Suspension Problems of Nissan Pathfinder - part 1

The car started making a very annoying squeak from the left rear when going over bumps or entering and exiting the car. I took it to my local mechanic to investigate the problem. He discovered the rear suspension sub-frame was rusted out where it attaches to the car body. I was advised that the car was unsafe and should not be driven. I am awaiting more information from my mechanic about the repairs. There were no accidents or injuries caused by this but there could have been if I continued to drive the car. I will retain the rusted sub-frame once the repairs are made. I read three other similar complaints ( all 2014 Pathfinders ) on this web site. I think Nissan should be made aware of this situation.

See all problems of the 2014 Nissan Pathfinder 🔎.

Heard loud clunk from passenger rear of vehicle, then started hearing binding clunk noise from rear when going over bumps or turning at certain points. Inspection of rear suspension area on rear passenger side revealed a sub-frame that had rusted to the point a suspension part had broken from the frame and was sitting in a hole in the sub frame instead. Surrounding areas of undercarriage not rusted like the sub frame was. . . . The frame of a vehicle rusting to point of breakage at only 11 years old is a safety hazard suspension wise. . . . . Suspension parts bolted to the sub-frame at multiple points.

Unknown . The steering column broke.

See all problems of the 2003 Nissan Pathfinder 🔎.

The rear subframe has completely rusted out from the inside, and is broke off on the right side and almost broken off on the left side. The car is now unsafe to drive. There were no warning lights, messages or problems before this. The car is only 9 years old and is always kept in a garage.

See all problems of the 2016 Nissan Pathfinder 🔎.

The rear sub-frame, to which the suspension system is connected had rusted out and failed. Two different mechanics indicated the vehicle is unsafe to drive. The first indicated that this part should not be as corroded as it is and should not have failed.

See all problems of the 2013 Nissan Pathfinder 🔎.

Rear subframe rusted through and car was a safety hazard to drive. Entire rear subframe needed to be replaced. Remainder of car only contained surface rust.

In late June 2025, I heard a loud noise in the rear of the Pathfinder, that would happen during normal driving and worsen if I went over a speed bump for example. I took it to a local mechanic . He informed me that the rear subframe was rotted. It was undriveable once I knew how dangerous this situation was. I have a [xxx] child. I am his legal guardian and he lives with me. We spend a lot of time going for rides and doing things he likes. I was shocked when I heard what was wrong. Thank god we did not get injured or worse. Now, this frame needs to be replaced and I can imagine the cost to me. I am a retired rn. I have seen a good amount of complaints on line in google from other Pathfinder owners regarding the exact same issue, why wasn't there a recall? will Nissan reimburse me once I get an estimate and the car fixed?this is not fair. I do not tow a boat, the car has not been submerged in water. . . I imagine the frame was not prepped properly by Nissan. I know Nissan recalled some vehicles a few years back for the rotted sub frame issue. Now I have to pay for a repair. . I need assistance please. I am using someone's car in the meantime. Thank you, [xxx] [xxx] [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Rear sub frame has significant rust, snapped while driving at slow speed, there was no injury but steering was affected, no harm done this time but it is a known issue, 2wd model has a recall for the same part with the same issue.

See all problems of the 2011 Nissan Pathfinder 🔎.

My wife's car is a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. We heard what appeared a noise coming from rear undercarriage of the car. Took the vehicle to our mechanic and he told us the "cradle" was rusted thru and the car was unsafe to operate. The car has ~103000 miles, was well maintained and garage kept. I questioned this with the mechanic, I'm [xxx] and have had several vehicles, never had an issue with the degree of rust on the suspension on this car. The mechanic said this is not an unusual problem for Nissans. The cars interior and exterior is in great condition, now it's not drivable and Nissan is not offering any help. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while driving and making a turn, the steering wheel became significantly loose. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and inspected the vehicle. The contact noticed that the front passenger's side wheel had moved closer into the front fender, and the control arm had detached from the frame due to significant corrosion. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 167,000.

Rear subframe sagging and unsafe due to rust and corrosion.

See all problems of the 2012 Nissan Pathfinder 🔎.

The contact owns a 2003 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated there was corrosion on the passenger’s side front struts. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who declined the repair under manufacturer campaign r1107 with NHTSA campaign number: 11v244000 (steering, suspension). The driver’s side front struts were repaired prior to the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the mileage requirements were not met. The failure mileage was approximately 187,000.

