2001 Nissan Pathfinder problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Suspension (36) · Equipment:electrical:radio/Tape Deck/Cd Etc. (25) · Suspension:front (19)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Nissan Pathfinder model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
142 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (1)
Suspension:front 2011-04-20 · campaign 11V244000 · 195,991 vehicles
Defect: NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1996-2004 PATHFINDER AND MODEL YEAR 1997-2003 INFINITI QX4 VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD, OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, MARYLAND, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WASHINGTON D.C., WEST VIRGINIA AND WISCONSIN. IN AREAS OF THE COUNTRY IN WHICH HEAVY CONCENTRATIONS OF ROAD SALT ARE USED, A MIXTURE OF SNOW/WATER AND SALT
Risk: THE STRUT HOUSING MAY CRACK AND PULL AWAY FROM THE INNER HOOD LEDGE ASSEMBLY. THIS MAY LEAD TO GRINDING NOISES, INCREASED STEERING EFFORT, AND POSSIBLY THE STEERING COLUMN TO BREAK, RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Fix: NISSAN WILL INSPECT THE STRUT HOUSING AND REPAIR THE VEHICLES AS NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. AN INTERIM NOTIFICATION LETTER WAS SENT OUT IN MAY 2011. THE SECOND NOTICE WAS MAILED ON JULY 25, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
Service bulletins (90)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Electrical System 2024-05-21 · NTB13-107G · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
vehicle key not detected / authenticated, engine will not start this bulletin has been amended. see amendment history on the last page. please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
Visibility/Wiper 2024-04-30 · NTB17-019H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
window glass warranty information this bulletin has been amended. see amendment history on the last page. please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
Visibility/Wiper 2024-04-30 · NTB13-028I · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
removing foreign material from the window glass this bulletin has been amended. see amendment history on the last page. please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
Visibility/Wiper 2024-04-30 · NTB09-081K · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
windshield cracking this bulletin has been amended. see amendment history on the last page. please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
Steering 2023-09-21 · NTB08-097L · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
diagnosis of vehicle pull (drift) and/or steering wheel off-center this bulletin has been amended. see amendment history on the last page. please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
Electrical System 2023-06-16 · NTB23-053 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
silicone-based lubricant or grease can damage electrical components service information do not apply silicone-based lubricants or grease to, or around, any interior electrical components. to avoid the risk of death or severe personal injury, do not directly spray silicone-based lubricant or
Showing the 6 most recent of 90 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2024-10-11 · Structure“the contact owns a 2001 nissan pathfinder. the contact stated that the door open warning light was illuminated. in addition, the vehicle dome light remained on. the contact stated when opening the rear door hatch there was an abnormal noise present. the contact related the failure to nhtsa campaign number: 01v282000 (structure). the vehicle was t…”
2022-08-11 · Suspension · 142,000 mi“the contact owns a 2001 nissan pathfinder. the contact stated while driving approximately 35 mph, the contact was attempting to use her brakes to slow for traffic and was unable to stop. the contact had to depress the brake pedal to the floorboard to get the vehicle to stop. the contact stated that prior to the failure her abs warning had been illu…”
2021-09-10 · Structure:body“rear mount of front passenger control arm cracked where mounts to frame. very little metal left where bolts hold bracket to body. …”
2020-08-12 · Wheels · 106,523 mi“family car;2001 nissan pathfinder, we got in the truck and drove about 250 feet to the stop sign. i stop. as i started moving and suddenly i hear a pop loud sound from engine compartment and my steering got hard and difficult to steer and a grinding sound as you turn the steering. drove back to the house slow and park. open the hood and i see the s…”
2020-01-13 · Electrical System · 198,000 mi“in april 2019, i was driving at about 55 mph towing a small trailer in the right most lane of a 3 lane highway. as i approached a hill, the pathfinder suddenly smelled liked something was on fire and the engine stopped running. i managed to pull off the highway and coast to a stop on the shoulder. the burning smell lasted about 5 minutes, but i …”
2019-07-12 · Steering · 187,000 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2001 nissan pathfinder. while driving approximately 15 mph and making a left turn, the lower steering column fractured without warning. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact to take the vehicle to a dealer. the vehicle was towed to walser nissan wayzata (612-426-6995, located at 15906 wayzata…”
2019-07-01 · Steering“tl* the contact owns a 2001 nissan pathfinder. the contact's vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 11v244000 (structure) and repaired in 2015. while the contact's daughter was driving at a very low speed, she attempted to make a u-turn and the steering column fractured. as a result, the vehicle drove forward and ran into a curb. the driver…”
2019-07-01 · Steering · 155,000 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2001 nissan pathfinder. the contact stated that the steering shaft was fractured on the bottom of the steering column. while driving, the vehicle lost all power steering ability. the vehicle drove over a curb and was able to be stopped. there were no warning indicators illuminated. the vehicle was towed to the contact's resid…”
2019-04-18 · Suspension · 166,400 mi“driver's side strut tower has rusted to the point were the truck will pass va state safety inspection. there was a recall performed by several years ago by nissan for the rust issue on both inner wheel wells and strut tower area.…”
2019-03-25 · Suspension · 164,000 mi“the sub-frame/cradle 54400-0w00 on the passenger side is rotted out to the point that it will not pass a pa state inspection. this was found by my mechanic while he was replacing the front rotors and brakes. my mechanic has ordered a new sub frame + bolts to replace the rotted out sub-frame. i wonder how many other sub-frames are rotted out on p…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.