Nissan Pathfinder

yoeddy

As I was cleaning my truck, I decided to take a peek at the fusebox where I'm powering my radar detector. I just want to confirm that I do have a ground wire and I've attached it to one of screws just below the hood release.

Tony

mbunting

danog

Well this is where I wish I'd kept up with my automotive classes because it is hard to explain.
I notice it mostly when accelerating hard, it seems to slip/lag between 1st and 2nd. It will really do it if I ease up on the accelerator slightly just before the shift point. It has happened other times but the exact circumstances are not known.
I have checked the NHTSA site and there isn't a service bulletin for the trans. Am I missing something??
For piece of mind I will have the dealer check it out.

Thanks,
Dano

danog

Anyone know of a good technique to keep cats off our Pathfinder? Yea, aside from the obvious, they are mine and all I need id them to STAY OFF!!!

Dano

stever

Try this discussion:

CATS... any way to keep them off that warm hood?

Steve
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meca2

The service bulletin Number is NTB00084 has to do with flares on the 1-2 shift.danog: does the engine rpm increase between shift when you notice the slipage?

danog

Thanks Steve, I'll try to locate a pet mat and maybe it'll keep the cats off!

Meca, I'd say the RPMs increase slightly and seem to hover until the next gear is meshed. Where did you find the NTB? I'll bring it along with me to the dealer for service!

Thanks,
Dano

tonveranga

does anybody have any info on this new "seamless shifting" on 2002? is this entirely new or does the 2001 have this transmission?

jints2282

I have a 98 SE, and have experienced the same trans slipage. I thought maybe it's time for a trans tune up, but it did not improve. It's between 1st and 2nd gear, and shifts really hard. I tried to let off the gas, but it's hard to pinpoint the exact timing.

pat5000

Unfortunately ,I noticed mine acting up about a month ago. I thought maybe it was the fluid that was low. I checked it and noticed tiny metallic pieces in the ATF oil(Is This Normal???). I only have 9K miles on it. I hope it's nothing. We'll see when I bring it in next week.

msraokvt

Hi
i read ur message regarding the speed u went. i drove my pathfinder at a speed of 105mph and exactly at that point, the fuel is shutting off. i bought it in March only. let me know.

thanks

danog

What is the question concerning the speed limiter/governer/preventer or whatever you want to call it?
Not sure if there is a product that will reprogram it but if there is you'd have to change your tires as well and possible other items. Many companies are installing them, liability is really the reason.

Dano

pyrenus

Man, I really really want to get an 01 LE. I just can't afford it and its making me crazy. Due to my college years, I've got maxed out credit cards and student loans clouding up my credit.

I'd be happy to take donations from anyone willing. Also, I'm a software developer with 4 years experience in VB, SQL and HTML. I'd be happy to trade programming services for small lump sums of cash. Same goes for my plasma, and/or spare organs.

PYRENUS

filod

It seems that few and few postings are seen for the PF. I guess we the 00 and 01 owners have covered most of what we want to know and shared experiences with our loved PF, with some problems, but generally a great vehicle to most of us.

In a few months the 02 owners will start to share their experiences that most of us will probably be familiar with like oil change, tire pressure, accessories and share their first rides and travel with their new vehicle. I will continue to read and participate.

Most of us will start to have more concerns about maintenance. Maybe a forum where we can discuss these issues will be helpful from hereon.

My update:
Family's 01 summer vacation was a great trip to Vancouver with the PF. From San Francisco to Portland (highway 5) to Seattle to Vancouver to Victoria and back to SF taking the Oregon Coast this time (longer but a beautfiul way if you have time to do it). About 2,400 miles for 12 days and the PF was a joy to be traveling with. I guess it enjoyed the trip as much as we did.

This form has been very good and friendly and thanks to all who have shared experiences that were helpful to a lot of us.

xplorx4

Such a forum already exists. It can be found one 'forum' level up from here. Just click "Nissan Pathfinder Club" on the top or bottom of this page, and there you go! Topic-specific forums.

ballfire8888

Being Canadian and living in Toronto, I have the Canadian version of the 2001 PF SE AWD.

QUESTION: My PF has the 2 cross members on the roof rack BUT no attachments on the side rails to prevent side shifting of cargo? What's the deal with that? I notice there are some LOOSE square blocks which slide freely within the 2 side rails...what purpose do they serve? Am I missing something here?

