Nissan Pathfinder

temperr · April 2001

Does anybody know where the In-cabin micro filter is located in 2001 pf?
Thanks,
Brian

ballfire8888 · April 2001

Hi Woody:

Whereabouts are you in Canada and which PF do you have? Did you get special Nissan fainancing? 2.8% ?

robertbarker · April 2001

I understood that the in-cabin microfilter is behind the glove box. I have a 2001 Pathfinder SE without the filter but I would like to buy one and try it out. Does anyone know a source on where to get them cheap and how exactly they are installed. i'm surprised the manual doesn't say since it has instructions for every other sort of device that my car doesn't have such as navagation, sunroof, etc.

stephentw · April 2001

Hi Everyone,

I just returned from a 1900 mile trip to Colorado (funeral, not planned) with my 2001 PF LE. I tracked the mileage (started with about 1680) and drove mostly 75-80 across Kansas and eastern Colorado. One leg returning I actually got 20.6 mpg but the average for the whole trip was 18.6 which I thought was pretty good. Now have about 3850 miles and most of my day to day driving is in a rural area with lots of hills and stop and go. Mileage has been averaging 15 to 17. I do believe it improves as the engine breaks in.

As far as tire pressure, I called the dealer last night to get their recommendation. I have the Bridgestone Duelers. He said if the side of the tire shows maximum of 44 psi that they inflate to 35. If maximum shows 35, they inflate to 32. When I bought the vehicle it had 32 psi and I thought the ride was beautiful. When serviced, they inflated to 35 and ride is somewhat bumpier. Think I will go back to 32. (26-28 seems a little underinflated to me) Anyway, vehicle performed flawlessly for trip and I am yet another very satisfied Pathfinder owner!

Steve
2001 Burnt Cherry PF LE

jhawkeye · April 2001

Nissan would inflate the tires on a vehicle to 40+ pounds to eliminate the possibility of flat spots on the tires while sitting on the ship, auto carrier or lot. Hopefully, you as a buyer would have enough common sense to adjust the pressure to an appropriate level rather than talking about it nationally.

danog · April 2001

Well then.

Personally I always run between 32psi and 35psi in my vehicles (32 for the Pathy). IF I had something with low profiles tires I'd have them 40+ as spec'd for the tire. 26psi seems low. Guess this is personal preference and everyone should try out different pressures to see what works best for you.

Dano

bob_path · April 2001

True, we should have enough common sense to adjust to an appropriate level, but after spending 30,000 + on a new vehicle I would expect the dealer to prep the car to conform to the manufactures specification. If not for the messages posted on this forum concerning tire pressure, I would not have thought twice on checking.

bimmer4me · April 2001

While you tire pressure PF owner's debate what the tire pressure should be, I'll stick to what the manufacture recommends for the Nissan Pathfinder...as the same goes for the recommended premium fuel. Enough said.

msiseng · April 2001

Looked at both the Pathfinder and the Xterra. Got an Xterra becuase the wife was too frugal to spend the Xtra money for the Pathfinder. Now I have regret because I am driving the '01 SE with a sluggish 170 hp engine and sitting on seats made out of life preserver material!

At least the Xterra has more space and is a good off-road truck, but I envy you all for buying the better vehicle!

filod · April 2001

Jhawkeye
I am one of those buyers not as knowledgeable as you.

Before we even try to make this an unfriendly board, one should skip the topic if he or she is not interested in it.

I agree with bob_path that assuming you are right that Nissan inflates the tire 40 psi for shipping, the dealer should at least correct the pressure before they sell it. That to me is common sense.

There will be new participants in this forum and it will always be nice to share experiences with them.

We will always see topics on pricing, oil filter change, the location of the micro filter, and tire pressure already discussed in the past. I do not see any problem with this and if current owners want to share, it is up to them to do so. If not, they can always ignore and skip.

Like bimmer4me I stick with Nissan's recommendations. (I know you are enjoying driving your PF in Palm Srpings)

pondfull5 · April 2001

jhawkeye, incase you don't know, you do have a right under our laws not to turn to this forum.
I for one as a silent reader in the past and continue to do so, have enjoyed immensely from this forum from both the pros and the cons. and I will hate to see it stop now.
I just enjoy coming home from a hard days work to read what these fine people on this forum have to say for the day. Irrespective of the subject. As you should be aware by now, I am a proud owner of a 2001 Pf. SE 5spd. And I owe my thanks to these unselfish people on this forum.
Folks keep up the great work.
full5

pathstar · April 2001

For the start of this see my message #2078
"Cabin air filter & install". Yesterday, I removed the trim piece with the hidden screw behind it. Remove the two screws in the glove-box that are on the black "tabs" (they really are tabs). Then you just have to rotate the trim piece up and it comes right off. I fixed my dash "gap" that was left because the top right screw was not seated into the upper dash piece.

