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Usually metric fuel consumption is expressed in litres/100 km. And, as we all know, the US uses mpg.
Anyway, if my calculator is still working, 7 km/litre equates to 16.465 mpg & 14.28 litres per 100 km. That's about right for a PF with the 3.5 litre engine.
The engine is well thought of in a number of areas, but fuel efficiency isn't one of them. Our two-year-old PF gets between 16 & 17 mpg routinely, which isn't all that bad for a real trail-ready 4WD vehicle. Was the Jeep 4WD?
I used to drive an Eagle Vision that got 2 mpg better than the Lincoln LS I replaced it with. The LS weight is nearly identical to the Eagle, and the engine is smaller (3 litre vs. 3.5). It's apparent that Daimler/Chrysler knows something about fuel mileage.
I find that I can get much better fuel economy by limiting my freeway cruising speed to 65mph (105km/h) and accelerating gently. Another strategy for increasing efficiency is to use the "2WD" mode of the transfer case selector rather than the "Auto" mode.
I'm wondering if this has happened to any forum members and what the best fix may be. I will try to address any fixes myself, I'm sick of the inflated dealer shop rates we all pay.
Any help would be appreciated.
The brake indicator light signals either that the parking brake is engaged or that the brake fluid is low. This happens because as the brakes wear, more fluid stays in the brake calipers. If you have an 1/8" or more of brake pad left, just add a little fluid to the reservoir and the light will go out.
Needless to say, the customer got fed up with waiting and decided to go else where.
Thanks anyways.
To get good mileage with a Pathfinder, use 2WD not Auto. I only use Auto when the roads seem slippery. Use Mobil 1 (I use 10W30) - the increase in mileage saved about three times the increase in oil cost in less fuel used over the 6000 km between changes. Stay below 130 km/hr. Fuel consuption doesn't seem to change much from 100 to 120 km/hr. It's better at 90, of course, where I get 11 L/100 km - and that's on a mountain road with 17% grades!
I think that is good mileage, based on that comparison. I'm tickled not ticked!
I found a similar improvement using the Mobil 1 oil.
I simply love my 2002 Pathfinder LE, currently 66000 miles, that I bought 6 months back, but dont know much about its maintenance. I need advice from the experts in the forum on some maintenance and performance questions. I would really appreciate any inputs.
1) "Service engine soon" light is on (yellow). I got a diagnostic done and the codes are P0159 and P1167 - actions needed are ECM reprogramming and replace rear oxygen sensors (banks 1 and 2). Earlier, dealer said that the light was due to evap leak and got the light tripped off but it came on again. Can I get reprogramming done by Nissan under warranty (8 yrs/80k miles) and also what is approximate cost for replacing oxygen sensors?
2) The transmission fluid is clear and the mechanic told me it should be pinkish. He said I urgently need a transmission flush. Is this correct? I checked PF'02 manual and it says about automatic transmission fluid (ATF) but does not mention color. Should this be done only at dealer or can I take it to any automotive service store?
3) The mechanic said power steering fluid is not clear and I need a power steering flush. At what mileage is this required and do I really need this - meaning should I look at the level also or just the color? Same question for the radiator/coolant flush?
4) The mechanic also told me that I need new fan belts (both need to be replaced). How I can check that the current ones are in really bad shape? Also at what mileage do these really need to be changed for PF'02?
5) When I shift gear from P (park) to R (reverse), the vehicle's rear tends to dip downwards a little (whether in 2WD or in 4WD). I can feel this in the driver's seat. Is there some major problem or is this ok? Could anyone please explain why this may happen?
6) When I shut off the ignition, there is a thud sound and the vehicle shuts off in a jerky movement. Could anyone please explain why this happens and how this can be fixed?
This is my first post on this forum and I would really appreciate any details on my above concerns. Thanks in advance.
Sam
2) I've never heard of clear transmission fluid but I can't swear it doesn't exist. It's usually pink & turns grayish as it get dirty. Anyone can change your fluid, not just the dealership.
3) The power steering uses transmission fluid so this should also probably be pink. The manual doesn't specify when to change it & I have not yet with 75,000 miles. Anybody have ideas about this? Most people recommend your coolant be changed every 2 years.
4) I replaced my belts at 60,000 miles. Yours may be cracking or glazed over.
5) Not sure
6) That may be the transfer case disengaging if the 4WD is in AUTO. If that's all your feeling it's normal. After driving put the car stop & put the car in park and leave the engine running. See if after 30 seconds or so you feel the same thing.
