NHTSA Complaint #10307180 — 1997 NISSAN PATHFINDER

OUR 1997 NISSAN PATHFINDER DEVELOPS A REAR ROCKING MOTION (SWAY, WOBBLE) AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THAT WOULD CLEARLY PUT THE VEHICLE OUT OF CONTROL IF NOT QUICKLY STOPPED, WHICH CAN USUALLY BE ACCOMPLISHED BY LETTING OFF THE GAS. THIS HAPPENS CONTINUOUSLY AND REPEATEDLY, SOMETIMES EVEN AT LOWER SPEEDS (IN THE 40 MPH RANGE.) THE SENSATION IS VERY UNNERVING TO THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS ESPECIALLY SINCE IT IS NOT DUE TO ANYTHING THE DRIVER HAS DONE AND IT STRIKES WITHOUT WARNING. IN JUST A FEW SECONDS THE CAR FEELS LIKE 2 SECONDS MORE AND IT WILL FLIP OR ROLL OR CRASH INTO ANOTHER LANE! (TAKE A RIDE WITH ME, YOU'LL SEE I'M NOT EXAGGERATING.) THE TRICK IS TO STOP THE ROCKING AS SOON AS YOU NOTICE IT STARTING, USUALLY BY LETTING OFF THE GAS. THIS PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN TO MANY PATHFINDER OWNERS (IN THE 1996-200 RANGE) AND TO NISSAN, WHICH HAS PRODUCED A TSBS ON IT (NTB98-001, NTB98-012) BUT THE COMPANY HAS NOT DEALT WITH IT AS A RECALL. IT IS AN EXPENSIVE ($700-$1,400) REPAIR APPARENTLY DUE TO FAULTY CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS, THE SMART REPAIR IS APPARENTLY TO USE POLYURETHANE AFTER-MARKET BUSHINGS INSTEAD OF OEM (UNLESS YOU WANT IT TO COME BACK AGAIN IN LESS THAN 100K.) *TW WE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR 6 MONTHS AND OURS SET IN AT ABOUT 170K BUT MANY OTHER OWNERS WERE REPORTING THIS PROBLEM 3 OR 4 YEARS AGO AT 100K. AND MANY ARE NOT HAPPY WITH HOW NISSAN HAS NOT HANDLED THIS DESIGN PROBLEM THEY CREATED.