Which is cheaper to maintain, the Nissan Pathfinder or the Nissan Pathfinder?

Based on 5-year routine maintenance labor at a $150/hr indie shop rate, the Nissan Pathfinder is cheaper to maintain — about $6,018 less over 60,000 miles. Parts cost is not included.

What's the labor difference between the 3.5L V6 VQ35DE and the 3.5L V6 VQ35DE?

Across 32 common maintenance jobs, hours vary by drivetrain and engine layout. See the side-by-side table on this page for each job's labor hours and estimated cost.

Are there any active recalls on the Nissan Pathfinder or Nissan Pathfinder?

The Nissan Pathfinder has 7 open NHTSA recalls. The Nissan Pathfinder has 5 open recalls. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer.

2004 Nissan Pathfinder vs 2022 Nissan Pathfinder

Specifications

Year

2004

2022

Engine

3.5L V6 VQ35DE

Drivetrain

AWD

Transmission

automatic

Fuel

gas

Cost of Ownership

5-Year Maintenance

$14,156

0.24 $/mi

★ WINNER

5-Year Maintenance

$8,138

0.14 $/mi

🏆

ADVANTAGENissan Pathfinder — Saves you $6,018 over 5 years (43% less in routine maintenance labor)

Routine maintenance only. Cost = labor hours × $150/hr × estimated 5-yr frequency. Parts cost not included.

Maintenance Breakdown

Hours per common service. Lower is faster (and cheaper) at the shop.

RE5R05A Transmission Failure (Cooler Contamination & Internal Damage)

— hrs$2,925 / 5yr

— hrs

Oil & filter change

0.3 hrs$1,020 / 5yr

0.4 hrs$1,200 / 5yr

VQ35DE Oil Consumption & Rod/Main Bearing Failure

— hrs$1,925 / 5yr

— hrs

Tire rotation

0.5 hrs$600 / 5yr

Differential fluid

1.5 hrs$530 / 5yr

Rear brake pads

1.0 hrs$440 / 5yr

Front brake pads

1.0 hrs$460 / 5yr

0.8 hrs$400 / 5yr

Exhaust Manifold / Catalytic Converter Failure

— hrs$845 / 5yr

— hrs

Timing Chain Guides & Tensioner Wear

— hrs$805 / 5yr

— hrs

Premature VQ35DE Engine Wear (Piston Ring / Bearing Concerns)

— hrs

— hrs$800 / 5yr

Spark plugs

1.5 hrs$305 / 5yr

Front Lower Control Arm Bushings

— hrs$520 / 5yr

— hrs

12V battery

0.3 hrs$245 / 5yr

0.4 hrs$260 / 5yr

Intake manifold gasket

5.5 hrs$275 / 5yr

4.5 hrs$230 / 5yr

Wiper blades

0.2 hrs$240 / 5yr

Brake fluid flush

0.8 hrs$270 / 5yr

0.5 hrs$180 / 5yr

Water pump

3.5 hrs$226 / 5yr

3.2 hrs$210 / 5yr

Cabin air filter

0.3 hrs$210 / 5yr

Fuel filter

0.5 hrs$210 / 5yr

0.3 hrs$150 / 5yr

Valve cover gasket

2.5 hrs$174 / 5yr

ZF 9HP50 Transmission Harsh Shifting & Oil Cooler Leaks

— hrs

— hrs$341 / 5yr

Coolant flush

0.8 hrs$170 / 5yr

0.7 hrs$155 / 5yr

Oil pan gasket

3.5 hrs$144 / 5yr

Steering Column Upper Shaft Bearing Wear (Recall-Related)

— hrs$245 / 5yr

— hrs

Engine air filter

0.2 hrs$120 / 5yr

Alternator

1.2 hrs$120 / 5yr

Serpentine belt

0.5 hrs$110 / 5yr

Power steering flush

0.5 hrs$95 / 5yr

Starter motor

1.5 hrs$85 / 5yr

1.8 hrs$94 / 5yr

PCV valve

0.3 hrs$65 / 5yr

0.5 hrs$95 / 5yr

Transmission Mount Deterioration

— hrs

— hrs$158 / 5yr

Thermostat

1.2 hrs$77 / 5yr

Active Recalls

Open NHTSA Recalls

7 open

★ WINNER

Open NHTSA Recalls

5 open

🏆

ADVANTAGENissan Pathfinder — 2 fewer open recalls from the NHTSA

Fluid Capacities

Nissan Pathfinder

ac_refrigerant · R-134a

brake0.75 qt · FMVSS 116 DOT 3

coolant11.25 qt · Nissan L248 or equivalent

engine_oil4.13 qt · API SJ or higher

front_diff1.38 qt · API GL-5

power_steering1.00 qt · Dexron III/Mercon compatible

rear_diff2.75 qt · API GL-5

transfer_case2.13 qt · API GL-5

transmission_auto10.75 qt · Matic D

washer1.50 qt · Windshield washer fluid

Nissan Pathfinder

ac_refrigerant · R-1234yf

brake0.90 qt · FMVSS 116 DOT 3

coolant10.60 qt · Nissan L255N Type 2

engine_oil5.40 qt · API SP / ILSAC GF-6A

front_diff1.40 qt · API GL-5

power_steering · none — electric power steering

rear_diff1.50 qt · API GL-5

transfer_case0.90 qt · API GL-5

transmission_auto19.50 qt · Nissan NS-3

washer1.30 qt · Windshield washer fluid (all-season)

The Verdict

🏆

THE WINNER

2022 Nissan Pathfinder

3.5L V6 VQ35DE

Nissan Pathfinder is cheaper to maintain (saves ~$6,018 over 5 years)
Nissan Pathfinder has 2 fewer open NHTSA recalls

Based on objective maintenance and recall data. Driving feel, looks, brand loyalty, and ownership experience are separate (and very valid) considerations.

Open the full dashboard for either truck

Labor times, torque specs, fluid capacities, DTC codes, repair procedures, recalls, common platform problems.