# 2005 Pathfinder vibration



## superwrench (Dec 12, 2011)

My 2005 Pathfinder has a intermitten vibration or rumble when letting of the gas and coasting around 40 mph. The driveshaft u-joints seem ok. Any ideas ? thanks !


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

Are your tire balanced
Have tires and wheels checked for run out.


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## superwrench (Dec 12, 2011)

Ian Thanks Tires and wheels are fine It is in trans. or drive line and doesn't do it all the time Bob


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

Mines a 2003 so series before yours so cant help much...


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## superwrench (Dec 12, 2011)

Found the problem ! ! 2005 Pathfinders and Xterra's radiators are cracking and the antifreeze is mixing with the trans. fluid and causing all kinds of trans. issues ! Nissan has extended the warranty on drive train to 80,000 miles or 2014. They are ordering parts for mine on fri. :waving:


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## RonC (Apr 16, 2012)

Rather than start a new thread I thought I would tag onto this one since I may have the same issue. 

I have a 2006 Pathfinder with 95,000 Kilometers (60,000 mikes) on it. There is a shudder in the drive line that happens occasionally, it seems to happen under light throttle between about 60 Kilometers an hour up to about 85 kilometers an hour. 

The best way I can describe it is it feels like I am driving over washboard. It has been doing this for about 6 months very sporadically. I could go a week or two with it not happening and I drive it pretty much everyday. 

I think if I set the shifter to the no overdrive position it does not do it. 

Does this sound like the symptoms of the water intrusion problem? 

Thanks


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## superwrench (Dec 12, 2011)

Ron, That sounds like what mine was doing. The dealer checked it out for free and I didn't even need a appointment. When it was the water problem, they ordered a trans., radiator, and torque conv. Installed everything, washed out the lines and got me a rental car and it didn't cost me a dime ! It's been working great and it is covered until 2014 also. Good luck ! Bob


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## RonC (Apr 16, 2012)

Thanks SuperWrench
I guess my next move, assuming it does not blow apart, is to get the dealer to check it, like you did. I phoned them a while back and asked them about it, I described the symptoms, nothing was offered up as an explanation. At 95,000 kilometers it is slated for the next trans fluid change so if there is water in it presumably they will find it. I wonder how much water it takes to cause the problem? It does not use any water, but then maybe it is just a mixing and the levels stay the same.


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

You can check it yourself by pulling the AT dipstick and looking for white streaks on it or, in bad scenarios, a pink or white custard on it.


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## superwrench (Dec 12, 2011)

Ron, smj is right, you can check it yourself. Check-out NissanProblems.com and they have a lot of info. on this trans. issue. The dealer should take care of it, Bob


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## Jesseray (Apr 13, 2012)

You can do a bypass of the tranny/radiator coolant. I did it on my 05. There is a lot of info on thenissanpath forum on this. Very easy to do. Took me like 30 minutes.


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## zonachris (Apr 17, 2012)

I had a similar problem - had engine mounts redone (very expensive due to labor), and it fixed it. 2005 Pathfinder with 95k miles.


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## RonC (Apr 16, 2012)

I pulled the trans dipstick this morning, there was no sign of coolant intrusion or visa versa in the radiator coolant. The symptoms it is exhibiting are very similar to the ones stated by many on the NissanProblems.com site though, thanks SuperWrench. Perhaps in the earliest stages of the failure the trans will act up but there is no evidence of coolant intrusion, at least not on the dipstick.


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

NissanAssist.com


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## RonC (Apr 16, 2012)

Probably a good idea Jesseray but at this point since it may still be covered by the extended warranty dealing with this issue. I do not think it would be a good idea to do anything that would jeopardize the coverage, at least not without dealer approval.


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## RonC (Apr 16, 2012)

smj999smj said:


> NissanAssist.com


I am the original owner of the vehicle and have not received this notice. I wonder if the extended warranty only covers 2005s at this point, mine is a 2006.


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## smj999smj (Jan 1, 2006)

The extended warranty covers 2005-2010 Pathfinders, Xterras and Frontiers up to 8 years or 80000 miles, whichever comes first. You can see this info if you use the sidebar at the page of the link I provided, or click here:

NissanAssist.com

Or, for FAQ's, check here:

NissanAssist.com


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## RonC (Apr 16, 2012)

An update on my 2006 Pathfinder... 
I was symptom free for the last month or so and was still planning to take it into the dealer for the 95,000 kilo service, but before I got around to it the trans failed. My wife was driving, it would just rev up and go no where. The good news is the dealer has ordered a new trans and radiator, all covered under the extended warranty for the water intrusion issue.


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## MilesTeg (Oct 20, 2011)

I am seeing a similar issue with my 2005 pathfinder.

I started seeing it a couple of years ago. At 1st, the dealer said it was a bad universal joint and they fixed it. That seemed to help at lower speeds.

I then had a bad fuel level sensor and my heater went out. 
When I took it in for that repair about 8 months ago they notified me of radiator/transmission issue after discovering transmission fluid in my coolant. They gave me a new radiator but did not do anything with the transmission.

Now, I seem to get a vibration when cruising on the highway. Letting off on the gas, seems help, but it still happens all the time.

I think I have since passed the 80K mileage mark. Am I screwed or could I give the dealer grief not checking the transmission when they discovered the coolant in the fluid on my last visit?


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## RonC (Apr 16, 2012)

It sounds like it is happening again or there is damage from the original incident. Depending on when yours was fixed the extended warranty and procedure for repair might not have been in place. The extended warranty is for 8 years or 120,000 kilometers (80,000 miles) You may still be covered... especially if it was not done right the first time.

My heater went out as well... not sure how that is related but I think it is. Low water perhaps.


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