2006 Nissan PATHFINDER: complaints, problems and recalls

I GOT THIS VEHICLE FROM NISSAN DEALERSHIP ON 3-11-2006. THIS DEALERSHIP DID FRAUD. FIRST OF ALL THEY TOLD ME THAT THE VEHICLE HAD NO MILES ON IT BUT IT DID HAD MILES ON IT AND PLENTY OF THEM. THEY GAVE ME THE WRONG CAR. THE CAR THEY SHOWED ME THAT I WAS GOING TO RECEIVED IS NOT THE CAR I RECEIVED. WHEN I CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID IT WAS TOO LATE. THIS DEALERSHIP IS A COMPLETE LIAR. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW IT GETS BUSINESS IN THE FIRST PLACE. I WANT TO CANCEL THE PURCHASE OF THIS CAR. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10153850 at NHTSA ↗

I BOUGHT MY 2006 NISSAN PATHFINDER SE NEW FROM THE DEALER. WITHIN THE FIRST TWO MONTHS OF OWNING THE VEHICLE, I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS: THE BACK OF THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT FELL OFF. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER WHO SAID THERE WERE BROKEN CLIPS. THEY ORDERED A NEW SEAT-BACK AND INSTALLED IT. A WEEK OR SO AFTER THIS, THERE WAS A RATTLING SOUND COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE REAR AIR WAS ON FULL-BLAST. TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER. DEALER REPLACED A FINISHING CLIP AND RESOLVED THE PROBLEM. DURING THIS VISIT TO THE D…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10157568 at NHTSA ↗

ON JULY 6, 2006 > 5 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT MY BRAND NEW NISSAN PATHFINDER LE. I WAS DRIVING WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO TIGHTEN. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND IT WAS BECOMING HARD FOR ME TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION TO CHANGE LANES. WHICH WAS SCARY BECAUSE I HAD MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR WITH ME. I WAS ABLE TO GO STRAIGHT TO THE DEALER AND BY THE TIME I GOT THERE I COULD BARELY TURN MY STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT TO TURN IN. WHEN THEY EXAMINED THE CAR THEY FOUND THE UPPER BEARING IN THE STEERING COLUMN WAS SHEARING AND HAD COME…

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10168824 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, A POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS ROLLING BACKWARD, A TICKING NOISE WAS HEARD. IT ROLLED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND CLIPPED ANOTHER VEHICLE CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE CAME TO REST ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE CONTACT'S DRIVEWAY. A PASSENGER HAD A MINOR INJURY TO THE ARM. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 10/30/06. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10169839 at NHTSA ↗

THE DRIVER'S POWER SEAT BACK WILL NOT HOLD A CONSTANT POSITION. THE SEAT GRADUALLY MOVES FORWARD ON ITS OWN AND IS NEVER IN THE SAME POSITION WHEN YOU GET BACK IN THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A VERY ANNOYING PROBLEM BECAUSE THE SEAT NEEDS READJUSTED EVERY TIME YOU SIT DOWN TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER ORDERED A NEW SWITCH 4 WEEKS AGO AND CLAIMS THAT IT IS OWN BACK ORDER.

Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10170305 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE REFUELING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTENTS INSIDE THE VEHICLE WERE STOLEN. IN ORDER TO FUEL THE VEHICLE, ALL THE LOCKS MUST BE UNLOCKED. THE DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER STATED THIS WAS HOW THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN.

