2001 Nissan Pathfinder Complaint Log

WHEN PARKING VEHICLE AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE SUDDENTLY TOOK OFF . HE HAD TO PUT VEHICLE IN PARK IN ORDER TO STOP. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM . INCIDENT WITH SUDDEN ACELLERATION HAPPENED THREE TIMES. *AK

I WAS DRIVING APPROX. 40MPH WHEN A 16 YEAR OLD DRIVER SITTING THE THE TURN LANE COMING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME. I HIT MY BRAKES(ABOUT 20FT OF SKID MARKS) AND PULLED TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID THE OTHER CAR. I HIT THE OTHER CAR IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE THE WENT ABOUT 15 FEET AND HIT A FOUR FOOT BLOCK WALL. MY PATHFINDER FOLLOWED THE WALL ABOUT 12 FEET AND CAME TO A REST ALMOST ON ITS SIDE. I HAD TWO FRONT IMPACTS AND NEITHER AIRBAG OPENED ON EITHER IMPACT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING TRUCK ON A SIDE STREET, THE REAR DOOR PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW EXPLODED/ SHATTERED. MY DAUGHTER GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND SAW NO PEOPLE OR ANYTHING THAT WOULD CAUSE THIS.I REPORTED THE EVENT TO THE DEALER TO NO AVAIL. THEY CLAIM "IMPOSSIBLE, SOMETHING HAD TO HIT IT". I THEN REPORTED TO NISSAN CUSTOMER HOTLINE, ALSO TO NO AVAIL. THEY CLAIM IT IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE NISSAN WARRANTY. *AK

2001 PATHFINDER SAFETY ISSUE. THIS PROBLEM PERTAINS TO THE SPACING BETWEEN THE GAS AND BRAKE PEDAL ON THE 2001 NISSAN PATHFINDER. AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED WITH OUR PATHFINDER DIRECTLY RELATED TO THIS PROBLEM. BECAUSE OF THE CLOSE SPACING, THE GAS PEDAL WAS MISTAKEN FOR THE BRAKE PEDAL WHILE ENTERING A PARKING LOT AND THE DRIVER PANICKED AND THE VEHICLE STRUCK A WALL. A SIMILAR PROBLEM OCCURRED WITH ME. WHILE DRIVING INTO A PARKING SPACE, I BRAKED BUT MY FOOT WAS PARTIALLY ON THE GAS PEDAL CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LURCH. FORTUNATELY, I DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM IN TIME AND PREVENTED AN ACCIDENT. THE ACCIDENT WHICH OCCURRED WAS THE DRIVER'S FIRST "AT FAULT" ACCIDENT IN 25 YEARS OF DRIVING. THE CLEAR DISTANCE BETWEEN THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDAL ON THE PATHFINDER IS 2 3/8". ON OTHER CARS, I MEASURED THE CLEAR DISTANCE AS 3". THIS EXTRA DISTANCE MAKES A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN DISTINGUISHING THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDALS. I BELIEVE THAT THIS SPACING IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE PATHFINDER AND CREATES AN UNSAFE CONDITION. I RECOMMEND THAT NISSAN RECALL THESE VEHICLES AND REPLACE THE EXISTING BRAKE PEDAL AND LEVER ARM WITH A LEVER WHICH IS OFFSET TO INCREASE THE SPACE BETWEEN THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDALS. AT THIS TIME, I WILL DRIVE THIS VEHICLE WITHOUT SHOES OR WEAR A SOFT SOLE SHOE SO THAT I CAN FEEL THE DIFFERENCE WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL AND GAS PEDAL. A HARD SOLE SHOE CAUSES BOTH PEDALS TO FEEL THE SAME, AND BECAUSE OF THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THE PEDALS, IS THE SOURCE OF CONFUSION AND SAFETY CONCERN.*AK

BOSS 6 CD CHANGER FAILURE WITH "ERROR 2"

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK (DOT NUMBER: 6A74100 TIRESIZE: P255/65R16)

