Nissan Pathfinder

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Comments

  • xplorx4xplorx4 Member Posts: 621
    Too bad the switch doesn't allow you to keep your 12v outlets powered.

    But if you have a little wiring knowledge, it shouldn't be that hard to make your own switch to keep at least one outlet constantly powered. Just hook up a fused wire from the battery to the switch, then connect the switch to the positive connector on the 12v outlet by using a wire-tap ("Scotch-Lok") connector.

    If the switch is on, the outlet is always powered; if it's off, it operates normally (with key in ACC position).

    Great little mod I might try!
  • windfalls99windfalls99 Member Posts: 20
    In past discussions some owners have related a problem with scratches on the clear plastic panel over the dash instruments. My 2001 LE is 6 months old now and I have just had the panel cover replaced by warrantee. No questions asked when I showed the dealer the scratches. Obviously Nissan recognizes the problem and is willing to fix it.
  • xplorx4xplorx4 Member Posts: 621
    Phil, I wanted to get your comments about the Stillen cross-drilled rotors you had on your previous truck. E-mail me if you get this message.

    Thanks.
  • smokey75smokey75 Member Posts: 434
    Hey YOEDDY... I bought all of the bulbs from WWW.FOSMO.COM The Philips AllWeather bulbs are $20.62 for the pair. You'll want H3 bulbs for the PF fog lights. The Philips BlueVision bulbs are $31.15 for the pair & you'll want H4 bulbs for those.
  • woodyr1woodyr1 Member Posts: 142
    Hi:

    I had my 7 months old '01 Pathfinder in for service as well, and the dealer replaced the instrument panel clear plastic for me. I have noticed since installation a few weeks ago, an accumulation of dust etc. sticking to it, so bought some Meguire's Clear Plastic polish, which is said to reduce static - so far so good. It appears that by wiping the panel, scratches can occur. My theory is that if I can reduce dust attraction, scratches will be lessened?

    Woody
  • skips2skips2 Member Posts: 52
    I'm close to buying a 2001 LE with everything but NAV and ENT. However, after reading the IIHS crash test results, the Pathfinder was rated at the bottom of the heap for mid-sized SUVs. Only, one vehicle was worst than Pathfinder. For those of you who own a Pathfinder, did safety factor into your decision to buy?
  • pondfull5pondfull5 Member Posts: 53
    Skips2, But of cause safety was of major concern. But the Pathfinder was not all that bad as you make it to be. Compare the Pathfinder to other Suv's in its class, for style; fit and finish; power; price; and SAFETY. Then you get your moneys worth. The only SUV that beats the Pathfinder in my opinion is the X5,4.4i . And also, and that is only the crash worthiness.
    Full5.
  • sabre66sabre66 Member Posts: 45
    As far as i can recall the Pathfinder was on par with the ratings for most SUVs except BMW & Mercedes (give or take one rating). Not to mention the IIHS test was conducted on a 1997 Pathfinder. The NHTSA scored it 4 stars for frontal crash test-driver, 5 stars frontal crash test-passenger, 5 stars side impact-front seat, 5 stars side impact-rear seat.

    The crash results were low on my list of concerns when i bought it. That's not to say it doesn't matter though. To be honest i'm very impressed with the Paths abiiity to corner, handle and brake which all play big parts in avoiding an accident.

    Don't forget to take the front & side airbags, abs, AWD, and structural components into consideration before passing on buying the Pathfinder.

    Just my thougts,
    S-66
  • sabre66sabre66 Member Posts: 45
    Does anyone know how to open the vents to allow outside air in without pressing the AUTO or ECON buttons. I'm the type that doesn't like to have the AC compressor running uneccesarily and draining engine power. The manual says the ECON setting is for heating only. So how do you get passive air flow without heating or cooling?

    Sorry if this seems like a thick-headed questions, but sometimes it's the simple things that causes me the most problems.

    Has anyone noticed abnormal vibrations while braking? Like the pads or rotors are warped? My Path has only 3200 miles on it, so i don't think the brakes should be undulating.
    S-66
  • xplorx4xplorx4 Member Posts: 621
    Your brake rotors may be warped. However, if the vibration is there all the time, but just amplified during braking, it could be tire balancing. It should be fixable under warranty.
  • dieselonedieselone Member Posts: 5,729
    The Econ setting can be used anytime. It's the only way I know of to get air flow without the a/c compressor running. Push the econ button, then select your desired temp and you'll be fine. I often often use the econ setting and keep the temp at 65. I override the fan to it's lowest setting, and the air which comes thru the vents is at outside air temp.

