1996 NISSAN PATHFINDER Steering Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 NISSAN PATHFINDER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING INSPECTED AT THE DMV, THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE REAR STRUT WAS RUSTING. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING MADE AN ABNORMAL POPPING NOISE WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THEY WERE UNSURE HOW TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 293,000.

CAR HAS MANY AFTER MARKET PARTS WHICH ARE OLD AND RUSTED WHICH CAUSES THE ENTIRE VEHICLE TO BREAK DOWN EVEN AFTER REPLACING MANY PARTS ALSO WHEN SEARCHING GOR PARTS ITS HARD TO FIND I HAVE TO GET PARTS FOR A 1997 NISSAN PATHFINDER WHEN MY VEHICLE IS A 1996 NISSAN PATHFINDER

WHENEVER I REACH AN EXCESS SPEED OF 40+ AND TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE GAS THE CAR ROCKS BACK AND FORTH UNCONTROLLABLE. I AM A MOTHER OF FOUR AND THE IS A VERY TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE FOR BOTH ME AND MY CHILDREN.

I BOUGHT THIS CAR A COUPLE YEARS AGO AND COULDN'T DRIVE IT RIGHT AWAY BECAUSE I BOUGHT IT A LITTLE BEFORE I GOT MY LICENSE. SO EVENTUALLY WHEN I GOT IT ON THE ROAD I ENDED UP GETTING A REJECTION STICKER BECAUSE THE E BREAK AND A FEW OTHER REASONS. ONE THING I'VE NOTICED ABOUT MY S.U.V IS THE WIND SHIELD WIPERS WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO. THE WHOLE UNDERNEATH IS ROTTED OUT, (THAT'S WHAT THE GUY TOLD ME WHO INSPECTED MY CAR) AN EVER SINCE I'VE HAD IT, I'VE HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY STEERING, I'VE TRIED THE POWER STEERING FLUID DIDN'T WORK. I'M NOT POSITIVE THAT THERE WAS A RECALL, BUT I WAS REFERED TO THIS SO I'M TRYING TO SEE WHAT I CAN DO IF I CAN DO ANYTHING.

AS VEHICLE APPROACHED 50MPH IT WOULD SHAKE VIOLENTLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE FORCING ME TO LET OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR. THE SHAKING MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND WAS VERY FRIGHTENING NOT ONLY TO ME, BUT ALSO TO MY FAMILY (WE WERE ON VACATION). SINCE THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY A DANGEROUS SITUATION I LOOKED FOR A RECALL. THERE WAS NONE. I DID, HOWEVER, FIND MANY SIMILAR STORIES ON THE INTERNET. THE LOCAL NISSAN DEALERSHIP REPLACED REAR SUSPENSION BARS. "VERIFIED REAR SUSPENSION LINKS WERE BAD, BUSHINGS TORE-REPLACED ALL 4 BARS" MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME WAS 60,687. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT USED OFF-ROAD. THE REPAIR COST ME $740.20 MOSTLY IT IS JUST SHOCKING THAT SUCH A DANGEROUS CONDITION IS NOT A RECALL. THERE WAS NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE ONCE IT'S SPEED EXCEEDED 50MPH. I AM PRETTY SURE THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE FLIPPED OVER HAD I...

THE PROBLEM STARTED ABOUT A MONTH AFTER WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE BACK IN 2009, AT FIRST IT WOULD ONLY START TO WOBBLE AT 60 MPH SO WE TOOK IT IN FOR INSPECTION THEY TOLD US IT NEEDED ALIGNMENT SO WE HAD IT DONE. IT WORKED FOR A WHILE BUT THEN IT STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN AND NOW AT JUST 30 MPH SO WE TOOK IN AGAIN, THIS TIME THEY DID TIRES AND BALANCING BUT IT IS JUST GETTING WORSE.I FEEL LIKE THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOOSE WHEN IT STARTS TO WOBBLE AND LIKE MY TIRES ARE GOING TO FALL OFF. I TRY NOT TO DRIVE THAT CAR SO MUCH ANY MORE SPECIALLY WHEN I HAVE MY GRANDDAUGHTERS WITH ME. I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE ANY FEEDBACK YOU MAY HAVE CONCERNING THE PROBLEM I'M HAVING WITH MY 1996 NISSAN PATHFINDER 4X4 THANK YOU *TR

