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Nissan Pathfinder Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • frrussrefrrussre Member Posts: 41
    As I have stated on several posts, my 2007 Path SE auto 4x4 Fully loaded, is very cheaply made, rough tranny, noisy annoying wipers (Clonk clonk clonk), creeks on backend, when pulling away, rattling window, rattle when doors closing, not very good Bose music system, lousy gas mileage, in fact worse gas then my 2006 Explorer V8. Lights on vanity mirrors, dim, pointless. Engine roars like a cheap sports car on acceleration. When truck goes over a twig, bump, etc, front wheels, vibrate/shake. These are all known problems.
    4x4, is 10 years out of date.
    Really annoying, I just tried to move the roof rack bars, you need a HEX key, what moron, invented that idea. I had 2 Jeeps, 2 Explorers, all had small turn wheel to adjust the roof bars.
    Trunk area, without carpet, so everything, puts scratches scuffs on plastic.

    Truck is basically a piece of junk.

    I have 25 months left of a 36 month lease, wish I could give it back tomorrow.
    Reg. Frank R.
  • saknjmomsaknjmom Member Posts: 26
    The thing that is bothering me is that they swear nothing has changed since the 05 model. The 05 transmission was NOTHING like this. Makes me wonder if there was a widespread production problem.
    I called today and there are no recalls or service bulletins issued right now. I am taking mine in on Thursday for the third time. I am also going to request that they let me drive a different 08 on the lot.
    If they can't fix it, I may see what options I have to turn over my lease and get a manual transmission or a v8 (I'm assuming the v8 is different).
    Probably those who haven't had a previous year of this car might not notice the transmission. I sure do!
  • azdriver61azdriver61 Member Posts: 1
    I have 6k on my 08' Pathfinder. The ride is harsh but I like the handling in the mountains. Left rear window shakes - will need dealer adjustment and I hate to spend the time involved when a dealer repair is needed. Oil changing is messy - I prefer to do that myself. Parking Brake doesn't hold - has been adjusted but still doesn't hold on 30% grade. Transmission has too much coast over-run when lifting off accelerator in traffic - mine doesn't downshift harshly. Coast over-run is okay for big Rigs with manual transmissions but I'm afraid it will wear out this Nissan Tranny & Rear-end gears & U-joints prematurely.
    When passing gear is needed (pressing deep on the pedal) - engine revs to 6k but car doesn't speed up accordingly - this is irritating - you have to feather the pedal too much. Clock doesn't keep the right time.
    Brake pedal is vague and has a lot of travel before really slowing vehicle - requires heavy pressure for quick stops. Hood shimmies on the road - metal too thin.
    Oil pan hangs too low - NO OFF ROAD USE for my SE V6!
    I don't think this vehicle will last 70K without constant repair - SUV is designed to need constant dealer involvement and I'm a do-it-yourself guy.
  • alwaysbusyalwaysbusy Member Posts: 11
    I have an 06 with (now) 45k on it. I have had the PARKING BRAKE adjusted a few times! It does lurch forward a bit when I stop on a (down) hill.
    BE SURE to get a thorough check before your car(s) hit the warranty limit!!
  • corteacortea Member Posts: 1
    Hi!!
    The problem is when i am going to park in reverse and when i shift to Drive i hear a loud sound like " CLUN" in the back of the SUV . When i took it to service they replaced the differential shaft twice and the sound keep getting LOUDER? The dealer is waiting for a service advisor to take a look of my pathfinder...

    It is a 2005 SE model 4X2 automatic trans. 30K

    Can anyone can help me?

    Thanks
  • cwagoncwagon Member Posts: 1
    I am having overheating issues with my 98 pathfinder. I changed one thermostat in the front of the motor, can you tell me where the rear one is located?
    Thanks
  • emdgzmnemdgzmn Member Posts: 2
    My satellite radio was working great until the other day (It was during an ice storm ... which may just be coincidental but figured I'd mention it!). It seems the car is no longer recognizing the satellite radio (It was preinstalled as part of the standard audio system for the 2004 model). I contacted Sirius and they don't believe it is a signal issue from Sirius, but an electrical or wiring defect in my car.

