2001 NISSAN PATHFINDER Complaints

I WAS ON THE FRWY. AND MY NISSAN PATHFINDER STARTED TO WOBBLE LIKE, IT WAS GOING TO FLIP OVER. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 60-65 AND WAS HEADED IN A STRAIGHT DIRECTION. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR AND THE WOBBLE SEEMED TO GO AWAY. I WAS ON THE FRWY. SO I SPED UP TO THE LEGAL LIMIT, AND NOW I'M GOING AROUND A CURVE AND, THE WOBBLE WAS INTENSE , IT SCARED ME TO DEATH. SINCE, I HAVE HAD THE STRUTS, SHOCKS REPLACED TWICE. I'VE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH ON THIS WOBBLE...IT IS CALLED THE DEATH WOBBLE...IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE MATERIALS USED MAKING, THE BUSHINGS IN THE REAR SUSPENSION. EVEN WHEN THESE BUSHINGS (THE SAME MATERIAL BUSHINGS) ARE REPLACED IT CAN AND WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. PEOPLE DRIVING AROUND ME WHEN THIS WOBBLE STARTS... THEY CANNOT GET AWAY FROM ME FAST ENOUGH. THIS IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR ESPECIALLY, MOST MECHANICS DO PROCESS OF ELIMINATION, STARTING WITH SHOCKS, TIRES, STRUTS, UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARMS, REAR ARM ASSEMBLY,BALL JOINTS AND WHEEL BEARINGS NEED I SAY MORE. ON ASK.COM, THE DEATH WOBBLE IS WELL KNOWN. THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. THIS IS THE SECOND PATHFINDER I HAVE OWNED , I PURCHASE NISSAN PRODUCTS BECAUSE THEY ARE GOOD FOR 2 TO 300K. I LOVE MY PATHFINDER , BUT I DON'T WANT TO DIE IN IT OR HAVE AN ACCIDENT, KILLING ANYBODY . THE BUSHINGS NEED TO BE MADE OF SOME OTHER MATERIAL SO THAT THIS WILL QUIT HAPPENING. WHEN ALL IS STABLE, IT STARTS ALL OVER AGAIN WITHIN A FEW THOUSAND MILES. *TR

WHILE DRIVING, ESPECIALLY AT HIGH SPEEDS (40-65 MPH), IF ROAD IS BUMPY, OR UNEVEN, THE TRUCK BEGINS TO WOBBLE FROM SIDE TO SIDE. YOU HAVE TO IMMEDIATELY LET OFF OF THE GAS TO GET IT UNDER CONTROL. IT'S GETTING WORSE, AND FEELS UNSAFE TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE, UNLESS I SLOW DOWN AND GET THE WOBBLE UNDER CONTROL. *TR

I JUST BOUGHT THE 2001 NISSAN PATHFINDER 1 WEEK PRIOR FROM A PRIVATE SELLER. WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH I HIT A VERY LARGE POT HOLE, COMMON IN MN. I HEARD A EXTRA LOUD BANG COME FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL AND PULLED OVER INSTANTLY, UPON EXITING THE VEHICLE I NOTICED THE TIRE AND WHEEL WELL WERE ALMOST IN CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER I COULDN'T SEE WHAT HAD BROKE, BEING THAT IT WAS A PITCH BLACK NIGHT. SO I DECIDED TO DRIVE THE REST OF THE WAY HOME. THE NEXT MORNING I WOKE UP AND RAN DIRECTLY TO MECHANIC WHO LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE AND TOLD ME I NEEDED NEW STRUTS SHOCKS AND CV AXLES I AGREED WITH HIS BID AND HE BEGAN WORK ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SHOCKS, STRUTS, CV AXLE. NEXT HE DOES THE DRIVER SIDE AND NOTICES THAT STRUT IS NOT STAYING IN PLACE, FINISHES THE JOB CALLS ME AND SAYS THE JOB IS COMPLETE BUT HE NEEDS TO TALK, I GET TO THE MECHANICS AND HE HANDS ME A BILL FOR $830 AND SHOWS ME THAT THE STRUT HOUSING ON DRIVERS SIDE HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY. I HAVE PARKED THE VEHICLE AND NEED TO FIND OUT IF THIS IS COVERED BY THE RECALL. *TR

MY SUV WOBBLES WHEN I GO 50 MPH. IT FEELS LIKE IT'S GOING TO TURN OVER I'M SO SCARED WHEN DRIVING I TRY NOT TO GO OVER 40 MPH. I LIVE IN BAHRAIN, MANAMA RIGHT NOW THIS WAS HAPPENING BEFORE I LEFT WASHINGTON, DC. I TOOK IT TO GET A ALIGNMENT THEY SAID IT WAS FINE BUT WHEN I DRIVE AND GET OVER 50MPH IT STILL WOBBLES. WHEN I WAS STILL IN WASHINGTON IT DID THE SAME THING NOW I HAD IT SHIPPED TO BAHRAIN BECAUSE I'M WORKING HERE IT'S STILL DOING IT. I ORDER TWO NEW BACK TIRES I WILL SEE IF THAT HELP IF NOT. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO. THEY HAVE A NISSAN DEALERSHIP HERE IF I TOOK IT THERE WOULD YOU STILL BE ASSESSABLE?

