Showing the 2023 Pathfinder S. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
21–23 mpgcombined; city 20–21, highway 23–27; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$14,120–$19,160U.S. average; Ohio $12,620–$18,060 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2023 Pathfinder. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 104 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Pathfinder. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Unknown or other
28
2
0
0
Electrical system
23
1
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
21
0
0
0
Service brakes
20
0
0
0
Engine
15
0
0
0
Power train
13
1
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
8
1
0
1
Back over prevention
6
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
6
0
0
0
Lane departure
3
0
0
0
Seats
3
1
0
0
Vehicle speed control
3
0
0
0
6 more parts
Air bags
2
1
0
1
Fuel system, gasoline
2
0
0
0
Seat belts
2
0
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
1
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
1
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2023 Pathfinder over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2023 Rogue, Pathfinder, and Infiniti QX60 vehicles. The driver's powered seat may not be fully secured to the seat frame, causing the seat frame welds to detach from the rear inboard seat bracket.
Risk: An unsecured seat with broken welds may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the driver's seat rail clearance, and if necessary, replace the driver's seat cushion frame, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed June 10, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PC966, PC967.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 87 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2023 Pathfinder, the latest on May 1, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (42), equipment (15), structure (14), power train (7), visibility (6).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2023 Pathfinder.
See used 2023 Nissan Pathfinders for sale on: Autotrader · CarMax
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: small sport utility vehicle. EPA greenhouse gas score: 4–5 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Pathfinder Front-Wheel Drive
3.5 L, 6 cyl
Automatic (S9)
Regular Gasoline
20 / 27 / 23
Pathfinder 4-Wheel Drive
3.5 L, 6 cyl
Automatic (S9)
Regular Gasoline
21 / 27 / 23
Pathfinder Rock Creek 4-Wheel Drive
3.5 L, 6 cyl
Automatic (S9)
Premium Gasoline
20 / 23 / 21
Pathfinder SL/Platinum 4-Wheel Drive
3.5 L, 6 cyl
Automatic (S9)
Regular Gasoline
20 / 25 / 22
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data