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CriticalCommonEngine

Nissan Pathfinder: YD25DDTi Rear Timing Chain Tensioner Catastrophic Failure

YD25DDTi Rear Timing Chain Tensioner Catastrophic Failure is a common engine fault on the Nissan Pathfinder on the 2005–2013 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $5,000 to $14,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 36 documented faults on the Nissan Pathfinder.

Vehicle
Nissan Pathfinder
Engine
YD25-DDTI
Years
2005–2013
Fuel
diesel
System
Engine

This page covers the Nissan Pathfinder as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Nissan Pathfinder faults36 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

The front of a dual overhead camshaft engine with the timing cover removed, exposing the timing chain and sprockets.Example of the part — not this vehicle

The front of a twin-cam engine with the timing cover off — chain, sprockets and guides.

Logansenf · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What goes wrong

R51 Pathfinders fitted with the YD25DDTi 2.5-litre diesel share the identical rear-mounted secondary timing chain tensioner failure mode as the D40 Navara. The tensioner is oil-pressure dependent; insufficient pressure from neglected oil changes or pump wear allows the chain to slacken, causing catastrophic internal engine damage. This is covered by the same 2012 Australian ACCC recall campaign that affected the D40 Navara and is the most expensive single failure mode on the R51 diesel.

What you would notice

  • Loud rattle from the rear of the engine on cold start
  • Cam or crank timing fault codes (P0016, P0340 series)
  • Sudden engine knock followed by loss of drive power
  • Engine will not restart after stalling
  • Metal particles in oil or on the oil filter

How to check it

Where to look. Rear of YD25DDTi engine – secondary timing chain and hydraulic tensioner behind the flywheel housing

Check oil level and condition before driving. Ask for complete documented oil change history – any gap beyond 10,000 km is a significant risk indicator. Cold-start and listen for rattle from the rear of the engine bay. Pre-purchase inspection by a diesel specialist is strongly recommended and should include tensioner oil feed passage check.

Parts involved: Timing chain.

What it costs to put right

$5,000 to $14,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

  • “What is the documented oil change interval and specification?”
  • “Has the rear timing chain tensioner been inspected or replaced?”
  • “Has the vehicle been used for towing and at what loads?”
  • “Is there evidence of ACCC recall compliance for the YD25 campaign?”

Now check the Nissan Pathfinder you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.

Nissan Pathfinder buyer questions

Is yd25ddti rear timing chain tensioner catastrophic failure serious on a Nissan Pathfinder?

We rate it critical and common on the Nissan Pathfinder. R51 Pathfinders fitted with the YD25DDTi 2.5-litre diesel share the identical rear-mounted secondary timing chain tensioner failure mode as the D40 Navara. The tensioner is oil-pressure dependent; insufficient pressure from neglected oil changes or pump wear allows the chain to slacken, causing catastrophic internal engine damage. This is covered by the same 2012 Australian ACCC recall campaign that affected the D40 Navara and is the most expensive single failure mode on the R51 diesel.

How much does it cost to fix on a Nissan Pathfinder?

$5,000 to $14,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Nissan Pathfinder years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2005–2013 Nissan Pathfinder. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Check oil level and condition before driving. Ask for complete documented oil change history – any gap beyond 10,000 km is a significant risk indicator. Cold-start and listen for rattle from the rear of the engine bay. Pre-purchase inspection by a diesel specialist is strongly recommended and should include tensioner oil feed passage check. Look here: Rear of YD25DDTi engine – secondary timing chain and hydraulic tensioner behind the flywheel housing