2) ATF is cherry red, like cough syrup. It becomes brownish as it ages. It should never be CLEAR!
3) Power steering fluid and ATF are usually interchangeable. That is, you can usually use ATF instead of power steering fluid, but not the other way around. Some P/S fluid is clear. Perhaps that's what someone put in your transmission!
4) Like smokey posted, check the belts for cracks or glazing on the inside (ribbed) surface.
5) This is just the drivetrain torquing, which causes the rear suspension to move (since the brakes are preventing the rear wheels from turning). This is nothing to worry about.
6) smokey's post is right on the money. It's the auto-mode system disengaging. Use 2WD instead of Auto mode and the lurching condition will probably not happen.
Check out tirerack.com for some ideas on what looks good.
I don't need tires yet, but will in the next year or so. I live in AZ, where there are excellent off-road adventures to be had, and we've done our share. OTOH, the vehicle spends 99% of its mileage on pavement or gravel & we don't take four-wheeling seriously enough to have a dedicated set of off-road tires. We air-down and crawl some pretty decent rocks.
So, from your perspective, what's a decent tire that spends most of its time doing mundane things, but can deal reasonably effectively with off-road stuff -- generally no mud, but lots of rocks and ledges. I'm in Sedona (on vacation) as I write this.
Thanks.
I used to run BFG AT's before I swapped out to mud-terrain tires for extreme 4-wheeling. The BFG's lasted over 40,000 miles with mixed city/highway driving and a fair bit of severe off-road use.
Also, if your water pump failed, there's the possibility that the engine was damaged due to overheating.
Check-engine light on? If your mechanic is baffled, you might want to get a second opinion elsewhere, possibly at a shop that has emissions-testing equipment, which allows them to do a more thorough diagnosis.
Anyway, moving right along, I want to know how large I can go on a stock 02' SE. I would like to put on 31X10.5 BFG AT, I have run these on other vehicles and loved the way they handle, ride and look.
Thanks.
Well I love the car and all but the front bumper/grill leaves me wanting more. I'm going for a "tougher" look so I am wondering what is a good looking and affordable grill guard for a 97. Thanks,
Sam
Stillen used to make a Pathfinder CAI, but it's hard to find. Some creative people have found ways to adapt warm-air intakes and convert them to CAI. Some of the common warm-air intakes are available from jim wolf technology and Weapon-R.
I have a JWT intake on my '97, and I routed some 4" flexible black ABS drain pipe from an opening in the bumper (such as below the turn signal) up though the opening where the factory intake used to be. This helps as a "ram-air" to help blow cooler air near the intake.
Here's a pic of my intake:
A colleague I know from another Pathfinder discussion board installed a Stillen CAI that he got on ebay. Here are his comments:
I just finished installing a Stillen Cold Air Intake in my 97. It's definately not for anyone going through mud or water. The kit is well thought out for the most part but there are some issues with the kit. I don't understand with all the parts that were included and all the trouble they went through, why would they have use one of the stock accordian type hoses. These things can't flow well. Also the grommet for the intake air temp sensor was too small for the hole in the pipe. Maybe a new grommet would help. The filter doesn't fit well under the wheel well cover and replacing the well was tough. I was thinking about getting a winch bumper, but now I will have to fashion some protection for the air filter as I'm guessing the wheel wells get removed with TJM and other bumpers. Here's some pics. I haven't started it yet. I'm letting some silicon cure that I used to take up the space from the grommet not fitting well.
I don't think Stillen makes this any more. I found it on ebay for $130 plus shipping. WOT is a bit louder, but I haven't really noticed anything else. Certainly not a tire smoking upgrade, but it was the right price and I thought it looked cool. I'll get on it a little this weekend, but I'm not expecting much.
The specs say that the fuel tank capacity on the 2001 pathy is 21.1 gallons. But when my gauge hits Empty, I could only fill around 15.5 gallons max. Did any one encounter the same issue? Or is there like a 6 gallon safety net? Thanks.
J
To do this, once the nossle cuts off, very slowly continue to fill, watching the fuel in the filler tube. You will be able to get an extra 10 L in there (3 gal or so). You have to watch closely. The fuel will suddenly start to rise in the filler neck and will not go down when you stop. Then it is truely full.
Beyond that, you'll need to refine the direction you want to take your truck modifications.
As you gain more experience driving off-road, and you start to exceed your truck's capabilities, you'll get a better idea of what's needed. There are lots of 4x4 web sites and online forums that you can learn more information from by just googling around a bit.
Enjoy!
Thank you for your time.
Chris