    When I scroll through AM / FM / Sat Rad / CD, it goes straight from FM to CD and no longer gives me the Sat Rad option.

    Does anyone have any recommendations on how to start troubleshooting this?!?!?

    Thanks!
  • shark715shark715 Member Posts: 382
    Tom, our trucks have a timing chain, not a timing belt. Timing chains on modern cars are designed to last the life of the engine, and normally require no maintainence or attention.
  • brian62brian62 Member Posts: 31
    Did you drive another one on the lot? Just curious on how common this is.
    I am about to purchase a PF LE 2WD in the next two weeks.

    Before I purchase, I plan on taking the exact car for a nice long test drive.
  • dtbajdtbaj Member Posts: 9
    We have had the 2008 LE Pathfinder for several months now and I would not recommend this vehicle to anyone. The transmission is terrible. Make sure you drive it for a while in city conditions. You will notice hard up/down shifting around 35-40 mph. Also, make sure you run the a/c while driving. When you come to a stop and sit for a moment you notice vibrations when the fan comes on and it's very annoying. We have taken the vehicle in 4 times with no resolution. We love the look and the fact that the seats fold down flat but the quality under the hood is not there.
  • shark715shark715 Member Posts: 382
    Dtbaj, is your truck a V8 or V6? Does anyone here have a V8 model? If yes, how many miles do you have on it, and does the trans shift smoothly? Are you happy with it otherwise? Why or why not? Thanks.
  • saknjmomsaknjmom Member Posts: 26
    I got a postcard on friday saying to bring the 08 in for recall, but it doesn't say what the recall is? Anyone?
    I am taking the car in Monday and going to drive v8. Going to try and make a deal to trade up. There is 3,250 in incentives on v8.
    I could have gotten the v8 for less monthly pmt, but since I felt my 05 was awesome, didn't even drive the v8 or the v6 before purchasing.
  • dperadpera Member Posts: 2
    Hey! That is EXACTLY what happened to me also! I thought for a minute I might have pushed the antenna off when cleaning off my car but it is still intact! I contacted Sirius and they said to check all connections and if still not solved to bring to my dealer. This is not convenient at this time so I am hoping you might have found out what the problem is!

    Any ideas / solutions!!???
  • emonemon Member Posts: 2
    1994 Pathfinder 2WD - I just finished a DIY remove and replace of the thermostat and the 3 belts. Car was overheating but no loss of power. After putting it all back together, I started to have a new problem. It idles fine and when i give gas in Park/Neutral it revs up like normal. it drives great for the first few minutes(5-10), just like new, accelerates fine. After those few minutes, i loose all acceleration and engine knocks and finally stalls. Also after that initial 5 minutes once I put in it Drive/Reverse the idle drops so low it sputters and knocks and stalls but once back in Park/Neutral it idles fine.

    I was afraid I tightened the belts too much or not enough but staff at Checker/Autozone say that isn't it. The manual says only 1/4 inch play halfway between pulleys and mine is a little more than that.

    After reading some forum answers, i noticed one about smoke out the exhaust and a possible catalytic converter issue, i do seem to have a higher level of smoke out the exhaust (although i have always noticed this a little on this truck)

    Thanks in advance!
  • emonemon Member Posts: 2
    Added note to orignal entry - After reading my repair manual, i remembered i broke the Engine Coolant Temp Sensor lock when i tried to unplug it. That sensor sends the PCM a voltage signal that affects PCM control of the fuel mixture, ignition timing, and EGR operation.

    There is another sensor right next to that i dont see documented in the manual. Any ideas what that might be? They are right next to each other.

    This might explain my problem. it looks like a pain to replace. i will try electrical tape for a quick fix.