So, for those wishing to intall or replace the cabin air filters, these are the steps I use to remove the glove box and lower dash assembly:

1. Remove glove box hinge "pins" and remove glove box.

2. Remove the two screws holding the "Pathfinder" logo'd trim piece and remove the trim piece.

3. Remove the three screws holding the dash lower panel (one on bottom left, one on bottom right, one on top right), then with the top left part pulled open/down remove the glove box lamp from its' holder on the dash lower panel (rotate it 90 deg).

You can now remove the lower dash panel and have at the filter install or replacement.

It's very easy once you know how to actually do it (new instructions please Nissan).

Now I just have to figure out how to install antenna fittings for a cell and amateur antenna in the roof (sigh).

pondfull5 · April 2001

"Some 22,000 X5s made in BMW's Greer South Carolina plant may have a bolt on the steering column that wasn't fitted properly.The flaw could cause the connection to the steering transmission to break loose, leaving the DRIVER UNABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE."
This is a very fine SUV and I hope BMW solve it quick. We do not want another Explorer sindrom on again.
full5.

pondfull5 · April 2001

Hi:
How long dose it take for the clear coat on the 2001 pf. to cure before waxing?. And where do I find these fine Zaino polish to buy?.
Thank you all in advance.
fUll5.

ballfire8888 · April 2001

Does anyone here have strong compassionate feelings about K&N filters for their 01 PF???

Do you love or hate this product???

Other than perceived financial advantages of not having to replace the air filter everytime, is there better performance outputs???

I'm not sure I should pick one up here locally for $60.00 Cdn ???

TIA

stever · April 2001

Zaino Car Care Experiences - Part 2

K & N Air Filters - Bolt on Power?

Steve
Host
Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

filod · April 2001

Pondfull5
Visit their web site where you can read more about the product and where you can buy them

http://www.zainobros.com

I will also be interested to know when you can start applying polish in a new PF with clear coat

Steve_host
Thanks Steve. I have already posted before I saw your posting. I will visit the sites you have suggested

dannyka · April 2001

I have a '99 Pathfinder that was delivered with the tire pressure at about 45psi or so. However, that's not what I'm writing about. It's actually about a Subaru Forester that I just took delivery of. Because I know some dealers adjust the tire pressure and some don't, I went ahead and checked it myself. 46psi on all 4. I adjusted it down to a more comfortable level.

The reason I'm writing is because I then looked at the Pre-Delivery Inspection sheet that was in the glove box. There in bright red letters was "Check Tire Pressure" and it was checked off! By the way, the recommended pressure is 29psi or so. If I had seen the PDI sheet and just trusted it, I'd think the Forester has a really "lively" ride.

So what's a guy to do? Here I have a dealer basically telling me that the tire pressure has been checked. I don't think it's fair to assume that a buyer has to do that checking him/herself, especially when a dealer says they have. Now that I know how inconsistent dealers are about this, I'll check them all from now on.

It's due to boards like this that I now know these types of things. Before I got on Edmunds (way back when :-), I didn't even know cars were shipped with higher tire pressures. Some people may know all about cars and dealers, but the rest of us are here to be helped (and to help out when we can), which makes this a great place to hang out.

Sorry for the long post...
-Dan

li_sailor · April 2001

So...I think it's an interesting indication of the high level of civility on this board when such a mildly uncivil comment such as jhawkeye's actually causes a ripple! Of course, anytime time anyone suggests that discussion of a topic should be discouraged it's bound to upset some folks (duh, the ones talking about it!) but it happens all the time on the other forums like this that I'm a part of (don't mean Edmunds'..I'm on one for bikes, one for sailboats)...it's amazing that it almost never happens here.

I'm going to take this opportunity to comment on what I've found when perusing other Edmunds boards (I DO have a life...but sometimes, when I'm on 'free' time, I check them out). Let me tell you...for those of you that haven't 'trolled' (and I think there are good trolls and bad trolls...I'm a 'read/only' troll...that's the good kind in case you didn't know:-) ), there are some boards where half the posts are from folks that don't own and aren't considering the subject car and basically just trash and taunt the ones that do. It can be pretty disruptive and the subject gets lost in the cat fur. I know this is one of the downsides of the anonymity of the internet but some people can get out of hand. I've seen some otherwise respectable list contributers trolling several different boards making questionable comments...we're only human, I guess.

