2002 NISSAN PATHFINDER Complaints

PART FROM BUTTERFLY VALVE CAME LOOSE AND FELL INSIDE ENGINE. DESTROYED ENGINE. *TR

I RECENTLY BROUGHT UP TO THE ATTENTION OF NISSAN A PROBLEM I'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING WITH MY CAR. THE "CHECK ENGINE SERVICE" LIGHT IS ON AND IT JUST DOESN'T TURN OFF. LET ME EXPLAIN. WHEN I FIRST NOTICE THE PROBLEM, AROUND 6 MONTHS AGO, I TOOK THE CAR TO A DEALER. HOWEVER, JUST TO HOOK UP THE CAR TO THE COMPUTER OF THE DEALERSHIP IS OVER $100. NOT TO GET FIXED, JUST TO HOOK UP. I THINK THAT'S OUTRAGEOUS. SO I TOOK IT TO 2 DIFFERENT PLACES, A LOCAL MECHANIC AND AUTOZONE, BOTH EQUIPPED WITH COMPUTER HOOK UPS, CAPABLE OF "READING" NISSAN CODES. AT FIRST, THE CODE INDICATED A PROBLEM WITH THE "R" VALVE TIMING SOLENOID, WHICH I PROCEEDED TO CHANGE. HOWEVER, THE LIGHT CONTINUED ON. I TOOK IT BACK, AND NOW IT WAS THE "L" SIDE, WHICH I ALSO CHANGED. THESE TWO CHANGES COST ME $500. BUT THE LIGHT CONTINUES ON. NOW IS GIVING CODES FOR THE CAM/CRANK SENSOR, DIRT BUILD UP, THE IVT CONTROL SOLENOID OPEN OR SHORTED. AT THIS POINT IS WHEN I CONTACTED NISSAN. I WAS ASSIGNED A CASE NUMBER (11149465) AND EVENTUALLY TALKED TO A [XXX], 800/343-6913, EXT 458103. SHE INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD IF I DID NOT TAKE THE CAR TO A NISSAN DEALER. THEY STILL WOULD CHARGE OVER $100 JUST TO CONNECT TO THE COMPUTER. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THE MONIES ALREADY SPENT. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT OTHER OWNERS OF NISSAN VEHICLES HAVE EXPERIENCED IN THE PAST (PATHFINDER, 2002) AND PROBLEM. THAT I HAD BEEN TAKING THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR THE REGULAR MAINTENANCE CHECK UP SINCE I BOUGHT IT NEW, WHICH COULD BE EASILY VERIFIED. THAT THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 60,000 MILES.HOWEVER, THAT WAS NISSAN FINAL POSITION. I CAN PROVIDE THE BILL PAID AND DIAGNOSIS. THIS PROBLEM IS, AND HAS BEEN, A HEADACHE FOR US OWNERS, NOT TO MENTION THE EXPENSE AND TIME COMMITMENT. ALL I WAS REQUESTING WAS TO GET THIS PROBLEM FINALLY SOLVED, WITHOUT INCURRING IN ADDITIONAL EXPENSES AND UNNECESSARY WASTE OF TIME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

SHORTLY AFTER ENTERING FREEWAY I HEARD A LOUD "POP" AND THE STEERING WHEEL GRABBED TO THE RIGHT. DUE TO LIGHT SNOW AND ICY CONDITIONS AT THE TIME I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER PULLING OVER I NOTICED THE FRONT RIGHT COIL SPRING HAD SNAPPED AT ABOUT THE FIRST COIL UP FROM THE BOTTOM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE CONTINUOUSLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND REPAIRED UNDER A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 11V244000 (STEERING: COLUMN). HOWEVER, AFTER THE REMEDY REPAIR WAS PERFORMED THE PROBLEM RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY RECOMMENDED THE VEHICLE BE DIAGNOSED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AT THE EXPENSE OF THE OWNER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

