1996 Nissan Pathfinder Suspension

REAR UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL LINK ROD BUSHINGS DEFECTIVE CAUSING DANGEROUS REAR END SWAY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHICH COULD LEAD TO A CRASH, SERIOUS INJURY AND DEATH. REPAIR IS COSTLY AND IS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH DEALERSHIPS AND NISSAN. *TR

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A USED 1996 NISSAN PATHFINDER LE AND NOTICED A VERY BAD WOBBLE IN THE STEERING/SUSPENSION. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THE '96-'04 MODELS AND HAS EVEN HAD A TSB (NTB98-001) ON THE PROBLEM. I HAVE CONSULTED MANY OTHER NISSAN OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM AND HAD TO PAY $700-$800 TO HAVE THE PROBLEM RESOLVED. THIS SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM AS MOST DRIVERS EXPERIENCE THEIR CARS WOBBLING OUT OF CONTROL AND OFF THE ROAD. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE OR PUT MY FAMILY IN IT. THIS SHOULD HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN A FACTORY RECALL!!! *TR

WE OWN A 1996 NISSAN PATHFINDER 4 WHEEL DRIVE THAT HAD DEVELOPED A SEVERE SIDE TO SIDE WOBBLE AT 55-60+ MPH . MECHANICS SAID IT WAS STRUTS/SHOCKS. WE REPLACED ALL 4. SAME PROBLEM EXISTS. THIS IS LIFE THREATENING ON THE HIGHWAY. MY DAUGHTER AND MYSELF HAVE BOTH EXPERIENCED IT AND YOU NEARLY LOSE CONTROL OF THE SUV IF YOU DON'T LET OFF THE GAS QUICK. I WOULD HATE TO SEE THE RESULT OF AN EVASIVE MANEUVER - IT WILL BE CATASTROPHIC. DEALERS ARE ACTING LIKE THEY KNOW NOTHING, YET AN INTERNET SEARCH TURNS UP PEOPLE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY THAT HAVE OR ARE HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. MOST ARE SAYING IF YOU REPLACE THE REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS OR THE ENTIRE ARMS, IT GOES AWAY. I AM ASKING THE NHTSA TO GET INVOLVED NOW AND FORCE NISSAN TO DO A NO-COST RECALL. WE OWN 2 OTHER NISSAN CARS AND I HAVE OWNED OVER A DOZEN CARS/TRUCKS IN 32 YEARS AND NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS. AND, I WORK ON CARS AND MOTORCYCLES IN MY SPARE TIME, AND I KNOW WHAT I AM ADDRESSING HERE. THIS IS A MAJOR, SERIOUS ENGINEERING DESIGN FLAW. *JB

1996 NISSAN PATHFINDER WOBBLES INTENSLY AT 50 - 65 MPH. TOOK TO REPAIR SHOPS AND HAD STRUTS REPLACED, TIRES BALANCED MANY TIMES. I UNDERSTAND IT IS THE REAR ARM BUSHINGS. THIS IS A DEFECT AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.

1996 PATHFINDER, 120K MILES. APPROX. ONE YEAR AGO VEHICLE DEVELOPED SCARY SIDE-TO-SIDE ROCKING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AND ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING ON CURVED ROADS. REPLACED REAR SHOCKS- NO HELP. I HAVE FOUND LOTS OF OTHER PATHFINDER OWNERS THAT HAVE THIS SAME EXACT CONDITION. TURNS OUT THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE REAR CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS AND REAR LINK ARM BUSHINGS. BUSHINGS DEVELOP DRY ROT WITH AGE AND SHRINK, MAKING EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THE CONTROL ARMS. MANY PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED TO NISSAN, BUT NISSAN REFUSES TO EVEN CONSIDER A RECALL. *TR

I AM REPORTING A FAILURE IN THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM OF MY 1996 NISSAN PATHFINDER. AT SPEEDS OF 50+ MPH, THE BACK HALF OF THE VEHICLE HAS INSTANCES WHERE OUT OF NOWHERE IT BEGINS TO SWAY BACK AND FORTH FOR ABOUT 5-10 SECONDS AND THEN IT STOPS AND WILL DO IT AGAIN JUST OUT OF THE BLUE. I REASONABLY FORESEE THIS FAILURE RESULTING IN A POTENTIAL CAUSE OF DEATH, PERSONAL INJURY, OR PROPERTY DAMAGE. ALL INSTANCES OF THIS OCCURRENCE HAS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON A HEAVILY TRAVELED INTERSTATE. THERE WAS A TECH SERVICE BULLETIN ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE BUT NISSAN SHOULD CHANGE IT TO A RECALL. *TR

