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Nissan Pathfinder

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  • nwwoodsnwwoods Member Posts: 21
    Melody's Nissan in Bellevue and Kirkland WA have closed unexpectedly. They had over $100MM in annual sales, so I doubt that a few of us buying our vehicles in Canada (< 0.5% of sales) had much impact, but it's disconcerting nonetheless. I called Nissan North America and they weren't very positive about them re-opening. Newspaper article:


    http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/134372726_nissan300.html


    Fortunately, there are 15 other dealerships in the Seattle area (use the "Advanced Search" under the Dealer Locator function on http://www.nissandriven.com and enter Seattle WA under City and State to see them.)

  • stewertstewert Member Posts: 18
    I Live in Southeast Pa and was thinking of getting rid of my 2001 EXPLODER and getting a Pathfinder. Does anyone know of any good finance/lease deals in my area? There isn't any real advertiseing for Nissan in the local papers. Thanks in advance for your help.. STEWERT
    P.S I KNOW I'M GOING TO TAKE A KILLING ON MY TRADE!!!
  • sysadmin1sysadmin1 Member Posts: 122
    I have been to the dealer 5 times for the same problem, a squealing sort of noice that is either belt relatred, or pulley related, and they have replaced the belts twice, and the a/c compressor once, and the the noise is stil there. Gonna start checking lemon laws in NH here. Got 32K on the truck and just about out of patience in trying to get this 30K truck fixed. End result would hope that I can just get a new truck, but will keep you all aprised....

    This board rocks!
  • omega11omega11 Member Posts: 36
    Thanks for the info Woodyr1.
  • sydneymoosesydneymoose Member Posts: 5
    Squealing belts can also be caused by the belt tensioner. My wonderful Ford dealer kept spraying belt dressing on the serpentine belt in my Ford Probe and failed to stop the squealing. An independent mechanic adjusted the tension on the belt. And the squeal was history!

    Is this board quiet right now or are there really no good detail shops or decent Nissan dealership service departments in the Washington, DC, area? Does anyone have suggestions for dealerships to avoid? More than one dealership has returned my vehicle not only not fixed, but damaged. For instance, a Chrysler dealership returned my new car to me with ripped upholstery, ballpoint pen marks all over the seats, body damage, and, of course, that infamous NPF (no problem found) all over the service receipt.

    The idea of someone beating up on my beloved Pathfinder literally makes me sick. I'd appreciate any assistance. Thanks!
  • pythagoruspythagorus Member Posts: 1
    I've found a pretty good Service Dept in Northern Virginia. Rosenthal Nissan in Tysons Corner. They've done a great job in providing my regular inspections, oil changes and other routine service. They get the job done on time and usually less than the esimate. They even washed my car the last time I brought it in.
  • looking25looking25 Member Posts: 19
    Stewert - I purchased my 2001 PF LE AWD loaded from York Nissan. They beat out 2 other dealers that didn't want to go below invoice. I just printed off the carmax.com price of the one I wanted, presented it to them, and they beat it by a couple hundred dollars. Think I got it for about $800 under invoice - 3.9%/5 years

    Curious why your getting rid of a new Explorer? Probably a retorical question since the new Explorer I test drove sounded like it would die in a few short months, had a set belt not working, and they couldn't get the back seat up after folding it - this was brand new for peaks sake.
  • shek3shek3 Member Posts: 72
    does anyone know if the 2002 roof rack will fit a 2001 with a sunroof??? part numbers?? thanks, mike
  • savage4savage4 Member Posts: 11
    My PF seems to be eating tires... I had the original set replaced by the tire manufacturer (Toyo) as defective after 25K miles (at my Nissan dealers insistence). The new set has 6k miles on them and are already showing significant signs of wear. I have had alignments, balancing, and indexing done to no avail. I rotate the tires every other oil change or about 6k miles. I have been to several dealers now and all I hear is that it is the tires and there is nothing they can do since I already had the originals replaced.

    Any one else having this problem? Any solutions or suggestions would be appreciated.
  • brian60brian60 Member Posts: 76
    PFs do seem to have a problem with premature tire wear. I remember reading somewhere that Nissan sets up PFs with a funky alignment for better cornering at the sake of tire longevity. This person went on to say that they went to an independent alignment place and had them set it to more reasonable levels.