MY CAR BODY STRUCTURE WAS BROKEN INTO TWO PIECES, AND IT IS NOT OPERABLE. THE PASSENGER FRONT SIDE STRUT TOWER ON MY 2001 PATHFINDER WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. THE STRUT TOWER WAS DISCONNECTED FROM THE BODY DUE TO THE RUST. WHEN THE TOWER FINALLY LET GO, THE STEERING WAS AFFECTED CAUSING ISSUES STEERING THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT ONLY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RUST ON THE DRIVER SIDE UNDER CARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE FRAME BODY STRUCTURE. IT CAUSED ALSO DAMAGE TO THE SUSPENSION COMPONENTS. BEFORE MY CAR GOT BROKEN, I HEARD A NOISE FROM ITS RIGHT SIDE AND I WAS DRIVING IT ON THE HIGHWAY, FOR A SECOND I LOST THE ABILITY TO STEEL MY CAR, BUT I KEPT IT STEADY UNTIL I COULD GET THE NEXT EXIT. I COULD HAVE SUFFERED A FATAL ACCIDENT THAT DAY. THERE IS A RECALL FOR FRAME/BODY STRUCTURE CORROSION FOR THIS MODEL 2001 PATHFINDER REGISTERED IN NEW JERSEY. AS SOON I WAS AWARE ABOUT IT, I CALLED TO NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO EXPLAIN MY SITUATION. ONE OF THE NISSAN REPRESS. ADVISED ME TO TAKE MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP IN AVENEL NJ. MY CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE, SO I CALLED TO THE TOWING TRUCK TO PICK AND DROP IT OFF TO THE DEALERSHIP ON DEC 26, 2013. SINCE THEN, I HAVE NOT HAD A RESPONSE FROM NISSAN TO HELP ME WITH MY SITUATION. EACH TIME I SPOKE TO A REPRESENTATIVE, THEY SAID THAT MY CASE IS STILL IN PROCESS, AND I NEED TO WAIT FOR A DECISION. I CAN NOT BELIEVE IT, I HAVE BEEN IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION DRIVEN MY CAR IN THAT MATTER. I NEED A CAR TO GO TO WORK FOR MY LIVELIHOOD AND ALSO TO TAKE MY CHILDREN TO THEIR SCHOOL. I CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY FOR A CAR RENTAL. AND AFTER ALL OF THESE, NISSAN DOES NOT HAVE ANY SENSE OF COOPERATION. I REQUESTED THEM TO HELP ME WITH A PROVISIONAL CAR TO KEEP MY LIFE STYLE ON, BUT THEY DENIED IT. I NEED HELP FROM THE GOVERNMENT NHTSA TO MAKE NISSAN TAKE CARE ABOUT THIS RECALL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE FRAME WAS PERFORATED DUE TO RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO CONFIRMED THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

THE FRONT RIGHT SUSPENSION COIL ON MY 2001 NISSAN PATHFINDER FAILED AND BROKE INTO TWO PIECES. THE WIDEST SECTION OF COIL SHIFTED OFF THE STRUT SPRING PERCH AND CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE NEARBY TIRE SIDEWALL CAUSING TIRE WEAR WHICH COULD LEAD TO FAILURE. THE RIDE HEIGHT ALSO FELL AS A RESULT OF THE BREAKAGE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED DURING NORMAL SUBURBAN DRIVING. THE VEHICLE IS NOT SUBJECTED TO EXTREME OPERATING CONDITIONS AND THE STRUTS WERE REPLACED APPROXIMATELY 10,000 MILES PRIOR TO COIL SPRING FAILURE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, SHE HEARD A STRANGE NOISE AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND TO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE STRUT HOUSING HAD FAILED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 11V244000 (STEERING, SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 82,000.

VEHICLE HAS SPENT ITS LIFE IN UPSTATE NEW YORK WARE WEATHER CONDITIONS WET AND ROADS ARE SALTED I WASHED UNDER CARRIAGE REGULARLY TO PREVENT CORROSION BUT AFTER WINTER THE VEHICLES FRONT SUPPORT BRACKET CONNECTED TO THE FRAME THAT HOLDS THE FRONT AXLE AND LOWER CONTROL ARM TO THE FRAME SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME CAUSING THE FRONT WHEEL TO SEPARATE AS WELL I WAS VERY LUCKY I NOTICED THE NOISE AND DID NOT TAKE DRIVE IT AT ANY SPEED BECAUSE THE RESULT WOULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC I FEEL THAT IT IS A FLAW IN THE DESIGN AND THAT A RECALL SHOULD MANDATORY FOR NISSAN. *TR

TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY - HIT A SWOOP IN THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE STARTING ROCKING BACK AND FORTH LIKE A BOAT IN THE WATER. IT FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO ROLL OVER UNTIL I HAD TO PUT ON BRAKES GOING 65 MILES PER HOUR. NOW CAN ONLY MAINTAIN A HIGHWAY SPEED OF 50 MPH IN ORDER NOT TO EXPERIENCE THIS ROCKING BACK AND FORTH. *TR