2023 Pathfinder SL FWD, 1st OC done at 10,000 miles, BUY OR RUN AWAY

[NormanBuntz]

I'm considering buying a 2023 Nissan Pathfinder SL 2WD, Nissan Certified for 6 years, 100K miles from the original service date. It came off a one year lease and the only documented oil change was done at 10,000 miles shortly before it was turned in. The Nissan owners manual calls for standard service oil changes at 10K miles, severe service oil changes at 5K miles. I plan to scope out the oil fill to look for any crud buildup. The Nissan Certified program seems OK to me, the SUV is in a rare exterior color/leather seats combination and the price is attractively low.

I'm considering this to replace my QX60 so I can move from a CVT to the newer ZF 9 speed transmission. Going forward I would do 4,500 to 5,000 mile oil changes with (0w-20 or 5w-20) synthetic oil and long life filters. Should I run away from this one or should I be able to buy it in confidence?

 

[supton]

Can’t see an issue here, how many of these get 10k OCI’s and are just fine?

How long do you plan to own for? I mean, if you are 5 and done (5 years, 100k, something like that), and much of it is under Nissan CPO… not sure how you could go wrong.

 

[JavierH19]

It's fine and i wouldn't worry about it, 10k on one oil change won't hurt anything. I'd use something thicker but you can use that 20 grade if you wish.

 

[JTK]

I encourage you to read up on the VQ35DD. I have one in my 2019 Pathfinder. I wouldn't let a single 10K OCI totally scare me away from this vehicle, although 3-4 OCIs stretched to that 7000-10000mi level has been leading to disaster with this specific GDI engine. You will find that this engine turns oil black quickly.

There's probably 100+ different posts on a Nissan Pathfinder board I frequent with owners reporting severe sludge and failed VQ35DDs using 0w20. Some claim at a 5000 mile (mostly) interval as well, where it eventually hit them around the 50-60K mark.

It's a nice running engine and performs well with OK fuel economy for what it is. I can't figure out a solution other than 5w30 and changed at a 3500mi interval has worked for me. I bought our 2019 in 2019 as an ex-rental with 25K miles on it and 2 oil changes. Today it has just shy of 102K miles.

 

[BAJA_05]

Still new and killer warranty, MSRP is what and how much off are you getting at this point?

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Daughter is on her 5th consecutive Nissan SUV. A better idea is to do 5k OCIs, if you plan on keeping the vehicle for more than a decade (well over 100k)..

 

[JTK]

Just caught the fact you already own a DD in your 2020 QX60, so you're probably aware of the sludge thing..

In terms of the new Jatco copy of the ZF9, I don't know that I would specifically move away from your CVT to this transmission. I haven't read of any failures on the 9AT, but lots of complaints of weird shifts and issues with the dial shifter, etc.

I've got the Jatco copy of the Mercedes Benz 9G-tronic in my 2022 Frontier. So far so good.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Daughter is on her 5th consecutive Nissan SUV. A better idea is to do 5k OCIs, if you plan on keeping the vehicle for more than a decade (well over 100k)..

Yes and guess what DIY OCI are way cheaper than Stealership and Oil Store changes. Plus you don't have to worry about yourself trying to upsell yourself a bunch of things you don't need.

 

[tcp71]

I thought all Nissans have CVTs. When did they start installing regular automatics again? It is the only thing keeping me from looking at a nissan as a purchase...jatco CVTs. It was scary the pathfinders with CVTs rated for towing 5000lbs.

 

[ATex7239]

One 10K OCI isn’t a deal breaker for me. I use the 3 strikes and out rule for buying a used vehicle. If I question 3 things about the integrity of the vehicle then I’m out. This is a rule for daily drivers though, as beaters will get more leeway

 

[JTK]

I thought all Nissans have CVTs. When did they start installing regular automatics again? It is the only thing keeping me from looking at a nissan as a purchase...jatco CVTs

2022+ R53 platform Pathfinder has a Jatco copy of the ZF9. The rest of their front wheel drive line still use CVTs.

 

[NormanBuntz]

Still new and killer warranty, MSRP is what and how much off are you getting at this point?

