NHTSA Complaints · Active Recalls · California Lemon Law Data
The NHTSA tracks consumer complaints, manufacturer recalls, and safety investigations for every vehicle sold in the United States. These publicly available records are a critical resource for California lemon law cases because they establish patterns of recurring defects.
As of June 2026, the NHTSA has logged 45 complaints against the 2024 Nissan Pathfinder. Each complaint is filed by a vehicle owner or lessee through the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline or online portal at SaferCar.gov. You can review all 2024 Nissan Pathfinder complaints directly on the NHTSA complaint database.
The 2024 Nissan Pathfinder has generated 90 NHTSA complaints and has 2 active recalls. If your 2024 Nissan Pathfinder has experienced a defect that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple visits, you may qualify for a full repurchase or replacement under California lemon law. Nissan pays all attorney fees when we prevail. You pay nothing.
Brake defects affecting safety may qualify for California’s two-repair threshold under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, which applies to defects likely to cause death or serious bodily injury. The 2024 Nissan Pathfinder has generated 12 NHTSA complaints related to braking, including ABS failures, grinding, reduced stopping power, and warning lights. Owner reports include: “I own/lease a Nissan Pathfinder that currently has approximately 27,000 miles. At approximately 19,000 miles, the dealership resurfaced the brake rotors. The service department stated only that “sometimes it happens” and did not provide a diagnosis or explanation for the premature wear. Now, at approximately 27,000 miles, the dealership has informed me that the rear brake rotors and pads must be replaced due to excessive wear. This appears to be premature brake component failure on a relatively new vehicle. The vehicle is driven primarily on highways and is not used for towing or heavy loads. The early rotor resurfacing followed by rotor and pad replacement shortly afterward raises concerns about potential premature brake system wear or a possible defect in the braking system. Because brakes are a critical safety component, I am submitting this report so the issue can be reviewed to determine whether similar premature brake wear is occurring on other vehicles of this model.” (NHTSA Complaint #11723251)
Advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) defects — including malfunctioning forward collision warnings, lane keep assist failures, and erratic automatic emergency braking — can create dangerous driving conditions. The 2024 Nissan Pathfinder has 4 NHTSA complaints for this defect type. Owner reports include: “Engine, ABS, Collison, Traction Control malfunction lights came on. I took it to the dealership and it was determined that the right wheel sensor was reading at 407 mph. After replacing the sensor, the lights came on within minutes of me leaving the dealership. The vehicle is at the dealership currently. With the recent engine replacement and returning within five days for the second issue twice is a safety risk given that the vehicle can brake at any minute while driving which can cause catatrophic danger to me and/or others. The service techs are not sure what is going on with the vehicle. No other issues occured prior to the engine replacement (October 9, 2025 – November 3, 2025 at the dealership) and now the malfunction of the sensors (November 7 – current) twice within days. Dominos effect of safety issues and defects.” (NHTSA Complaint #11698823)
Engine and cooling problems are among the most serious defects under California’s Song-Beverly Act. Owners of the 2024 Nissan Pathfinder have reported issues including stalling, overheating, loss of power, rough idling, excessive oil consumption, and check engine lights that return after dealer repairs. With 4 NHTSA complaints on record, this defect pattern is well-documented. Owner reports include: “The engine failed due to coolant infiltration, which caused catastrophic damage and required a full engine replacement. The failed engine remains at Conyers Nissan and is available for inspection upon request. When the vehicle finally started, thick white smoke poured from the exhaust while it was in my garage with the garage door raised. I immediately removed my child from the vehicle and moved it outside to avoid potential fire or toxic fume exposure. The sudden failure created a serious safety risk to both myself and my child. . After failed multiple phone check-ins then finally going to Conyers Nissan, the shop foreman confirmed the problem on October 13, 2025, and determined that the engine must be replaced. To my knowledge, the vehicle has not yet been inspected by Nissan Corporate, insurance representatives, or law enforcement. There were no dashboard warning lamps, error messages, or prior symptoms before the failure. The vehicle had been operating normally until October 9, 2025, when it suddenly became difficult to start and then emitted smoke. All maintenance has been completed according to Nissan guidelines. The incident occurred on October 9, 2025, when the vehicle had 35,855 miles. It has remained at the dealership since that date. Despite the proposed engine replacement and any other associated component, I no longer feel safe operating this vehicle, particularly with my child onboard, due to the severity and suddenness of the failure. I sent an email to Nissan Consumer Affairs (case# 55923865) requesting that Nissan repurchase the vehicle due to this serious safety concern. The dealership stated they cannot give me an inspection report until the repairs are done. However on the status link that is sent via text to check on the vehicle, the inspection shows complete.” (NHTSA Complaint #11696996)
Powertrain and transmission defects directly impair the vehicle’s core function and are generally considered substantial defects under California lemon law. Owners of the 2024 Nissan Pathfinder have reported harsh shifting, shuddering, slipping, and transmission warning lights. 4 NHTSA complaints have been submitted for this defect category. Owner reports include: “5x my Suv in drive popped either out of gear or just would not shift into the next gear. My main concern is i was coming up a hill into a 4 land highway (route 6 and my car would not shift the transmission was whining loud?. I had to shut my car off in the middle of 4 lanes with oncoming traffic to put it in park to get it to shift back into drive to get out of harms way. This happened 4 more times where I had to just stop where i was to put car in park and try it again in drive, which usually fixes it except for 1x would not take off at all. When whines its almost as if the car transmission would blow. No one can recreate this issue so i am stuck with the car that does it randomly. Example bought it new Feb 2025 it is now August & happened 5 times. Hoping they do a recall or sometype of fix I do like my Suv & would like to keep it.” (NHTSA Complaint #11678550)
Powertrain and transmission defects directly impair the vehicle’s core function and are generally considered substantial defects under California lemon law. Owners of the 2024 Nissan Pathfinder have reported harsh shifting, shuddering, slipping, and transmission warning lights. 4 NHTSA complaints have been submitted for this defect category. Owner reports include: “While driving at highway speeds, when attempting to accelerate when passing another vehicle or changing lanes, the vehicle has lost acceleration on more than 1 occasion. I could not accelerate even with the gas pedal all the way down. The car just rolled slowly for about 10 seconds before it began accelerating and jerked forward. Nissan not providing a solution because they “cannot duplicate the issue”” (NHTSA Complaint #11674856)
The following 2 recalls have been issued for the 2024 Nissan Pathfinder by the NHTSA or Nissan. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: An air bag that deploys improperly may not protect the driver as intended during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front driver’s air bag assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan’s numbers for this recall are PD103, PD104, and PMA34.
Component: SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: An unsecured lap belt pretensioner will not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the left-side front lap seat belt pretensioner assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 18, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Owners may contact Infiniti customer service at 1-800-662-6
California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2024 Nissan Pathfinder:
Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Nissan to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Nissan must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.
If your 2024 Nissan Pathfinder qualifies as a lemon under California law, Nissan may be legally required to:
Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.
Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Nissan a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Nissan dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.
Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Nissan pays your fees if you win.
Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Nissan a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.
Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Nissan is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.
Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.
California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.
If your 2024 Nissan Pathfinder has a recurring defect, California’s Lemon Law may entitle you to a full refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement — at no cost to you.
Our attorneys answer the questions we hear most from California vehicle owners — fully updated for 2026.
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