TIA

yride

Yes, you are missing something. I noticed the same on my CDN '01 SE. The US versions have a slightly differnet crossbar design AND they come with 4 threaded eye bolts which screw into those square blocks you mentioned. They do fit on the CDN rack. Check the sales brochure or Niss website to see the US cross bars. The eyebolts are not shown in any photos I've seen (US or CDN). Perhaps you can inquire with the CDN dealership to see if they are available up there. They are only needed if you require attachment points in addition to the cross bars (limited to ropes and hoooks).

nissanlover

I finally picked up my P/F last night from local dealer. It has every option except NAV and Tow Hitch. I didn't really want the VCP Mobile Entertainment but dealer said it was last stock that meet with my options. Anyway, I paid 31,000 for the truck. MSRP was over 36,000. I thought it was good deal until today, I received another quote from different dealer. Without Entertainment System, this dealer told me $29700. Anyway, I got 0.9% finance as well. It was such a good deal that you can use both 1500 rebate and low finance rate.
Anyway, I want to add Wind Deflector for this truck. Dealer quote me part is $72. Is this fair price? How hard is installing? According to sales person, I might have to remove rear windows. Is this true? Do you have to drill the roof? Thanks in advance..

drew_

Actually, the vehicle is limited to the speed rating of the tires. There is no mandated speed limit for light trucks in the US, or you wouldn't be seeing high performance SUVs like the MB ML55 AMG or the BMW X5 4.4 V8.


Drew
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Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards

joestein

My wife and I are buying a SUV soon, our number one choice has been the Honda CR-V because my wife loves it and the price (Don't knock it - Its an excellent vehicle and an excellent value). But now my wife wants to drive my car and let me drive the SUV instead. I think I would like a truck that has a V6 and is a little bit more rugged. I am considering the Pathfinder because of the $1,500 rebate and 0.9% financing that is available.

Nissanlover, how many months is the 0.9% financing available for?

pathstar

The "eye" bolts are available in Canada. Just buy 4 and leave them on the vehicle (but make sure they are tight;-).

er2v

I take delivery Friday on a 2001 SE 5sp ($500 under invoice, fair price on my 99 CRV-EX 8^)). In short order we are packing the two kids, golf clubs, assorted beach gear, clothes, and cooler into the PF for a long road trip. I need to put some stuff up on the roof and am curious about y'alls experiences with this. Has anyone purchased the Yakima cargo carrier accessory and is it a good fit? Has anyone simply put a soft sided cargo bag on the roof directly? Do you put padding beneath those things to protect the roof, and if so, what material did you use? Also, with two kids under five years, I would like to treat the 'suede' fabric for stain resistance. Any thoughts on this? Thanks in advance for your replies. I'm certain to be an active participant.

sabre66

Sorry for the long title, but i didn't know what else to call it. Anyway, i leased (due to price) my Path LE 2 weeks ago, before they were offering the $1500 cash back and 0.9% financing. The reason i leased was they couldn't get me close to $500 on a buy with no money down. Well now that they are offering the cash back and 0.9% financing, i would be able to buy not lease the truck.

Does anybody know if i contact NEMAC or the dealer about it if i could get the special offers put into my deal from 2 weeks ago?

Thanks

bgritz

Roof Rack:
I would recomend against putting anything (even soft) directly against the top. The paint would take some abuse. Yakima has a basket that fits nicely up there (on a friends).

4x4:
This past weekend I truly broke in our '01 SE 5-spd. I took it on a trail west of St. Mary's Glacier in Colorado. The trail was ranked as a difficult moderate trail. Loose rocks up to 12" Steeps grades, and some sections requiring decent amount of articultion from the suspension.

For the most part the trail was loose and rocky, but there were a couple of sections which were pretty steep and moguled out resulting a tire being suspended.

4-low was used probably 80% of the time ( mainly for speed control).

verdict:
The Pathy was incredible! At first I was hesitant to try very much because of it's incredible on-road manners, but the more I pushed it, the better I felt it did.

5-spd:
Having the 5-spd was VERY nice. 1st gear combined with 4-low equaled about 2-3 mph crawl speed (measured with GPS) @ about 750 rpm. There was plenty of engine torque to keep it under control.

LSD:
The LSD did a pretty good job of keeping the rear tires moving in unison as long as one of them wasn't hanging in the air.

Steering:
The steering was good. I thought it might be a bit slow after driving it on the roads for the past 13 mos., but it did great, feeling quicker than I would have thought.

Clearance:
It did better than I though it would. I I pulled the Step Bars (6 easy bolts each) and the mud flaps (a few screws) I drug the trailer hitch once, but it sticks out a bit.