So I guess my point is...we're lucky we have such a great group here with mostly great info and folks willing to help those who have questions even when we've heard them a hundred times. On this board, folks feel free to ask even questions they think are dumb (I've asked quite a few myself) 'cause they know no one's going to jump down their throat. Of course, it doesn't hurt that 'our' car is such an excellent example of craftsmanship with too few faults and so many happy owners (BTW, is it my imagination or are there a gazillion 2001 PF's out there...it seems I see them everywhere!).

Ok...sorry for the long post, had to get that off my chest...besides...I'm waiting for the rain to end so I can go back to work on the boat!

Tom

mbunting · April 2001

I plan on picking one up this friday, which also happens to be the same day that I am having my (2) front roll-up windows tinted on my Silver 01 LE.

Is this the correct K & N Filter to buy for the 2001 PF?

33-2031-2

I know that there has been much discussion on this in the past on this board, but after a search for the correct filter # earlier today I didn't come up with anything. Thanks for any help!

danog · April 2001

OK, tomorrow I am ordering the rear air deflector. Washed the pathy this morning and wen tot a few B'day parties and low and behold, the rear is dirty again. One day!
How much can I expect it to help??????

Thanks,
Dano

Bimmer4ME, watch out for those manufactures suggesting certain settings. Is that not what Ford and Firestone are dealing with right now?

bob_path · April 2001

Danog, the rear air deflector will help. I purchased and installed on Friday. Since the installation I have yet to use the rear wiper even though its been raining for the past three days.

pat01 · April 2001

Regarding the application of Zaino etc., does anyone know if ALL colors of the 01 PF have clearcoat? I had thought it was standard. I have a Silver PF and can't find mention that it has anything but a metallic coat. Other colors specifically mention the clearcoat (at Edmunds).

lrichards · April 2001

Hi,
I am about to close on a 39 month, 39,000 mile lease on an SE automatic with sunroof, in cabin microfilter, body color side moldings, sunroof deflector, floor mats, and mobile entertainment system. I really didn't want or need the entertainment system but it was already installed on the SE they were trying to sell me. I think they were having a tough time moving it because of the entertainment system. Anyway, they gave me the best deal I've found in 3 months of looking. It is a Chase Manhattan lease with $500 down plus first payment due at signing. Payment is $409/ month. $909 is total due at signing, all taxes, fees included. I think I did OK. Thanks to everyone on this board for all of the valuable information. It really helped me make my decision. I will finalize things tomorrow, so wish me luck! Any thoughts on the deal?

danog · April 2001

Good luck on your purchase! Sounds good too me.

Dano

ballfire8888 · April 2001

I've now put a meager 350 miles on my new PF. It's an excellent truck with an extremely powerful, yet smooth and quiet engine.

1. My truck came ith the OEM rear air deflector but dirt seems to cover the whole liftgate more than anywhere else. Are you people experiencing the same thing?

2. K&N filters...are they beneficial or do they actually let more air bypass in the name of performance?

3. What a gas hog this truck is! So hard to ease up on the gas pedal with such a powerful engine!

4. The wheels appear to be aligned but the steering wheel is off-center...when truck is going straight, steering wheel is off to right approx 5 to 10 degrees!

5. Should I start putting 100% synthetic oil in this beast? Would it be beneficial?

6. I hear you guys talking about Zaino a lot. Have you ever heard of LIQUID GLASS? Is that product any good?

TIA

jmtreetop · April 2001

I wouldn't start using synthetic until after 12000 miles when the engine is broken in and everything is sealed. It would be beneficial though, especially since it has a timing chain instead of a belt. In addition, your gas mileage should slowly increase and I have even heard that you wont get your best gas mileage until after 12000 miles. I am at almost 7000 miles and have installed an amsoil air filter and a performance exhaust. Havent had the chance to fill up with gas yet so dont know the mileage differences or improvements. Has anyone looked under their pfinders?? There is a nice pre-muffler that is quite large and weighs 40-50 lbs. I replaced the 1 3/4 inch piping with 2 1/4 inch exhaust piping with a smaller Iron Tuff muffler and removed the pre muffler...I've noticed quite a jump in power and it sounds awesome now.

nismofreak · April 2001

I too have noticed that the rear gets dirty awfully fast. I am curious what it is like >without< the deflector. Oh well...

nismofreak · April 2001

Did you change the "B" pipe? And it is only 1.75 i.d.??? WOW! No wonder you got power when you put on the 2.25! I would imagine that a good mandrel bent 2.5 i.d. "B" pipe would yield even more due to the amount of exhaust that is being pushed out. Was this a custom job? And without the pre-silencer, do you now get droning on at highway speeds?

