2012 Nissan Pathfinder Coolant Change with Flush

After reaching 100 subscribers I felt it was time to do a viewer requested video, so here it is. There are a few options when it comes to doing a coolant flush or coolant change, the principal choice is to take off the engine block drain bolts. In this case, I decided to do the change and flush at the radiator and leave the drain bolts alone.
Tools Required:
- Phillips head screwdriver - amzn.to/3qiCWhs
- 50/50 Mix Nissan Coolant (Blue) - From Nissan Dealership
- Oil Catch Pan - amzn.to/35H2PPG
- Vinyl mechanic gloves - amzn.to/3mgdZke
- Shop Towels - amzn.to/38SnX7D
- Funnels - amzn.to/36eIIIY
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Disclaimer:
Due to factors beyond the control of DIYNorth, DIYNorth cannot guarantee against improper use or unauthorized modifications of this information. DIYNorth assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. Use this information at your own risk. DIYNorth recommends safe practices when working on vehicles and or with tools seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of DIYNorth, no information contained in this video shall create any expressed or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage, or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or from the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not DIYNorth.

[@ubertalldude]

Thanks for the straightforward video. I’ll be switching from green to blue as well.

[@DIYNorth]

thanks for watching

[@TheSharkmanforever]

Great video buddy. I will flush my Pathfinder coolant today. Thanks for your video

[@DIYNorth]

I hope that it goes well for you.

[@kennyg9149]

Make sure you bleed the air in the coolant system otherwise the temperature will rise at idle. I will overheating your engine. Good Luck!!

[@jimmybismard9336]

Thanks for the video mate , it helps me a lot

[@DIYNorth]

thanks for the feedback.

[@bombtheft]

Subscribing. So much useful information in this video!

[@DIYNorth]

Glad it was helpful!

[@dukejr.6301]

Thank you! My Frontier was overheating today in AZ Heat. Just in time for my Cali trip! SUBBED!

[@DIYNorth]

Thanks. I've only clipped the North West corner of AZ (littlefield), driving from San Diego through Las Vegas and up through Salt Lake City to get back to Canada. I can confirm the area gets some serious heat.

[@marshallrodgers1878]

Thank you for posting.

[@DIYNorth]

thanks for checking it out

[@zakoumalad1578]

Thanks bro I will do it for my Navara . From Algeria

[@DIYNorth]

Hope it goes well for you.

[@ospreydroneaerialsllc2882]

Awesome video tutorial Thanks

[@DIYNorth]

Thanks for the feedback

[@anthonycolbourne4206]

The rad fluid total is 9.5 litres, so getting about 7 out of a basic drain is most of the fluid anyway... I like the double exchange of fluid to help get a higher percentage of the old fluid out, but I'm going to use concentrated fluid. I'll just use distilled water for the refill after the first drain, (That will make it 85% water) and then for the second fill, go with 5 litres of straight concentrated fluid and 2 litres of distilled water to top it off . My concentration may not be quite 50/50 in the end, more like 60/40.

[@DIYNorth]

Your math game is strong. Thanks for the feedback.

[@KennethAppl3Whitee]

Thank you for your video it help a lot I have a 2005 pathfinder I hope it’s all the same

[@DIYNorth]

The overall method should be the same. I would very much recommend using the Nissan fluid in the 2005 - 2010 models due to the transmission and coolant issue.

[@majed9r]

@@DIYNorth I recommend bypassing the radiator cooler ( actually it is more ATF heater than a cooler ) and the external ATF radiator is more than enough and forget all about COOLANT/ATF mix!

[@DIYNorth]

@@majed9r I think that they also have an upgrade for the older pathfinders (which might involve a whole new radiator). I know the last couple years actually have upgraded components that don't tend to crack like the 2005-2009 do. If I had an older version I would likely either upgrade the whole system to bypass as you mentioned. Since I have a 2012 I trust it will be fine.

[@nobody1322]

hi, I have the same car as you and I have to do the same thing to my car. any heating issues after you changed the coolant? also how many kilometres approx do you get on a full tank of gas in the city. i’m getting pretty low millage on my nissan want to make sure it’s just the hungry v6

[@DIYNorth]

No, I have had no heating issues with the vehicle since the coolant change. If you have any problems just burp the system by leaving the overflow cap off and giving the coolant tubes a squeeze the work any air bubbles out while the engine is running. It should be fine. The gas mileage isn't great but also its not that bad. I don't have an exact number off the top of my head, but I would say about 500km a tank. I find I'm at the gas station too often, but I also feel that the fuel tank is undersized causing more frequent trips. I think that it is only a 60L tank while my Honda Pilot has a 75L tank. Even though the Pathfinder is supposed to have slightly better fuel efficiency, it doesn't feel that way since you end up at the pumps more frequently.