    I am going to look for a cheap scan tool to get a reading from the PCM.
  • saknjmomsaknjmom Member Posts: 26
    I took my 08 in today to discuss the transmission at the 30-40mph range discussed here.
    One guy tried to tell me it was CBT (I know this car is not CBT) another guy said it was a deacceloration retarder which I also think isn't the case.
    Another guy said that it is drive by wire....as I understand it, the car controlled electronically and as you get into higher speeds you don't notice the downshifting etc.
    I don't totally get it..anyone? He said that one of their service managers and other consumers have also noticed this weird drop at 30-40 and they have had many bring it back. I don't know sounds like it is what it is. BTW, service mgr has v8 and he says it also does it same as v6
  • saknjmomsaknjmom Member Posts: 26
    so, i looked into drive by wire and the 2005 was also drive by wire.

    WTF, I am so sick of being jacked around by these service techs. The one today goes into this condescending lecture about CBT. I smiled and said, cut the BS. I know what CBT is and the Pathfinder is NOT CBT. Another mgr came out and said that it is an accelorator retarder and I'll be happy that my brakes will last longer. I was like f the brakes, I'd rather replace them every 10,000 miles than drive like this.
    Then another guy who actually seemed to know what he was talking about said it was the drive by wire thing. I accepted what he said, but looked it up and the 05 was also drive by wire.
    We need to keep talking about this and sharing...I have a $42,000 car sitting in my garage that I would love to drop at the dump.
    I think there is a production problem and we're just going to be miserable the entire time with this 08 model.
  • dtbajdtbaj Member Posts: 9
    I feel your pain. We are dealing directly with Nissan now and I suggest you do as well. All the dealerships are going to do is tell you nothing is wrong with the vehicle. This is because they have no solutions. It is obvious that the transmission is faulty but they don't know how to fix them. This will be the last Nissan we ever buy. It is a shame that a company would let a vehicle go to market that performs this way.
  • dtbajdtbaj Member Posts: 9
    V6
  • dperadpera Member Posts: 2
    Hi!
    me again! My Sirius radio miraculously just started up again! I did have a prob with my battery (original one) which apparently was low on fluid (not sealed) and it went dead Monday morning (2/25). When a new battery was put in - voila - I had Sirius back after doing nothing!

    Coincidence or related? I don't know but I am glad I have it back!

    I hope yours is working now also!
  • nutsnuts Member Posts: 9
    Hello all,

    I've had this code on the ESM for quite some time and just got around to having it fixed. I bit the bullet and had a repair shop (not Nissan dealer) 'try' to fix it. After 3 days of back and forth they have diagnosed that the problem resides in the cam on the right side. When the engine is revved up it has a whine very similar to that of a standard fan belt. They have assured that the sound is not from the belts but rather coming from the cylinder 1 cam sprocket. In spirit of 'trust but verify' I'm asking if anyone out in forum-land has seen or heard of this before and if so how much am I looking at for a repair cost.

    Thanks in advance!
  • shark715shark715 Member Posts: 382
    I also have an '01, and have had it since it was new. The Intake Valve Timing sensor is a well known problem. If you do a search on this forum, you will see much discussion about it. There are two sensors, one for each cylinder bank. Based on comments on this forum, the sensors seem to have a life of about 50-80K miles. My truck has 120k miles, and I've had to replace one of the sensors twice, and the other once. I had the work done at three different Nissan dealers, and the problem is so "typical" that in each case they were able to diagnose it in minutes, and the replacement itself seems to take about an hour. And each dealer had the part in stock, so that indicates it's a part that often needs replacement. In each case I've never heard any noise associated with the problem...just the Check Engine light being lit....the engine always seemed to be running fine. I would suggest if it took your repair shop three days to diagnose the problem, you need a repair shop that has more experience with Nissan. This is a common problem that's extremely easy to diagnose.
  • kzosteelerfankzosteelerfan Member Posts: 1
    Hi,
    I am late to this game with the Err1 messages. I just inherited my wife's 2001 Pathfinder LE and you guessed it the CD player is broken. Did Nissan every provide a final fix for this? Is it reasonably priced?
  • 514329514329 Member Posts: 60
    i have the same problem and it was replaced 5 yrs ago by nissan warranty. this is about $300.00 plus
  • saknjmomsaknjmom Member Posts: 26
    So, did you call Customer Service at Nissan Corporate? I have a contact of a newly retired Nissan exec who may be able to help me.