    Hope this helps,

    Keith
  • sabre66sabre66 Member Posts: 45
    Thanks xplorx4 & dieselone. The brakes don't act up until they are applied so i don't think it's the tires. I'll have to take it in to the dealer and have them check out the rotors. My previous Acura had to have rotors and pads replaced at 7500 miles, so i know it's possible to wear'em out that quick.

    I guess i'll just ignore the manual and follow your lead dieselone. I don't know why they'd say to only use ECON for heating...seems kinda kooky. Could be i misread it or something, but don't think so. Anyway thanks for your relplies.

    S-66
  • sabre66sabre66 Member Posts: 45
    Anyone know what the 17" wheels for the 2002s are going for? I do like my LE wheels, except for the plastic lug nut cover cap. I'm worried about them being stolen or even breaking if i take it off-road into some deep rocky terrain. The 17s would add a little more ground clearance too.

    Besides the 2002 SEs are going to have the 2001 LE wheels (what's that about!), so i'd like to keep mine differentiated from the 2002s.
  • brian60brian60 Member Posts: 76
    Sabre66,

    I have actually had my rotors replaced twice due to warping over 34k miles. I drive aggressively, but not absurdly so, and often head to the mountains during the winter. I'm hoping the current set will see next summer, but who knows ...
  • dieselonedieselone Member Posts: 5,729
    Sabre66,

    Just out of curiousity, I looked at the manual, and yes it says to use econ mode to heat only. I guess you can read that a few different ways. I think what they are trying to say is don't use econ mode to cool the vehicle, because obviously it won't cool outside air. I don't see anything wrong with using the econ mode merely to bring outside air into the vehicle.

    my 2 cents
  • skips2skips2 Member Posts: 52
    Thanks for the references to the NHTSA crash results for the Pathfinder. It's interesting to see such dramatic differences in the results obtained by the NHTSA and the IIHS. The IIHS results were simply horrible. The Pathfinder rated one up from the bottom. The NHTSA results are more encouraging. I think that the IIHS's offset crash is more real life only because offset crashes occur more frequently than head on collisions, which are mimicked by NHTSHA. None the less, the NHTSHA results are encouraging. Thanks.
  • jeepluvjeepluv Member Posts: 37
    Also, as sabre66 mentioned, the IIHS tested a 1997 Path. If you look at the NHTSA again, and go back through old evaluations, there is an increase in rating after the 1997 or 1998 model year. I think the 1997/1998 got 3 and 4 stars, whereas the newer ratings have been 4 and 5 stars for several years. Presumably, you'd see a corresponding increase in the IIHS rating were they to test a newer model. Probably not to the level of the X5 or ML, but still an increase. Hope that helps.
  • sabre66sabre66 Member Posts: 45
    I just got my recall notice from Nissan in the mail last night. It's for replacement of the rear hatch arms due to possible failure/breakage. The letter has your vehicle's VIN number on it and basically says to call your dealer and set up an appointment. No charge for the work and they say it should only take an hour to replace them.

    I'm also gonna have them check out my quirky rotors when i take it in.

    Just wanted to let everyone know they should be getting similar letters too.

    Y'all have a fun weekend
    S-66
  • hattrick16hattrick16 Member Posts: 16
    I just got off the phone with Nissan USA. I bought my 2001 PF SE from Canada and I was checking that my warantee had transferred to the US. I wanted to know because of the hinge recall. However, I was told about another recall for struts. The Nissan recall number is R1002. I looked on the internet for more info, but I could not find anything on this recall. Anyone else here of this?
    Other than these recalls....I love the pathy.
  • peaches5peaches5 Member Posts: 91
    Do you know what models are affected by this recall?
  • no_more_jeepno_more_jeep Member Posts: 2
    Is $42,060 a good Canadian price for a 2002 LE? The price includes everything but the GST, PST, and duty.
  • crikeycrikey Member Posts: 1,041
    ...I mean what brand?
  • pathstarpathstar Member Posts: 201
    Local dealer in Edmonton Alberta lists an SE at $44,000+, so that looks good to me (and I paid more two years ago -well, a year and 3 months ago - for my 2001 LE). So $42,060 Can. would be about $26,918 US (depending on the bank and exchange rate of the hour).
  • xplorx4xplorx4 Member Posts: 621
    hattrick16-

