# 2004 Pathfinder SE mystery oil leak



## Shankton (Mar 13, 2008)

Hey all, I've taken my 04 SE 4x4 to a couple different places, dealer is a last resort. I have motor oil on my driveway under the middle of the vehicle, passenger side, where it is always parked on an upwards incline. Oil can be seen dripping from part of the suspension, and the frame is wet about where the front seats start.

I think it's safe to assume that the oil is running down the frame while the car is parked nose up. What is odd, is nobody can find the leak. I bought the vehicle at Carmax, so I took it back there. They saw the wet frame, and noted, of course, that there is no source of motor oil that far away from the engine.

They said everything under the hood looks dry, pan and filter were clean. No idea what is going on. 

Has anyone experienced this? It's the 3.5 motor, with about 95,000 miles on it. I haven't had problem one with her until now. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

As an aside, I am down about a half quart every two weeks or so, so unless I'm burning it, it has to be motor oil.


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## supraholic (Nov 21, 2005)

Are you sure it is the engine oil, not the automatic transmission oil? have you checked the transmission oil level at all? I have similar leak in my 2001 PF.. same engine and transmission to 2003. My leak is automatic transmission fluid.. Look under the car around where the rear seat on the driver side.. there is a metal shield covering bunch of wire connections.. see if that area is also wet of oil.. if so, then the chances are, on of the wiring looms from top of the tranny is wicking oil from the transmission to the driver side bottom of the car.. if so, this is expensive to fix.. $2500 by dealer.. or you can keep adding trans fluid.. let us know what you find..


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## prematureapex (May 31, 2008)

supraholic said:


> Are you sure it is the engine oil, not the automatic transmission oil? have you checked the transmission oil level at all? I have similar leak in my 2001 PF.. same engine and transmission to 2003. My leak is automatic transmission fluid.. Look under the car around where the rear seat on the driver side.. there is a metal shield covering bunch of wire connections.. see if that area is also wet of oil.. if so, then the chances are, on of the wiring looms from top of the tranny is wicking oil from the transmission to the driver side bottom of the car.. if so, this is expensive to fix.. $2500 by dealer.. or you can keep adding trans fluid.. let us know what you find..


Exact same leak. Any idea what the problem was? Which seal?


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## supraholic (Nov 21, 2005)

I found in other forums people talking about the turbine revolution sensor on top of the tranny towards the front is leaking oil internally. Then the oil just flow through the wiring loom and come out where the connector is towards the back. When I spoke to the dealer, the part guy said, there is no turbine revolution sensor towards the front of the tranny, on top. He said there is one on the back of teh tranny. But, in my 2001 PF factory service manual, it shows there is a turbine revolution sensor towards the front of the tranny, on top. 
Dealer wanted to replace all the wiring around that area, and charge me $2500. hum.. 

seems there are lots of people having same issue. Nissan should do something about this design flaw..


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## K03Sport (Jun 1, 2008)

*Glow in the dark dye*

Have you thought about buying one of the dye kits where you add a dye that will glow under a blacklight...adding this dye to your trans fluid or even oil can help you isolate where the leak is coming from and tell you which fluid you are seeing.

You'll still need a lift and a very dark room to see the leak as you aim the blacklight to the underside of your rig. I've seen this done on several of those "weekend" automotive shows as a DIY project.

:newbie: here, but not on other automotive forums...


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## prematureapex (May 31, 2008)

supraholic said:


> I found in other forums people talking about the turbine revolution sensor on top of the tranny towards the front is leaking oil internally. Then the oil just flow through the wiring loom and come out where the connector is towards the back. When I spoke to the dealer, the part guy said, there is no turbine revolution sensor towards the front of the tranny, on top. He said there is one on the back of teh tranny. But, in my 2001 PF factory service manual, it shows there is a turbine revolution sensor towards the front of the tranny, on top.
> Dealer wanted to replace all the wiring around that area, and charge me $2500. hum..
> 
> seems there are lots of people having same issue. Nissan should do something about this design flaw..


Do you know which sensor that is under the skidplate under the passenger seat?

The leak is coming through the plug which is the FARTHEST rearward. Its the small brown connector.

Just need to determine which sensor that is so I can purchase it..


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## prematureapex (May 31, 2008)

K03Sport said:


> Have you thought about buying one of the dye kits where you add a dye that will glow under a blacklight...adding this dye to your trans fluid or even oil can help you isolate where the leak is coming from and tell you which fluid you are seeing.
> 
> You'll still need a lift and a very dark room to see the leak as you aim the blacklight to the underside of your rig. I've seen this done on several of those "weekend" automotive shows as a DIY project.
> 
> :newbie: here, but not on other automotive forums...


The fluid is red, its trans fluid. Specifically, its leaking fluid through the sensor, literally through it, which is then running down the loom and leaking out of the sensor's connector. There is no visible leak besides at the connector end.


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## prematureapex (May 31, 2008)

This is on an 04 BTW, so not sure what's the same.

Thanks...

John


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## pathfinderbuddy (Apr 16, 2008)

It's seems Carmax should have found the problem. They're not looking hard enough. I've recently found a oil leak on my 2001 Pathfinder 3.5 R50 model from 2000-2004 years. Mine started 84k. It's seems this engine has a Oil Cooler leak problem starts around 70k-100k and the leak starts like clock work. Basically the Oil Cooler seal needs be replaced and that's a $20 US dollar part. 

Here is thread with photos that might help: 

http://www.nissanforums.com/pathfinder/142468-2001-pathfinder-odd-oil-leak-pics.html


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## supraholic (Nov 21, 2005)

prematureapex said:


> Do you know which sensor that is under the skidplate under the passenger seat?
> The leak is coming through the plug which is the FARTHEST rearward. Its the small brown connector.
> Just need to determine which sensor that is so I can purchase it..


Did more troubleshooting.. Mine too is the brown connector located farthest rearward. I slip this connector into a water bottle and zip tied in place and cleaned up bottom of vehicle with brake cleaner... Drove around for a day and checked.. the bottle is half full of red tranny fluid!! nowhere else was wet anymore.. That connector is from the Turbine Revolution Sensor located on top of tranny on the driver side front. The rear revolution sensor is good. 

I disconnected the rear engine/tranny mount and lowered rear of the tranny as much as I can to get to the Turbine revolution sensor. There is still not enough clearance to pull the sensor out, the vehicle body is on the way.. This means, the tranny must be dropped to get to the sensor (or drill hole in floor pan to pull sesor out). Thats where I stopped..


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## fullobull (Feb 17, 2009)

*Make sure you tranny fluid is not overfilled*

I was having the same symptons, leaking through the back plug, etc. Luckily it turned out that the wife had recently had an oil change and they overfilled the tranny fluid "topping it off". Anyway, I was glad to find out if was just the overflow valve on top that was seeping into the rev sensor tubing. 
Working fine.


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