ON THURSDAY MAY 24, 2001, I WENT TO PICK UP MY PATHFINDER AT CONCORD NISSAN. MY PATHFINDER WAS IN FOR WARRANTY WORK, ON THE POWER CONTROLS FOR THE DRIVER SEAT AND THE CD PLAYER. DEALER HAD INFORMED ME THAT MY 2001 NISSAN PATHFINDER LE, VIN#[XXX], IS READY FOR PICK UP. AS I GO OVER THE REPAIRS, I NOTICE THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT IS NOT BOLTED IN. I GO AND GET THE SERVICE MANAGER, [XXX] , AND WHEN HE COMES OUT, HE REALLY DOES NOT UNDERSTAND WHY I AM UPSET. AS [XXX] STANDS, CHEWING GUM WITH HIS HANDS BEHIND HIS BACK, HE CASUALLY SAYS, EVERYONE MAKES MISTAKES. I TRIED TO GET [XXX] TO SEE WHY IT IS SUCH A BIG CONCERN OF MINE, BUT I WAS UNABLE TO. I EVEN TOLD [XXX] THAT HIS I DO NOT GIVE A [XXX] ATTITUDE WAS UNSETTLING. I ASKED TO SEE IF THE MECHANIC IS QUALIFIED TO THE REPAIRS. I ASKED IF THERE WAS A TORQUE SPECIFICATION FOR THESE BOLTS AND I WAS TOLD,  NOT EVERY BOLT HAS TORQUE REQUIREMENTS. THIS DEALERSHIP DID MAKE A HUGE MISTAKE BY NOT BOLTING IN THE DRIVER SEAT. I HAVE ASKED FOR A WRITTEN LETTER OF EXPLANATION OF HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN.THIS MISTAKE COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC! BOLTS THAT HOLD A SEAT IN PLACE ARE NOT AN OPTION; THEY WERE ENGINEERED TO BE THERE FOR A REASON. IF THESE BOLTS HAD GONE UNNOTICED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURRED, PERHAPS EVEN DEATH. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND AT WHAT POINT IS A REPAIR FACILITY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE QUALITY OF WORK THEY DO AND SAFETY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS?*AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION (SUA) ON FEB 24, 2001. AFTER COMING TO A FULL STOP WITH TRANSMISSION IN "DRIVE" AND REMAINING STOPPED FOR APPROXIMATELY FIVE SECONDS, THE ENGINE SPEED SUDDENLY WENT FROM IDLE TO 5000-6000 RPM. VEHICLE REMAINED ESSENTIALLY STATIONARY DUE TO SPINNING TIRES ON WET PAVEMENT AND THE IMMEDIATE HARDER APPLICATION OF BRAKES, BUT A COLLISION WOULD HAVE RESULTED HAD THE PAVEMENT BEEN DRY. ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE FOR APPROXIMATELY FIVE SECONDS. I SET THE TRANSMISSION TO "NEUTRAL" IN REACTION TO THE SUA WHICH MAY HAVE STOPPED THE SUA OR MAY HAVE JUST BEEN COINCIDENTAL WITH THE SUA STOPPING ON ITS OWN. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE NISSAN DEALER IN ANNAPOLIS, MD ON FEB 26, 2001; DEALER FOUND NO STORED ERROR CODES AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. BOTH NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT NOTHING MORE COULD BE DONE UNTIL DEALER COULD REPEAT THE SUA. NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS HAS A RECORD OF THE INCIDENT, AS DOES THE DEALER. THIS NOT A CASE OF THROTTLE/BRAKE PEDAL MISAPPLICATION. I SUSPECT THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM IS THE CAUSE OF THE SUA BECAUSE I RARELY USE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. I WAS USING CRUISE CONTROL FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD OF TIME IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE INCIDENT  APPROXIMATELY 25 MILES/20 MINUTES UNINTERRUPTED. CRUISE CONTROL WAS MOST LIKELY SET TO ON WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED BUT I DID NOT THINK TO VERIFY THIS AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. ALSO, AND VERY NOTABLY, THERE HAVE BEEN TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS AFTER THE SUA INCIDENT WHERE THE CRUISE CONTROL ON LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED WHEN THE ENGINE WAS STARTED (CRUISE SET LIGHT WAS OFF). THE CRUISE CONTROL ON LIGHT SHOULD BE OFF WHENEVER THE ENGINE IS INITIALLY STARTED. I WILL PROVIDE VIN UPON REQUEST. I DONT HAVE THE VIN AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. OTHER VEHICLE PARTICULARS: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, SE MODEL.*AK