When getting a new set of tires found out that drivers side rear subframe assembly rusted away where the control arm attaches after looking at a Nissan fourn there are many with the same problem worried that due to this might be a issue for me and my children traveling to he roads.

I've replaced both cv axles, all brakes, and had service completed with the wheel hubs. Still get a grinding noise located at the front wheels.

See all problems of the 2020 Nissan Pathfinder 🔎.

Rust only on brackets that hold the arm on the rear sway arm stabilizer.

Rear subframe rotted out. Car is garage kept.

Hello, I've purchased my Nissan Pathfinder 2013 2 yrs ago . And fell in love with it. But since June 2014, it has been sitting due to the transmission going out and or stopping mid traffic. Putting my life in danger. It finally wouldn't go into gear anymore. It wouldn't go forward or backwards. I had it towed to house. We're it sits. No shops want to work on it because they are difficult to work on. . I'm stuck making payments on something I can't drive. I see it has recalls on my vehicle online but not for my specific VIN number. . Makes no sense to me. . Why not my VIN number when in fact it's my vehicle on recalls? the exact name model and year??.

I started having issues with my brakes. I had recently had the front rotors and pads replaced, but I still heard squeeking, and a little fishtailing on my back end. I figured I needed my brakes in the rear checked, so I took it to pep boys for a free inspection. The mechanic showed me that my rear control arm on the left was very loose, and the compartment that connected to it was severely rusted thru. He told me this was across the whole back end and it was actually part of my frame. He said it is called a k-frame and it should not be rusted through with my car being barely 11 years old. There are massive holes all the way across. He said that is why I thought that I might need my struts replaced because of a thunk sound when pulling off. There was no connection at all. He says I should not drive it at all because my whole back end could fall off literally!.

The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, he noticed that the rear tires were abnormally damaged. The contact stated that upon further inspection, he noticed that the subframe was severely corroded and fractured. The dealer was notified of the failure and charged a fee for the repair. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist because the vehicle was out of warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 133,000.

After a quick fish tail in the rain of the car and figuring it was just a hydroplane, I noticed rear tires were worn out to the cords on inside of rear tires, so I purchase a new set and while changing , it was obvious that the rear subframe was broken off at the stabilizer and would allow the rear end of car to shift forward and back, thank god we were only at around 30mph, or this could of been real bad, the car is in very wonderful condition in and out, with no visible rust, I hope that this is addressed by Nissan before someone is killed , especially as these are family cars, these rear subframes should be recalled and replaced as it is a major part of the frame that can cause a car to go out of control at high and low speeds, it puts lives at risk!.

After owning this vehicle from brand new, it now has a rotting rear subframe. Nissan customer support is not interested in providing good will or recall for this issue. My mechanic has reported that the same model and year vehicle showed up a week prior with the exact same issue. A core part of the frame should not crumble due to rust within a 10 year timeframe. Searching on the internet has revealed multiple other people reporting the same issue. . Read more...

Front subframe rusted through. This is a similar issue across a wide range of Nissan Pathfinders. This is a major safety issue.

Frame is rotted from rust. Not drivable as drive train connection to wheels in rear end ready to fail at any moment. Rust is so bad it will require towing to be repaired. Repair estimate exceeds blue book value. $4800. 110,000 current mileage. Recall for this problem existed on this make/model for years 2004 to 2009. This vehicle is 2011 with no recall as yet.

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving 40-44 mph, the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond. Additionally, the contact stated that there was play in the rear wheels and the rear wheels seemed misaligned. The contact also stated that while coming to a complete stop and depressing the brake pedal, the rear wheels and the trailing arm seemed to move forward, then backward. The contact stated that the failure recurred while making a left turn. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact noticed that the rear subframe was corroded. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist due to the manufactured date of the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

I noticed a metal on metal noise when I would hit a bump in tge road. I had it checked thinking it was likely a tailpipe rattling. I was shocked when the technician show me the crossmember subframe assembly was rusted so badly that a hole had developed. When I researched this issue on line I discovered that this is a common issue for Nissan. Having purchased the car new and maintain the car in accordance to the manufacturer’s guidelines I feel this subframe rust-through is excessive. I wash the car routinely and always get the undercarriage option to prevent salt, or other undesirables building up underneath my vehicle. While part failure hasn't occurred am going to get the repair done before it does happen. Replacing the fore mentioned assembly at a cost of $2,300 is expensive and was preventable had Nissan only acknowledged the weakness and vulnerability in their design of subframe, and made the appropriate improvement.

