Strut Tower Problems of Nissan Pathfinder - part 1

Family car;2001 Nissan Pathfinder, we got in the truck and drove about 250 feet to the stop sign. I stop. As I started moving and suddenly I hear a pop loud sound from engine compartment and my steering got hard and difficult to steer and a grinding sound as you turn the steering. Drove back to the house slow and park. Open the hood and I see the strut tower under neath the brake master cylinder, then I look between left side (drivers) tire the strut tower just ripped from the factory weld. My family in the car when this occur. What if this occur while on the highway at higher speeds. My truck only has 106523 miles and was scheduled for a PA inspection.

See all problems of the 2001 Nissan Pathfinder 🔎.

I was driving my 2002 Pathfinder to work on Monday of this week when I started to feel a slight shaking in my steering wheel and chatter in my brake pedal while driving at 55mph on the highway. After I got off the highway I could barely make a right turn as the steering wheel was very stiff. I checked my front end and what I found was frightening. The drivers side strut tower had torn from the frame and body and was now pushing against both the steering shaft and master cylinder which was bent up at an angle. My master brake cylinder is now supporting the right front wheel! thank god the strut did not snap the steering shaft or master cylinder while at highway speed. I might be in a hospital bed or dead. I had the car towed to a Nissan dealership who told me that it received a level 1 repair by the previous owner (I am the second owner) in 2011 and nothing could be done except to call corporate. I did some research and found that the recall has two levels: 1 and 2. Level 1 is a simple inspection, cleaning and coating. Level 2 requires a bolted in metal brace be installed to reinforce the strut tower. Nissan corporate told me the level 1 repair was already completed and nothing further could be done even though the repair did nothing to remedy the problem and now I am in need of a level 2 repair. I cannot believe that Nissan can walk away from this after their level 1 fix fails to remedy the problem. The level 1 repair is a ticking time bomb as the so called "fix" does nothing to stop the tower from failing. I honestly feel that Nissan has not done enough to remedy the issue and there could still be hundreds or thousands of Pathfinders with bogus level 1 repairs on our roads right this minute. Nissan should provide the level 2 recall even if level 1 has already been completed.

See all problems of the 2002 Nissan Pathfinder 🔎.

1999 Nissan Pathfinder. Consumer writes in regards to strut tower safety recall. The consumer stated the dealer declined to perform the recall repair stating the work would be insufficient and considers it to be beyond what they are capable of doing.

See all problems of the 1999 Nissan Pathfinder 🔎.

Driver's side strut tower has rusted to the point were the truck will pass va state safety inspection. There was a recall performed by several years ago by Nissan for the rust issue on both inner wheel wells and strut tower area.

Driver side front strut tower made a loud "pop" sound when driving. Bottom portion of strut top cracked through. Strut tower bearing now moaning when turning, out of gimble.

Tl the contact owns a 1999 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact noticed that the strut tower brace was severely rusted. The vehicle was taken to byrely Nissan (4027 dixie highway, louisville, ky 40216) where it was determined that the VIN was old and no longer in the system. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000.

Vehicle was stopped, waiting to make right hand turn; attempting to turn resulted in the steering wheel spinning freely; vehicle had to be towed; initial inspection revealed steering column shaft snapped in half; upon further inspection the drivers side front strut tower had ripped away from the body of the truck; **this vehicle had recalls issued in the past, it was taken to leckner Nissan in stafford, va but they obviously did not mitigate the problem - they simply cleared the recall from the computer**.