[@JohnAnderson-kt4mb]

The only models that run the risk or if mixing is from 05-07/05-09, I can’t remember when they fixed it, but I know anything 2011 and newer is fine, like I say Nissan switched how the trans coolant line and antifreeze coolant run.

[@DIYNorth]

As I understand it they made the transmission lines that enter the radiator thicker so that it is less likely that they will deteriorate

[@crystalwhite8281]

Just wondering if you could be more precise on where the drain plug is located? Am I able to visualize it looking under the hood? Or do I have to get underneath the vehicle?

[@DIYNorth]

Its on the absolute bottom of the radiator on the passenger side. You have to lie down under the vehicle to see it.

[@pollydor07]

Thanks

[@DIYNorth]

No problem

[@jfs1988]

So that is the blue coolant for modern Nissans. As of 2023, how has it handle the coolant change? Im thinking of doing that on my 2006 Nissan Pathfinder SE V6.

[@DIYNorth]

The coolant is still in the vehicle and it has been fine.

[@AdroitAlex]

Hi, great video. I recently replaced the coolant on my frontier but I didn’t turned the heater on before flushing the system. Do I need to redo this process? Did I caused any harm to the engine by skipping that part? Thank you

[@DIYNorth]

I wouldn't worry about not turning on the heater. If the old coolant wasn't full of particles when you did your last change then it should be fine. If on the other hand the coolant was very contaminated and the heater core didn't have coolant circulating through it then it might be worth draining the radiator one more time.

[@AdroitAlex]

Thank you for your response, really appreciate the help. I would do one more flush just to be safe. Im also loosing coolant but there’s no leak that I can see. Last week was on the low line and I topped it off to the max line and today is back on the low line, any suggestions? This morning I replaced the reservoir cap with a new one to see if that was the issue, but like I said no signs of leaks anywhere.

[@DIYNorth]

@@AdroitAlex If you very recently did a coolant change it could just be working out some air bubbles that had remained in the system. If there is coolant loss and there is no leak externally there is a chance that it could be an internal leak which could show up as coolant in your oil. It can also be leaking into your transmission which is something to look out for in Nissan vehicles. A google search for "SMOD Nissan" will explain the transmission issue and which years are problematic.

[@gladissanchez9018]

Thanks for your video ..do you have shop?

[@DIYNorth]

Thanks for watching. No I dont have a shop. I dont even have a garage to work out of right now.

[@antman2768]

Hi the coolant NISSAN L248 Is it pure or diluted? Does the replacement require 5 liters of coolant or is 1 liter diluted with water enough?

[@DIYNorth]

The coolant that I used is 50/50 premixed. I don't think that the Nissan Dealer had the straight coolant at the time I went to buy some. Your coolant to water ratio will depend on the climate that you live in. I have to use 50/50 mix as it gets well below freezing where I live. 1/5 coolant to water (20% coolant) is for only warm climates that won't get freezing temps. There are charts on line that you can refer to for climate ratios.

[@hybrid902000]

When you let the engine run till normal operating temp, do you have to wait till the fan kicks on twice before shutting it off? That’s the procedure for my Honda Civic but wasn’t sure if you had to do that for the pathfinder as well. Thanks!

[@DIYNorth]

Yes I ran it until the fans came on.

[@hybrid902000]

@@DIYNorth thank you!

[@kimalbalushi5572]

I bought an Xterra and I want to change the coolant but when I open the cap it’s green.. My question is can I change it to Nissan coolant the blue one And do I have to do same method you did ??

[@DIYNorth]

It can probably be mixed with Nissan Blue Coolant, but the color doesn't necessarily indicate what the coolant is made out of. I've never personally done it but it might be worth talking to a local dealer or garage to see if they can determine the type of coolant is in your vehicle before you mix coolant colors. If someone put the wrong coolant in, or it is not compatible with the coolant you want to use then you might have to do a more comprehensive flush of the system. If it is the same coolant type in a different color then yes you can probably just do a drain and fill. But like I said I would get it looked at to be certain.

