Nissan Pathfinder owners have reported 3 problems related to front suspension lower ball joint (under the suspension category). The most recently reported issues are listed below. Also please check out the statistics and reliability analysis of Nissan Pathfinder based on all problems reported for the Pathfinder.
Rust/corrosion in unibody at lower control arm/strut assembly on 97' Nissan Pathfinder passenger side. The problem/failure is equivalent in severity to the situation Nissan is recalling for the driver's side. (pe11004) also (NHTSA campaign id number: 11v244000). If the corrosion becomes severe enough, the stresses involved in the strut assembly operation loads, compounded by the lateral loads created by steering, and handling, may cause the lower control arm, lower ball joint/strut mount to separate from the unibody. This would invariably result in a loss of steering control, and quite probably, in a highway speed failure, throw the vehicle into a skid as the passenger side wheel stuffs itself into the wheel well area.
See
all problems of the 1997 Nissan Pathfinder
🔎.
1997 Nissan Pathfinder 4wd, terrible wobble on uneven pavement, causing vehicle to sway out of control at high way speeds. Nissan did not know why. I replaced all tires. . Front struts, lower ball joints. . Finally found on internet site, that the rear upper and lower link bushings wear. This causes the rear axle to shift, in effect,,the rear axle steers the vehicle. . Cause of the bad bushings.
Accelerator pedal sticks. When placing vehicle into gear must apply pressure to accelerator to release it. Subsequently, it releases suddenly in a way which causes sudden acceleration. Also vehicle shakes while driving . Dealer has replaced ball joints, but problem. Still exists.
See
all problems of the 1996 Nissan Pathfinder
🔎.