1997 NISSAN PATHFINDER Suspensionrear Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 NISSAN PATHFINDER. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WOBBLED VIOLENTLY ESPECIALLY WHEN MAKING A TURN. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

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...

1997 PATHFINDER WOBBLES IN THE REAR WILDLY AT TIMES, USUALLY WHEN I HIT THE ACCELERATOR. *TR

97 PATHFINDER SAFETY PROBLEM WITH REAR SUSPENSION LINKS. SIDE TO SIDE SWAY. ALMOST CAUSED VEHICLE TO FLIP IT IS SO BAD. NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. WHY HAS THE NHTSA NOT DONE SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM! DANGEROUS??? *TR

TRUCK SWAYS DANGEROUSLY SIDE TO SIDE IN REAR WHILE DRIVING AT OVER 40MPH REPLACED STRUTS & SHOCKS. MECHANIC SUSPECTS REAR UPPER & LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS VERY EXPENSIVE USUALLY BECAUSE OF LABOR. THESE PARTS ARE DEFECTIVE BECAUSE OF INFERIOR QUALITY. *TR

AFTER DESPERATELY LOOKING FOR AN ANSWER TO THE REASON WHY MY VEHICLE WAS ACTING THE WAY IT WAS I STUMBLED UPON AN INTERNET SITE WITH OTHER PATHFINDER OWNERS DESCRIBING SAME THINGS I WAS EXPERIENCING. I OWN A NISSAN PATHFINDER XE 3.3 L 4X4. THE PROBLEM I AM HAVING IS VIOLENT SWAYING OF THE REAR END AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 50 AND 65 MPH. THE ONLY WAY TO GET IT TO STOP IS TO TAP THE BREAKS OR SPEED UP. IT HAS ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT SEVERAL TIMES. I HAVE TRIED TO FIX IT AT THE COST OF HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS. NOTHING HAS WORKED. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE THAT COULD LEAD TO SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH! ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE VELOCITIES AT WHICH IT OCCURS. IT IS THE CONSENSUS OF THE MANY POSTERS ON THE SITE THAT THE ABOVE SYMPTOMS ARE THE RESULT OF THE FAILURE OF THE CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS. *TR

1997 NISSAN PATHFINDER REAR LINK ARM BUSHING FAILURE. *TR

REAR BUSHINGS ON NISSAN PATHFINDERS. MINE IS A 97 MODEL. THAT SWAYS AS SOON AS I HIT 65 MPH. I HAVE TO TAP ON THE BRAKE OR ACCELERATE FOR THE SWAYING TO STOP. IT STARTS AGAIN SOON AFTER. I LOOKED ONLINE AND FOUND OUT ABOUT THE REAR BUSHINGS .WWW.TOPIX.COM/FORUM/AUTOS/T5LSTPR5ONPC09CTLFOR ANY SOLUTIONS AND WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THAT NISSAN HAS DONE NOTHING TO REMEDY THIS SITUATION. I AM REQUIRED TO DRIVE TO WORK EACH DAY AND JUST CAN'T FANTHOM THE THOUGHT OF LOOSING TOTAL CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE BECAUSE NISSAN WON'T RECALL THIS. *TR

I HAVE A 1997 NISSAN PATHFINDER. I EXPERIENCE VERY "HEAVY" SIDE TO SIDE SWAYING OF THE VEHICLE AT SPEEDS GREATER THAN 55 MPH. I HAVE LOOKED ON THE INTERNET AT OTHER BLOGS AND NOTICED THAT MANY OTHER OWNERS EXPERIENCED THE SAME CONDITION. NISSAN IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS ISSUED A TSB, (NTB98-001 )BUT HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL, NO DOUBT DUE TO THE COST OF THE REPAIR, WHICH WAS JUST QUOTED TO ME BY THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AT $1,400.00 (AND TWO DAYS IN THE SHOP). THE PROBLEM, ACCORDING TO NISSAN AND OTHER CONSUMERS ONLINE, IS THE CONTROL ARM BUSHING (FRONT AND REAR) AND OTHER CONNECTING PARTS. THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE DESIGN ERROR AND SHOULD BE RECALLED AT THE EXPENSE OF NISSAN, NOT THE CONSUMER. *TR

MY 1997 NISSAN PATHFINDER HAS THE WELL DOCUMENTED "DEATH WOBBLES" ON THE HIGHWAY WHERE IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. APPARENTLY IT IS THE REAR BUSHINGS THAT ARE DEFECTIVE. CAUSES SEVERE UNEVEN TIRE WEAR. I'VE HEARD THE SAME STORY FROM MANY NISSAN OWNERS. I'M FRIGHTENED TO EVEN SELL THE VEHICLE FOR SAFETY REASONS EVEN WHEN I TELL A BUYER ABOUT THE FACTORY PROBLEM. *TR