    The recall you're thinking of IS for struts- the rear hatch 'struts'. (Same thing that sabre66 mentioned).

    sabre66-

    You mentioned that 17" wheels would give you more ground clearance than 16". That's not necessarily true. The wheel-to-tire size ratio changes with the new wheel size, and the ground clearance will likely be nearly the same. 17" wheels mean there's less rubber between the wheel and the road (lower profile tire). If you're concerned about ground clearance for off-highway use, I'd stick with the 16" wheels and get 265/70R16 tires.
  • sabre66sabre66 Member Posts: 45
    I figured with the 17s and the same brand tires you'd probably get more clearance, but you're right if they change the same brand tire on the 17in rims to a lower profile.

    You can get Brigestone Duelers in 265/70R17. Wouldn't that provide 1/2in. more ground clearance? Aren't tire profiles measured from the edge of the rim to the outer edge of the tire and not from the center of the wheel. (i could be wrong)

    In any event with 17 inch rims 265/70R17 tires may rub on the wheel-wells, so they may use a lower profile (65 or lower). Not sure how they'd work, and since i don't have the spare cash right now i'll probably have to wait and see what size tire they put on the 2002s.

    Thanks for the reply,
    S-66
  • highuphighup Member Posts: 31
    To vent only turn off the auto climate control and then press on the MODE button.
  • phil47phil47 Member Posts: 394
    The 2 factory tire sizes are:

    255/65R16 and 245/65R17

    According to my (rusty) calculations, the 17" wheels are only half an inch higher which gives you a quarter inch of additional ground clearance. The compromise is that the 17" wheels give up a quarter inch of sidewall height. Neither is a very big compromise (plus-one sizing rarely is).

    However, the 265/70R17 tires you mention are a different matter. They are 2 inches taller and 3/4 of an inch wider than the stock 17" setup. They would provide more ground clearance AND more sidewall height than either of the stock setups, but they would be a very tight squeeze and likely rub or bump. I think Dean (xplorx4) has a good compromise at 265/70R16 as it is less than a half inch wider and an inch taller. I will likely replace my tires with this size when they wear out.

    The biggest difference between the stockers is the "look". I agree with you, I definitely prefer the 17" look, but I know we'll get hammered on the "trade-in".
  • bgritzbgritz Member Posts: 139
    I just replaced the rubber on our '01 SE with 265/70R16's and I agree with you about that extra size. The 265/70R16's are as big as I could fit.
    I tried 265/75R16's, but they rubbed the fender a bit while turning, and came to within 1/2 of the struts. Under even moderate articulation, there would be some contact.
    Just a note, the rims have enough offset that they don't even come close to rubbing on the insides of the wheel-wells like my old Cherokee, just the front of the fenders and flares.

    gritz
  • tonverangatonveranga Member Posts: 29
    smokey 75 or anybody?
    does the Phillips bulb H3 have the amber color (ala QX4) and does the BlueVision really has a blue tint in it?
  • engle3engle3 Member Posts: 12
    That's exactly what I do to obtain fresh air. Simply push the MODE button. If it's really warm inside, but not outside, I'll get the fan on, too.
  • pondfull5pondfull5 Member Posts: 53
    What brand of tires did you get?. Thus for the 265/70R/16 size.
    Thanks.
    Full5.
  • lrichardslrichards Member Posts: 18
    I know this has been discussed before, but I don't have time to scroll through 3700 posts...What is the recommended tire pressure for my Bridgestone Dueller H/T's? I noticed that my rear tired looked slack today so I went to the service station and had them check the pressure. It was low...15 psi. He checked the other tires and said they were all inflated to 50 psi. He thought that was too high so he adjusted them all to 35 psi. The sticker on the door recommended 26 psi. I would welcome any thoughts or experiences with this. Thanks
  • pat5000pat5000 Member Posts: 13
    26psi is the factory recommended pressure. But,I run 32psi in front and 30psi in back-any more in back and it get's a little "bouncy". I think it just handles better at these pressures. If you want comfort lower it a bit. Hope this helps.
  • drew_drew_ Member Posts: 3,382
    The reason why the IIHS hasn't retested another newer Pathfinder is because there has been no structural changes in the vehicle. As such (with a limited budget in mind), testing a newer model would result in similar test results.


