2015 Nissan Pathfinder · symptom sheet
Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard
- 27owner reports
- 76,000median miles
- $4,500median quote
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Oct 22, 2025 · checked Oct 2, 2026
76 of the 320 complaints on this car are about the transmission and drivetrain. 27 of those describe transmission shudder.
Tick what matches of 27 reports
Transmission shudder on other Pathfinder years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2016, 2017, 2022, 2023, 2026.
What this problem usually is
This is the biggest drivetrain group on the site: a transmission that shudders, slips, hesitates or bangs into gear. It's the everyday version of transmission trouble, where the car still drives but doesn't drive right, and it has three narrower sheets of its own for jerking, hesitation and slipping.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the valve body (4 reports) and the transmission (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the transmission and drivetrain covers the 2015 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
NHTSA investigations into the transmission and drivetrain on the Pathfinder
Transmission cooler hose separation. Closed mar 31, 2014, led to recall 14V-142.
Transmission failures. Closed oct 22, 2016.
None of these investigations covers the 2015 model year.
What owners paid
11 of the 27 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $300 to $5,000.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 42,000 and 117,500 miles, from the 19 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 4 service bulletins or notices for the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
PATHFINDER, ALTIMA, MAXIMA, MURANO AND QUEST; CVT JUDDER AND DTC P17F0 OR P17F1 STORED IF YOU CONFIRM The customer reports a transmission judder (shake, shudder, single or multiple bumps or vibration), AND One of these DTCs is stored: ï· P17F0 (CVT_JUDDER (T/M INSPECTION)) ï· P17F1 (CVT_JUDDER (C/U INSPECTION)) NOTE: ï If a transmission judder (as ...
ENHANCED DIAGNOSTIC LOGIC FOR CVT PATHFINDER AND ALTIMA WITH V6 ENGINE ONLY IF YOU CONFIRM THE CUSTOMER REPORTS A TRANSMISSION JUDDER (SHAKE, SHUDDER, SINGLE OR MULTIPLE BUMPS OR VIBRATION).
IF YOU CONFIRM: The customer reports a transmission judder (shake, shudder, single or multiple bumps or vibration) AND One of these DTCs is stored: - P17F0 (CVT_JUDDER (T/M INSPECTION)) - P17F1 (CVT_JUDDER (C/U INSPECTION)) NOTE - If a transmission judder (as described ...
IF YOU CONFIRM The customer reports a transmission judder (shake, shudder, single or multiple bumps or vibration). NOTE: A new diagnostic logic has been established to enhance the diagnostic process by storing diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) on Applied Vehicles.
What owners wrote
No report on this problem is short enough to quote in full.
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 27 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Airbag warning light or recall 55 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 31 reports
- A/C blows warm or the compressor fails 28 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 25 reports