2003 Nissan Pathfinder Suspension Problems

RECENTLY DISCOVERED A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT FREQUENTLY SHOWS ITSELF WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS (OVER 45) AND ONE HITS A BUMP OR SMALL POT HOLE THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DEVELOPS AN EXTREME WOBBLE MAKING IT VERY HARD TO CONTROL. I SUDDENLY WAS IN AN ADJACENT LANE AND WAS ALMOST HIT. DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AND EVEN HAS BEEN GIVEN A NAME. IT'S REFERRED TO AS THE DEATH WOBBLE. IF ONE QUICKLY SLOW DOWN TO WOBBLE WILL GO AWAY. I WAS TOLD BY SEVERAL MECHANICS DON'T DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY YOU'LL STAND A GOOD CHANCE OF FLIPPING THE VEHICLE. IT SEEMS THE PROBLEM IS FAILED BUSHINGS IN REAR CONTROL ARMS. UNFORTUNATELY WHEN THE PROBLEM SHOWS WHEN THE CAR BECOMES DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS TO CONTROL. REPAIRS ARE COSTLY AND OFTEN MISDIAGNOSED. IT APPEARS NISSAN IS AWARE BUT NO SAFETY WARNING OR RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. THERE ARE NUMEROUS DISCUSSIONS ON THE WEB DESCRIBING THIS ISSUE AS ON GOING WITH MANY MODEL YEARS ON PATHFINDERS AND SOME INFINITY MODELS

WHILE DRIVING 2003 NISSAN PATHFINDER I HIT POTHOLE ON A CITY STREET, HEARD LOUD BANG, SHORTLY AFTER COMPLETELY LOST ALL BRAKING ABILITIES, UPON BRINGING MY VEHICLE HOME AND EXAMINING I NOTICE THE RIGHT FRONT STRUT HOUSING HAD SEPARATED FROM FRAME SNAPPING THE BRAKE LINE ON THE RIGHT FRONT. APPEARS TO BE THE SAME CORROSION ISSUE AS THE RECALL ON THE LEFT FRONT STRUT HOUSING.

TAKATA RECALL WHEN DRIVING ON HIGHWAYS THE BACK-END SWAYS OFF AND ON WHICH CAN CAUSE YOU TO LOSE CONTROL. THE HEAD LIGHTS DON'T APPEAR TO SHINE BRIGHT ENOUGH. ABS LIGHT REMAINS ON EVEN AFTER REPLACING THE SENSORS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED AND ATTEMPTING TO STOP, THE BRAKES HESITATED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE BRAKES AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE STRUT HOUSING PANEL WAS CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V244000 (STEERING, SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,000.

THE BODY IS RUSTING , MY GAS GAUGE IS NOT ACCURATE, SUSPENSION IS FALLING AWAY FROM THE TRUCK. I LOVED THIS TRUCK AND HAVE HAD SINCE 2008 BUT NOW I AM IN FEAR TO DRIVE IT. I SEE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FOR THESE ISSUES BUT THE MECHANICS JUST SAY IT'S NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. I ONLY DRIVE 5 -10 MINUTES TO WORK AND HOME. *( *JS