Strut tower rust damage, my Pathfinder started having that noise coming from the steering column during motion. After a quick inspection at the dealership we realized there was a big gap under the strut towers in both sides, and that there was already a recall, but the recall does not includes to replace the strut column, just a cheap, glued-bolted strip of metal they call a bracket that does not even covers the gap. The "fix" used in recall nhsta 11v-244 is totally inadecuate for vehicles in which corrosion has take all the base of the strut tower and the tower is already touching the steering column. To elaborate imagine a gap 3 inches high and 12 inches long; two of the 3 inches in heigh were created by material that rusted and fell apart an only one inch if bent displacement. If as the instructions of the recall indicate, the strut tower must be bent back to original position, the gap will be reduced only the one inch that correspond to displacement leavin a 12 by 2 inches gap due to corrosion and it is here, where the recall solution indicates that a trip of steel should be bolted/glued to. The 4-5 inch strip(repair bracket) will be lay in cross position perpendicular to the rusted gap, leaving about 3 inches of the rusted gap exposed to each side. Just like a band aid stick across a big wound. This is not a long term fix, the bracket will fail as well or will detach from the rusted surfaces where it was installed.

I cant even drive down the street over 40 without the vehcle doing a death shake from hell to top that off due to the recall for the strut placement error causing my strut tower wall directly behind my passenger side front wheel to almost be completly gone from rusting out. This is total bullshit. Something gotta give. Im calling corporate in the morning. Hopefully they dont try to beat around bush with me like they do to all there customers they do wrong.

See all problems of the 1998 Nissan Pathfinder 🔎.

There is a active recall for excessive corrosion in the driver side strut tower housing which can cause binding on the steering column. I received a recall in 2011, but never a follow up letter as stated would happen for the remedy process. I took my 2002 vehicle in since it was still eligible for repair. I was told that if it was not repairable ,I would be told so and then it would escalate to Nissan na. After bringing in the vehicle, it is now not drivable at all due to the dealership trying to do the recall and damaging the transmission cross-member that it dropped 8". The whole inside of the tower was badly rusted as was much of the under carriage. In fact they let me drive the vehicle back home (43 miles) on the day I bought it in due to my time schedule was not free for 4 hours to wait and they had no loaner vehicle. A mechanic that was ready to purchase the vehicle looked under the hood and showed to my amazement, the tower was already embracing the steering column in such a way as it was embedded in the steel. We have pictures and documentation. So the vehicle was towed back the following day and they went ahead and did the "repair" on the tower. I was called the next day and told that the vehicle was "all set" and ready to be picked up. To my wifes and my surprise the next am arriving at the dealer ship, was the obvious cross-member hanging down on the drivers side. The gm of serafini had the vehicle towed back to my residence in hopes of this all going away after he was going to check the "paper trail". When we got the vehicle back later on, only then did we receive a invoice (attached) telling us the car was uninspected(false) and not safe to drive. It was given to the tow truck operator and he gave it to us. Their way to settle it was to have a junk yard pick it up for $400. 00.

The strut tower repair that was made by Nissan in 09/2011 as part of NHTSA recall campaign #11v24000 (strut tower corrosion recall because of salt in new england states) failed on 8/17/2015. As a direct result of the structural failure in the passenger side strut tower, the break-line severed causing an immediate breaking failure, and also made the car unsafe to drive because of the structural failure which exposed the engine compartment to the interior wheel well. As of 8/26/2015, Nissan USA consumer affairs div. Refused to pay for the $1,300 in repairs (parts & labor) stating that they were not responsible to make additional repairs to correct the original recall notice because the vehicle is more than 8 years old, and they already fixed it as as a level 1 repair as required under the recall. They did't care that their repair was only 4 years old and that the vehicle had a visual/safety inspection performed by a Nissan dealer less than a year ago when the vehicle was recalled to replace the air bags.

See all problems of the 2003 Nissan Pathfinder 🔎.

I am writing as requested on our phone call on January 3 2015 as you are aware my wife and eleven year old daughter were nearly in an accident on December 15 2014. My 1999 Nissan Pathfinder had gone back to the dealer in 2014 as there was a recall on strut tower failure in high road salt sections of the country. They repaired the driver side strut tower and half of the passenger side tower the enclosed pictures show where they stopped the repair. This is where the tower failed. According to my mechanic if they had completed the procedure correctly this part of the tower would not have failed causing the brake lines to separate and break.

Tl-the contact owns a 2000 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that the vehicle steering wheel, and the front end felt loose. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection that located the failure at the driver side front strut housing. The strut housing corroded due to defective material and caused the strut tower housing to fracture. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact also wanted to stated that the manufacturer failed to advised her of NHTSA campaign number 11v244000 (steering,suspension). The failure and current mileage was 183,000. Li.