1996 NISSAN PATHFINDER WOBBLES DANGEROUSLY AT HIGH SPEEDS, OVER 60 MPH. MECHANIC FIXED STRUTS FOR $800, BUT PROBLEM PERSISTS. JUST WENT ONLINE AND FOUND OUT LOTS OF NISSAN PATHFINDER OWNERS ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM, AND THE FIX USUALLY HAS TO DO WITH BUSHINGS. THAT WILL PROBABLY COST ME ANOTHER $800. THIS IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM AND NISSAN OWES ITS CUSTOMERS A RECALL. THANK GOODNESS I SEEMED TO HAVE FIGURED OUT THE PROBLEM WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT. I HOPE THE WORD GETS OUT TO ALL PATHFINDER OWNERS BEFORE A TRAGEDY OCCURS. *NM

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

1) SLIGHTLY APPLIED GAS ON A TURN AT 35 MPH 2) LOSS OF TRACTION AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND SKIDDED TO 180 DEGREE TURN. VEHICLE'S REAR END ALSO WOBBLES DANGEROUSLY AT 50 TO 65 MPH UPON ACCELERATION/DECELERATION. 3) SO FAR NEW STRUTS AND SHOCKS BUT NO SOLUTION TO THE VEHICLE'S PERFORMANCE. *JB

NOTICED BACK END OF MY PATHFINDER SWAYING AT SPEEDS 60-70 MPH. BROUGHT TO MY MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD REAR BUSHINGS ARE BAD AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. MY MECHANIC SAID IT IS A BAD PART BUT NOT YET A RECALL BY NISSAN BUT SHOULD BE. I HAVE FOUND ALOT OF SIMILAR COMPLAINS ON THE WEB BY OTHER NISSAN PATHFINDER OWNERS. I ALSO FOUND RECALLS ON OTHER NISSAN'S FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM BUT NOT THE PATHFINDER. I FEEL IT IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE A RECALL!!!!!!!!!!!!! *NM

DANGEROUS WOBBLE OF CAR WHEN ON THE HIGHWAY. FROM REPORTS I'VE READ ON THE INTERNET, SEEMS TO BE CAUSED BY DEGRADING CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS. FIX MAY BE TO REPLACE ALL 8-10 BUSHINGS AND/OR CONTROL-LINK ARMS. PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE COMMON ON '96-97 NISSAN PATHFINDERS. *NM

VEHICLE SWAYS ALL OVER THE ROAD. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT STRUTS WERE BAD.*AK

WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40MPH WHEN FRONT WHEEL SHIFTED TO LEFT. STRUT BAR HAD SNAPPED ON DRIVER'S SIDE. IT ALMOST SEPARATED FROM AXLE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC GAVE NO INDICATION OF CAUSE OF BREAKAGE. CLAIMED WEAR AND TEAR USAGE. *AK *SLC

ALL 8 REAR BUSHINGS HAVE FAILED. IT WAS FIRST DIAGNOSED BY LITHIA NISSAN. WE HAD TWO SECOND OPINIONS DONE BY OUTSIDE MECHANICS, WHO BOTH FELT THAT THE RUBBER INSIDE HAD TURNED INTO LIQUID AND RAN OUT. YOU COULD SEE THE RUBBER HANGING DOWN IN STRANDS. BOTH MECHANICS FELT THAT IT WAS A FAULTY PART AND THE DAMAGE WAS NOT FROM WEAR AND TEAR. NISSAN WILL NOT RECOGNIZE IT AS A FACTORY DEFECT AND OFFERS NO WARRANTY. THE WHOLE HIND END OF MY PATHFINDER FISHTAILS AROUND, THE HIND END HAS NOTHING TO KEEP THE REAR WHEELS SQUARE. I AM UNABLE TO DRIVE IT, UNTIL THE PARTS ARE REPLACED, WHICH I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF FIGHTING WITH THEM ABOUT. (I WAS ORIGINALLY TOLD MY PROBLEM WAS THE SHOCKS AND STRUTS SO I REPLACED THEM FIRST). *AK

DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE THUMPING SOUND. *AK

CONSUMER TOOK CAR TO DEALER TO HAVE TIRES ROTATED. MECHANIC COULD NOT DO A FRONT END ALIGNMENT BECAUSE STRUTS WERE LEAKING, AND CAUSING TIRES TO BREAK DOWN. TIRES WON'T HOLD TO THE GROUND. *AK

WE HAD SOME MAJOR REPLACEMENT OF PARTS IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO BUT DON'T REMEMBER IF IT MADE THE SAME SOUND AS BEFORE OR NOT. DEALER SAID IT WAS THE STRUTS BUT THOSE ARE IN THE FRONT AND THE SOUND IS COMING FORM THE REAR. *AK

BOTH FRONT STRUTS HAVE LEAKED UNTIL EMPTY OF FLUID. WHEN NOTICED, AN APPOINTMENT WAS MADE WITH NISSAN DEALER. I WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. INDEPENDENT DEALER WAS LATER CONSULTED AND I WAS ADVISED THAT THE STEERING PROBLEMS I WAS EXPERIENCING WAS DUE TO EMPTY/LEAKING FRONT STUTS

NO SUMMARY

MY PATHFINDER WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM THE LOCAL NISSAN DEALER. WITHIN ONE YEAR THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH FRONT STRUTS. THEY TOLD ME THE STRUTS WERE "LEAKING." I GOT A LETTER FROM NISSAN ASKING ME TO BRING IT IN TO HAVE 6 OR 7 POSSIBLE DEFECTS CHECKED. ONE OF THEM WAS "UNUSUAL TIRE WEAR" WHICH MANY PATHFINDERS HAD HAD PROBLEMS WITH. THE LETTER SAID THAT IF MY TIRES SHOWED THIS UNUSUAL WEAR THAT THE TIRES WOULD BE REPLACED. AT THE TIME GARRAND'S TOLD ME THAT MY TIRES WERE FINE, BUT LESS THAN 2 MONTHS LATER I WAS TOLD BY A LOCAL TIRE DEALERSHIP THAT MY TIRES WERE RUINED, AND BADLY IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. THE LETTER FROM NISSAN ALSO CONTAINED A "REPLACEMENT PAGE" TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL, ON WHICH IT RECOMMENDED THAT THE TIRES NOW BE ROTATED EVERY 2,500 MILES FROM NOW ON! ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO I STARTED TO HEAR A LOUD BANGING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION OF MY PATHFINDER WHENEVER I HIT A BUMP. I BROUGHT THE PATHFINDER TO GARRANDS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT MY RIGHT FRONT STRUT WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $775. I WANTED A SECOND OPINION, SO I BROUGHT MY PATHFINDER TO A MIDAS DEALER AND FOUND OUT THAT THE NOISE WAS IN FACT COMING FROM THE SWAY BAR STABALIZER LINK AND NOT THE STRUT. WHEN I QUESTIONED GARRANDS ABOUT THIS LATER THEY TOLD ME THAT THE STABALIZER LINK IS PART OF THE STRUT, AND THEY HAVE TO BE REPLACED TOGETHER. I SENT A LONG LETTER TO NISSAN IN WHICH I DESCRIBED IN DETAIL THE PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE HAD WITH MY PATHFINDER. A MONTH LATER WHEN I HEARD NOTHING BACK FROM THEM, I CALLED NISSAN AGAIN AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE STRUTS OR THE STABALIZER LINK. I WAS TOLD "IT IS RUBBER, YA KNOW! RUBBER WEARS OUT." I HAVE HEARD THAT PATHFINDERS HAVE ACQUIRED A REPUTATION FOR RUINING TIRES AND STRUT FAILURE. MY PATHFINDER HAS 44000 MILES AND NEEDS NEW STRUTS AGAIN! THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING!

FRONT END SUSPENSION POOR PERFORMANCE CAUSING PREMATURE WEARING OF THE TIRES.

WHILE MOVING AT 40 MPH ON A PREVIUOSLY PLOWED ROAD, THE REAR END SUDDENLY LOST TRACTION CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN CLOCKWISE AND CRASH INTO A SNOW BANK.

WHEEL BEARING NUTS AND BOLTS FAILED.