    The IIHS crash test is a good test for the vehicle's structural strength/safety cage. The NHTSA's test is a good test of the vehicle's restraint systems. Both tests complement each other, however, the IIHS' is said to be more real world as a deformable barrier (resembling a front end of a similar vehicle) is used, rather than the concrete non-deformable wall in the NHTSA's test. For more information, follow the link below:

    http://www.crashtest.com/explanations/nhtsa/index.htm


    Drew
    Host
    Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards

  • skips2skips2 Member Posts: 52
    Thanks for the insight. Therefore, the IIHS was correct in stating that its crash test results apply to all Pathfinder model years 1997 to 2002. The IIHS crash test results for the Pathfinder are very, very disappointing (i.e., Marginal). In its ranking of mid-sized SUVs, the IIHS listed only three mid-sized SUVs (i.e., Bravada, Jimmy, and Blazer) as having performed worst than the Pathfinder. All others performed better.
  • captainroncaptainron Member Posts: 58
    Hi all,

    I swapped the factory tires on my 2001 LE 4x4 with a set of Pirelli Scorpion A/T's in 265/70R16. Here are my impressions after about 2,000 miles:

    * Severe drop in gas mileage. If you look back on some of my early posts, I was one of those Pathfinder owners who was consistantly hitting the 19-20MPG mark on every tank(I do a quick calc every time I fill up). From the first tank after the tires were swapped, I can't break into the 17's on any tank. Same commute, same grades of fuel and all that. I attribute this to the engine now running at a lower RPM (not in it's optimum band), heavier tires, meatier tread.

    * More sluggish on the acceleration. This is more on the weight, size and tread of the tire...but I think most of it is the new gearing problem with larger overall diameter of tires

    * More road noise. This should be obvious...But at this point, I can't remember what the factory tires sounded like. It's perfectly acceptable, just a little more hum.

    * Flat spots. The Pirelli's "flat spot" when I'm parked all day in a 100 degree parking lot. This causes an imbalance for the first couple of miles then works itself out.

    * Traction off road! Thrilled with the grip!

    * Maximum size you can fit! I got into a real frame-twister yesterday with the rear passenger tire stuffed up into the wheel well and the axle flattening the bump stops. The driver's side tire was just dangling in mid air. You get the picture. I stopped, got out and checked the clearance. The front edge of the tire was 1/16 of an INCH from fully contacting the wheel well trim...Like the fender flare part. Any bigger and the flare would be toast.

    * Looks! Love it. The truck sits a little higher, the tires are a little beefier than the factory ones. Great look!

    Over all, I'm very happy. I've now been doing so much off-roading with the Pathfinder that I'm concerned about squeeks and rattles and dents and the like... So, I'm actively searching for a trail truck...like a Jeep CJ that I can beat up and return the Pathfinder to stock tires and shiny paint!

    Anyway...I hope that helps some of you...if you have any questions or want pics of the Pathfinder off-road, send me an e-mail!

    I'm off to wash the mud off and hit it with another coat of Zaino!

    Captain Ron
    ron.chase@internetmachines.com
  • drew_drew_ Member Posts: 3,382
    Not all were better in the IIHS test, some were the same too with a Marginal score, such as the all-new GMC Envoy/Chevy Trailblazer/Olds Bravada (very surprising and disappointing to the IIHS, for an all new design), as well as the Pontiac Aztek.

    Good luck with your decision,

    Drew
    Host
    Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
  • rcsuttonrcsutton Member Posts: 35
    Thanks captainiron for your feed back. I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced worse gas milage with this size. Also what about aftermarket shocks and struts any recommendations for a 4X2?
    S.Fl.
    Bob
  • smithmdsmithmd Member Posts: 167
    Remember that your original tires (255/65r16) did aprox. 702 revolutions per mile and the new tires (265/70r16) do about 680 revolutions per mile (got that from TireRack.com). That means that the new tire is turning a littel less than 3.2% as slower than the old tire which means that your gas mileage should theoretically suffer about 3.2%. That would mean that instead of 19 mpg, you should get 18.3. At least you know where .7 mpg is going!