$9,800 off the original 2023 Maroney sticker.

 

[NormanBuntz]

I am aware of the reported sludge issues in the VQ35DD motor. My QX60 has averaged 4,700 mile oil change intervals, and I only noticed one change where the oil appeared especially black. It seems the overall consensus is to go with a 5w-30 synthetic, hoping the Nissan warranty police won't stick it to you if I have an engine claim.

 

[JTK]

I am aware of the reported sludge issues in the VQ35DD motor. My QX60 has averaged 4,700 mile oil change intervals, and I only noticed one change where the oil appeared especially black. It seems the overall consensus is to go with a 5w-30 synthetic, hoping the Nissan warranty police won't stick it to you if I have an engine claim.

I know we've chatted about it over the years here. There's a handful of us on BITOG that own VQ35DDs. As far as I know, the engine has been basically unchanged since it's debut in 2017.

I do prefer the look of the R53 pathfinder over the older R52s like ours, but if you've maintained your 2020 well, I'd hang on to her. Have you drained/filled the transfer case on it? This is a costly mistake to not do. You've probably seen the posts on the obscene amount of CVT drain/fills i've done on my 2019. If my CVT fails, it ain't gonna be due to lack of fluid maintenance, that's for sure. LOL

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

It's totaled.

 

[Vitamin Yoda]

One oil change at 10K miles? It's fine.

 

[Hall]

I'm shocked, shocked I tell you, that Nissan certified it after it went 10k miles on it's first oil change. /s

 

[JTK]

I'm shocked, shocked I tell you, that Nissan certified it after it went 10k miles on it's first oil change. /s

When I bought my 2019 Pathfinder used (ex-rental) from my local Nissan dealer, the carfax showed one oil change around 12K miles and then the dealership did one before I bought it w/ 25K miles. During their typical, annoying extended warranty sales pitch, I asked them should I have an engine sludge problem or oil related engine issue w/in the warranty period, will it be covered even though the proper maintenance interval was not followed? I said I would need this in writing from dealer management that it's A-OK. It stopped them dead in their tracks. They absolutely would not provide me with that. It ended the F/I folks sales pitch instantly and awkwardly.

Where I am going with this is, so many folks over at the Nissan board I frequent had purchased extended warranties with their 2017+ Pathfinders. When engine sludge was discovered, if these people didn't have records of oil changes being done every ~5K miles, warranty coverage was denied due to "lack of maintenance". Didn't matter if the vehicle was certified used or not.

 

[NormanBuntz]

many folks over at the Nissan board I frequent had purchased extended warranties with their 2017+ Pathfinders. When engine sludge was discovered, if these people didn't have records of oil changes being done every ~5K miles, warranty coverage was denied due to "lack of maintenance". Didn't matter if the vehicle was certified used or not.

In the above case, a lawyer would argue that the warranty company (likely some 3rd party shyster outfit) would have to prove that the vehicle routinely was subjected to "severe service" rather than "standard service." I don't know that Nissan Certified could deny a warranty repair once they certified this 2023 model whose factory fill wasn't changed until 10,600 miles. But then again, who wants to resort to a lawyer? I do follow the logic for 4,000 to 5,000 change intervals.

 

[Hall]

When engine sludge was discovered, if these people didn't have records of oil changes being done every ~5K miles, warranty coverage was denied due to "lack of maintenance".

This sounds like a case of the dealership or Nissan corporate pushing back and the customer gives up. The oil change interval according to Nissan is 10k miles. This is 100% acceptable by Nissan's terms for normal usage. For "severe" service, they say

SEVERE
Severe Driving is defined by the following criteria:
Repeated short trips of less than 5 miles (8 km).
Repeated short trips of less than 10 miles (16 km) with outside temperatures remaining below freezing.
Operating in hot weather in stop-and-go “rush hour” traffic.
Extensive idling and/or low speed driving for long distance, such as police, taxi or door-to-door delivery use.
Driving in dusty conditions.
Driving on rough, muddy or salt spread roads.
Towing a trailer, using a camper or a car-top carrier.

A lawyer will argue, based on Nissan's own wording, that you have to do ALL of those, not any single one of them.