.

Number one, erratic fuel gauge. The fuel gauge on this sometimes will read "empty", "half full", and you're like, "Hey, I just went to the gas station. I know it's full." You don't find a leak on the ground, well, it's an erratic gauge, and what it is, is a sender, and that is part of the fuel pump module. So you can buy the whole unit or just the sender itself, but you've got to get in there, take the whole pump out, drop the gas tank, take the pump out, and replace the sending unit just by itself, or you can replace the whole pump. I would think about the age and the mileage on the pump and do it as one unit. It also could send a code, P0460 and P0461. And it will say sending unit fuel erratic.

Number two, no crank, nothing. There's no sound. You turn the key, it does nothing. Test the battery, it's strong battery, it's got 12.5 in it. You check the starter by test light make sure that you have going down there. If you don't have power going down there, then it's not going to be the starter, it's going to be what sends it power from the ignition switch, down to the starter. So the starter relay, located in here, they'll call it the ignition switch relay, have that tested first. Check all your fuses. If you have a blown fuse, it's a total different problem. And if you have a code to do a transmission shift solenoid, it's a total different problem. You will have a no-start also. But before you replace that starter, do some deep research on your Nissan with a no-start because it's not...very rarely is at the starter. It's a combination of starter relay and something else, which will be coming up on number four.

Number three, a ticking buzzing sound coming from the engine when it's starts up. Now, I think this car has it and I think it makes it. I heard it when I started it up to drive it in. I'm hoping it makes it again for you. Nice noise, right? Well, and it chatters, like constant. And it might go away once oil pressure builds up, timing change. They have a technical service built in on them, Nissan does, and what happens is that both chains have to be changed, replaced along with the chain guides. It's a big job, you have to have proper tools, but you can further the length in life of your engine if you get it done. Don't let it go. Don't just keep driving it, because it's going to leave you stranded. Of course if you hear that engine noise, first thing you need to do is shut her down. Make sure you have the proper amount of oil in it. If you don't do regular oil changes, then you need to start with an oil change and hopefully the noise goes away. More than likely it will not. If you have that clutch chattering noise, it's done its damage and the change is stretched out, and the problem is in there. But always check your engine oil level and if it's good, it's just something that Nissan does.

Number four which I said we'll get to, no start sometimes, or transmission slippage on a highway in the city, erratic shifts, overheating, transmission codes coming up like shifter solenoids, overheating codes coming up. Check your coolant. On this particular vehicle, check it over here. I don't prefer to check it on the radiator cap because it's just a test cap. This is where the pressure is, over here also. You can take this cap open and you'll see a pink milk shake. That means the coolant has mixed in with the transmission fluid. Yeah, Nissans are notorious for it, and if you own one, you probably should know about this by now. The internal parts of the cooler in this radiator from the factory crack, and they mix with the coolant. Coolant goes into the transmission, transmission oil goes into the coolant. They're not meant to meet, but they do on this model. And you'll get a nice little pink milkshake right in there. Sometimes it causes a no start. You're stuck down the side of the road or in the parking lot, and it cranks but it won't start. That's the first thing you check or you need to look for, is if you've got a mixture of pink in [inaudible 00:04:07] fluid with the coolant.

Number five is a misfire. If your Nissan Pathfinder 4.0 starts to having little bit of shake to it, and you get an engine light code saying P0300 or P0301, P0302, right down to 6, don't replace one ignition coil. You must replace all of them at the same time. I know. You can replace one, go get rid of it, but you better do all six if you're going to keep it. They have a TSB on it if there's an upgrade on the ignition coils, so the newer ones should have the proper resistance to it. When doing the ignition coils on this V6, the passenger side is the harder of the two sides. You do not have to take this upper intake off. You can get to them with little bit of work, you get a little 10-millimeter socket, get that bolt out, disconnect the coil, and you can just kinda twist it out of it. Just be patient. It's a good idea also if you're going through all of this trouble to replace all the coils, I would just change the smart plugs at the same time. There's no need to do it twice within a 20,000-mile span.

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