See all problems of the 2000 Nissan Pathfinder 🔎.

Sever body frame corrosion causing the vehicle to be very unsafe to drive (examined by the local Nissan dealership) and surely will not pass the new york state safety inspection. Service recall on the "strut tower" corrosion last year but did not take care of the body frame corrosion due to the same corrosion factor that makes me very upset about Nissan. This might be a life death impact on the body frame corrosion where the vehicle might be break in 1/2 due to no body frame support at all. I m not sure why Nissan do not take any proper action like the way Toyota foreseen the impact on the life death incident due to body frame corrosion. According to many web discussion and forum resources, many Nissan Pathfinder owners are sharing the same corrosion issues complaints. I m writing to address and to kindly inform you to communicate this experience to the public and this might be in relationship to possible future life death incident if Nissan choose not to take care of this body frame corrosion in a serious matter. Thank you for your attention and time.

2000 Nissan Pathfinder. Consumer writes in regards to strut tower housing recall the consumer is requesting reimbursement for the recall repairs.

The contact owns a 1997 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact received repairs to the vehicle under NHTSA campaign id number: 11v244000(suspension:front). The contact stated that the sheet metal that was used to cover the rust on the strut tower per the recall would not be sufficient when driving under normal road conditions. The contact spoke with the manufacturer in regard to the inadequate recall remedy but the manufacturer did not provide a response to the contact. The vehicle had not experienced a failure. The current mileage was 180,000.

See all problems of the 1997 Nissan Pathfinder 🔎.

There was a recall on the driver side strut tower due to server rusting. The dealership repaired that area. I was hearing a noise from the front right passenger side and found out that the rust had damage to that strut tower. My abs and brake lights finally come on and I had s lost of brake fluid. The strut tower colapse severing the right front brake line. The dealer inspected it and said that they would not repair this. I,m not sure why the left front strut tower would be covered and the right front in not. I had leased this vehical and when the lease expired we purchased the car outright. We heard about the recall when I had one remaining payment on the car. Now with the car paid in full it is no longer safe to drive.

Email message forwarded from fhwa-wrote regarding the safety recall of his 2002 Nissan Pathfinder the consumer stated there is a recall regarding the strut tower housing and would like to know does he need to make an appointment for his vehicle, even though vehicle is no longer registered in a salt state.

I received a recall for my 1997 Nissan Pathfinder strut tower housing assembly. On the recall Nissan stated that the vehicles registered in certain states that uses road salt can develop corrosion that can lead to steering damages. However, the recall letter that was sent to me was stating that my vehicle was never in that states and also stated that my vehicle will not be covered for the applicable repairs. When I was in active military I was stationed to great lakes IL. From September 2006 to June 2010. I was residing at[xxx]. My IL states driver's license number was [xxx] and was issued [xxx]. I'm writing this complaint to make sure that all applicable inspections and repairs for my vehicle will be covered by the manufacturer. Thank you for your time. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 1997 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving, the steering became hard to control. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who performed an inspection that located the failure at the front strut tower as being corroded. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and the current mileage was 134,000.

1998 Nissan Pathfinder. Consumer writes in regards to recall concerning strut tower corrosion the consumer sent in a paid invoice with the repairs related to the recall.

2000 Nissan Pathfinder. Consumer writes in regards to corrosion in the front driver's side strut tower housing in the front wheel area, as well as unusual noises, rattling and steering instability while driving the vehicle. The consumer complied with the recall notice. However, after not hearing back from the dealer, regarding the status, the consumer contacted the dealer and was informed the damage was too extensive to be fixed and the consumer was instructed to pick up the vehicle. Updated 10/06/11.