CAR DEVELOPED A SIDE-TO-SIDE WOBBLE, MOSTLY IN THE REAR, AT SPEEDS FROM ABOUT 50 TO 65 MPH. WOBBLE IS NOT INDUCED BY STEERING WHEEL; IT JUST HAPPENS. IT'S WORSE WHEN CAR HAS PASSENGERS IN THE BACK SEAT. THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED BY REPLACING THE CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS (OR TRAILING ARM BUSHINGS), ONLY THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS. IT IS A SIMPLE SOLUTION TO A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM, AND IT IS VERY COMMON FOR 97 AND 98 NISSAN PATHFINDERS, AND A LOT OF USERS REPLACE MANY OTHER PARTS (SHOCK ABSORBERS, TIRES, ETC) THAT DON'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM AND CAN CAUSE A ROLL OVER ACCIDENT. *TR

I HAVE A 1997 NISSAN PATHFINDER THAT HAS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION. AT 55-65 MPH IT SHAKES UNCONTROLLABLY. IT HAS BEEN EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND THE WOBBLE IS CAUSED BY BAD BUSHINGS IN THE REAR OF THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM. THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT THIS CONDITION WILL CAUSE LOSS OF LIFE IF IT HAS NOT ALREADY. IN MY CASE I ESCAPED INJURY WHEN IT CAUSED ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

97 NISSAN PATHFINDER - DANGEROUSLY SWAYS LEFT TO RIGHT ONCE YOU DRIVE ABOVE 60 MPH. BEEN TO REPAIRS MANY TIMES AND HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. *AK

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING HIS 1997 NISSAN PATHFINDER (50000 FAILURE MILEAGE) AT 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SWAY FROM RIGHT TO LEFT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TO REDUCE HIS SPEED IN ORDER FOR THE SWAYING TO STOP AND REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY NOTIFIED HIM THAT THE REAR STABILIZER ARMS WERE WORN AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *JB

THE REAR END ON MY 97 PATHFINDER SHIFTS INTERMITTENTLY AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO LOSE CONTROL MANY TIMES. AFTER TAKING IT INTO THE DEALER, THEY TOLD ME IT WASN'T A RECALL. I WAS VERY SURPRISED CAUSE THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. *NM

REPORTING A VEHICLE ISSUE THAT IS KNOWN BY NISSAN "IF A 1996-98 PATHFINDER EXHIBITS THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS, THE CAUSE MAY BE FROM WORN BUSHING(S) IN THE REAR SUSPENSION UPPER AND/OR LOWER LINKS. EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THE REAR AXLE ESPECIALLY DURING MODERATE ACCELERATION OR DECELERATION. VEHICLE PULLING AT A CONSTANT SPEED. EXCESSIVE SWAY AND ROCKING MOTION IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION WHEN COMING TO A STOP. TO CORRECT THESE CONDITIONS, USE THE SERVICE PROCEDURE ON PAGE 2. " THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION THAT CAN EASILY LEAD TO LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. IT CAUSES VERY VIOLENT SHAKING/ROCKING OF THE CHASSIS. *JB

1997 NISSAN PATHFINDER 4WD, TERRIBLE WOBBLE ON UNEVEN PAVEMENT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SWAY OUT OF CONTROL AT HIGH WAY SPEEDS. NISSAN DID NOT KNOW WHY. I REPLACED ALL TIRES..FRONT STRUTS, LOWER BALL JOINTS..FINALLY FOUND ON INTERNET SITE, THAT THE REAR UPPER AND LOWER LINK BUSHINGS WEAR. THIS CAUSES THE REAR AXLE TO SHIFT, IN EFFECT,,THE REAR AXLE STEERS THE VEHICLE..CAUSE OF THE BAD BUSHINGS. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 30 TO 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY SWAYED FROM SIDE TO SIDE OR PERFORMED A DEATH WOBBLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP ON 08/27/03 AND THE FRONT STRUTS WERE REPLACED. THE CONTACT HAS REPLACED THE TIRES, STRUTS, SHOCKS, AND HAD A WHEEL ALIGNMENT, BUT THE PROBLEM KEEPS OCCURRING DAILY ON ALL ROAD CONDITIONS. THERE WAS NO WARNING PRIOR TO THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WOBBLES MORE VIOLENTLY AS SPEED INCREASES.

NO CRASH AND NO INJURY. VEHICLE AT SPEEDS ABOVE 40 MPH BEGINS TO ROCK VIOLENTLY SIDE TO SIDE. INTERNET POSTINGS DESCRIBES A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE NISSAN UNIBODY CHASSIS THAT CAUSES THIS PROBLEM. REAT BUSHINGS NEED TO BE REPLACED TO CORRECT SAFETY PROBLEM. *NM

WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS HEAVY VIBRATION COMING FROM THE REAR. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

1997 NISSAN PATHFINDER. SWAYS AND ROCKS WHILE DRIVING. SEEMS VERY DANGEROUS AND IS SCARY WHEN IT REALLY GETS GOING. THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO A FRIEND WITH THE SAME MAKE AND YEAR PATHFINDER. MY MECHANIC HAS NOT YET DIOGNOSED BUT MY FRIENDS WAS THE TRAILER ARMS WE WORN/BENT. AS I HAVE INVESITGATED THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM.*AK

