Four problems related to front suspension control arm have been reported for the 1996 Nissan Pathfinder. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
I just bought a Nissan Pathfinder le 1996 - I found many owners are experiencing problems with the rear suspension of the vehicle (see posts:. . Read more...
We own a 1996 Nissan Pathfinder 4 wheel drive that had developed a severe side to side wobble at 55-60+ mph . Mechanics said it was struts/shocks. We replaced all 4. Same problem exists. This is life threatening on the highway. My daughter and myself have both experienced it and you nearly lose control of the SUV if you don't let off the gas quick. I would hate to see the result of an evasive maneuver - it will be catastrophic. Dealers are acting like they know nothing, yet an internet search turns up people all over the country that have or are having the exact same problem. Most are saying if you replace the rear lower control arm bushings or the entire arms, it goes away. I am asking the NHTSA to get involved now and force Nissan to do a no-cost recall. We own 2 other Nissan cars and I have owned over a dozen cars/trucks in 32 years and never experienced anything like this. And, I work on cars and motorcycles in my spare time, and I know what I am addressing here. This is a major, serious engineering design flaw.
Dangerous wobble of car when on the highway. From reports I've read on the internet, seems to be caused by degrading control arm bushings. Fix may be to replace all 8-10 bushings and/or control-link arms. Problem seems to be common on '96-97 Nissan Pathfinders.
1996 Pathfinder, 120k miles. Approx. One year ago vehicle developed scary side-to-side rocking at highway speeds, and especially when driving on curved roads. Replaced rear shocks- no help. I have found lots of other Pathfinder owners that have this same exact condition. Turns out the problem is with the rear control arm bushings and rear link arm bushings. Bushings develop dry rot with age and shrink, making excessive play in the control arms. Many people have complained to Nissan, but Nissan refuses to even consider a recall.