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10173644 at NHTSA ↗

TIRE FAILURE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIRE FAILURE ON THIS VEHICLE AND IT HAS LESS THAN 7,000 MILES. THE TIRE SHOWS CRACKS THROUGHOUT THE TIRE NOT JUST ON THE SPOT OF FAILURE. THE OTHER TIRE HAD THE SAME VISIBLE CRACKS BUT THE TIRE RETAILER CLAIMED THAT TIRE FAILED DUE TO ROAD HAZARD. THE VEHICLE IS A 2006 NISSAN PATHFINDER 4X4. THE TIRES IN QUESTION ARE BF GOODRICH RADIAL LONGTRAIL T/A, P265/70 R16 111T M+S. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 6,845 miles reported. Look up ODI 10175535 at NHTSA ↗

FOR ALL THOSE REPORTING THE SWAYING ASSOCIATED WITH THE 1996 NISSAN PATHFINDER, I HAVE A NISSAN TERRANO WHICH LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE THE PATHFINDER. I EXPERIENCED SIMILAR SWAYING FROM THE REAR OF MY VEHICLE AT SPEEDS OF ABOUT 40 MPH. I HAVE TRIED EVERY MECHANIC I KNOW, CHANGED MY SHOCKS, AND YOU NAME IT...LATELY, I WOULD HEAR A THUMP IN THE REAR WHEN I PULLED OFF FROM STOP POSITION. THE THUMP ALSO HAPPENS WHEN I RUN OVER A SHORT SPEED BUMP. WHEN I CAME HOME ONE EVENING, I WENT UNDER THE VEHICLE TO CONDUCT A VISUAL INSPECTION TO SEE IF I WILL FIND…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10188498 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2008-12-29 (December 29, 2008)

NISSAN IS RECALLING 242,720 MY 2005-2009 PATHFINDER, FRONTIER AND XTERRA VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN THOSE AREAS OF THE COUNTRY WHICH USE HEAVY CONCENTRATIONS OF ROAD SALT IN THE WINTER, A MIXTURE OF SNOW/WATER AND SALT CAN ENTER INTO THE FRONT CRASH ZONE SENSOR (CZS) HOUSING. IF THIS OCCURS, THE CZS MAY INTERNALLY RUST RESULTING IN A SIGNAL INTERRUPTION. IF THIS HAPPENS, THE RED AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE TO ALERT THE VEHICLE OPERATOR.

Consequence: THIS ISSUE COULD RESULT IN THE NON-DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAGS IN A CRASH, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT CZS WITH A REDESIGNED SENSOR. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 26, 2009. OWNERS IN THE OTHER STATES WILL RECEIVE EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR THE SENSOR TO 10 YEARS. THESE OWNERS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF THE WARRANTY EXTENSION BY MAIL AND WILL RECEIVE A STICKER TO PLACE IN THEIR WARRANTY BOOKLET EXPLAINING THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

Reported: 2010-03-03 (March 3, 2010)

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006 AND MODEL YEAR 2008 FRONTIER, XTERRA AND PATHFINDER VEHICLES. THE MOLDED FUEL TANK SHELLS CAN DEFORM, CAUSING THE FUEL SENDER FLOAT ARM TO CONTACT AN EMBOSSMENT MOLDED INTO THE TANK SHELL CAUSING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FUEL GAUGE TO SHOW THAT THE VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY ONE QUARTER TANK WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS EMPTY.

Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO RUN OUT OF GAS AND STALL IN TRAFFIC, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL LEVEL SENDING UNIT INSIDE THE FUEL TANK WITH A NEW ONE THAT HAS A MODIFIED FLOAT ARM. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE MARCH 22, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

Reported: 2010-10-28 (October 28, 2010)

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2004-2006 ARMADA, TITAN, INFINITI QX56 AND MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 FRONTIER, PATHFINDER AND XTERRA VEHICLES. THE INTELLIGENT POWER DISTRIBUTION MODULE (IPDM) ASSEMBLY CONTAINS AN ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) RELAY THAT HAS A DIODE FOR ELECTRICAL CURRENT NOISE REDUCTION. THE ECM RELAY MAY ALLOW SILICON VAPOR TO FORM AND, OVER TIME, THE SILICON EVAPORATES FROM THE DIODE MOLDING WHICH CAUSES SILICON OXIDE TO DEVELOP ON THE ECM RELAY CONTACT DUE TO ARCING.

Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE ENGINE STALLING INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ECM RELAY INSIDE THE IPDM ASSEMBLY. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 6, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.