    For comparison, I was able to get 35k out of my Deulers before they were toast due to too much wear at the outer edge (closest to the sidewall).
  • baddestbob1baddestbob1 Member Posts: 96
    This issue has been brought up a lot on this board. My take is that the way you drive has a lot to do with it (also engine, brakes, tranny, gas mileage, etc.) On my '01 I inflated to 30psi instead of factory 26. We'll see.
  • danogdanog Member Posts: 318
    We have almost 27,000 miles on our '01 LE and the Duelers are looking pretty good. I haven't measured but I guess they are at half life. Hopefully I will get another 10-15,000 miles and then replace them.

    Dano
  • ddssjsk9ddssjsk9 Member Posts: 36
    I also have the thunk too. I've talked to dealer
    about this. They are going to try and get the rep
    involved. My opinion is the differential pinion
    gears are set up to loose. Dealer said it checked
    to specs but didn't tell me if it was set up toward the loose or tight side. Mine seems to be
    worse after driven enough to heat the fluid up. I
    was in rush hour traffic the other day and each
    acceleration and deceleration brought a thunk from
    the rear. I was riding in the back seat and could
    definately hear a gear clash with each clunk. I don't know if changing to a heaver lube would help
    or not. Have you had any success getting your
    problem resolved?
  • ddssjsk9ddssjsk9 Member Posts: 36
    I had to replace my Toyos at 22,000 miles. Toyo
    adjusted them at 50% because the dealer was inflating them at 35psi. Toyo said to go by the
    specs on the door label. 26psi. We'll see how the
    new ones wear. Also a note about alignment. My
    Dealer had misaligned my vehicle 3\4" to far negative on the toe. A big wear factor. Also the
    left side would barely align to specs. I had an
    independent tire shop install camber adjustment
    kits and adjust dead center of specs. Did I receive any assistance from Nissan or Dealer.
    A great big NO!
  • kingkapkingkap Member Posts: 9
    I have seen commercials the last couple of weeks for a 2002 pathfinder SE...no options really...but 4 wheel drive automatic...details were 1,499 down and $349/mo. I live in philly and just leased a new 2002 pathfinder. I went to a few dealers...Cherry Hill, NJ seemed to be the most willing to negociate and that is where I got mine. Good luck...fill us in!
  • pf01pf01 Member Posts: 35
    I posted a similar message several months ago. But I would like to post it again for those who did not see the earlier one. I have a 2001 LE with part-time 4 wheel drive. It developed a steering wheel shimmy at speeds above 60 miles. It had Toyo tires and the mileage was around 22000. The tires had been rotated 3 times before. In the Nissan Service Bulletin from the dealer, Nissan specifically asked for a Hunter GSP9700 balancing machine or equivalent to do the balance. I located a tire shop through www.hunter.com. The tire shop inflated tire pressure to 35 psi and performed dynamic balancing. After this, the pathfinder no longer has shimmy below 75 mph, but it still has a slight shimmy at higher speed. The worst thing can happen is that Nissan simply uses the service bulletin as a smoke screen to mask more serious problems that can cause the shimmy. But the reality is, probably the vast majority of shimmy is caused by wheel balance problem. And there is nothing wrong for Nissan to try to solve the problem according to the statistics.
  • sydneymoosesydneymoose Member Posts: 5
    After my 99.5 Pathfinder developed a shimmy, the dealer replaced the steering rack. At the time, I was also hearing a clunk when I turned the wheel. Shimmy still there. Dealer balanced wheels several times. Shimmy still there. Did Nissan give a flip? Absolutely not! Found an independent shop with a machine equivalent to the Hunter GSP9700. Shop moved badly worn tires to rear and aligned wheels. Shimmy gone! Shop also told me that the two worn tires were so trashed that I should never rotate them again. My Pathfinder now has about 25,000 miles on it and, knock on wood, the tires look OK.

    Thanks pythagorus for the tip. I'm surprised to hear of a Rosenthal dealer service department being rated so highly. This outfit has a well-deserved reputation for cheating customers in the sales department!

    By the way, I worked for a lawyer who handles lemon law cases. For information on Virginia lemon law and links to other Web sites, go to www.lemonlaws.com.