    I also believe this is a production problem. It is so disappointing because the Nissan Pathfinder has been a solid, well built vehicle in the past. I have had 4 prior to this one.

    What are they telling you from Nissan Direct?
  • nutsnuts Member Posts: 9
    Thanks for the info shark.

    I guess I should have provided more information with my initial post.

    They diagnosed the problem correctly and changed out both banks the first day. I spent 20 minutes with the mechanic and he went over the diagnostic tests he did and told me the problem had been fixed. A day later and the SES light is back on so I take it in again and they look at it for an hour or so and they check & clean all of the connections in case of a bad contact. They reset the SES. Day 3 and the light is back on, I call and drop the truck off in the morning and don't get a call until late in the day (a good eight hours laters). I stop by and talk with the mechanic again (this time for 45 minutes). He explains that the problem isn't the sensor but rather the cam timing that the sensor is picking up is off. He then proceeds to start the car and rev the engine. There is anoise that sounds like a soft whine of the belt that he says is not coming from the belt but from the right side cam. The sounds is definitely coming from that general area. He also mentioned that he spent the day working on it an had a friend who works as a mechanic at the Nissan dealership helping him diagnose th problem. When I look up info on the cams on this forum it appears that there is a guide or tensioner that helps keep the cam chain tight I wonder if the guide is worn and the slack is causing the fault.

    Another interesting thing that may or may not be related is that the warning light for the parking brake turned on after I washed the truck today. It wasn't as bright as if the brake was on and changed in intensity from time to time (the further I drove the dimmer it became). I've seen this before with my 4 wheel drive indicator lights after a car wash they would stop working then after they seemingly dried out they were back to normal.

    Thanks again for the assistance.
  • saknjmomsaknjmom Member Posts: 26
    sorry typo...CVT, not CBT.
  • saknjmomsaknjmom Member Posts: 26
    Does anyone know about or understand CVT?
    When I discussed my problem with relative at nissan, he first thought maybe it was CVT. Then, he checked with the Nissan tech guys who said there is no CVT on Pathfinder.
    I posted earlier about telling off the service guy and saying there isn't this feature on Pathfinders.
    I looked on the specs at Nissanusa.com and sure enough, it shows CVT. I'm trying to find specs on the 05 to see if it also had it.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    When the '95 LE was given a full test, the reviewed noted it had a 5 speed automatic transmission. link. The First Drive talked about sharp shifts, which doesn't sound like a CVT. (link)

    When Edmunds lists transmissions on the Styles pages, the choices are Auto, Manual and CVT and the Pathy has an Auto listed there.

    The 2005 owner's manual doesn't anything about a CVT, but it doesn't say much about the transmission at all from what I can tell.

    The 2008 Pathfinder does not have a CVT based on the Styles page info. link
  • saknjmomsaknjmom Member Posts: 26
    I did some research today...CVT is not a feature of Pathfinder it is on the Murano.
    I confused CVTCS with CVT. CVTCS is a function of the engine not transmission.

    I am meeting with GM at the dealership tomorrow to request that he allow me to drive a 2008, and a used Pathfinder 05-07.
  • whipsplacewhipsplace Member Posts: 2
    Anyone had any luck at a dealership getting their 08 Pathfinder V6 rough downshift/upshift repaired? Thanks for any info!