This relates to campaign number 11v244000 we are the original and only owners of the vehicle I originally brought the vehicle in for the recall and they simply sprayed some undercoating in the wheel wells. Less than a month later both strut towers separated from the body of the vehicle while my wife was driving home, she lost steering and could have had a serious or fatal accident. I towed to the dealer and they installed braces in both strut towers. I have always taken exceptional care of my vehicles, which includes multiple washes during winter months and extensive undercarriage washing every spring. This past oct when I took the vehicle in for mandatory state inspection I was informed that the vehicle would not pass inspection next year. They told me this once before in relation to extensive rust to the passenger side rear frame next to the muffler. I was able to cut out the rust and weld a thicker plate of steel in there to repair the frame. I just changed my oil and looked for what the mechanic was referring too. This time the rust is between the braces they installed for the struts and the front of the wheel well. The mechanic saw the rust coming through the paint and poked at it with a screw driver, the screw driver went right though the body leaving significant holes in the structure that supports the struts. When the weather breaks I will further inspect to determine if there is enough good metal left for me to attempt a repair. I am doubtful a repair will be possible as the metal used to construct this vehicle is very poor quality. Despite my constant care, washing, rust conversion treatments, painting with rust blocking paint and using undercoating, every inch on the underside of the vehicle is rusted. Both rear quarters rotted behind the wheel flares and down into where the rear doors close and contact the rear quarters. Now due to Nissan's decision to use substandard metal I am forced to buy a new vehicle which is currently financially impossible.

See all problems of the 2002 Nissan Pathfinder 🔎.

Rear lower control arm broke while driving. Vehicle had to be moved on a rollback. Upon replacing control arm, cracks have been found at several points on the crossmember subframe. As it stands, the vehicle is a danger to have on the road.

The subframe has rusted out and it’s causing my arm to move. It appears this is a common issue with Nissan vehicles in general. My mechanic stated that it should not have rusted out like that.

The 2013 Nissan Pathfinder that we own just had the subframe rust and collapse. The car only has 120,000 miles. This is not even close to the expectancy of how long a subframe should last.

Rear cross member corrosion making the vehicle unstable. Not sure how can this happen on the vehicle that’s only 10 years old.

Vehicle suddenly started having problems while driving. Loud whining noise and shaking and scrubbing sound while driving. Was driving fine before sudden issues. Quotes by three different mechanics stated possible issues that incuded wheel bearing, ball joints, water pump, fan clutch, and brakes. Was told that all parts under vehicle were loose and close to becoming unraveled.

See all problems of the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder 🔎.

My daugther and myself were sitting at a stop light and the car would not move forward or backward. All of the transmission fluid was on the ground. I had to call the police for safety from being hit. I had the truck towed home.

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel was veering to the left and became difficult to maneuver. The contact stated there was a loud banging sound underneath the vehicle when the brake pedal was depressed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the rear subframe crossmember needed to be replaced; however, the part for the repair was on backorder. The local dealer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the part was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 117,000.

There’s was a recall on the control arm… I took it in to Nissan and was told mine was not affected. . So it was not fixed. A year or two has passed and my whole suspension needs to be replaced.

See all problems of the 2007 Nissan Pathfinder 🔎.

I had a 2006 Nissan Pathfinder that was “bought back” by Nissan after 6 years of use because of a “rusted frame” and now once again I have a 2010 Nissan Pathfinder, where the rear sub-frame rusted through and caused the wheel to give out and track wrong -causing a life-or-death situation. I do not need an independent or dealer to confirm, it is obvious. There was no prior warning, thank god I was not on a turnpike going fast! I went on line an evidently other Pathfinder owners have had experience the same issue of a rusted sub-frame holding the rear wheels on the vehicle. I think the ntsa is well aware of the problem concerning this issue with Nissan and should take action to have this corrected. Other Nissan owners have complained. Nissan sells the sub-frame for about 1000. 00. Nissan warranty should have covered the problem being they specifically went full on body frame, because of the rust & recall of the prior generation Nissan Pathfinder - which was a unibody. Full on frame was to get owners back.

See all problems of the 2010 Nissan Pathfinder 🔎.