smithmd · April 2001

I found the same GPS mentioned earlier for $879 for $869 at Vanns.com. You do have to sign up for a membership to get the good prices. Even if you don't get the Street Pilot III, Vanns has some really good prices on other GPS once you sign up as a member. I'm not sure how good their accessory prices are, though.

scorriveau · April 2001

When I push in the clutch to change gears there is a 'rrrrrrrrr' crunching sound. And when I put the car in neutral and take my foot off of the clutch, the sounds goes away. Any comments or suggestions? I've burned through a clutch once, and I know that it isn't it. Also, when it makes that noise I notice that it's harder for me to go from 1st to 2nd gear. The stick does not 'smoothly' go from gear to gear. Could it be that the plates are mislined?

scorriveau · April 2001

I just took off my factory rack as you advised, and replaced it with my Yakima. I had a little trouble getting the front clips off, so I just slid everything off the back. Thanks again, the factory rack's now in the closet until the end of the lease...

wcroland · April 2001

From what I have read from Mequiars and talked to the dealer, you can polish and wax your new vehicle right away. This is because the paint is cured at a very high temperature because all of the plastic and all the other stuff is not attached to the vehicle. Now if you got a custom paint job or repainted, it can't cure as high of a temperature and you need to let it cure for 60-90 days.

I have polished and waxed my 2001 Pathfinder as well as my last two new cars two weeks after I have bought them and never had a problem. I use Meguiars Gold Class products, but sure the Zaino are the same type.

nismofreak · April 2001

Does the sound go away when you just sink the clutch (without attempting to shift gears)? I will bet it is the throwout bearing. If you can adjust the clutch at all, then it may need adjusting to disengage the clutch better (I don't know what the clutch system on the Pathy is like so this adjustment may not be possible).

Hope this helps.
$0.02

pathstar · April 2001

I'm pretty sure the silver is clearcoated. In fact, all "metallic" or "mica" paints are clearcoated. If you're ever unsure, take some "ordinary" car polish and, in an unconspicuous place, rub vigorously with the polish using a white cloth. If any colour comes off, it's not clearcoated there (guess you'll have to use a black cloth on a white car ;-). Be aware that some cars are not clearcoated everywhere, though this "location specific" clearcoating is rare (due to the extra cost of masking).

smokey75 · April 2001

I know, I know... not again. Well, I hate to beat a dead horse but I just had some comments. I've seen some say that Nissan's recommendation of 26 psi is too low, especially since the tire says 44psi. One problem... that is not the tire manufacturer's recommendation. If you read closely on the tire (I have Bridgestone Dueler H/T) it states MAXIMUM PRESSURE 44 PSI for MAXIMUM LOAD 2094 LBS. This would be the pressure if the PF met this max load. However, the PF most definitely is not max load. On the tire it goes on to say, "Safety Warning - Serious injury may result from: tire failure due to underinflation/overloading - follow owner's manual or tire placard in vehicle..." The recommendation of 26 psi from Nissan is designed to give this vehicle the best handling characteristics it could possibly have. Most SUVs have a lower pressure than cars because this makes them more stable & less likely to roll over (lower pressure - wider footprint). The controversey with Ford/Firestone was because Ford says their recommended pressure was within the approved range of Firestone... Firestone says it was not. Just my two cents. Be safe...

jmtreetop · April 2001

The pfinder doesnt exactly have a B pipe which are typically found on Hondas but I did replace the equivilant and it was 1.75 inch. I replaced everything from the cats back with 2.25 inch and it was a custom job. It's a lot cleaner now too with less bends in the piping. On the highway, I havent noticed much droning, mostly because the pfinder only does around 2500 rpms at 70mph so its still very quiet. You do hear a little tone from the exhaust though, but it sounds really good (its a clean, quiet, deep tone). The manufacturer states that it is typical to receive a 2-3 mpg increase with their muffler and exhaust. I am going on a 2300 mile trip next week over Easter so i will have to let you know if i see any mileage improvements. Total cost was $278 including stainless steel 4" diameter tip and labor. Definitely do not regret getting rid of the silencer, especially at that weight and reduction of performance.

aris · April 2001

4. The wheels appear to be aligned but the steering wheel is off-center...when truck is going straight, steering wheel is off to right approx 5 to 10 degrees!

I just test drove a new PF and it seemed as though the steering wheel was off-center... It tends to steer to the right when driving straight.... Anyone know if this is normal? i own a 95 Maxima and do not have the steering problem.