Comfort:
Duh....no brainer

Because I was alone with only a cell phone, GPS, and running out of time, I didn't do the whole trail. This weekend I think a buddy with a Tacoma is going to come along so we'll do the whole thing, and take some digital pics.
I think I leave the step bars on, but pull the mud flaps off again.

Sorry for the long post, but I had to let others know that for as incredible as it is on-road, it can hold it's own off-road (stock setup) as well.

gritz

drnw04a

Just got a silver 01 PF LE with everything except Nav and Entertainment for 31k even. Looks like there might be some even better deals being made, but this was pretty good for a high-volume Chicago dealer. Replacing a 98 Grand Cherokee which worked well for me, but already noticing the smoother ride and overall quality feel.

Had been shopping 'high-end' as well, but after some feature-to-feature comparison and consideration of Chicago taxes, decided to be a little more practical and go this route.

I actually liked to overall feel and features of the PF better than the RX300. Never liked the look of the ML. X5 is a cool looking SUV, but I can't stand the way BMW makes you rack up the option $ for everything other than 4 wheels and a seat. Liked the QX4 for obvious reasons, but couldn't find a dealer willing to move much on price. Only thing on my wish list that might still make me jealous was the MDX, but after seeing one side by side with my new PF yesterday I think the Acura might be a little too 'pregnant' sized to maneuver easily into a city garage.

Looking forward to breaking the new PF in...

gkatz1

For those who have roof rack dilemmas. I have a solution. Order a Thule roof rack that fits into the OEM tracks. After removing the factory cross bars and installing the Thule ones you will immediately see advantages. For one, the Thule quick releases off of the roof for washing and waxing. Second, Thule has any attachment or luggage box you may be looking for. I run two fork mount bike racks and when needed a 13 cu ft box between them. The best part is that nothing touches the paint on the vehicle. Personally I do not like soft luggage boxes as they are more insecure (Thule has locks to fit all racks, attachments and boxes) are not as weatherproof and do not hold their shape like a hard box. One other thing, if you upgrade, remember to remove the factory cross bars or risk looking like a geek.

lofquist

Since I've investigated the roof rack options I'll share my discoveries too. If you want to carry heavy stuff (bikes, canoe, small houses) you will need an aftermarket rack. I also like the Thule and these are the parts:
TK1 "Tracker" kit
430 Foot pack
LB50 50" bars (can use longer, but they'll stick out)

The TK1 is a set of small pieces that lock into the "gutter" on either side of the Pathfinder. The 430's with the bars attached lock into these and can be installed/removed in a couple minutes. Take them off when you don't need them. Everything locks with keys. You don't have to remove the factory rack. Attach the proper carrier to the load bars. There are equivalent Yakima parts, but I don't know the numbers.

When you carry light stuff (skis, lumber) then use the factory rack with adapters. Both Thule and Yakima have them. For the US rack use Thule C27 or Yakima 10V or 23H. For the slightly nicer Canadian rack (my opinion) use Thule C35 or Yakima 17V or 18H.

I have all these parts and there is very little that the Path would not be able to handle.

-Jon

goblue96

I agree with gkatz1 and lofquist about going to an aftermarket rack, they are much more versatile. While your looking at Thule though, take a look at Yakima also. While both systems are great, I believe that Yakima offers a few more choices for carrying luggage if that's what you want to do. And it's made in the US so parts are usually easier to get.

mazadi

I asked my parts department about the part number that you suggested, 27710-31u00 , but they said it is an ambient temp sensor for the Maxima. Is this the same thing?

woodyr1

My 95 Pathfinder did not come with a factory rack, so I purchased a Yakima system which fastened to the gutter inside the doors. Althought I maintained my vehicle very well, I got scratches on the roof when the rubber parts met the painted surfaces. In addition, the doors fit so well, that the metal clip which fastens to the gutter rubbed against the inside of the door, removing the paint.

On my 2001 Canadian unit, I purchased a set of 'locking rail riders', which fit inside the factory roof rack track. I then attached my cross bars and other accessories from my previous truck,such as the ski, bike or kayak carrier. The Yakima system is high enough that it does not interfere with the factory rack. I also purchased the Yakima fairing, which reduces the wind noise from the racks.

