NHTSA Complaint #10161636 — 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER

PURCHASED 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER FEB 2006. 1ST VISIT TO DEALERSHIP FOR MAINTENANCE REQUESTED DEALERSHIP TO CHECK THE DIRECTIONAL STABILITY (WANDERING) OF THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, I ASKED THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE VIOLENT SHAKING WHEN THE VEHICLE HITS A BUMP ON THE FREEWAY AT SPEEDS OF 50 MPH OR HIGHER. THE DEALERSHIP ADVISED THAT THEY ADJUSTED AIR IN TIRES. TIRE PRESSURE PRIOR TO APPOINTMENT WAS 35 PSI; AFTER APPOINTMENT TIRE PRESSURE WAS 35 PSI. 3-13-06/ 2ND VISIT TO DEALERSHIP FOR OIL CHANGE AT 2500 MILES AND ISSUE OF DIRECTIONAL STABILITY STILL CAUSING VEHICLE TO WANDER. I WAS ADVISED THAT THE MECHANIC HAD ADJUSTED THE CAM AND TOE OF THE FRONT END AND THE ALIGNMENT WAS CHECKED FOR ACCURACY. THE DIRECTIONAL STABILITY WAS IMPROVED, BUT NOT TO ACCEPTABLE STANDARDS. 3RD VISIT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND MY REQUEST TO ROTATE TIRES. AGAIN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WANDERS AND VIOLENTLY SHAKES WHEN HITTING ANY BUMP. DEALERSHIP CHANGED OIL, ROTATED TIRES AND TEST DROVE THE 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER. I WAS ADVISED WANDERING AND SHAKING WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE AND THERE WAS NOTHING MORE NISSAN COULD DO. THE WANDERING WAS ATTRIBUTED TO TALL TIRES, SHORT WHEEL BASE AND NO LOAD. I CONTACTED NISSAN NORTH AMERICA AND FILED A COMPLAINT:#5332144. MY AREA'S REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE FROM NNA ADVISED ME TO HAVE A CERTIFIED NISSAN MECHANIC FROM A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP GO ON A DRIVE-ALONG TO EXPERIENCE THE ISSUE OF WANDERING AND VIOLENT SHAKING. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A DIFFERENT NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND RODE AS THEIR "LEAD TECH" DROVE MY 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. HE EXPERIENCED THE WANDERING AND VIOLENT SHAKING. HE ADVISED THAT THOSE WERE ALL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VEHICLE. THIS WAS REPORTED TO THE REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND I WAS ADVISED IF I HAD ANY FURTHER ISSUES I COULD WRITE A LETTER OF COMPLAINT TO NNA. CERTIFIED MECHANICS FORM NNA HAVE IDENTIFIED A SERIOUS SAFETY CHARACTERISTIC OF MY VEHICLE. HOWEVER,THEY ARE OF THE OPINION THAT CHARACTERISTIC IS ACCEPTABLE. *JB