The vehicle swings left to right when cruising at about any speed. When the vehicle is pulling it does not swing or sway, however once the vehicle has got up to a desired speed and you try to maintain a steady speed it starts a “death wobble” which nearly cannot hold it on correct side of the road. You have to increase speed or reduce speed dramatically to regain control of the vehicle.
The worst 1997 Nissan Pathfinder problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Suspension105
- Steering26
- Transmission19
- Body17
- Engine17
- Acceleration16
- Tires16
- Brakes15
- Airbags13
- Fuel system10
- Seat belts5
- Electrical3
- Wheels3
- Driver assistance2
- Visibility2
Specific symptoms reported on the 1997 Nissan Pathfinder
Recalls 2
Suspension: front
- What is wrong
- 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 may enter an assembly location hole in the upper strut housing, causing water to collect at the mating surface of the strut housing panel and the inner hood ledge assembly. Over time, this snow/water and salt intrusion may result in corrosion of the strut tower housing in some subject vehicles.
- 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.
- Remedy
- 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.
Recall number 11V244000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly: filler pipe and cap
- What is wrong
- On certain vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, iowa, illinois, indiana, kentucky, massachusetts, maine, maryland, michigan, minnesota, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, tennessee, vermont, virginia, west virginia , wisconsin and the district of columbia, during the coating process of the fuel filler tube assembly, an insufficient amount of coating may have been applied at the lower mounting bracket. This could result in an opening in the coating which can allow water to enter and make contact with the bare metal of the tube.
- Risk
- This may result in surface rust but not perforation of the tube. However, in those areas of the country which use heavy concentrations of road salt in the winter, if a mixture of snow/water and salt makes contact with the bare metal, corrosion may occur to a degree which results in perforation of the tube. In this case fuel leakage may occur when filling the tank. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the fuel filler tube assembly with a new one with an improved coating process. The recall began on november 26, 2007. Owners may contact nissan at 1‑800‑647‑7261.
Recall number 07V435000 · Recall details
See all 2 recalls for the 1997 Nissan Pathfinder
Defect investigations
Frame/Body Structure Corrosion
In their Defect Information Report (DIR) of April 20, 2011, Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) notified the federal safety agency that it would conduct a safety recall of certain 1996-2004 Nissan Pathfinder and 1997-2003 Infinity QX4 vehicles to repair corrosion damage to the driver's side front strut tower.The vehicles included in the recall are those that were originally sold, or are currently registered in salt belt states including Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.The DIR states in part, ...the strut housing may crack and pull away from the inner hood ledge assembly.This could lead to the strut housing panel separating and contacting the steering column lower shaft.Contact with the steering column lower shaft can cause steering difficulties and may require an increase in steering effort by the driver.If the steering column lower shaft completely fractured it would result in a total loss of steering control.In some cases, the strut housing panel can contact or affect adjacent brake system components.Complainants reported experiencing either steering or brake system issues, and in some cases, both.Nissan dealer's will inspect the strut housing and, based on the level of corrosion found, make an assessment as to how to remedy the vehicle (see defect information report for additional details). Brake system components adjacent to, and in the area of, the strut tower (i.e., brake master cylinder, left front brake line, ABS wire harness, etc.) will also be inspected.
PE11004
Technical service bulletins for the 1997 Nissan Pathfinder 94
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Diagnosis of vehicle pull (DRIFT) and/or steering wheel off-center
- 12 volt battery testing for in-service vehicles service information
- Silicone-based lubricant or grease CAN damage electrical components service information
- Vehicle key not detected / authenticated, engine will not start
- Intelligent key replacement or swapping between vehicles
- Windshield cracking
- Removing foreign material from the window glass
- Wheel bearing collision damage
- Strut and shock absorber replacement guidelines
- Nissan: SRS precautions during service;improper maintenance, including incorrect removal and installation...
1997 Nissan Pathfinder fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.3L 6‑cyl | RWD | 15 | 18 | 16 |
| 3.3L 6‑cyl | 4WD | 14-15 | 17 | 15 |
What 1997 Nissan Pathfinder owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
I have taken my nissan to the dealership to decode my engine light. I have paid for several repairs to have the eval code corrected. After the last attempt of trying to fix the problem, I was told that my eval tube is clogged throughout and the part is no longer available with nissan. I'm stuck with a clogged system that is unrepairable.
Vehicle has a severe shimmy when letting off the accelerator, even at low speeds. Driving the vehicle on dry pavement on a straight stretch of highway: at around 55-60 MPH, the back end of vehicle sways violently, with no warning or apparent cause. Driver feels that if speed is not immediately decreased, the vehicle would go out of control.
A defect in the coating process of the fill tube allowed road salt to form rust on the fuel fill and or vent tube resulting in fuel vapors to escape in the air around the gas tank. It is heavy at times. There is a recall for this problem but nissan says my VIN is not included. This is noticed when ever you walk by the car. Stationary. Any where
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 nissan pathfinder. The contact received the federal safety agency campaign number: 11v244000 (steering , suspension) however, the parts to do the repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, the contact observed an loud abnormal sound from the driver side and the steering wheel failed. In addition, the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 229,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
The vehicle lost struts, steering rack, and has serious issues that have not been resolved. I spoke with the dealer and they said they don't need to fix. The entire front end is falling apart.
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.
Driving truck got so bad it was hard to keep in road..would go side to side on highway and turns were not easy to say in lane.took to clarktire co ..they replaced lots of parts and said mounts for shocks and struts were pretty badly rusted causing excessive movement of those.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 nissan pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle independently swayed from left to right independently. The contact reduced speed and was able to gain control of the vehicle. The failure recurred multiple times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.
Steering shaft was broken in 2011 ( replaced with used part ) steering shaft was broken in 2013 ( replaced with new nissan original part) steering shaft was broken 10 2014 (replaced with new nissan original part) corroded strut tower. Steering shaft resting on the corroded strut tower/ steering tower breaking while driving. In one of the incidents, it broke on a major street in the district of columbia ( 11th and pennsylvania ave ) cost of towing was $150.00.
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Other model years
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Questions about the 1997 Nissan Pathfinder
Is the 1997 Nissan Pathfinder reliable?
Owners have filed 217 complaints about the 1997 Nissan Pathfinder, 1.6 times a typical Pathfinder model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Nissan Pathfinder?
Suspension, with 105 complaints, typically around 114,800 miles. Next is steering (26).
How many recalls does the 1997 Nissan Pathfinder have?
2 recalls, covering suspension and fuel system, gasoline.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Nissan Pathfinder suspension?
Yes, 1 recall: 11V244000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Nissan Pathfinder have bad suspension?
The Nissan Pathfinder model years with the most suspension complaints are 1997 (105 complaints), 2001 (68 complaints) and 1996 (64 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 1997 Nissan Pathfinder get?
Official estimates for the 1997 Nissan Pathfinder range from 15 to 16 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.3L 6-cyl, RWD) gets 15 city and 18 highway.
VIN decoder
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