NissanPathfinder2020Overview/nissan/pathfinder/2020/base/

2020 Nissan Pathfinder

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2020 Pathfinder.

Transmission Automatic (variable gear ratios)

The 2020 Nissan Pathfinder runs a 5.1‑quart, 0W‑20 oil system paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission and returns an EPA rating of 20 city/27 highway/23 combined mpg. Owner data show 50 total complaints for the model year, the engine being the most cited issue, yet no recalls have been issued. Across the full complaint record from 1990 to 2026, the 2020 total sits well below the 2005 peak of 1,050 complaints and nears the recent low of 7 in 2026, signaling a comparatively strong reliability position for this model year.

Model year202520242023202220202019201820172016

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity5.1 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 47 · 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 47 · 550 CCAOEM · verified
Tire size235/55R20 102HOEM · verified
Wheel / rim7.5 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter1520865F0E
Engine air filter16546V0100
Spark plug22401EW61C
Front wiper blades288903JA1B alt 288903JA2D
Serpentine belt117206TA0A
Thermostat13050ZA000 alt 212009HP0A
Cabin air filter272779NM0A

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 5.1 qt of 0W-20 engine oil, 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 NS-3 CVT Fluid
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity9.25 qt
Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantNissan Long Life Blue Antifreeze/Coolant
Engine Coolant Capacity10.3 qt
Engine Oil0W-20 · Synthetic
Engine Oil Capacity5.1 qt
Power Steering FluidNissan E-PSF

Engine torques

Engine Flywheel Bolts65.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug25.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs16.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts83 ft-lbs

Ignition

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

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.874 - 2.006 lbs
Oil TypeNissan Type S
Oil Capacity7.80 oz
Standard BCI Group Number47
Standard BCI Cranking Performance550 cca

Service checks

RPM51.0
Residual Pressure51.0 PSI is approximate. psi
RPM73.0

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 34.0 ft-lbs; Rear: 32.0 ft-lbs
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 107.0 ft-lbs; Rear: 62.0 ft-lbs
ABS Sensor TorqueFront: 6.0; Rear: 6.0
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 1 stages
117.0 inch lbs., Step 2: 52.0 inch lbs., Step 3: 96.0 inch lbs.17 in
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
114.0-15.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90-95°14–15 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
166.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 84-96°66 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 7,500 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 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 11,250 miKeyless Entry Remote Battery (replace)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Drive Axle Assembly (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
At 60,000 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 2020 Nissan Pathfinder sits at the low point of a generation that saw a steady decline in federal complaints, falling from a peak of 890 in 2013 to just 50 in 2020. This year represents a notable improvement over 2019, which had 73 complaints and 2 recalls, and it avoids the subsequent spike in 2022, which recorded 133 complaints and 5 recalls. Specifically, the 2020 model reported zero recalls and zero investigations, with its most frequent complaints involving the engine (8) and electrical system (4), though the data does not specify the root causes of these issues. TSBs for this year also dropped to 98, a significant decrease from the 266 recorded in 2013. Given its position as a low-complaint, zero-recall year within its generation's arc, the 2020 is a good year to buy.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
98
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
50
Owner complaints
1 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 50 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine8
Electrical System4
Unknown Or Other4
Power Train4
Service Brakes3
Engine,Fuel/Propulsion System2
Electrical System,Back Over Prevention2
Power Train,Electrical System,Unknown Or Other1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 98 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 2020 Pathfinder take?

5.1 qt of Nissan 0W-20 Synthetic, per the factory manual.

Does the 2020 Pathfinder have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 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.