PRIOR TO BUYING VEHICLE, CONSUMER EXPRESSED INTEREST IN A TETHER ANCHOR, DEALER STATED THAT THIS PART COULD BE ORDERED AND INSTALLED, HOWEVER IT TOOK 2 WEEKS TO COMPLETE CONSUMER'S REQUEST AND CONSUMER HAD TO PAY FOR IT, CONSUMER IS ANGRY BECAUSE SHE FEELS ALL NEW VEHICLE SHOULD COME EQUIPPED WITH THE TETHER ANCHORS. *SLC

THERE IS SOME SHAKING IN FRONT END BETWEEN 55 MPH AND 70 MPH. CONTACTED DEALER 8 TIMES, BUT SO FAR NO REMEDY.*AK ALSO, THE BRAKES CONTINUOUSLY ROAR OR SKIP. *YH

WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 55 MPH ON HIGHWAY VEHICLE PULLED SHARPLY TO LEFT AND STRUCK DIVIDING WALL. NO PRIOR WARNING BEFORE INCIDENT. DRIVER WAS WEARING SEATBELT. THERE WERE NO PASSENGERS. DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. INSURANCE COMPANY WAS NOTIFIED. TIRES WERE INTACT. DRIVER SUFFFERED MINOR INJURIES. *AK

EXCESSIVE EFFORT NEEDED TO ENGAGE BRAKING SYSTEM. WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGHER THAN 30 MPH SPEEDS OR WHEN VEHICLE LOAD IS HEAVY, DRIVER HAS TO DEPRESS BRAKE PEDAL ALL WAY TO FLOOR TO GET THE BRAKING SYSTEM TO ENGAGE. *AK THE MANUFACTURER REPRESENTATIVE INSPECTED THE BRAKES AND INDICATED TO BE NORMAL. *YH

WHILE BRAKES WERE APPLIED VEHICLE ACCELERATED SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY, TWICE RESULTING IN COLLISIONS. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

THERE IS AN EXTREMELY LONG AMOUNT OF BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL( APPROX 1/2 WAY TO FLOOR) BEFORE THE BRAKES ENGAGE. ALSO, AFTER THE BRAKES ENGAGE IT REQUIRES A LOT OF PRESSURE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THIS OCCURS ON ALMOST EVERY TIME I ENGAGE THE BRAKES. *AK

ALL INSTRUMENT GAUGES INCLUDING SPEEDOMETER, ODOMETER, TACHOMETER, GAS GAUGE, ENGINE TEMP GAUGE, 4 WHEEL DRIVE INDICATOR, AND COMPASS FAIL TO WORK AFTER DRIVING. FIALURE IS INTERMITTENT. SERVICE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO FIX IN UNDER 30 DAYS. *AK

ABS BRAKE SYSTEMS SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM AUTOMOBILES OR THE OWNER SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE THEM REMOVED. *AK

BRAKES FELT VERY SPONGY WHICH CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE AND MA Y RESULT IN A CRASH. DEALER SAID IT WAS THE CHARACTERISICT OF VEHICLE. *AK PEDAL MOVEMENT BEFORE BRAKES ENGAGE WAS EXCESSIVE. CONSUMER HAVE TO PUMP PEDAL BEFORE THE BRAKES BECOME FIRM. *YH

