NissanPathfinder2018Overview/nissan/pathfinder/2018/base/

2018 Nissan Pathfinder

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2018 Pathfinder.

Body SUVTransmission Automatic (variable gear ratios)

The 2018 Nissan Pathfinder is an SUV with an automatic transmission using variable gear ratios and an engine that takes 5.0 quarts of 0W-20 oil, carrying EPA ratings of 20/27/23 mpg. Across the Pathfinder’s 1990–2026 complaint history, the 2018 model sits near the lower end with 76 owner complaints and 3 recalls—far below the 2005 model’s 1,050 complaints and well above the 2026 model’s 7. Engine issues represent the top complaint area for this year, so the powertrain should be the main focus for any reliability assessment.

Model year202520242023202220202019201820172016

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20OEM · verified
Lug nut torque83 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy20/27/23 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 35 · 550 CCA battery, OE oil filter 1520865F0E. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 35 · 550 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP235/65R18OEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter1520865F0E
Engine air filter16546V0100
Spark plug22401EW61C
Front wiper blades288903JA2D alt 288903JA1B
Serpentine belt117206TA0A
Thermostat13050ZA000 alt 212009HP0A
Cabin air filter272779NM0A alt 272773JC1C

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (variable gear ratios)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length198.4 in
Overall width77.2 in
Overall height70.1 in
Wheelbase114.2 in
Curb weight4275 lb
Track (front / rear)65.7 / 65.7 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)54/46

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined20 / 27 / 23 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Pathfinder of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.2–8.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.20 sec — 2013 Platinum
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2017Platinum 3.5L V67.40 sec15.70 sec284 hpAWD
2017SV 3.5L V67.40 sec15.70 sec284 hpAWD
2016Platinum 3.5L V67.50 sec15.90 sec260 hpAWD
2014Hybrid Platinum 2.5L Supercharger I-4 + Elec7.60 sec16.10 sec250 hpAWD
2013Platinum 3.5L V67.20 sec15.60 sec260 hpAWD
2013Platinum 3.5L V67.50 sec15.70 sec260 hpAWD
2013Platinum 3.5L V68.40 sec16.50 sec260 hpAWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.0 qt of 0W-20 engine oil, Synthetic · 75W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 83 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 25.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidNissan CVT fluid NS-3
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity9.3
Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear OilSynthetic · 75W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity1.0 qt
Engine CoolantUse Nissan long life coolant
Engine Coolant Capacity10.3
Engine Oil0W-20

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)5.1 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)5.1 ft-lbs
Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s)76.0 ft-lbs
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor Bolt(s)18.0 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)25.0 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts65.0 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts23 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug25.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts83 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub135.0
Rear Wheel Hub92.0

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)650 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (Secondary Under Load)650 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (Secondary Under Load)50 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerNissan
Spark Plug Gap.043 in
Spark Plug Torque14 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity8.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance550 cca

Service checks

RPM73.0
Engine Compression142

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 34; Rear: 32
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 107; Rear: 62
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness after RefinishFront: 1.024; Rear: .551
Variation from Parallelism Thickness VariationFront: .0003; Rear: .0008
Maximum Rotor RunoutFront: .0016; Rear: .002
Maximum Drum DiameterParking Brake: 7.520

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs — tightening sequence 5 stages
1Bolts 7-1017 in
2Bolts 1-6104 in
3All bolts52 in
4Bolts 1-680–104 in
5Bolts 7-1074–91 in
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 2 stages
114.0-15.0 ft. lbs.14–15 ft. lbs
290.0-95.0
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
132.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 84 degrees-9032 ft. lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

Prep Lower: Step 1: 5.2 ft. lbs.

219.0 ft. lbs.; Upper Bolts: 8.019 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 2 stages
126.0 ft. lbs.26 ft. lbs
290.0
Engine Valve Cover Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
11.5 ft. lbs., Step 2: 6.01.5 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs at 105,000 mi; coolant at 105,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 105,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 10,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Transmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
Every 15,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace) · Keyless Entry Remote Battery (replace)
Every 20,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Drive Axle Assembly (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Steering Gear Box Assembly (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace)
At 40,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
At 105,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 180,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2018 Nissan Pathfinder sits within a generation that saw complaint numbers peak at 890 in 2013 and 573 in 2014 before falling steadily through the mid‑2010s. After a brief rise to 183 complaints in 2017, the 2018 model year recorded 76 complaints, continuing the downward trend and placing it below the 2017 level but above the low of 105 complaints in 2016. Recall activity followed a similar pattern, dropping from 11 recalls in both 2013 and 2014 to 3 recalls in 2018, which is higher than the 2 recalls in 2016‑2017 yet lower than the 6 recalls in 2015. Investigations were absent in 2018, matching the 2016‑2017 and 2019‑2020 period, while technical service bulletins decreased from 225 in 2017 to 184 in 2018. Taken together, the declining complaint and recall counts suggest the 2018 Pathfinder is a comparatively reliable choice among used models of this generation, though prospective buyers should still verify individual service history.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
184
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
76
Owner complaints
3 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 76 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine5
Service Brakes5
Back Over Prevention4
Power Train4
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)4
Unknown Or Other4
Electrical System3
Air Bags3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

19V807000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited SlipReported 08/11/2019

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2018 Nissan Murano, 2016-2018 Nissan Maxima, and 2017-2019 Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 vehicles. These vehicles were previously recalled and… Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ABS actuator, free of charge. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available, currently expected to…

18V601000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited SlipReported 07/09/2018

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Nissan Murano, 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2017-2018 Nissan Pathfinder, and 2017 Infiniti QX60 vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake (ABS) actuator pumps may allow… Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the serial number on the ABS actuator, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 29, 2018. Owners may…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 184 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
ITB09-063C2026-04-13StructureCERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision…
NTB09-131C2026-04-13StructureCERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision…
NTB09-131C2026-04-13StructureCERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision…
NTB15-049CC2026-03-30Electrical SystemTELEMATICS SERVICE INFORMATION HINT: This bulletin applies to vehicles equipped with a 4G…
NTB19-033G2025-02-20Forward Collision AvoidanceINTELLIGENT CRUISE CONTROL INOPERATIVE AND AEB/FEB WARNING LIGHT ON OR RADAR OBSTRUCTION…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Pathfinder. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2018 Pathfinder take?

5.0 qt of 0W-20 STARBURST, per the factory manual.

Does the 2018 Pathfinder have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Pathfinder get?

EPA figures are 20 city / 27 highway / 23 combined mpg.