I am not getting into a debate as to whether Yakima is superior to Thule, but what I have works well for me, and is simple to remove and does not contact the painted surface of my truck.

herkyhawki2

Edmunds says no special APR (3.9% 60 month) and the $1,500 rebate only one or the other. Has this changed? People seem to be indicating they got the rebate and the financing can anyone confirm that you can get both.

crw2

I got a SuperBlack LE 4x4 with cloth interior for $28452 (including the $1500 rebate) last week and financed it for 3.9% for 60 months. So yes, the two can be combined. Good luck with your shopping. I have 500 miles already and must admit I love the truck.

er2v

From what is posted in various auto sites its easy to see why you think its one or the other. I was surprised to learn both applied to my purchase - 2001 PF SE 5sp ($500 under invoice, Conicelli Nissan, Conshohocken, PA. Porter Nissan in Newark, DE is now advertising $1500 under invoice from vehicles in stock. Mine was not on the lot). Thanks to everyone who posted about the roof rack systems they employ.

engle3

I'm driving your trip this weekend in my sweet PF.
I'm starting from Salinas and not stopping until Corvallis. 12 hours? Then, on up to the San Juan Islands for the week.
Any advice on good pit stops on Hwy. 5 would be appreciated. I did download the exits from ExitSource.com.

sidkidare

hey all in my neck of the woods allentown, pa i found an awesome deal on new pathfinders. 2500 under invoice and 3.9 fin. i need opinions on how people like them. this will be my first sport utility and i'm concerned about long lasting quality. is it going to last? i have owned an acura and a camry and i'm used to little to no mechanical trouble. so if anyone has opinions on this sport u or can recommend one i would appreciate it!

crikey

not getting the $1,500 cashback and 0.9% or 3.9% financing. This is an awesome sport utility! The best bang for the buck. Reliability should not be an issue as I see a lot of old Pathfinders still on the road.

crikey

...seems to apply only to a certain VIN range as my dealer says that it does not apply to my Pathfinder. I can honestly say that it probably does not apply to me and that I was just covering my [non-permissible content removed]. Worth a try anyway...I'll see if the dealership has the VIN range.

sidkidare

not sure what tsb is. do you know the vin range? i'm looking to buy new.

bimmer4me

I traded my 98 Jeep Grand Cherokee for my 2001 PF LE. What a world of difference in quality and not to mention..."outstanding reliability" Consumer Reports, September 2001 issue.

tonveranga

Does the 2001 have the NEW DUETTE transmission system? Nissannews.com says the 2002 has this installed (seamless shifting they say)?

tonveranga

when will the 2002 be available at the dealerships?

driverjoe

I'm thinking about buying a used 96-97 PF LE... any advice on these particular years?
The 96 was the first year for that body style... Is there anything that I need to look out for? any growing pains?

pondfull5

Hi gkatzi:
Where do you purchase the THULE items from?. especially the BIKE RACKS.
Thanks.
Full5.

ballfire8888

How much do these threaded eyebolts cost at the dealer???

meca2

mazadi: Someone mentioned this before. It could very well be also for a Maxima but P/N 27710-31U00 is the replacement P/N for the sensor.

longday

Is it only me or do others see the large vulnerability to pebbles, etc hitting the radiator and AC compressor?
I looked at posts going back a year, and there was a little discussion about rigging a screen behind the grill, but not much followup. Captain Ron said he went offroad with no problems but a pebble hit his windshield on road. It could have done worse to his radiator or compressor.
I have a two week old 2001 LE with Nav/Ent/Everything except Kayak carrier and it is as terrific as you all said it would be!
There is plenty of room behind the grill to put some Home-Depot screen/mesh, but I am curious if others feel there is no need to protect the wide open grill space. Thanks,
-Steve

tupper1

My husband is considering a 2001 or 2002 PF SE - I have heard there are possible transmission problems and new 2001 owners reporting vibrations/shimmy around 50-60mph. Can anyone comment on this or provide additional information?Thanks!

pathstar

Just phoned Ericksen Infiniti Nissan (Edmonton Alta.) - $10 Can. for four (sold in packs of 4).

crikey

If you go to www.nhtsa.gov, you can query Service Bulletins on automobiles. The PF has a TSB on Transmission Flaring but it does not seem to apply to all 2001 PFs. Sorry, I was in a hurry and did not bother to get the VIN range from the dealer.

sabre66

2001 owners,
The NHTSA website doesn't show the vin range for the 2001 transmission flaring TSB. I just hope mine doesn't have that problem. Luckily the manufacture date was May 2001, so i hope most of the bugs have been taken care of.

One thing i have noticed is that the "shift lock" activation for my auto tranny clicks very loud when you press the brake with the PF in park. Does this happen in anyone else's PF?

Also sometimes i can't pull the shifter back into drive, reverse whatever without first taking my foot off the brake and trying again. Does this sound familiar to anyone?

So far i love my Pathfinder and hate my dealership.

Thanks