Thank you in advance,
Aris

smithmd · April 2001

On a windless day, on a level road (not crowned), my '99.5 will drive straight down the road for about 10 seconds or so, maybe longer. I haven't been able to find a road that is good enough for long enough to test it any farther.

ballfire8888 · April 2001

After closing my deal on a 01 PF SE AWD at 2.8% financing, Nissan Canada's rate DROPPED TO 1.8% within 2 days!!!

We called Nissan to cry BUT they couldn't care less. I guess I can agree with them BUT I only took delivery 2 days ago! I guess it's all a gamble and I wouldn't be complaining if their rate increased from the 2.8%. Oh well...on the positive side, the 01 PF is just an awesome truck with a terrific engine.

BTW...while crying to Nissan, I found out the new 02 Maxima will be equipped with this PF engine but it will be tuned to 268 HP !!! WOW...just awesome stuff...I need to get a Max as a 2nd car!

I'm gonna get a K&N filter and S.S. exhaust tip for my PF...any thoughts?

TIA

phil47 · April 2001

If the truck is not pulling, it's simply a matter of getting the dealer to straighten the steering wheel. With the tires pointed straight ahead, they remove the wheel and reinstall it straight (rotate it a few splines). It was likely just installed off-center at the plant. This was the case with my 99.5 PF LE.

danog · April 2001

I have tried several times Friday and today to get a quote both by email and phone with no success. I see the price for the rear air delfector but I would like to know what shipping costs will be!
Where else can the deflector be had for around $65?

Thanks,
Dano

bimmer4me · April 2001

Thanks for your point re: tire pressure. It was worth reading, I agree with what you said. I have mine at 28 psi ( 2 more pounds than what Nissan recommends) down from 39 psi and notice a slight difference in ride...not as jittery over expansion joints on the freeway; a little smoother over bumps in the road. Until all this tire pressure issue came about, I'd thought I would check my tire pressure on my 7 week old PF and was surprised it was at 39 psi.

xplorx4 · April 2001

Here's an interesting article that kind-of explains how much air your tires should have in them, under various conditions. I don't know for sure how accurate it is, but it's probably a good starting point.

There are a couple of good paragraphs that discuss street-tire pressure, near in the middle of the article.

http://4x4now.com/sfjun96.htm/sfjun96.htm

It appears that the proper air pressure in tires depends in part on the weight of the vehicle and the tire manufacturer's specifications for the tire

Nissan has "recommended pressures" because they know the vehicle weight and which tire brands they put on the trucks at the factory.

If you ever install a different brand or size of tire, you might need to change the pressure accordingly.

pyrenus · April 2001

I'm not new to car modifications, since having my 94 300ZX for several years has allowed me some customization. One of the first things I did to my Z when I got it was to take out the whole exhaust (including presilencers, or pre-mufflers) and install a free flowing exhause. I'm not sure if I would want to do the same on a new pathfinder. I would really like to hear one before I did it. My concern would be that it would become too loud for my liking. I wonder if you could get performance headers for the new pathy. I guess I'll keep my eyes open.

PYRENUS

jmtreetop · April 2001

I was skeptical myself when opening up the exhaust but it isn't as loud as I thought it would be. I suppose part of it depends on the actual muffler that you use. It almost sounds like a Chevy truck with exhaust but quieter. I have only had it about a week and have received many compliments on how great the tone sounds. On the other hand, my mother or grandmother would probably not appreciate the exhaust as much as I do. I still think it is worth it just from a performance point of view, the shop that I went to offered to put on a resonator that would reduce the noise if i thought it was too loud, but it wasnt at all. I doubt you would even hear me coming down the street or at idle in your driveway. I was thinking about headers too but decided to pass since it really only helps at high rpms (since I'm not racing my pfinder) and it also reduces gas mileage slightly.

jmtreetop · April 2001

Has anyone installed a cold air intake? The current box seems so restricting. If so, where did you get it from?

scorriveau · April 2001

nanuq · April 2001

It sounds like your throwout bearing is bad. Apparently it's bad enough to not disengage the clutch completely and that lets it drag between gears.

One shot in the dark: look beneath the dash at the clutch linkage. There should be a pivot, and that pivot may be binding or dry. Give it a shot of penetrating lube and work the pedal. Maybe it's binding enough to absorb your foot effort and not actually throw the linkage? Doubtful but maybe. Or if there's a cable maybe it has a lube port?

These are where I'd look first. Regards, -Bob

joef4570 · April 2001

My buddy owns 2 auto repair shops & has made many friends in the business over the years. When I mentioned the discussions on this board about the subject he said "of course, new car dealers always under-inflate cause it makes for a better ride", "they don't care about the increased tire wear as a result". He said that on a 44 psi manufacture recommended full load pressure tire, he inflates to 38 psi...... Just another point of view.

Nissan Pathfinder

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