NHTSA Complaint #10176855 — 1996 NISSAN PATHFINDER

I PURCHASED A USED VEHICLE FROM A PRIVATE OWNER, A 1996 NISSAN PATHFINDER WITH 139,500. IMMEDIATELY AFTER MY DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY, I NOTICED A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF BODY SWAY FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE.I DECIDED TO RESEARCH MY PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND SEVERAL REFERENCES TO ISSUES RELATED TO THE PREMATURE WEAR OF THE BUSHINGS IN THE REAR UPPER AND LOWER LINKS (CONTROL ARMS) THAT ATTACH THE AXLE TO THE FRAME (REF. NISSAN BULLETIN# NTB 98-001).THIS BULLETIN DESCRIBES IN DETAIL ABOUT WORN BUSHINGS WHICH IT CREATES EXCESSIVE SWAY, ROCKING AND PULL AT ANY SPEED AT THAT POINT, I DECIDED TO BRING MY VEHICLE AT MY EXPENSE TO HAVE AN AUTHORIZED NISSAN DEALER TO EXAMINE AND DOCUMENT THE POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS CONDITION.THEY VERIFIED AND CONCUR WITH THE WEAR IN THE REAR LINKS AND RECOMMENDED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE UPPER AND LOWER LINKS ALONG WITH THE REAR SHOCK ABSORBERS (PART # 55080-0W001 (2) AND #08911-6441A (2))-PART NUMBERS FOR THE LINKS. IN ADDITION, I SPOKE TO SEVERAL OWNERS OF NISSAN PATHFINDERS WITH THE SAME CONDITION WHICH WAS BUILT IN 2004 ON THE SAME CHASSIS. AS A RESULT, I CONTACTED NISSAN MOTORS OF NORTH AMERICA AND FILED A COMPLAINT/INQUIRY BASED ON THIS DEFECT (REF# 5555692) ON 12/7/06.THEY REFUSED TO ASSIST WITH THE COMPLAINT BASED ON A TSB AND NOT A SAFETY RECALL. ALSO, THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A VIRGINIA STATE ANNUAL VEHICLE SAFETY INSPECTION LAST MONTH AND WAS PASSED IN ERROR BY AN INSPECTOR WHO HAD MISSED THIS SAFETY DEFECT. I REPORTED THIS ISSUE TO THE VIRGINIA STATE POLICE AND THE PROBLEM WAS VERIFIED AND INVESTIGATED BY TROOPER FOWLER IN WILLIAMSBURG VA. THIS DEFECT IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY RELATED ISSUE AS DESCRIBED IN THE STANDARDS FOR VEHICLE INSPECTION. NOT BEING AN ENGINEER, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT I COULD HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AT TIMES OF HIGHWAY PASSING,AROUND ON RAMPS OR EVASIVE MANEUVERING THAT COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO ROLL OVER. I PAID TO HAVE THE PARTS REPLACED AT A BODY SHOP AT MY EXPENSE.I HAVE THE OLD PART. *NM