BROUGHT MY PATHFINDER TO STAR NISSAN FOR THE CORROSION RECALL, I WAS TOLD MY CAR WAS TOO FAR GONE TO REPAIR AND THEY SAID THAT A RENTAL CAR WOULD BE PROVIDED TO ME, "AT NO COST" WHILE COMPENSATION FOR VEHICLE WAS BEING PROCESSED. I AGREED TO THIS, AT THE RENTAL CAR LOCATION I WAS INFORMED THAT NISSAN WILL COVER RENTAL BUT NOT INSURANCE, I HAVE STATE REQUIRED LIABILITY BUT NOT THEFT AND COLLISION AS THE CAR IS A 1996 WITH 210000 MILES ON IT AND THE PREMIUM OUT WEIGHT THE VALUE OF THE CAR. SO I HAD TO AGREE TO THE COLLISION AND FIR, THEFT INSURANCE OF $9 A DAY. NOW NISSAN SAYS THEY WILL NOT PAY THE $9 A DAY "SUPPLEMENTAL" INSURANCE. I CLAIM THIS INSURANCE IS NOT ""SUPPLEMENT" BUT MANDATED AS THE RENTAL WAS A NEW CAR AND IF STOLEN I, NOT NISSAN WOULD BE HELD LIABLE I...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE FRONT SUSPENSION HOUSING AND STRUTS WERE SEVERELY CORRODED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 11V244000 (STEERING, SUSPENSION) WAS PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 138,000.

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OF 65 MPH VEHICLE WENT INTO VIOLENT BODY ROLLING AND SHIMMY CAUSING DRIVER TO ALMOST LOOSE CONTROL. BODY WAS ROLLING SEVERELY, AS IF STEERING WHEEL WAS BEING ROCKED BACK AND FORTH, HOWEVER STEERING WHEEL WAS STEADY. UNABLE TO STOP BODY ROLL UNTIL BRAKES APPLIED. UNABLE TO IDENTIFY ANY DAMAGE AT TIME IF EVENT, BUT HAPPENED SEVERAL MORE TIMES DURING TRIP. UPON DETAILED INSPECTION, REAR TIRES SHOWED SEVERE SCUFFING ON OUTSIDE OF TIRES AND IT IS SUSPECTED THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH REAR AXLE LINKS BASED ON SOME INTERNET RESEARCH. *TR

ON SEPTEMBER 4TH 2011, I WAS DRIVING MY 96' NISSAN PATHFINDER AT APPROX. 30MPH. I MADE A LEFT HAND TURN AND WAS COMING OUT OF THE TURN WHEN MY STEERING WHEEL REPEATEDLY JERKED FROM SIDE TO SIDE CAUSING ME TO LOOSE CONTROL. THE VEHICLE SUBSEQUENTLY FLIPPED ROLLING INTO A CAR DEALERSHIP AND CAUSING DAMAGE TO 2 USED VEHICLES ON THE LOT BEFORE LANDING ON ITS TOP AND SPINNING AROUND. LUCKILY, I ONLY SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES SUCH AS CUTS BRUISES AND MUSCLE STRAIN RESULTING FROM BROKEN GLASS, SEAT BELT PRESSURE, LOOSE OBJECTS FLYING THROUGH THE VEHICLE AND THE JOSTLING AS THE VEHICLE MADE ITS JOURNEY. I WAS CHARGED WITH REASONABLE CONTROL AND THE ACCIDENT WAS BRUSHED OFF DUE TO MY AGE (19) AND BEING AN 'INEXPERIENCED DRIVER' EVEN THOUGH I EXPLAINED TO EVERYONE THAT THE STEERING SEEMED TO HAVE 'A MIND IF ITS OWN'. I AM NOW RESPONSIBLE FOR SEVERAL THOUSAND...

TRIED CALLING NISSAN RE: RECALL FOR BRAKES AND STEERING, AND THEY WOULD NOT HELP ME. *AK

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

STEERING RECALL WORK DENIED BY ONE DEALERSHIP.