    Happy motoring!
  • sydneymoosesydneymoose Member Posts: 5
    The address I gave for the lemon law lawyer I worked for is incorrect. I'll post the correct address when I find it. Sorry about that!
  • sydneymoosesydneymoose Member Posts: 5
    www.carlaws.com
  • yrideyride Member Posts: 21
    Winter is upon us. With mandatory chain requirements on the radar in the mountains, I'd better get a set.

    Anyone got any hot tips on the subject? My intended use is when 'required' in the Sierra Mtns. on ski trips. The 2001 owners manual sez, class S required and to put them on the rear tires. I'd prefer the front of my AWD for better steering.

    My research shows RUD, and tirechains.com with a nice looking products.

    Anyone with experiece to relate?
  • meca2meca2 Member Posts: 284
    Last year I purchased cable chains that the cables crisscross instead of just straight across. Don't install on the front if you have AWD you will burn-up the clutches in the transfer case. These clutches transfer torque from the rear axle to the front only when the rear wheels start to slip. It might possable to install the chains on the front if the transfer case is locked?. Not in AWD but in 4wd high??
  • capnbillcapnbill Member Posts: 3
    Just picked up our new 2002 LE and resisted the dealer's efforts to sell us an extended warranty policy. I'm hoping the Pathfinder is a lot more reliable than our old Jeep. I still have the option of purchasing the warranty. What do you think? All prices are available, but to get coverage into the 7 year range, I'm looking at $1400.
  • capnbillcapnbill Member Posts: 3
    Just picked up our new Pathfinder, and the dealer is trying to sell us an ADDITIONAL alarm system. The $295 add-on would prevent a thief from starting the vehicle. Doesn't the Pathy's "vehicle immobilizer system" already do that?
  • brian60brian60 Member Posts: 76
    yride,

    i've been driving my pathy for going on three years now to the sierras (tahoe) and have never seen a "chains required" only sign/warning/etc. all the roads i've ever traveled have a sign that reads:

    Chains Required
    4WD OK

    meaning that you either have to have chains or 4wd/AWD to pass that point. have you ever been required to put on chains even though you had 4wd?
  • meca2meca2 Member Posts: 284
    The PF have this. The key has a chip in them. The engine will not start without
    the key that matches the PF system.
  • nikiblue1nikiblue1 Member Posts: 44
    Well, I looked at www.rud.com snow chains. They are class "S" rated and they look very nice. I do go to the mountains a lot and there were numerous occasions last year that I've been told put on chains or enter upon your own risk (I had a Jeep Grand Cherokee with a full time 4wd at the time). This year I would like to get some chains for my Pathfinder to be safe. I have read several studies on the net that stated you should get chains for all four tires to get the best traction especially on 4x4. They stated that putting tires on rear wheels only give you traction on rear wheels thus defeating the 4wd effectiveness. I have a 5 speed 4x4 Pathfinder.
    Have anyone tried putting all 4 snow chains on vs. 2 snow chains in 4h setting?
    Another concern that I have is in re: my garage door opener on the visor. It seems to only work when I directly face the garage. I was usually able to open the garage about 20-30ft away facing into any direction with the remote itself and via factory universal remote in my other vehicle. The dealer stated that was normal for the pathfinder. Please let me know how well other remote are working.
  • yrideyride Member Posts: 21
    CHP has required us to show we had chains in the car with 4WD on trips to Big Bear. We haven't had to put them on, but those without got turned back.

    From CHP website

    http://www.chp.ca.gov/html/answers.html

    "I have a 4-wheel drive vehicle. Do I have to carry / use chains? What do the "R" ratings which are associated with chain requirements mean?

    "R" ratings on snowy roads indicate chain requirements for various conditions. Some vehicles may not be required to use chains under all conditions, but all vehicles must carry chains. Most vehicles come equipped with snow tires. Look for M+S (mud and snow), All Season, or All Terrain, on the side of the tire.

    R-1 chains required except for vehicles with snow tires (chains required for any vehicle pulling a trailer)

    R-2 chains required except for 4-wheel drive with snow tires

    R-3 chains required for all vehicles"

    I don't mind using 4HI if it means I can put the chains on the front. Anyone know for sure if this is OK on a Canadian SE (with AUTO)?
  • danogdanog Member Posts: 318
    Our opener seems a bit weak as well. It will open 95% facing the door only pushing it once and 50% when backing in pushing it two or more times. It always works though so I am happy with it. It could be worse, we'd have to get out and manually open the door. ;-)

    Dano
  • duperduper Member Posts: 127
    The last time I encountered the situation where chains are required for all vehicles, even 4x4, in the Sierra, CHP closed the highway a few minutes later. I don't know about other states but in Sierra/Tahoe area, the snow plow crews are pretty fast and if condition is worst enough, they'd close the roads. I've never required to put on chains on my Pathy.

