2010 Nissan Pathfinder Reliability
The 2010 Nissan Pathfinder has 40 owner complaints and 5 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about air bags and powertrain / transmission. Compared with other Pathfinder model years, it rates as a solid year: complaints are in line with the Pathfinder's typical year, while the 2008 drew 328 complaints.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
40
NHTSA owner complaints
5
Recall campaigns
2
Complaints citing a crash
0
Complaints citing a fire
2010 Nissan Pathfinder complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2010 model year, filed between 2010 and 2025. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 11 | 28% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 11 | 28% |
| Engine | 6 | 15% |
| Unknown or other | 5 | 13% |
| Steering | 5 | 13% |
| Suspension | 4 | 10% |
| Speed control / throttle | 4 | 10% |
| Fuel / propulsion system | 3 | 8% |
2010 Nissan Pathfinder recalls
5 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2010 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10V115000 | Mar 24, 2010 | Steering — gear box / shaft sector | Nissan has notified NHTSA of a defect in certain model year 2010 frontier, Pathfinder, and xterra vehicles manufactured from February 22, 2010 to March 13, 2010. On some of the potentially affected vehicles, the fasteners securing the passenger front air bag… |
| 10V208000 | May 14, 2010 | Suspension — front / control arm / lower arm | Nissan is recalling certain model year 2010 titan, armada, qx56, frontier, xterra, and Pathfinder vehicles manufactured from November 19, 2009 through March 3, 2010. The lower control link assembly has two cylindrical collars forming the inboard attachment… |
| 10E019000 | May 20, 2010 | Suspension — front / control arm / lower arm | Nissan is recalling certain front and rear lower links, p/nos. 54501zq00a, 54500zq00a, 551a1zq00a, 551a0zq00a , 54501ea00a, 54500ea00a, 551a1ea500, 551a0ea500, 54501zr00a, and 54500zr00a, sold between November 25, 2009 and May 14, 2010 as replacement parts… |
| 10V401000 | Sep 10, 2010 | Equipment — electrical / navigational system(global positioning system) | Nissan is recalling certain vehicles that were equipped with a garmin nuvi model 750 navigation system. The batteries contained in the affected gps units can overheat. |
| 23V067000 | Feb 10, 2023 | Air bags — frontal | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2008-2011 Titan, Frontier, Xterra, Pathfinder, Armada, and 2008-2009 Quest vehicles. The resin emblem on the driver's air bag cover may develop cracks and detach during air bag deployment. |
How the 2010 compares with nearby Pathfinder years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year Pathfinder analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 328 | 5 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2009 | 37 | 4 | Air bags | Solid |
| 2010 (this page) | 40 | 5 | Air bags | Solid |
| 2011 | 45 | 2 | Air bags | Better year |
| 2012 | 23 | 2 | Suspension | Better year |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2010 Nissan Pathfinder
- Air bags: make sure the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and that any air bag recall was completed on this VIN.
- Transmission: test-drive from cold through every gear, feel for slipping, harsh or delayed shifts and shudder, and ask whether the fluid has been serviced.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Steering: check for a steering warning light, heavy or notchy steering and clunks over bumps; power-steering faults show up at low speed.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 5 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2010 Nissan Pathfinder can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2010 Nissan Pathfinder reliability FAQ
Is the 2010 Nissan Pathfinder reliable?
The 2010 Nissan Pathfinder has 40 owner complaints and 5 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about air bags and powertrain / transmission. Compared with other Pathfinder model years, it rates as a solid year: complaints are in line with the Pathfinder's typical year, while the 2008 drew 328 complaints.
What are the most common 2010 Nissan Pathfinder problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2010 Nissan Pathfinder are air bags (11), powertrain / transmission (11), engine (6), unknown or other (5). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2010 Nissan Pathfinder have recalls?
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2010 Nissan Pathfinder, including 10V115000 (steering — gear box / shaft sector) and 10V208000 (suspension — front / control arm / lower arm). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2010 Nissan Pathfinder compare with the 2009 and 2011 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2009 has 37 complaints and 4 recalls (solid); the 2011 has 45 complaints and 2 recalls (better year). The 2010 has 40 complaints and 5 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2010 Nissan Pathfinder?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Nissan Pathfinder research
Other Nissan Pathfinder model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2010 Pathfinder, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.