My 2020 Nissan Pathfinder has been doing a GREAT job pulling my 3000lb travel trailer. Pulled it 1000 miles to Buffalo with no issues. On paper, the Pathfinder can pull 6000 lbs. Today, after 30+ minutes of hard work, I got the Pathfinder off the wet grass and on to the pavement pulling the trailer. Lots of reving, pedal to the floor kind of hard work. Now, it seems the car won’t give any horsepower and “refuses” to move the trailer. When I unhook, the car seems to be fine and I can drive with no issue. But, even with the “tow” option on, the camper just seems to be too much for the car now. What could be happening?
Time for a transmission service?
I have the heard that truck has a CVT transmission and when its worked really hard liked you did it goes into a limp mode to protect it. when it cools down again it will work fine.
Cars.com says it does indeed have a CVT and Nissan CVTs generally have a poor track record. Dunno about limp mode but this sounds like a warranty issue.
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Who knows what damage that abuse may have caused.
But you might get lucky and it will be repaired under the warranty.
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Keep in mind that unless you put your “3,000 pound” trailer on a scale after you loaded it for camping, it’s not a 3,000 pound trailer. People easily, unknowingly can more than double the weight of their camper after they pack it with clothes and bikes and food and beer and fill the water tank. Make sure to figure out how much that thing weighs when it’s fully loaded for camping.
And if you don’t already, fill your water tank no more than half full for the drive. You can fill it the rest of the way at the campsite.
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Maybe your trailer brakes or trailer wheel bearings have locked up since it drives fine without the trailer.
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Good point. Get the trailer checked out…or go see if you can pull a friends trailer or go to U-Haul and rent a 3000lb trailer and see if you can pull that. One other thing you might check is disconnect the electrical hookup if you have electric brakes.
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