1997 Nissan PATHFINDER: complaints, problems and recalls

THE BACK END OF THE CAR BEGINS A VIOLENT WOBBLE UNEXPECTEDLY AT 50 TO 70 MILES PER HOUR ON THE STRAIGHT AND LEVEL. AFTER MUCH TROUBLE, THE DEALER HAS CONFIRMED THAT BUSHING FAILURES IN THE REAR AXLE LINK ASSEMBLYS ARE THE CULPRIT, AND THE CAR HAS ONLY 59,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS ERXTREMELY DANGEROUS, AND SHOCKING THAT A WORN PART COULD CAUSE UNEXPECTED LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

Owner-reported narrative. 58,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000762 at NHTSA ↗

ENGINE PROBLEM LIGHT COMES ON. BOTH TRANSMISSION COMPUTERS MALFUNCTIONING AND SHORTENING EACH OTHER OUT. DEALER REPAIRED FOR SEVERAL HUNDRED COMMENTING THAT THIS IS COMMON PROBLEM W/ MODEL AND NISSAN IS AWARE OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE THAT COULD LEAD TO INJURY BUT REFUSES TO RECALL DUE TO EXCESSIVE COST OF DOING SO EVEN THOUGH IT IS DANGEROUS.

Owner-reported narrative. 61,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005547 at NHTSA ↗

MY 1997 PATHFINDER'S BODY ROLLS DANGEROUSLY LEFT TO RIGHT WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IT IS VERY PRONOUNCED AND CONTINUES UNTIL YOU SLOW DOWN. I HAD NEW FRONT STRUTS AND TIRES INSTALLED BY A NATIONAL TIRE DEALER AND LATER FOUND OUT FROM ONE OF THE TECH'S WITH EXPERIENCE WITH NISSAN THAT IT IS A COMMON FLAW ON THIS MODEL. HE SAID THAT THE TRAILING ARMS/LINKS FAIL ON THE REAR SUSPENSION. HE FURTHER SAID THAT UPDATED LINKS ARE AVAILABLE FROM NISSAN. THERE ALSO HAVE BEEN FACTORY BULLETINS ON THIS BUT I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. I BELIE…

Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016583 at NHTSA ↗

IN MID 2002, MY 1997 NISSAN PATHFINDER DEVELOPED A SEVERE REAR SWAY PROBLEM. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE TRUCK WOULD SWAY RIGHT TO LEFT SO SEVERELY AND SUDDENLY THAT I FELT LIKE I WOULD LOSE CONTROL. WHEN I SLOWED DOWN THE SWAYING WOULD STOP. THIS SWAYING WAS ESPECIALLY DISCONCERTING DURING WET ROAD CONDITIONS. WHEN I CONTACTED MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALER, THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. I REPLACED THE FRONT STRUTS AND REAR SHOCKS WITHOUT ANY IMPROVEMENT. THEN I HAD THE FRAME ADJUSTED, WITHOUT IMPROVEMENT. BETWEEN MY LOCAL REPAIR SHOP SEARCHIN…

Owner-reported narrative. 99,086 miles reported. Look up ODI 10018639 at NHTSA ↗

PROBLEM WITH SEAT BELT EQUIPMENT DURING AN ACCIDENT. *MR THE VEHICLE SLID ON BLACK ICE AND SWERVED OFF OF THE ROAD. THE SEAT BELT THAT FASTENED THE CHILD SEAT HAD COME APART. (THE VINYL PORTION OF THE LAP BELT HAD BROKEN FREE FROM THE BUCKLE) SCC

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10021733 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE TIRES HAD TREAD SEPARATION. DEALER NOTIFIED. SIZE#23575R15 PLEASE PROVIDE THE DOT#.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10026670 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED IN FRONT OF THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO VEER OFF THE ROAD AND HIT A CURB. THE VEHICLE'S AXLE BROKE AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ANALYSIS. *JB THE BRAKE SYSTEM RESULTED IN A COMPLETE LOST OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD STICK, THERE WAS A RATTLING/BUZZING SOUND UPON ACCELERATION, THE BRAKES SLIPPED, AND THE ACCELERATOR DID NOT RESPOND AT TIMES. *SCC PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT THE STRUTS LEAKED AND THE …

Owner-reported narrative. 90,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10044690 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH VEHICLE ROCKED BACK AND FORTH DUE TO AXLE FAILURE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10051682 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2007-09-18 (September 18, 2007)

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, KENTUCKY, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, MARYLAND, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, TENNESSEE, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA , WISCONSIN AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, DURING THE COATING PROCESS OF THE FUEL FILLER TUBE ASSEMBLY, AN INSUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF COATING MAY HAVE BEEN APPLIED AT THE LOWER MOUNTING BRACKET. THIS COULD RESULT IN AN OPENING IN THE COATING WHICH CAN ALLOW WATER TO ENTER AND MAKE CONTACT WITH THE BARE METAL OF THE TUBE.

Consequence: THIS MAY RESULT IN SURFACE RUST BUT NOT PERFORATION OF THE TUBE. HOWEVER, IN THOSE AREAS OF THE COUNTRY WHICH USE HEAVY CONCENTRATIONS OF ROAD SALT IN THE WINTER, IF A MIXTURE OF SNOW/WATER AND SALT MAKES CONTACT WITH THE BARE METAL, CORROSION MAY OCCUR TO A DEGREE WHICH RESULTS IN PERFORATION OF THE TUBE. IN THIS CASE FUEL LEAKAGE MAY OCCUR WHEN FILLING THE TANK. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL FILLER TUBE ASSEMBLY WITH A NEW ONE WITH AN IMPROVED COATING PROCESS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 26, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

Reported: 2011-04-20 (April 20, 2011)

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1996-2004 PATHFINDER AND MODEL YEAR 1997-2003 INFINITI QX4 VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD, OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, MARYLAND, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WASHINGTON D.C., WEST VIRGINIA AND WISCONSIN. IN AREAS OF THE COUNTRY IN WHICH HEAVY CONCENTRATIONS OF ROAD SALT ARE USED, A MIXTURE OF SNOW/WATER AND SALT MAY ENTER AN ASSEMBLY LOCATION HOLE IN THE UPPER STRUT HOUSING, CAUSING WATER TO COLLECT AT THE MATING SURFACE OF THE STRUT HOUSING PANEL AND THE INNER HOOD LEDGE ASSEMBLY. OVER TIME, THIS SNOW/WATER AND SALT INTRUSION MAY RESULT IN CORROSION OF THE STRUT TOWER HOUSING IN SOME SUBJECT VEHICLES.

Consequence: THE STRUT HOUSING MAY CRACK AND PULL AWAY FROM THE INNER HOOD LEDGE ASSEMBLY. THIS MAY LEAD TO GRINDING NOISES, INCREASED STEERING EFFORT, AND POSSIBLY THE STEERING COLUMN TO BREAK, RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: NISSAN WILL INSPECT THE STRUT HOUSING AND REPAIR THE VEHICLES AS NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. AN INTERIM NOTIFICATION LETTER WAS SENT OUT IN MAY 2011. THE SECOND NOTICE WAS MAILED ON JULY 25, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.