2011 Nissan Pathfinder: Broken timing chain
Common wear/failure (not a recall)
Symptoms
Owners of the 2011 Pathfinder report: broken timing chain. CarComplaints.com lists 2 owner complaints, average mileage 88,900 miles.
NHTSA has 10 owner complaints for the 2011 Pathfinder in this area. Examples:
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11575665 (filed 03/05/2024): “Through a check engine light for camshaft position sensor bank 1 so i replaced both of them well that cleared the check engine light for a min and was running good the after five min of running it started rough idling cutting off and throwing a check engine li…”
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11437971 (filed 10/24/2021): “The vehicle will frequently and without warning lose all power while in the roadway. last evening i was exiting the highway when i lost engine power and power steering. the dashboard lights came on and i had to coast to the nearest driveway. this has happened …”
Likely causes
Sources do not establish a single root cause; diagnosis is needed. Owner-reported fixes are listed below.
Fix, in plain English
Most common owner-reported solutions on CarComplaints.com: replace engine (1 reports) replace the timing chain (1 reports). Check for open recalls and extended warranty coverage with a dealer before paying out of pocket.
DIY difficulty: Pro
Internal engine work (lifters, oil consumption, fuel dilution diagnosis) requires engine teardown or dealer software/tests. (Our assessment.)
Cost
CarComplaints.com owners report a typical repair cost of about $1,600 (owner-reported average, not a quote).
Typical parts (search links, no affiliate codes)
AutoZone · O'Reilly · Advance · RockAuto
Sources
Page last updated .