WAS IN HEAD ON COLLISION AT APPROX. 50MPH IN NEW 2001 NISSAN PATHFINDER LE. VEHICLE HAD 600 MILES ON IT AND WAS LEASED. VEHICLE PULLED IN FRONT OF ME ON 4 LANE HIGHWAY, I HIT IT HEAD ON. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. BODY SHOP, POLICE ETC HAVE ALL SAID THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. RADIATOR WAS CRUSHED AND BUMPER AND GRILL ASSEMBLY WERE DEMOLISHED. ALSO CONCERN THAT SEAT BELT DID NOT TIGHTEN. HAVE BEEN ADVISED BY BODY SHOP WHO DOES A LOT OF THIS TYPE WORK THAT THEY RECOMMEND HAVING IT TESTED SINCE IN THEIR PROFESSIONAL OPINION IT SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. I HAVE BACK INJURY.*AK

VEHICLE WAS IN A HEAD-ON COLLISON WITH A PICKUP TRUCK,AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER SUSTAINED SOME INJURIES. CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT 50 MPH. *AK

EXCESSIVE VIBRATION AT 60 TO 70 MPH TAKEN SUV TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES AND FOUND OUT THAT TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE AND HAVE EXCESSIVE RADIAL FORCE MEASURMENTS AND THAT THEY ARE UNSAFE TO DRIVE WITH AAND MAY CAUSE AN ACEDENT. DEALER INSPECTED THE CAR AND MUITL TIMES BALANCE THE WHEEL/TIRE USING RADIAL FORCE BALANCING BUT UNABLE TO GET RID OF EXCESSIVE VIBRATION. DEALER GAVE ME BACK SUV AS IS (KNOWING IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE) AND ORDERED 4 NEW TIRES OF THE SAME BRAND WHICH TOOK A WEEK TO RECIEVE. I REQUESTED TO REPLACE TIRE WITH MICHILINE LTX BUT DEALER AND NISSAN REFUSED TO DO SO. I REQUESTED A SAFETY AND RESPONSIBILTY LETTER SINCE THEY WOULD NOT GIVE ME A CHOOSE OF WHAT BRAND TO CHOOSE BUT THEY WOULD NOT DO SO. DEALER FINALLY REPLACED TIRES AND VIBRATION IS 90 %IMPROVED BUT STILL EXISTS. ALSO I HAVE TAKEN MY SUV FOR A RATTLE IN STEERING AND THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE DRIVER AIRBAG WAS NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY FROM FACTORY. DEALER FIXED THE PROBLEM AND THEN THREE WEEKS LATER THE SAME PROBLEM RETURNED. TOOK SUV TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND THEY PUT "TUBES IN THE SPRING BEHIND THE AIRBAG" THIS IS TO REDUCE RATTLE/VIBRATION. NOW THE HORN IS UNOPERATIONAL DUE TO THIS. YOU MUST PUT BOTH HANDS ON THE HORN/AIRBAG AND PUSH VERY HARD EST 40IBS OF FORCE TO ENGAGE THE HORN. THIS IS UNACCPTIBLE AND UNSAFE TO OPERATE THE VECHICAL WITH OUT A HORN. I DO HAVE A SAFETY CONVERN TO OTHER OWNER OF THIS SUV DUE TO DEFECTIVE TIRES THAT CAN BLOW AND CASUE A SEROUS EXCEDENT. I DP HOPE THAT NHTSA TAKE ACTION. (DOT NUMBER: EN6D0800 TIRESIZE: 255/65R16)

