I have a 2005 LE with Auto Heat/Air. I never use the Auto settting. It is very cold here in Michigan so I normally keep it on Defrost/Floor mode. I notice that I still am getting quite a bit of air coming out of the vents. I know I can shut off the outside ones manually but not the middle ones. I can have it on 68 degrees with the air coming out the defrost and floor but will have extremely hot air coming out off the vents. Only when I bring it down to 60 will cold air come out.....60 cold air like outside(40 degrees or colder) at setting 65...scortching hot heat. I decided today to test the air temps at different settings. Here are my results:
Outside Air Temp 30 Degrees. Freeway Driving 60 mph....Vehicle warm.
Mode set for Vents only.
Set at 90 - 158 degree air coming out of vent
Set at 80 - 136 degree air coming out
Set at 70 - 100-108 degree air coming out
Set at 65 - 86-88 degree air coming out
set at 60 - 40-45 degree air coming out.
I then switched it to Defrost Only Mode:
I still have too much air coming out vents
Set at 80 - I am getting low amount of 130 degree air coming out
Set at 70 - I am getting low amount of 126 degree air coming out
Set at 65 - Still getting over 120 degree air coming out
Set at 65 - I am getting cold 40 degree air.

This seem to be horrible heating system. On long trips the cabin roasts and gets extremely hot. If I have it at manually set at 65 degrees and have fan set to low.....it roasts me out of the car to where I need a window open. If I lower it to the next setting at 60 degrees it seems to then take outside cold are and freeze me out. Why is there nothing between freezing cold and super hot. Auto Feature does not seem to help. It always directs the air to the floor and I need to defrost the windshield in this cold winter climate.
Can anyone verify if theirs does the exact same thing?
Any ideas if something is broken or can be fixed?
Dealer is no help......
I know this will be rather time consuming for someone so thank you in advance if you decide to help.[/b]

I've been having this same issue with my 09. I was about to do the same test as you. I'm still under warranty so I may check with the dealer on this matter too.

Mine is all over the board. It's really a gong-show when the temps dip to below 20°F. I'll be rolling along comfy and suddenly it will stop blowing air or will switch to cool air. I'll have to crank it to 90 just to get any heat. Next time you get in it will roast you clear out at 72 and you can't get it to stop blowing hot/hard until you turn it clear down. I complained while under warranty but of course dealer couldn't reproduce. All my other vehicles you pretty much leave it on 72 and forget it unless you need heavy defrosting.

In the summer mine also like to randomly go into arctic mode where it will blow full-blast on super-cold until you turn the setting to 80. Then you'll start to sweat and have to slowly lower it back down to 72 a single digit at a time. Jump from 80 to 76 and it goes back into arctic mode. Damn thing is nutso in my book and I'm stuck with pretty much just complaining.

Upon reading what you're describing I would blame the "auto" temp sensor - it's behind the 1.5-2" circular "vent-like" hole in the area below the ignition and the hazard light button and passenger airbag indicator light. You state you're not using the ac/heat in "auto" mode, but I wonder if the sensor is still used in some way. Otherwise, it's most likely whatever computer runs the ac/heat system (which I don't know). It's probably much cheaper to buy a new temp sensor to test this, and it seemed easy to install (looking at it when I changed my radio). You can access it by removing the console as if you were replacing your radio. But you may be able to just from under the dash too.

Today I went snowboarding with an old friend that happens to have a 2005 SE with the same system. We had to drive 2 hours and both of us were constantly going from 60(too cold) to 65(way to hot) His does the exact same thing. This is the worst heating/cooling system I have seen come out of Nissan. I used to work at a Nissan Dealership for 17 years and have personally only had Nissans for Demos and personal vehicles.

Same here. 2005 SE Off Road, heat burns the crap out if my hands when driving. Mines all screwed, after the tranny/radiator replacement, my heat would go cold at red lights (temp set to 90). Same with the rear heat. Its been bled 3x already and still doing it. When im driving it the heat get s soooo unbearably hot.

Mine can get a little hot when sitting idle, usually in the sun. Once I get moving, it seems to normalize.

t

Maybe I'm missing something, but why do you guys not use the "Auto" mode? It has worked flawlessly for me for four years ('cept when the fan speed control module went wonky).

Auto is where mine acts totally goofy (as described above). Manual doesn't do much better because if it -thinks- it's colder/hotter than it is the temp of air coming out will be wrong. The only upside to switching to manual is when it goes wacky I can at least turn the blower down.

As I said, mine has worked flawlessly for four years. Sounds like there may be a hardware/software issue with the systems described in this thread. Yeah, the stealers are spendy, but it might be worth driving in to them to find out if they might have a clue.

I've had auto climate control in every one of my vehicles since 1989 (that's 22 years, and at least 12 vehicles), and not one, including my current PF, has acted as funky as you guys are talkin' 'bout here. I'm not minimizing your issues . . . just saying that your systems seem to be acting a bit more than weird.

All my other vehicles pretty much get stuck on 72ish and left alone. I'm constantly adjusting from 67-90 depending on the temps and how goofy it's acting. The dealer is a well out of my way and they had a shot at it during warranty. I may try swapping out the sensor one of these days. Maybe someone here will figure out the problem and save me some diagnostic time!

05- same problem-65 boil, 60 freeze
don't think it ever worked quite right since new

My '05 LE works flawlessly.

I have an '06 Charger w/ dual auto as well and that one doesn't keep consistent temps nearly as well.

My Pathy takes care of the temps perfect- I never have to adjust the temps- it's always around 74.

I have now checked 3 other Pathfinders with the same Auto/digital system and they all do the same.....65=Boil and 60=freeze.
I am in Michigan and we don't use auto because the computer selects where the air comes out. As a general rule.....when it is cold outside it sends heat out floor only....In the winter we need it on Defrost/feet at the same time....auto mode does not really get it.
It just must be some design flaw since there are so many people having the same issue. Not cool......literally

try This

Maybe I can help with that one.

A salesman told me that there is a sensor in the back of the truck, and until all the interior reach the temperature set in the front, the heater will push excessive heat in the front to heat up all the cabin.

The solution is to set the rear heater at full heat but at minimum fan speed, the rear sensor is then warm up an the front work almost normally pushing you normal 70 degree heat

It work but I sometime feel the rear heat coming in the front (usually when braking) in mild weather... but it's nothing compare to the heat wave of before!!!

Hope this will Help you