1996 Nissan Pathfinder complaints

WE HAD SOME MAJOR REPLACEMENT OF PARTS IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO BUT DON'T REMEMBER IF IT MADE THE SAME SOUND AS BEFORE OR NOT. DEALER SAID IT WAS THE STRUTS BUT THOSE ARE IN THE FRONT AND THE SOUND IS COMING FORM THE REAR. *AK

REAR AXLE DISCONNECTED FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 50 MPH. WHEEL WITH BRAKE SYSTEM AND AXLE WHICH CONTINUE ACROSS MEDIAN STRIP ONTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND IS REFUSING TO PAY FOR REPAIRS. *AK *ML

EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM CD PLAYER, CAUSED PREMATURE FAILURE OF DASH LIGHTS (AC & OTHER). *AK

CONSUMER TOOK CAR TO DEALER TO HAVE TIRES ROTATED. MECHANIC COULD NOT DO A FRONT END ALIGNMENT BECAUSE STRUTS WERE LEAKING, AND CAUSING TIRES TO BREAK DOWN. TIRES WON'T HOLD TO THE GROUND. *AK

VEHICLE WAS HIT HEAD-ON BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND ALL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. BUT SEAT BELT DETACHED FROM VEHICLE, AND DRIVER LOST HER LIFE. CONSUMER FELT THAT IF SEAT BELT HAD NOT DETACHED, DRIVER MIGHT STILL BE ALIVE. *AK *ML

STEERING LOCKS UP IN TIGHT, FAST TURN - REQUIRES EFFORT TO CORRECT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY RATE OF SPEED VEHICLE WILL COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

BOTH FRONT STRUTS HAVE LEAKED UNTIL EMPTY OF FLUID. WHEN NOTICED, AN APPOINTMENT WAS MADE WITH NISSAN DEALER. I WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. INDEPENDENT DEALER WAS LATER CONSULTED AND I WAS ADVISED THAT THE STEERING PROBLEMS I WAS EXPERIENCING WAS DUE TO EMPTY/LEAKING FRONT STUTS

NO SUMMARY

THERE IS A LEAKAGE COMING FROM STRUTS. ALSO, STEERING LOCKS UP AND VEHICLE WON'T START UP. *AK

MY PATHFINDER WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM THE LOCAL NISSAN DEALER. WITHIN ONE YEAR THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH FRONT STRUTS. THEY TOLD ME THE STRUTS WERE "LEAKING." I GOT A LETTER FROM NISSAN ASKING ME TO BRING IT IN TO HAVE 6 OR 7 POSSIBLE DEFECTS CHECKED. ONE OF THEM WAS "UNUSUAL TIRE WEAR" WHICH MANY PATHFINDERS HAD HAD PROBLEMS WITH. THE LETTER SAID THAT IF MY TIRES SHOWED THIS UNUSUAL WEAR THAT THE TIRES WOULD BE REPLACED. AT THE TIME GARRAND'S TOLD ME THAT MY TIRES WERE FINE, BUT LESS THAN 2 MONTHS LATER I WAS TOLD BY A LOCAL TIRE DEALERSHIP THAT MY TIRES WERE RUINED, AND BADLY IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. THE LETTER FROM NISSAN ALSO CONTAINED A "REPLACEMENT PAGE" TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL, ON WHICH IT RECOMMENDED THAT THE TIRES NOW BE ROTATED EVERY 2,500 MILES FROM NOW ON! ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO I STARTED TO HEAR A LOUD BANGING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION OF MY PATHFINDER WHENEVER I HIT A BUMP. I BROUGHT THE PATHFINDER TO GARRANDS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT MY RIGHT FRONT STRUT WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $775. I WANTED A SECOND OPINION, SO I BROUGHT MY PATHFINDER TO A MIDAS DEALER AND FOUND OUT THAT THE NOISE WAS IN FACT COMING FROM THE SWAY BAR STABALIZER LINK AND NOT THE STRUT. WHEN I QUESTIONED GARRANDS ABOUT THIS LATER THEY TOLD ME THAT THE STABALIZER LINK IS PART OF THE STRUT, AND THEY HAVE TO BE REPLACED TOGETHER. I SENT A LONG LETTER TO NISSAN IN WHICH I DESCRIBED IN DETAIL THE PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE HAD WITH MY PATHFINDER. A MONTH LATER WHEN I HEARD NO

EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND HEAD GASKET CRACKED. MJS

NO SUMMARY

I LEASED A NEW 1996 PATHFINDER FROM THE DEALER MENTIONED. SINCE I HAVE HAD THIS TRUCK THE TIRES HAVE BEEN GETTING CHOPPEDAND THEY STIIL LOOK NEW. MAKES A WOP WOP NOISE AS I RIDE DOWN TEH ROAD ANT THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES BADLY. THE DEALER HAS REAPLACED THESE TIRES. ALL FOUR OF THEM. THIS HAS BEEN DONE TWICE (BRIDGESTONE'S WERE PUT ON ) THIS IS NOT INCLUDING THE TIRES IT CAME WITH WHICH WERE BRAND NEW. SO MY TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES TOTAL WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I THREATENED THEM WITH THE LEMON LAW HERE AND THEY AGREEDTO FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAVE APPROXIMATLEY 10 COMPLAINTS ON THIS MATTER FROM NISSAN. I WAS DEALING WITH THEIR CONSUMER AFFAIRS DEPT AND THEY ALL SEEM TO BE IN THIS TOGETHER. EVEN AT OTHER NISSAN DEALERSHIPS. I WAS LIED ON BY THE SERVICE MANAGER HIS NAME IS KELLY BRABBS. HE STATED THAT I WAS NOT ROTATING MY TIRES PROPERLY AND THAT IS WHAT CAUSED THE TIRE TROUBLE NOTE: MANUFACTURER SPECS STATES MY TIRES SHOOLD BE ROTATED EVERY 7,500 MI. HE SAID THEY SHOULD BE ROTATED EVERY 4000. TIRE ROTATTION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH TIRES CHOPPING LIKE MINEEVEN I KNOW THIS. ALTHOUGH I COMPLIED WITH HIS RECOMMENDATION AND PAID OUT OF MUY POCKET TO HAVE THIS ROTATION DONE THE PROBLEM STIL EXISTED. THNE HE LIED TO NISSAN AND TOLD THEM HE TOLD ME TO ROTATE THE TIRES EVERY 3,750 MILES. I HAVE DOCUMENTS BRABBS SENT ME SAYING 7,500 ROTATION FROM THE DEALEREVRYTHING THEY DID THEY COVERED IT UP WELL WITH NO RECORDS STATING THEY REPALCED MY TIRES BUT ONCE . AND THAT'S A LIE. I DONT KNO

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, APPROXIMATELY 50-55 MPH ON WET ROAD CONDITIONS ALL OF SUDDEN THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED, RESULTING IN ROLLOVER, AND VEHICLE LANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DIVIDER. AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY PROPERLY, CAUSING CHEMICAL TO LEAK OUT AND PARTLY DEFLATE THEM. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY, SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA. *AK *ML

LOST PRESETS TO RADIO AND TIME NUMEROUS TIMES WHEN IGNITION TURNED OFF. SQUEALING UNDER LEFT FRONT TIRE AND UNEVEN WEARING OF ROTORS, CAUSED BRAKING TO BE SPORATIC AND HARD TO STOP. *AK

VEHICLE FAILS TO START WITHOUT EXCESSIVE ENGINE CRANK TIME (APPARENTLY FLOODED ENGINE PROBLEM). USUALLY OCCURS AT HIGHER ALTITUDES IN WINTER. PROBLEM IS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. DEALERS HAVE WORKED ON VEHICLE A NUMBER OF TIMES OVER ~2 YEARS WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. NEW INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED IN SPRING OF 1998 ON HOW TO MODIFY STARTING PROCEDURE DO NOT WORK! I AM SENDING A DETAILED LETTER OF COMPLAINT TO NISSAN, NORTH AMERICA. SAFETY ISSUES INCLUDE (1) EXCESSIVE WEAR ON STARTER, STARTER GEARING AND ENGINE, (2) FIRE POTENTIAL FROM FLOODING AND (3) POSSIBILITY OF STRANDING IN BACK COUNTRY SHOULD ENGINE NOT START OR STARTER/GEAR FAIL.

SEAT BELT LOCKS IN POSITION THAT IS TOO TIGHT NOT ALLOWING FOR MOVEMENT.