    Whipsplace
  • munnymunny Member Posts: 10
    There is a distinct odor of coolant in side the cab when running. No evidence of leaks on driveway. Is this indicative of a water pump problem? head gasket? other?

    how big a repair is the head gasket. is it a super time consuming job all to put in a $10 part or is it very tricky type of job?
  • shark715shark715 Member Posts: 382
    Sounds more like a leaking heater core or heater hose, especially if you smell it inside the truck but not under the hood. I'm not sure on the Pathfinder, but on other vehicles it's not unusual to have to remove the dashboard to do this sort of work.
  • krcarr30krcarr30 Member Posts: 6
    As an earlier post mentioned, I also had a Senior Tech admit and witness the problem. He described my issue as more of a "shutter or thump" when lighty pressing the gas pedal around 40mph. He also said Nissan hasa recognized the problem and hope to have a fix soon. It very annoying to me and it causes the whole car to shake(almost like it shutters as if it was out of gas)

    He mentioned it also has to to with EPA approval. Because the issue also related to gas fuel adjustments.

    I never had this issue with my 05 - I'm very dissappointed - Anyone know if this can fall under Lemon Law???
  • dnolendnolen Member Posts: 2
    I have a '92 (or so) PF and the car starts shaking like it's one of those "dancing" cars with the hydrolics etc... ofcourse my car doesn't have this built in so there is a problem with the suspention. (only the rear suspention)
    I know the shock absorbers in my front right wheel aren't all that great but I don't think that's where the problem lies.
    When I speed up a little or hit the brakes a little it stabilises but I'd really like to get it fixed. Is this a common problem and does anyone have any suggestions how to fix this?
    Thanks!

    Danielle
  • krcarr30krcarr30 Member Posts: 6
    As an earlier post mentioned, I also had a Nissan Senior Tech admit and witness the problem. He described my issue as more of a "shutter or thump" when lighty pressing the gas pedal around 40mph. This issue is relatively the same issue as others have posted with tramission, rough shifting, etc. The Tech said Nissan has recognized the problem and hope to have a fix soon. It is very annoying to me and it causes the whole car to shake(almost like it shutters as if it was out of gas) that can't be good on gas mileage.

    He mentioned it also has to to with EPA approval. Because the issue also relates to gas fuel adjustments.

    I never had this issue with my 05 - I'm very dissappointed in the 08 - Anyone know if this can fall under Lemon Law??? What can we do?
  • riverknollriverknoll Member Posts: 12
    SES light has been on since 12/07. The OBD reader says P1446 and P1444. Believe it is the EVAP system but it could be all 3 items, purge control valve, vent control valve and carbon cannister. Question is if I do nothing to this 98 PF, what are the consequences? Dealer has already quoted me $1K to repair and clean out all the hoses and tubes. PF drives fine with no noticeable adverse behavior. Anyone know? Thanks.
  • saknjmomsaknjmom Member Posts: 26
    Okay, your situation sounds a little different than what I experience.
    I took mine for a drive with GM and Service Tech. They acknowledge what I am complaining about, but say it is NORMAL. my 05 definitely did not shift this way. I started getting angry because they say it's normal...based on what? Have they driven Pathfinders Exclusively for the past 10-12 years?
    I am trying to connect with my friend who has an 06 to see if hers drives the same. I did drive another 08 and it is the same as mine.
    Keep us posted if you get any answers on your end!
  • lmccocalmccoca Member Posts: 1
    I had smth similar on my 1999.5 Pathfinder.
    Dealer changed cannister and vent valve - no good, SES came back on after a few days.
    Eventually - they found that it was a crack in the gas tank filling pipe - there's a bend where the pipe gets to the actual tank - they replaced it and no more SES. BTW - there was also a smell of gas before they changed it.