THE STEERING PULL AND/OR BODY VIBRATION MANIFESTS ITSELF AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OF BETWEEN 60 AND 75 MPH, REGARDLESS OF ROAD CROWN OR IMPERFECTIONS OF THE SURFACE. THIS DEFECT IMPAIRS THE STEERING CONSIDERABLY. STEERING BECOMES EVEN MORE OF A CHANNLANGE DURING WET ROAD CONDITIONS IN RESPECT OF THE RECENT NHTSA PUBLICATION, SHOWING A TWO STAR ROLLOVER RATING FOR THIS VEHICLE, THE REFERENCED DEFECT INDEED HAS A SERIOUSNEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE WHILST DRIVEN ON HIGHWAYS AT THE SPEEDS INDICATED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT RESPONDED TO PHONECALLS AND LETTER OF NOTIFICATION. ARBITRATION WAS HELD UNDER THE BBB AUTOLINE PROGRAM. REQUEST FOR REPURCHASE WAS DENIED DESPITE THE FACT THAT BOTH THE MANUFACTURERS REPRESENTATIVE AND THE ARBITRATOR RECOGNIZED THE DEFECT DURING THE TEST DRIVE. THE ARBITRATOR CONSIDERED IT A NUSANCE. *AK

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WHEN STARTED TO FEEL LIKE LIGHT TRAVEL TRAILER WAS MOVING BACK AND FORTH .THEN TRAILER IMMEDIATELY FLIPPED OVER, CAUSING VEHICLE TO FLIP OVER. VEHICLE WAS ADVERTISED TO PULL A TRAILER UP TO 5000 POUNDS, AND THE ONE THAT CONSUMER WAS PULLING WAS ABOUT 3100 POUNDS AT MOST. DEALER CLAIMED THAT BENT WAS SO BENT UP THAT THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME CONSUMER PULLED TRAILER WITH THIS VEHICLE, AND WAS ONLY ABLE TO GET APPROX. 2,000 MILES.*AK

THE DRIVER'S SEAT MOVED FROM SIDE TO SIDE. IT MAKES DRIVER NERVOUS WHEN IT HAPPENS AND IT MAY NOT BE SAFE IN SOME CONDITIONS. NISSAN SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM FREE OF CHARGE AT THE CUSTOMERS REQUEST, BUT THEY WON'T. *JB

MY NISSAN PATHFINDER CD CHANGER KEEPS FAILING WITH A ERROR MESSAGE. *JB

2001 NISSAN PATHFINDER WITH GAS LEAK. CONSUMER STATES FUEL LEAKED FROM THE VEHICLE MAKING IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE DEALER DID NOT HAVE ALL THE PARTS TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM THEY WERE EXPERIENCING. *KB THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. THE DEALER REPLACED THE 02 SENSOR. (RECALL 07V435000) *JB

2001 NISSAN PATHFINDER WITH FUEL FILTER RECALL. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE HAD ALREADY BEEN REPAIRED FOR THIS PROBLEM AND WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED SINCE THERE IS A RECALL OUT FOR THIS PROBLEM. *KB

WHILE STOPPING ENGINE WOULD IDLE HIGH. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE, TECHNICIAN SERVICED VEHICLE AND NOTICE EXCESSIVE RADIAL RUN OUT ON TIRES (DOT UT6D2K30901 255-65-16). NLM THE CONSUMER IS ASKING REFUND FOR THE EXPENSE PAID FOR THE TIRES. *YH

VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATES WHILE APPLYING BRAKES AND STOPPED OR SLOWED--CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF CAR

WHEN FUELING, GAS TANK OVER FILLS AND SPILLS GASOLINE ONTO SIDE OF VEHICLE AND GROUND. THIS IS SERIOUS POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD AUTOMATIC FUEL SHUT OFF NOT PROPERLY WORKING. IF FUEL SHUT OFF WORKS, GAS GAUGE SHOWS. GAS AMOUNT TO BE SLIGHTLY ABOVE 3/4 FULL. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO FULLY FUEL TANK TO HAVE GAS GAUGE SHOW "F" THEN GASOLINE WILL OVER FLOW. ONLY RECOURSE NOW IS TO DRIVE WITH 3/4 TANK FULL IN ORDER TO PREVENT FUEL SPILLS. TOOK IT TO DEALER. DEALER INDICATED THIS IS NORMAL FOR FRONTIERS AND NOTHING IS WRONG. DT