WHILE DRIVNG 30-35 MPH CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A LEFT FRONT AND SIDE ACCIDENT IN WHICH THIRE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S OR PASSEGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK

FRONT END SUSPENSION POOR PERFORMANCE CAUSING PREMATURE WEARING OF THE TIRES.

WHEN LATCHING SEAT BELTS INTO BELT BUCKLE THE SEAT BELTS LOCK, AND WILL REMAIN LOCKED UNTIL SEAT BELTS ARE RELEASED FROM BELT BUCKLES. *AK

VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A COLLOSION. UPON IMPACT, THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. AIRBAG CHEMICALS BURNED THE DRIVER'S FACE/NECK AND HANDS. DRIVER ALSO RECEIVED ABRASIONS TO THE EYE. MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK

DRIVER HANDS SUFFERED 2ND DEGREE BURNS WHEN AIR BAG DEPLOYED.

ABS BRAKES; WHEN APPLYING BRAKES NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

CONSUMER WAS ENTERING ONTO THE HIGHWAY, TRAVELING ABOUT 40-50 MPH IN RAINY WEATHER CONDITIONS WHEN THE VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER THREE TIMES. OCCUPANTS WERE TRAPPED IN VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, AND OCCUPANTS INHALED CHEMICALS ESCAPING FROM AIR BAGS, CAUSING OCCUPANTS TO CHOKE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK POWER STEERING FAILED. *SLC

EXCESSIVE WEAR OF GENERAL GRABBER (P23S/70R15) TIRES.

DOOR SEALS LEAK AIR.

WHILE DRIVING ON AN INCLINE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD. OWNER APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE CABLE BROKE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO COLLIDE INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

WHILE MOVING AT 40 MPH ON A PREVIUOSLY PLOWED ROAD, THE REAR END SUDDENLY LOST TRACTION CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN CLOCKWISE AND CRASH INTO A SNOW BANK.

TIRES WEAR UNEVENLY, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL.

SEAT BELTS WILL LOCK IN POSITION CONTINUALLY.

TIRES REPLACED PREMATURELY AT 7500 MILES.

NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG IN AN ACCIDENT.

WHEEL BEARING NUTS AND BOLTS FAILED.

RECALL 96V034000; HAS BEEN SERVICED AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS ONE MONTH LATER. *AK

REAR DIFFERENTIAL FAILURE.

BRAKE SENSORS FAILED.

FRONT ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAILED WHEN APPLIED DURING EMERGENCY BREAKING, ONCE RESULTING IN A CRASH. *AK

OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED.

ABS PROBLEM; ON ANY KIND OF DAMP OR GRIT ROAD, IN A NORMAL SITUATION, WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE ABS SYSTEM KICKS, BUT THE VEHICLE REQUIRES MORE STOPPING DISTANCE. THIS INCIDENT CAUSED A CRASH ON 4.24/97. VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT DEALER SINCE 6/1/97 TO CORRECT PROBLEM. *AK

BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING ACCIDENT.

BOLTS THAT ARE CONNECTED TO THE HUB OF THE WHEEL BROKE OFF, CAUSING THE DRIVER'S FRONT TIRE TO COME OFF. *AK

ECU SWITCH FAILED, CAUSING ENGINE TO SURGE.

CLUNKING NOISE FROM REAR END DURING BRAKING.

OTHER: DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG SENSOR FAILED TWICE.

APPLIED BRAKES , COULD FEEL PUMPING ACTION, NO BRAKING EFFECT, WET PAVEMENT/DRY PAVEMENT, PROIR TO FAILURE, WHEN APPLIED, BRAKES MADE LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE, ACCORDING TO DEALER, NO PROBLEM, BRAKES WORKING NORMAL. *AK

DIFFERENTIAL FAILED, CAUSING A GRINDING NOISE FROM THE REAR.

COMING DOWN A HILL, APPLIED THE ABS BRAKES AND THEY LOCKED UP TWICE, ONCE RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS HAPPENED TWICE ON SAME ROAD . *AK

STEERING RECALL WORK DENIED BY ONE DEALERSHIP.

WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND WENT INTO THE STREET, HAD TO KEEP PUMPING THE BRAKES TO GET VEHICLE TO STOP. *AK