    Hope this helps.
    Cheers.
  • dtbajdtbaj Member Posts: 9
    They say it is normal because that is all they can say. They have no solutions and either does Nissan. This is a piss poor product . The clowns at Nissan blew it . I will never buy another Nissan ever again. Anyone who bought the 2008 V6 Pathfinder will just have to suck it up until they can trade these rattle traps in for something of quality. We, unfortunately, bought the LE which includes a lot of overpriced additions that put the total price over $40,000 and this is the quality we get for that price. It is a shame...........
  • dtbajdtbaj Member Posts: 9
    I think what your tech meant by shutter or thump is "rattle and trap". The quality of the engine/transmission is terrible. We blame Nissan they blame the EPA. Have you noticed how hard it is to put into gear from park ? Have you noticed how loud the engine is when you start it ? We are checking into the lemon law here in Florida. I think it is different for every state. I am sorry that you are going through this. It is very disappointing to spend that kind of money and to get what we are getting. This will be the last Nissan.
  • munnymunny Member Posts: 10
    there is a small leak under the passenger side dash - smells like coolant. is this typical location of heater core leak?
  • saknjmomsaknjmom Member Posts: 26
    Yeah, I'm in the same boat with the LE loaded.

    I drove my friend's 06 the other day just to see and what do you know, tranny was just as I remembered in my 05. Do you think this was an intentional "difference" or do you think they have a production problem?

    To add insult to injury, I've been attempting to deal with NMAC regarding the offer to upgrade and waive up to 3 pmts. I did the deal, submitted the required paperwork. they kept sending me bills and I spent hours on the phone trying to "prove" that I didn't owe the last two pmts.

    A week ago saturday, some bully from a COLLECTION AGENCY called demanding I pay up.

    This transaction, the car the whole thing is being chalked up to a REALLY BAD deal.
  • shark715shark715 Member Posts: 382
    Yes, very typical of a heater core leak. But it could be one of the heater hoses too.
  • munnymunny Member Posts: 10
    so what is the best way to get at the heater core and hoses? someone had mentioned that need to take out dash - ugh.
  • dtbajdtbaj Member Posts: 9
    Ouch !

    I think there might be some truth in the fact that the EPA is demanding different standards on vehicles now and it may have something to do with the change. Maybe they get the transmissions from a third party and that party has changed to someone cheaper. I am not sure. We called Nissan about the problems and they never called back. I have read other posts and they say Nissan is working on the problem. I doubt it. We will drive this one for a little while and then trade in for something of better quality.
  • kendogg531kendogg531 Member Posts: 1
    alright so my truck is mint runs great n everything but lately its bine [non-permissible content removed] out after i drive it for like 10 minutes, i cleaned the throttle bodys and i replaced the fuel filter but i guess thats not the prob... it runs great then it just craps out and wont start again for like 5 minutes ... can anyone tell me wut could be wrong??¿¿
  • chairman_kagachairman_kaga Member Posts: 1
    I'm planning to change out the engine, trans and diff oil in one great whack this weekend but A) can't find the quantities needed (all the guides say to fill to the filler holes for trans & diff, but how much IS that?) and B) what's recommended for a '92 XE-V6 2WD?
    And is there a way to determine if I have a LSD without jacking it up? Anything in the VIN or door panel plate?
  • blackta1blackta1 Member Posts: 1
    05 pathfinder SE 4wd, 21K developed a problem where it feels like the tranny or something is slipping, similar to the "shutter" description from other posts, but the key is that it only happens when driving in snowy conditions Never when dry. Feels like a slip then a hard clunk from the rearend. Dealer recognizes it but can't diagnose where its coming from. Nissan Customer Affairs basically told me too bad, wait until it breaks. It's still under factory warranty and I'm PO'd. Anything familiar?
  • krcarr30krcarr30 Member Posts: 6
    I know....but what is weird is that "shuttering/hesistation" of the engine is only around 40mph(4th gear) it doesn't do it at any other speed...or gear. weird. The tech mentioned that is would be a computer adjustment to be made but the fix had to be approved with the help of the EPA......
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