[@saulhernandez9137]

Hi i have the Pathfinder 2012 ..SO what kind of antifreze do i need? Blue 50 _50 mix?

[@DIYNorth]

I used the Nissan Branded Product, which is Blue. I have seen some Blue aftermarket versions for the Pathfinder listed as Blue II. Im not sure what the difference between Blue 1 and Blue 2 is exactly. If you are getting something other than the Nissan Product just read the container and it should indicate if it is compatible.

[@oklahomacitybassfishing405]

Does the expansion tank drain with just removing the radiator drain plug? Or does it have its drain plug

[@DIYNorth]

For me the tank drained itself when the radiator drained.

[@thechileacademy4800]

Awesome! So I tried and couldn’t get passed the drain plug since the Phillips head was stripped. Could I drain from the lower radiator hose instead?

[@DIYNorth]

So, yes I have removed a radiator hose to drain a radiator before, but it makes a pretty huge mess. I would probably get a new drain plug from Nissan, and then get the stripped one out by force somehow. But anyway, yes removing the hose should work.

[@thechileacademy4800]

@@DIYNorth such an annoying drain plug design. I’ve seen much better ones (hex head, wing nut style). I guess I’ll just drain it from the lower hose. Should I expect more fluid to come out? Or similar to draining from the plug.

[@DIYNorth]

@@thechileacademy4800 I don't think that you will get more, but it will most certainly make a bit of a mess.

[@kennyg9149]

Make sure you bleed the air in the coolant system otherwise the temperature will rise at idle. I will overheating your engine. Good Luck!!

[@what-mu7xv]

Quick-ish question. Did you have any issues with air in the system? If so,how did you purge the air out? I am having issues with the heater working at idle(gets hot over 2.5k rpm or revving) I am thinking i have air in the system Thanks!!!

[@what-mu7xv]

Just read a reply that i think answered my question. Great video!! Thanks!!

[@DIYNorth]

Let me know if it works out. Some times giving the upper and lower heater hoses a few squeezes helps to get the air out of the Radiator. They can be hot if its been running a while though.

[@what-mu7xv]

@@DIYNorth I had the replace the auxiliary water pump(not working)i assume its working as both the upper and lower rad. Hoses are hot. The heat in my truck is intermittent,cool at idle hot at speed or revving. I am thinking there is either air in system or its low on coolant. Any insight on testing the aux.water pump? Thanks!

[@DIYNorth]

@@what-mu7xv Unfortunately I have never had to do that, so no. If its only hot when driving usually the culprit is air in the system or low coolant, but not always I guess. Could be a heater core restriction/partial blockage as well I suppose.

[@nickolusmayfield5612]

It helps to use the proper burping funnel set, that way you can idle the vehicle with a funnel in place and full of coolant. As the vehicle gets to temp and the thermostat opens, any air in the system has a chance to escape and be replaced with coolant.

[@zamfat1]

good video, please post whats needed and the cost of parts

[@DIYNorth]

Everything should be mentioned in the video. Is there something specific you are looking for?

[@OldSchoolMikey]

So this exact procedure can be done on the 2018 Desert Runner ?

[@DIYNorth]

I'm not sure, I've never owned a Frontier. But generally speaking yes it should be very similar. I wouldn't go so far as to say exact though.

[@tornikeshushiashvili6190]

Which antifreeze should I put in Nissan Xterra 2013 Pro 4x? G 11 or G12

[@DIYNorth]

I think that the Nissan version in the aftermarket sells as Blue II. I'm under the impression that it is G11, but I'm not sure. I would just get the Nissan fluid if it is available and the price is reasonable.

[@lowphi4825]

Good video but ... why doing this twice ? for the "flush" ?

[@DIYNorth]

A lot of coolant remains in the engine block if you only drain the radiator. You can drain the engine but I find it easier just to drain and fill once, run the engine up, then drain and fill again.

[@ripd97]

The older model Nissan's like yours come with green coolant, 3 year protection, from the factory, only the newer models around 2015 and up are blue. But if you do a complete coolant change you can use the blue coolant to get the 5 year protection.

[@DIYNorth]

Good information

[@Twigz11]

Blue coolant is correct here. Product description on the blue stuff ("OEM "Long Life" Blue Coolant (Antifreeze) found in all Nissan and Infiniti models after 2010. This is Pre-Mixed from the manufacturer, 50% Coolant / 50% Distilled Water, in 1 Gallon jugs." ) . My 2011 Xterra manual also says to use "Pre-diluted Genuine Nissan Long Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue) or equivalent".