    ....
  • xplorx4xplorx4 Member Posts: 621
    I recently traveled along a snow-covered road in southern Utah (Hwy 14 from Cedar City to Bryce Canyon), and although law enforcement wasn't requiring chains, I can say that I had no problems driving on the snow-covered road using 4-hi, even in places where the snow was up to 4" deep. As with any low-traction surface, the tire tread design (including siping) and contact patch are the biggest factors in keeping you stuck to the road. In my case, I have 31" BFGoodrich All-Terrain TA/KO tires, so I'm sure that helped.

    Of course, if the issue is getting past law-enforcement, then I guess it's better to have the chains/cables.
  • couimetcouimet Member Posts: 130
    4" deep as in 4 inches deep?

    I have never been on the particular road but 4 inches is nothing.
  • sanandtonsanandton Member Posts: 342
    For those who are interested, I had the time to go out and test drive a 2002 BMW 530ia and 2002 Acura MDX. I would think that in these lines of Vehicles the sound systems would be superb. The PF bose System beat these two to pieces. I had been a little "put out" by the lack of output in the PF system at higher volumes. Driving these $50k and $42k cars respectively made me appreciate the great sound the PF system produces. The much lower price makes it even a sweeter sound.
  • johnskevjohnskev Member Posts: 98
    nikiblue1 -
    Do you hold the button down or just press it? When I come driving down the road to my house but before I've pulled into the driveway (so I'm not really facing the door at all), I hold the button down as I'm just approaching the driveway, it's never failed for me. There are time it may not open right away, but not often enough for me to be alarmed by it. I know it's opened when the door has been behind me as well (pulling out of the driveway), so I wouldn't think the opener is directional.

    -johnskev
  • nissanlovernissanlover Member Posts: 48
    Last week, someone hit my rear and my rear brake(left sides only) was cracked. Whole red lens part are gone, and I can only see chrome inner housing. I believe it's one part if I need to replace. I called the local dealer and they quote me at $140 for parts.. If one sides are this expensive, I rather get some aftermarket like clear or Altezza if they are available. Where can I find them? Also, is this price reasonable? Do anybody know if there is any place selling PF parts cheaper than others? Also, what about Infiniti QX4 retrofit? I like QX4 brake light.. How much would that be? Thanks in advance.
  • nissanlovernissanlover Member Posts: 48
    By the way, my car is brand new 2001. I just got it over summer.. ouch!
  • xplorx4xplorx4 Member Posts: 621
    I know 4 INCHES is not deep at all, but in the Sierra Nevadas in California, it seems like the CHP starts enforcing chain requirements just if it's SNOWING, nevermind the depth of snow on the road (plowed or unplowed).

    My point was that the 4WD did just fine without chains. I don't imagine chains are going to help much anyways if there's much more than 12" of new snow on an unplowed road... The Pathfinder bumper doesn't make a very good bulldozer.
  • couimetcouimet Member Posts: 130
    Well, I have done well in 6" of snow in my wife's Accord EX-V6 and I used to do OK in 6" with my Probe GT on M&S 225x16 Eagle GT's.

    I recall doing quite well in nearly 12" last year with my PF in 2W - with winter arriving shortly, I'll be verifying this soon.
  • nismofreaknismofreak Member Posts: 120
    Could someone explain exactly what is the transmission "flare" problem? After I changed my tranny to synth fluid I noticed (once) when the car was cold soaked (sat outside all night), the engine revved as it engaged 2nd gear. After that I didn't hear or feel that again. What I do notice on a regular basis is how smooth the tranny has become with Redline's D4 ATF. Amazing!

    Hey Meca (Steve), please send me an email at nismofreak@yahoo.com. I may need you help on a project I want to do on my Pathfinder. Thanks!
  • sabre66sabre66 Member Posts: 45
    I've read on this board where some Path owners always drive in Auto mode even in dry and sunny weather, so if you're one of them and have had similar experiences as described below i'd appreciate your input.