WHILE DRIVING TO TEXAS LAST OCTOBER WITH THE WIFE MY VEHICLE ALL OF A SUDDEN STARTED TO WOBBLE LEFT TO RIGHT. THERE WAS A CERTAIN SPEED IN WHICH VEHICLE DID NOT DO IT AND IT WAS 60 MPH. SINCE I AM DISABLED I HAD MY YOUNG BROTHER LOOK INTO IT.SO HE TOOK IT TO A SHOP IN HOUSTON TX AND HAD HEAVY DUTY SHOCKS PUT ON THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND NEW TIRES. WHEN WE HEADED BACK TO CALIFORNIA THE CAR RAN FINE. MARCH OF THIS YEAR THE WOBBLING PROBLEM CAME BACK. OUR SON CHECKED IT OUT AND SAYS THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION NEEDS ALL THE BUSHINGS REPLACED BUT WE NEED TO HAVE THE DEALER OR A PRO SHOP REPAIR IT SOMETHING WHICH WILL COST AN ARM AND A LEG. CAN I GET ANY KIND OF HELP? THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TO THIS PROBLEM. *TR

WE WERE DRIVING NORTH BOUND ON 395 ABOUT 30 MILES SOUTH OF RITZVILLE, AT 3:30 ON SATURDAY, MAY 5TH. CLEAR SKIES, CLEAR ROAD CONDITIONS. SPARSE TRAFFIC, WE WERE IN THE OUTER MOST LANE. KIDS WERE QUIETLY WATCHING DVD IN BACKSEAT, WIFE AND I WERE CASUALLY TALKING. NO MUSIC ON, NO CELLPHONES, NO DISTRACTIONS. ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE HERD A THUNK AND THE REAR TIRES LOCKED UP. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS AND DROPPED THE CLUTCH (MANUAL TRANSMISSION), HOWEVER THE CAR WAS UNRESPONSIVE. ESSENTIALLY IT WAS AS IF I HAD SLAMMED ON THE BREAKS. AFTER A SECOND OF SKIDDING, WE STARTED A SLOW SPIN TO THE LEFT, CROSSING THE 'FAST' LANE. WE ENDED UP DOING A 360, THEN HIT THE SHOULDER AND THE CAR IMMEDIATELY ROLLED, FINALLY LANDING DRIVER SIDE DOWN. SOMETHING ON THE PATHFINDER MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THIS PROBLEM. I AM HOPING THIS IS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, BUT WOULD LIKE TO REPORT IT IN CASE THIS IS A MUCH BIGGER ISSUE. *TR

DRIVING AT 65 MPH., THE PATHFINDER ROCKS (WOBBLES) SIDE TO SIDE AND THE DRIVER IS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. IN ORDER FOR THE DRIVER TO TAKE BACK CONTROL OF VEHICLE, THE DRIVER MUST RELEASE THE GAS PEDAL IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE'S SPEED TO SLOW DOWN. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE PATHFINDER'S RUBBER BUSHINGS THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT PUTS MANY DRIVERS AT RISK. THERE'S NEEDS TO BE AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS MATTER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, SHE PASSED OUT BEHIND THE WHEEL. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO DRIVE WITH HER FOOT STEADILY DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A TELEPHONE POLE. UPON IMPACT, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED INJURIES TO THE HEAD AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE. THE POLICE WERE CONTACTED AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DEEMED AS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 154,000.

MY CAR WAS PART OF A RECALL DUE TO RUST. 3 MECHANICS FROM NISSAN DEEMED IT UNREPAIRABLE BECAUSE THE RECALL PROCEDURE. THEY SAID IT WAS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE PART OF A BUYBACK PROGRAM. AFTER WAITING FOR 2 MONTHS THEY CALLED ME AND TOLD ME MY CAR WAS FIXED. THE DEALER WAS VERY ELUSIVE WHEN I ASKED HIM WHY THEY CHANGED THEIR MIND, SAYING SOMEONE CAME AND TOLD THEM TO JUST FIX IT FROM NISSAN CORPORATE. HE WOULD NOT CONFIRM TO ME THAT IT WAS NOT CONSIDERED SAFE TO DRIVE. I TOOK THE CAR TO AN OUTSIDE MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD IT WAS ABSOLUTELY NOT A PROPER FIX. *TR

EMAIL MESSAGE FORWARDED FROM FHWA-WROTE REGARDING THE SAFETY RECALL OF HIS 2002 NISSAN PATHFINDER *TGW 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. *JB