[@NoahPARK82]

my 2007 Pathfinder use green oem Nissan coolant

[@craigwestergard9676]

Did you have to burp the main hose that leads to the radiator? I've seen an other video where quite a bit of air gets stuck in that line. The guy doing it also had his heater on and it still got caught in that tube. I think all you have to do is squeeze that one, he didn't touch any of the others. I'm probably going to do this method and also change the connections by the passenger firewall that lead to the heater core. I found some that are aluminum and not plastic. Those get very brittle over time.

[@DIYNorth]

I didn't do anything special to get the heat working correctly/air out. I think that letting it idle until the thermostat opens and if having some air blockage issue taking off the cap on the expansion tank and letting it get back to operating temperature is all that should be needed. When I've had air blockages on other vehicle I found that giving the coolant lines a few squeezes while the engine was running pushed the bubbles out (hoses are hot though). It also depends what Nissan you have. Some of the models/years have a bolt on the top of the engine that is actually the bleeder valve.

[@javonmcsweeney9001]

Does the coolent suppose to bubble when you start up the engine

[@DIYNorth]

A few bubbles would be normal. A ton of bubbles would not be.

[@rizchellsuniga4402]

Do you need to wait the radiator fan to turn on before turning off the engine?

[@DIYNorth]

If you mean when trying to get the coolant circulated and air out of the system, then I would say yes....sort of. What is probably more important is that the thermostat opens and gets coolant flowing within the system. You can't visually see the thermostat open though. Generally coolant fans turn on after the thermostat opens, so if your fans turn on there is a good chance that the thermostat is also open at that point. Or at least that is my thought on the matter.

[@rizchellsuniga4402]

Thank you.. I’m having problem getting air out of the system

[@zamfat1]

also can you do a spark plug change

[@DIYNorth]

Yes I will be doing the spark plug change on my Pathfinder some time this fall....I hope.

[@oscarfunez100]

I have Nissan Pathfinder 2011 why do have to do that to flush any reason?

[@DIYNorth]

Just following the routine maintenance as described in the owner's manual.

[@Dogdu_oto_lastik]

Sistemde hava oluşursa nasıl onarabiliriz

[@DIYNorth]

Normalde, motoru çalışır durumda bırakırsanız (radyatör kapağı çıkarılmış halde), sistemden hava kabarcıkları geçecektir.

[@Pettigrew88]

Didn’t you have to purge the air?

[@DIYNorth]

No, but I usually do. I assume that the fact that this vehicle uses an expansion tank rather than an overflow tank that the air was allowed to escape from the radiator and vents off in the expansion tank. This might be a wrong assessment, but in my case I didn't get an airlock.

[@Pettigrew88]

You left the AC on…….doesn’t that matter? I have air in my 2012 pathfinder. I can’t get it out.

[@DIYNorth]

No i don't think that it will make a difference. The AC light came on because the heater was in defrost mode. I am under the impression that when you turn most modern vehicles to defrost that the ac light comes. Its still blowing hot air and the coolant is still passing through the heater core. I would be very surprised if that would cause a problem. As i understand things the expansion tank system is supposed to be somewhat self bleeding. Have you driven very far with the air in the system problem

[@charliedc2A]

Nissan has green and blue coolant

[@DIYNorth]

They may have others as well, but yes

[@Get_yotted]

Not really a flush

[@DIYNorth]

Incorrect, it is very much a flush.

[@Get_yotted]

Nope, it’s a drain. A flush is running clean water through the system to get any old coolant out of the block, heater core and other components the coolant runs through. A drain is what you did in this video.

[@DIYNorth]

@NoThisIsPratickStar Exactly...then i turned the vehicle on and ran the fluid through it and drained it again. Which is the flush part. I understand what you're saying I just disagree with you. Also you don't need to flush with water you can flush with new coolant if you chose to.

[@crosswind982]

You will leave some tap water or distilled water as to some people who would call a “flush” and you can only guess the mixture ratio at the end of the process. Some cars are more coolant flush friendly but as for this truck, I agree that what’s shown in the video is the most practical flush method. You can drain and fill as many times as you want to. I’m pretty sure no Nissan dealer would do much more than in this video. Accessing the engine block drain plug would be too much a hassle.