OPEN NISSAN RECALL R1107 ON THIS VEHICLE FOR STEERING AND STRUT HOUSING. THERE ARE VISIBLE DEFECTS RELATING TO THIS RECALL ON MY VEHICLE. 1ST CONTACT NISSAN 4/9/13. I LIVE APPROX 700 MILES FROM ANY DEALERSHIP WITH NO OPTION OF ROAD SYSTEM TO REACH DEALERSHIP. I WOULD NEED TO SHIP VEHICLE OR TAKE FERRY TO MAJOR ROAD SYSTEM THEN DRIVE. WE HAVE ONE STATE HIGHWAY ON OUR ISLAND. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE LOCALLY. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE LET ALONE DRIVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS TO REACH A DEALERSHIP. AT FIRST I WAS BASICALLY TOLD TOO BAD. I ASKED IF THEY WERE TELLING ME I HAD TO DRIVE A DANGEROUS VEHICLE BECAUSE I LIVED IN RURAL AMERICA? I WAS THEN TRANSFERRED TO DEALERSHIP IN ANCHORAGE, AK. WE ARRANGED FOR ME TO TAKE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC LOCALLY TO TAKE DETAILED PHOTOS TO FORWARD TO DEALERSHIP TO DETERMINE IF VEHICLE WAS A CANDIDATE FOR REPAIR OR IF DAMAGE WAS SO ADVANCED AS TO JUNK VEHICLE. THERE WAS BACK AND FORTH CONTACT BY PHONE AND E-MAIL WITH DEALERSHIP. I WAS ASKED TO PROVIDE SHIPPING COSTS AND LATER PROVIDED DETAILS ON STEPS AND COSTS TO HAVE THE VEHICLE WRECKED HERE IN TOWN. SOMETIME TOWARD END OF JUNE 2013 I STOPPED GETTING UPDATES. NISSAN CORP ISSUED A 2ND CASE NUMBER ON 7/15 THEY HAVE CALLED EVERY FEW DAYS TO SAY NO NEWS. 7/26/13 I GOT A CALL SAYING DECISION IS I NEED TO BRING DEALERSHIP. THEY ARE TO CALL BACK 7/29 TO TELL ME IF I CAN GET THAT IN WRITING. NISSAN HAS BEEN PROVIDED 3 SETS OF PHOTOS THAT CLEARLY SHOW THROUGH HOLES IN STRUT HOUSING. THIS CAR IS NOT FIT TO DRIVE THE DISTANCES OR SPEEDS THEY ARE ASKING. NISSAN HAS ALLOWED THIS VEHICLE STAY ON THE ROADS SINCE APRIL EVEN AFTER THEY WERE PROVIDED WITH EVIDENCE THAT CAR IS COMPROMISED AND DANGEROUS. NISSAN CORP. IS ALLOWING KNOWN DANGEROUS VEHICLES TO REMAIN ON ROADS IN RURAL AREAS PLACING PEOPLE LIKE ME IN DANGER BECAUSE IT IS COST AND TIME PROHIBITIVE FOR OWNERS LIKE ME TO GET TO A DEALERSHIP. THIS IS WRONG.

THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE DRIVER SIDE STRUT TOWER DUE TO SERVER RUSTING. THE DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THAT AREA. I WAS HEARING A NOISE FROM THE FRONT RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE AND FOUND OUT THAT THE RUST HAD DAMAGE TO THAT STRUT TOWER. MY ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS FINALLY COME ON AND I HAD S LOST OF BRAKE FLUID. THE STRUT TOWER COLAPSE SEVERING THE RIGHT FRONT BRAKE LINE. THE DEALER INSPECTED IT AND SAID THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THIS. I,M NOT SURE WHY THE LEFT FRONT STRUT TOWER WOULD BE COVERED AND THE RIGHT FRONT IN NOT. I HAD LEASED THIS VEHICAL AND WHEN THE LEASE EXPIRED WE PURCHASED THE CAR OUTRIGHT. WE HEARD ABOUT THE RECALL WHEN I HAD ONE REMAINING PAYMENT ON THE CAR. NOW WITH THE CAR PAID IN FULL IT IS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN PATHFINDER. WHILE HAVING THE OIL CHANGED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE STRUT TOWER WAS SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME. THE TOP OF THE SHOCKS WERE ALSO COMING IN CONTACT WITH THE MASTER CYLINDER. AS A RESULT, THE BRAKE LINES WERE TEARING AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 150,000. UPDATED 5/9/11 *CN UPDATED 2/8/12 *CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLES FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL MADE A KNOCKING NOISE WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

MY 2003 PATHFINDER SHAKES AT ABOUT 20 MPH, 40 MPH, AND 60 MPH. VIBRATION IS FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE SEAT. THE VIBRATION IS ALSO AUDIBLE.*AK