REAR END OF CAR SWAYS VIOLENTLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY, BACK AND FORTH, AT SPEEDS ABOVE 45 MPH. STARTED AT ABOUT 75,000 MILES. GOT NEW TIRES, SHOCKS AND STRUTS, EVEN DEALER WAS EITHER UNABLE ,OR UNWILLING TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM CORRECTLY. FINALLY WAS INFORMED BY DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT A RECENT SERVICE BULLETIN INDICATED PROBLEM WAS DUE TO PREMATURE FAILLING OF REAR REAR SUPPORT LINK BUSHINGS(ABOUT $1000 TO FIX). NISSON NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. *AK

IN MID 2002, MY 1997 NISSAN PATHFINDER DEVELOPED A SEVERE REAR SWAY PROBLEM. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE TRUCK WOULD SWAY RIGHT TO LEFT SO SEVERELY AND SUDDENLY THAT I FELT LIKE I WOULD LOSE CONTROL. WHEN I SLOWED DOWN THE SWAYING WOULD STOP. THIS SWAYING WAS ESPECIALLY DISCONCERTING DURING WET ROAD CONDITIONS. WHEN I CONTACTED MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALER, THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. I REPLACED THE FRONT STRUTS AND REAR SHOCKS WITHOUT ANY IMPROVEMENT. THEN I HAD THE FRAME ADJUSTED, WITHOUT IMPROVEMENT. BETWEEN MY LOCAL REPAIR SHOP SEARCHING TECHNICAL BULLETINS AND MY SEARCH OF CONSUMER SITES THEY FOUND MY REAR CONTROL ARM AND UPPER AND LOWER BUSHINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $570. OVERALL, I HAVE BEEN VERY PLEASED WITH MY PATHFINDER, BUT NISSAN NEEDS TO BE AWARE OF THIS SAFETY ISSUE AND ALSO NOTIFY OTHER PATHFINDER OWNERS. *JB

MY 1997 PATHFINDER'S BODY ROLLS DANGEROUSLY LEFT TO RIGHT WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IT IS VERY PRONOUNCED AND CONTINUES UNTIL YOU SLOW DOWN. I HAD NEW FRONT STRUTS AND TIRES INSTALLED BY A NATIONAL TIRE DEALER AND LATER FOUND OUT FROM ONE OF THE TECH'S WITH EXPERIENCE WITH NISSAN THAT IT IS A COMMON FLAW ON THIS MODEL. HE SAID THAT THE TRAILING ARMS/LINKS FAIL ON THE REAR SUSPENSION. HE FURTHER SAID THAT UPDATED LINKS ARE AVAILABLE FROM NISSAN. THERE ALSO HAVE BEEN FACTORY BULLETINS ON THIS BUT I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. I BELIEVE THE CONDITION TO BE DANGEROUS ENOUGH TO WARRANT ONE. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENS IT COULD RESULT IN A LIFE THREATENING ACCIDENT. I HAD MY WIFE AND TWO SMALL CHILDREN IN THE CAR THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED UNEXPECTEDLY. I THINK ITS TERRIBLE THAT THEY WOULD NOT HAVE ISSUED A RECALL SINCE THEY...

THE BACK END OF THE CAR BEGINS A VIOLENT WOBBLE UNEXPECTEDLY AT 50 TO 70 MILES PER HOUR ON THE STRAIGHT AND LEVEL. AFTER MUCH TROUBLE, THE DEALER HAS CONFIRMED THAT BUSHING FAILURES IN THE REAR AXLE LINK ASSEMBLYS ARE THE CULPRIT, AND THE CAR HAS ONLY 59,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS ERXTREMELY DANGEROUS, AND SHOCKING THAT A WORN PART COULD CAUSE UNEXPECTED LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

PROBLEM: THE PATHFINDER SWAYS/ROCKS "LIKE A BOAT IN WATER" WHEN IT HITS SMALL BUMPS ON THE FREEWAY. THE PROBLEM GETS EXACERBATED IF I AM DRIVING OVER 60MPH.*AK

THE STRUTS WENT AT 52,000 MILES $800 TO REPLACE, EXHAUST MANIFOLD NEEDS TO BE REPLACED(WARRANTY). TODAY THE NEWS THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WAS JUST"WORN OUT " $235, THE REAR SUSPENSION LINCS WERE "WORN OUT" $350, THE INTAKE PINIUM(SP?) WAS LEAKING $660. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE ABOUT NISSAN AND THEIR "WORN OUT" VEHICLES. IT'S NOT EVEN PAID FOR YET!

THE SUSPENSION ON THIS CAR HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE PROBLEM RESULTED IN THE BACK END OF THE VEHICLE WOBBLING VIOLENTLY AT HIGHWAY SPEED. THE CAUSE WAS THE FAILURE OF RUBBER BUSHINGS ON THE REAR AXLE LINK ASSY. THIS VEHICLE IS A 4WD WITH AN "OFF ROAD" PACKAGE. EVEN THOUGH THIS VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN USED FOR OFF ROAD DRIVING, THE SUSPENSION STILL FAILED AND CAUSED AN UNSAFE CONDITION ON THE HIGHWAY. THE REQUIRED PARTS ARE BACKORDERED AT NISSAN SO I SUSPECT THIS MAY BE A BIGGER PROBLEM THAN JUST MY VEHICLE. *AK