Tl the contact owns a 1999 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that there was extensive rust and corrosion near the front driver's side associated with the driver's side strut housing. In addition, there had been rust progressing over time on the underbody/framing. The dealer (mount holly Nissan, 1513 NJ-38, hainesport, NJ 08036, (609) 267-2886) indicated that the vehicle was serviced per NHTSA campaign number: 11v244000 (steering, suspension) in 2011. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was concerned that the strut tower housing could crack and cause a catastrophic failure concerning the suspension and steering. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN and failure mileage were not available.

The contact owns a 1999 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while inspecting the vehicle, he noticed that the front drivers side strut tower was corroded and cracked in four places. As a result, the master cylinder and intake filter failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were 202,185.

Driver's side front strut tower rusted and failed, dropped 4 inches, in contact with brake master cylinder, near steering column. Vehicle quit on interstate, smoke in cabin, computer burned, wires to relay box over left strut worn and shorted, blown fuel injector relay fuses . Mechanic says unsafe to drive.

Tl- the contact owns a 2003 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that the steering wheel was extremely tight and difficult to turn left and right as the failure progressed. The contact stated that the strut tower was fraturing and seperating from the frame due to extensive rust and corrosion associated with the left side of the vehicle near the front right and left wheel wells. The contact was included in NHTSA campaign id number: 11v244000 (steering , suspension). The dealer stated that the defect was too extensive to replace the components. An independent inspector was sent from the manufacturer who indicated that the recall repair was approved to be completed. The vehicle was not repaired and the contact had no resolution from the dealer because they indicated that the vehicle was not safe to repair after putting the vehicle on a lift. The contact was also included in NHTSA campaign id number: 14v361000 (air bags) but was unable to determine for months, if the dealer completed the recal repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided no remedy. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000. Dyd.

1997 Nissan Pathfinder left front strut tower about to collapes due to severe rot.

2002 Nissan Pathfinder. Consumer writes in regards to recall notice concerning front driver side strut tower housings for Nissan Pathfinders the consumer stated the strut tower housing became so corroded it broke and made the vehicle unsafe to drive. In April 2011 the vehicle was repaired. The consumer is seeking reimbursement.

Regarding pe11004 - my left front strut tower has completely failed. There is a heavy amount of corrosion around the area, and the thin metal, once corroded, ripped like paper around the base of the tower. Handling of the vehicle became very poor, and steering became more difficult. I believe it also put stress on the brake lines, as I could feel pulsing in the brake pedal while going over bumps with the bad tower.

The contact owns a 2003 Nissan Pathfinder. While having the oil changed by an independent mechanic the contact was told the front driver's side strut tower was separated from the frame. The top of the shocks were also coming in contact with the master cylinder. As a result, the brake lines were tearing away from the vehicle. The vehicle could not be repaired. The failure and current mileages were 150,000. Updated 5/9/11.

The driverside strut tower has become unattached from the frame. There is no rust marks anywhere in this section. The strut tower wore away at the steering wheel shaft and broke it. I lost all ability to steer the car and was forced to jump a curb.

The contact owns a 2001 Nissan Pathfinder. While the contact was driving approximately 25 mph, there was difficulty turning the steering wheel in the right direction. The failure occurred continuously whenever he made a right turn. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who informed him that the strut tower housing was completely covered with rust which resulted in a fracture. There was a recall under NHTSA campaign id number 11v244000 (suspension:front). The contact planned to notify the dealer to confirm whether the VIN was included in the recall defect. The failure mileage was 180,000. The VIN was unavailable.

2000 Nissan Pathfinder major front drivers strut tower corrosion, caused steering column to snap.

The contact owns a 1999 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact was driving stated that when driving 25 mph and above, the vehicle would exhibit an abnormal noise from the front end. The failure was most prominent when driving over road bumps. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who advised that the strut tower was defective. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. The VIN was unavailable. The current mileage was approximately 120,000 and the failure mileage was approximately 119,000.

The contact owns a 1999 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 mph, he heard a loud snapping noise and the anti-lock brake warning light illuminated on the instrumental panel. He and inspected the vehicle but saw nothing wrong so he drove it to an independent mechanic who advised him that the front driver side strut tower separated from the suspension and disabled the abs line. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been contacted. The failure and current mileages were approximately 145,000.