    Well it's been a little rainy here lately and i was using Auto 4wd mode for the week and noticed that at highway speeds (>65mph) there was a whirring noise coming from under the vehicle. This noise became even more noticable when the gas pedal was released and the vehicle was coasting. It concerned me so at the next opportunity (<50 mph) i turned off the Auto mode and went back to 2wd...the noise went away. Does anyone know why this is and if it's normal?

    I've had several AWD cars in the past (Subarus) with no strange noises coming from the transfer case or drivetrain, so why is my Path making these noises? I've also noticed on 2 occasions a burning odor (sort or like a catalytic convertor odor) when using Auto mode.

    Any ideas? I plan to have the dealer take a ride with me when i get the chance to take the Path in.

    S-66
  • sabre66sabre66 Member Posts: 45
    My Path's engine (3.5L) seems to be a little rough up to 3500 rpm. When i say rough i mean at acceleration it sounds and feels a little rougher, but once you pass 3500 rpm it gets smooth and quiet and you really feel the power pulling. Does everyone/anyone experience this with their 3.5L engine? It could be that the low-end torque is producing the rough feel.

    Thanks,
    S-66
  • kmrqkmrq Member Posts: 50
    I remember some experts said that new Nissan engine-the VQ series tends to produces full power at the late of the RPM. So I believe its normal, if you want better acceleration at low RPM, try aftermarket Air Intake. It helps alot.
  • dieselonedieselone Member Posts: 5,729
    I've noticed the same thing with mine too. It's very smooth to about 2700 rpm. Between 2700 & 4000rpm it's not nearly as smooth, after 4k rpm it's smooth as pie. My guess is they are using different cam profiles from the VQ's in the car line to generate more torque at a lower rpm. It's especially annoying when I'm towing my boat at highway speeds when I'm not using o/d. This causes it to run around 3K or so while cruising on the highway and it's noticeably course.

    Well it's still alot better than the Liberty I had for a loaner from my dealer while getting some routine maint. performed. The 3.7 in the Liberty sucks. No low rpm torque, rough at idle, and very unrefined at high rpm. When I got my PF back it felt like sports car in comparison. So I'm not going to complain to much.
  • meca2meca2 Member Posts: 284
    Might be a good idea to check the fluid level or better yet change the oil in the transfer case with semi or 100% synthetic oil. To check the fluid remove the plug on the drivers side of the case and the fluid should be level with the top of the plug hole.
  • groffmggroffmg Member Posts: 1
    I have been very pleased with my 1993 Pathfinder, however I decided to purchase
    a 1996 because the 93 was getting up in miles (actually only 145,000) and I wanted
    some of the newer features not found on my 1993.
    I'm starting to get buyers remorse after experiencing some strange swaying from rear that happens on uneven roads at 50 mph. What about tire pressure, they are inflated to 36 the book says 26? These are standard 265 70 15 Bridgestone Dueler H/T's
    Otherwise it handles beautifully.
    Any ideas?
    Marlin Groff
  • smithmdsmithmd Member Posts: 167
    This seems to be a common problem. You probably need to replace the bushings in the rear suspension. E-mail me at smithmdsmith@yahoo.com for the specifics.
  • dverespeydverespey Member Posts: 56
    There is some difference on how snow is treated between Tahoe and SoCal. Remember, SoCal people can't drive in the rain. The CHP shuts I-5 if any snow shows up.

    I-80 on the other hand is open with snow tires always unless they shut the whole thing down.
  • isguyisguy Member Posts: 13
    Hi All:

    I've noticed alot of people referring to their pathfinders as "pathys". I've only heard of them being referred to as "finders". I live in New Hampshire...is this a New England thing, or what?
  • danogdanog Member Posts: 318
    I just saw it here and started using it. Sounds good either way, Pathy or Finder.
  • smithmdsmithmd Member Posts: 167
    I always called it a Pathfinder or a Finder. But then I started typing "Pathfinder" on this board a lot. "Pathy" was a whole lot easier to type. Not that I started the "Pathy" trend by any means, but that's why I started using it.
  • lawsonblawsonb Member Posts: 7
    I have been looking to purchase a 2002 Pathfinder with a manual transmission. I can't seem to find a manual model anywhere (Baltimore/ Washington DC). Most dealerships only have automatic models. Has anyone had a similar problem? I know this is one of the only remaining SUV's that have a manual option.
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