    The rest is probably a gearing issue, as you said.
  • susan8susan8 Member Posts: 1
    I'm interested in purchasing a Nissan 1995 Pathfinder SE. Checked the Edmund's
    evaluation and it was given a 4.3 for Safety (out of 10). Does anyone know why???
    There are no reviews on the site and so I don;t have a clue.
  • highuphighup Member Posts: 31
    Looking to grease the prop shaft on 01 LE and looks like all I need is a grease gun with a flex hose adapter and Walmart's Moly lithium grease. Anyone other options?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    There's a little more info under the Specs and Safety tab (no airbags or ABS, and poor crash test results for drivers side).

    Check out NHTSA at their Web site.

    Steve
    Host
    Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

  • pathman2pathman2 Member Posts: 2
    anyone else have problems with a noisy heater fan on their 2001 PF. it seems louder than most auto fans (especially on low setting)
  • smokey75smokey75 Member Posts: 434
    Hey TONVERANGA... the Philips AllWeather bulb (H3) does have an amber tint. When looking directly at the light, it appears kinda rainbow w/ an amber tint. But the light shining on the ground is amber. The Philips BlueVision bulb (H4)doesn't seem to have a blue tint to me. It's more of a bright (but not blinding), pure white.
  • smokey75smokey75 Member Posts: 434
    Hey HIGHUP... sounds like you've figured it out for greasing the prop shaft. There is a single fitting on the front shaft (you can spin the shaft by hand to move the fitting where you need it). I use Mobil's moly grease just because I prefer their products, but any Moly grease should be fine, despite the fact I think most dealerships just use regular grease (even though the manual calls for moly). I've only greased it once & it didn't take any. Good luck
  • bgritzbgritz Member Posts: 139
    pondfull5,

    they are the Pathfinder Sport SUV sold by the Discount Tire chain (tires.com). They are actually made by Kelly Springfield and have a 60k mile warrantee.

    After a week my impressions of them on the pavement are great. The ride seems to be a bit softer than the Bridgestones. and there is no wandering at all like some A/T tires. It has been dry as a bone here in Denver for the past week, so no idea on how they do in rain/snow.

    We are heading to Canyonlands UT in two days for some backcountry camping, So I'll have a report on how they do off-road next week.
  • woodyr1woodyr1 Member Posts: 142
    Hi:

    I live in a winter climate, and am concerned about the effect of salt, sand etc, on the Nissan alloy rims on my 7 month old '01 Pathfinder XE. I understand that the rims are clear-coated. Has anyone who lives in a winter climate noticed any damage from the past winter? I have P245 70 R16 tires supplied from the factory. When the speedometer reads 100 km/h, my GPS reads 97 km/h, hence a 3% error. Should I decide to purchase a winter type tire, what size shall I look for?

    Thanks

    Woody in frosty British Columbia
  • phil47phil47 Member Posts: 394
    Hi Woody. I live in Calgary. Not a ton of snow, but plenty of ice (the Chinooks melt the snow creating icy conditions) and liberal use of gravel and salt...grrrr. I've had the same style LE wheels for 2 winters (on my 99.5 and 2001 PF LE). They are mint. Make sure you wax them now and once more over the winter. Also, rinse the truck (including wheels) well after driving through salty conditions. Even if you don't get it sparkling clean, the rinse will prevent corrosion starting.

    For the winter I will also switch to snow/ice wiper blades and I put a set of Focus headlight covers on to protect the lenses from gravel rash. I also add a set of Husky custom liners (floormats) as they provide the best coverage of the carpeted area I have seen to date.

    I find the stock Bridgestone Duelers are quite adequate for snow and ice. I'm sure there are better snow/ice tires out there, but the stockers never let me down, particularly with 4wd. I don't plan on changing them out. Hope this helps.
  • phil47phil47 Member Posts: 394
    I was watching MotorTrend Television last night and they did a long term update on their 2001 QX4. After 14,000 miles they had no problems except a slipping tranny which was supposed to be fixed by a new PCM (powertrain control module). They said it was a recent TSB.

    I only have 7000 miles on my 2001 PF LE, but so far no problems (other than a hard downshift from 3rd to 2nd which never seems to get any better).

    Has anyone had this problem with their 2001 tranny or had the PCM replaced?
  • smithmdsmithmd Member Posts: 167
    My '99.5 XE also came with the 245/70R16. Since I went to the 255/70R16 Bridgestone Dueler A/T, my speedometer and GPS read nearly exactly the same. These particular tires rubbed slightly on the right front, but now that they're slightly worn, they don't rub at all anymore.

    Evidently, the SE and LE have a different wheel offset; Captain Ron was able to fit 265/70R16 tires on his without any problems.
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