2002 Nissan Pathfinder suspension problems

Filed Mar 16, 2024 · Body, Steering · PA

This relates to Campaign Number 11V244000 We are the original and only owners of the vehicle I originally brought the vehicle in for the recall and they simply sprayed some undercoating in the wheel wells. Less than a month later both strut towers separated from the body of the vehicle while my wife was driving home, she lost steering and could have had a serious or fatal accident. I towed to the dealer and they installed braces in both strut towers. I have always taken exceptional care of my vehicles, which includes multiple washes during winter months and extensive undercarriage washing every spring. This past Oct when I took the vehicle in for mandatory state inspection I was informed that the vehicle would not pass inspection next year. They told me this once before in relation to extensive rust to the passenger side rear frame next to the muffler. I was able to cut out the rust and weld a thicker plate of steel in there to repair the frame. I just changed my oil and looked for what the mechanic was referring too. This time the rust is between the braces they installed for the struts and the front of the wheel well. The mechanic saw the rust coming through the paint and poked at it with a screw driver, the screw driver went right though the body leaving significant holes in the structure that supports the struts. When the weather breaks I will further inspect to determine if there is enough good metal left for me to attempt a repair. I am doubtful a repair will be possible as the metal used to construct this vehicle is very poor quality. Despite my constant care, washing, rust conversion treatments, painting with rust blocking paint and using undercoating, every inch on the underside of the vehicle is rusted. Both rear quarters rotted behind the wheel flares and down into where the rear doors close and contact the rear quarters. Now due to Nissan's decision to use substandard metal I am forced to buy a new vehicle which is currently financially impossible

Filed May 2, 2023 · Steering, Suspension · 147,477 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2002 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously serviced at a local dealer under the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 11V244000 (Steering, Suspension); however, the mechanic diagnosed that there was no rust in the strut housing assembly. The contact then stated that when he replaced the front struts, excessive rust was seen in the strut housing assembly. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to multiple independent mechanics, who diagnosed that the front axle needed to be replaced and confirmed there was excessive rust in the strut housing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 147,477.

Filed Mar 3, 2020 · Suspension · 118,000 miles · NY

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 nissan pathfinder. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the front passenger's side tire vibrated abnormally. The contact stated that it was difficult to control the vehicle. There was no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated he parked the vehicle on the side of the road for approximately 30 minutes, restarted the vehicle and drove to the residence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that subframe needed to be welded prior to replacing the lower control arm on the front passenger's side of the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. A dealer was not contacted or notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and complaint was filed. The failure mileage was 118,000.

Filed Sep 19, 2019 · Suspension · 165,000 miles · NY

I was driving my 2002 pathfinder to work on monday of this week when I started to feel a slight shaking in my steering wheel and chatter in my brake pedal while driving at 55mph on the highway. After I got off the highway I could barely make a right turn as the steering wheel was very stiff. I checked my front end and what I found was frightening. The drivers side strut tower had torn from the frame and body and was now pushing against both the steering shaft and master cylinder which was bent up at an angle. My master brake cylinder is now supporting the right front wheel! Thank god the strut did not snap the steering shaft or master cylinder while at highway speed. I might be in a hospital bed or dead. I had the car towed to a nissan dealership who told me that it received a level 1 repair by the previous owner (I am the second owner) in 2011 and nothing could be done except to call corporate. I did some research and found that the recall has two levels: 1 and 2. Level 1 is a simple inspection, cleaning and coating. Level 2 requires a bolted in metal brace be installed to reinforce the strut tower. Nissan corporate told me the level 1 repair was already completed and nothing further could be done even though the repair did nothing to remedy the problem and now I am in need of a level 2 repair. I cannot believe that nissan can walk away from this after their level 1 fix fails to remedy the problem. The level 1 repair is a ticking time bomb as the so called "fix" does nothing to stop the tower from failing. I honestly feel that nissan has not done enough to remedy the issue and there could still be hundreds or thousands of pathfinders with bogus level 1 repairs on our roads right this minute. Nissan should provide the level 2 recall even if level 1 has already been completed.

Filed Nov 9, 2018 · Suspension · 165,000 miles · MI

The area where the control arms attached to the frame/body rusted out making the the car unsafe ti be on thr road. The mechanic advised that other areas of the unibody were also rusting away and advised junking the car.

Filed Oct 17, 2018 · Brakes, Suspension · 96,070 miles · NY

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 nissan pathfinder. While driving 35 MPH, the brakes failed. The contact stated that fluid leaked out of the brake lines due to rust on the struts of the vehicle. Due to the brake failure, the vehicle came to a complete stop while driving. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and the brakes were replaced. Star nissan (206-02 northern blvd, bayside, new york 11361, (888) 457-6717) repaired the driver's side strut per the federal safety agency campaign number: 11v244000 (steering, suspension), but the failure recurred. The contact stated that the passenger side strut became faulty in september of 2018. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that there was no recall on the vehicle. The failure mileage was 96,070.

Filed Nov 21, 2017 · Airbags, Steering · 140,000 miles · WY

Takata recall- the nissan consumer affairs department was unwilling to assist me in repairing the affected vehicle. The closest service area is 98.3 miles one way from my house in which they told me to pay for the cost of travel and time off of work out of my own pocket in order for the repairs to be completed. I asked if the service station could instead pick up my vehicle and provide me a loaner vehicle while the repairs were taking place in which they declined.

Filed Jul 25, 2017 · Body, Steering · 50,550 miles · MI

Strut tower rust damage, my pathfinder started having that noise coming from the steering column during motion. After a quick inspection at the dealership we realized there was a big gap under the strut towers in both sides, and that there was already a recall, but the recall does not includes to replace the strut column, just a cheap, glued-bolted strip of metal they call a bracket that does not even covers the gap. The "fix" used in recall nhsta id: 11v‑244 is totally inadecuate for vehicles in which corrosion has take all the base of the strut tower and the tower is already touching the steering column. To elaborate imagine a gap 3 inches high and 12 inches long; two of the 3 inches in heigh were created by material that rusted and fell apart an only one inch if bent displacement. If as the instructions of the recall indicate, the strut tower must be bent back to original position, the gap will be reduced only the one inch that correspond to displacement leavin a 12 by 2 inches gap due to corrosion and it is here, where the recall solution indicates that a trip of steel should be bolted/glued to. The 4-5 inch strip(repair bracket) will be lay in cross position perpendicular to the rusted gap, leaving about 3 inches of the rusted gap exposed to each side. Just like a band aid stick across a big wound. This is not a long term fix, the bracket will fail as well or will detach from the rusted surfaces where it was installed.

Filed Mar 8, 2017 · Electrical, Steering · 283,798 miles · AZ

I recently bought this vehicle in az. However the vehicle came from conneticut. It has a severe wobble when accelerting and decellerating.

Filed Jan 13, 2017 · Suspension · MD

Front strut housing corrosion recall. My mechanic advised me today that the inner shock supports on my vehicle were terribly rotted/corroded. I went onlint to research it and found there may have been a recall of my vehicle. However, I was never contacted. This is very disturbing. I plan to call nissan to discuss but writing you to see if you have more information on a potential recall. I have lived at the same address as when I purchased the vehicle and the same number but no recall notice was ever sent to me. My mechanic said there is a safety issue driving the vehicle and to address it asap.