Table 1 shows one common unknown or other related problems of the 1997 Nissan Pathfinder.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other problems |
Extreme rear end wobble (sway) at highway speeds.
At this time, this has been no accident. However, there is severe frame rust that could result in an accident. The frame rust occurs along the rear axle, steering column, and various other locations along the underside of the vehicle. In addition, the rear suspension control arm was replaced due to defect which allowed to vehicle to sway uncontrollably.
My front drivers side strut tower housing was completely corroded and damaged and had to be replaced. I received a recall notice in the mail and realized this was what was behind the issue.
Hit a pothole and then started hearing a noise from the front driver side of the vehicle. I then noticed that my odometer was no longer working. Upon inspecting the vehicle I found that the driver's side front strut tower had a large rusted out area and that the spot welds of the panels were separating. This problem seems to be the same as those listed in NHTSA action number: pe11004.
Tl- contact owns a 1997 Nissan Pathfinder. The driver states she was recently trying to sell her vehicle so she went to a local dealer to have a car-fax done on her vehicle. The contact states the dealer told her that her VIN number was coming back stating that the vehicle had been sold with c4c in 2009 and a junk title certificate was issued. The driver states she has owned the vehicle over 10 years so she has not idea why this would be. The mileage on her vehicle is 133,332. Ar.
I am writing in regards to an accident that occurred on 10/10/08 involving my 1997 Nissan Pathfinder VIN#[xxx] , and 5 other vehicles including my own 2nd car. All of which were parked on the same side of the street. The accident was caused by my Pathfinder's gas pedal failure which caused it to stay at the pressed down position while going at about 30mph, and I was unable to brake, thus hitting the other 5 cars. Thanks to the presence of these cars, my Pathfinder was able to stop and my safety spared. When I filed the claim with my insurance company geico (policy #[xxx] ), I specifically told them that this accident was not caused by my recklessness or lack of experience, but instead, it was due to mechanical failure. The claim #s related to the incidents are: [xxx] and [xxx] . Despite of that, my insurance premium nearly doubled. Unfortunately, when the vehicle was towed to the mechanic, they were unable to find fault in the gas pedal upon inspection. I had subsequently sold the car. The recent Toyota recalls have brought back memories of that incident. I believe the mechanical failure on the Pathfinder was extremely similar to those on the toyotas. I have seen my former vehicle parked around the neighborhood under the new ownership. I have noted down the license plate number should NHTSA decide to track it down for inspection. I am writing this letter to report the above problem that has plagued my former Nissan vehicle out of concern for the current owner's safety. In addition, its fallout has brought me great financial and mental burden. I hope and would really appreciate if NHTSA could take the time and look into this matter. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).
Suspension causing vehicle to sway violently when going 50mph. . Consumer states the tires wore out at 20,000 miles, the shocks and struts were replaced at 42,000 miles, consumer was informed that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle after complaining about the vehicle swaying, however the vehicle was taken to another shop and the trailing arms were replaced which then corrected the problem, also the power steering fluid was leaking, the muffler was replaced due to rust and the exhaust manifold was cracked due to stress, the front differential pinion seal was leaking, the center cap that goes on the stock wheels on the front seat was installed.
Dealer unable to duplicate complaint. Other owners have same problem.