Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Nissan Pathfinder

1…113114116118119…158

Comments

  • danpf1danpf1 Member Posts: 89
    The Nissan Service Dept. called this morning to tell me that the parts had arrived for the outside temp. repair.

    I also had them check my break peddle. To me it seemed to be to close to the floor board before engaging.

    The Service Advisor said it checked out ok, but adjusted it anyway. He said that they test drove the PF to check the new outside temp. display and the breaks. said everything was working fine.

    When I drove back home the break peddle seemed to be a lot higher and reacted much better, the outside temp. readings are much improved. From what I can determine the temp. readings are within one deg. of being wight on the mark. No more wild fluctuations in temp. readings, hot or cold.

    I am still very satisfied with MY 2001 PF and if that is all the problems I have then I feel that I made a good choice.
  • quaymonquaymon Member Posts: 2
    Anybody replace with Michelin Cross Terrain?
  • sailor16sailor16 Member Posts: 34
    I swapped the OEM Dueler H/T's for Michelin LTX before I took delivery of my '03 Chilkoot.The H/T's had terrible reviews at Tirerack.com(Especially in wet conditions).Ichose the all seasons instead of the Cross Terrains because I'll run 4x4 Alpins in the winter.
  • alwaysfordsalwaysfords Member Posts: 210
    I have LTX's on order to replace the 12,000 mile Duelers. Got sick of worrying about my wife sliding around on those greased rocks.
    I already have the LTX's on my Expedition - great tires. Very good traction in the wet. The Goodyears that came on the Expedition never gave me any trouble, but the Michelins were indeed a great improvement.
  • andy1961andy1961 Member Posts: 32
    My display also seems to be more accurate ... within a degree or two rather than 4 to 10 degrees too warm.

    AW

    P.S. With my new BFGoodrich Open Trails installed with a big improvement in noise and comfort, I'm moving on to new rear shocks next.
  • pathfinder13pathfinder13 Member Posts: 110
    Driving in rain the pathfinder was very quiet and rattling free. Now the weather is normal, but there is a very loud rattling coming from the back. I am not sure the rattling is there, but is this something to do with the rain.
  • Jack44Jack44 Member Posts: 221
    I have an '01 QX4 and my son a "02 Pathfinder and we both have had to replace windshields with the 'moving crack' across the bottom...They don't seem to chip when a rock hits like most windshields...Easily replaced with antenna...Asked if this was a factory problem, got no response...
  • fleetwoodsimcafleetwoodsimca Member Posts: 1,518
    At the original 14,500 mile mark, I had to replace my OEM Bridgestone Duelers due to utter tread wear out. In a series of events surrounding a tire shortage, I opted for a set of 4 BF Goodrich radial T/A tires at a real good price. At 30,000 miles on those tires, my daughter talked me into buying "SUV tires." We now run Cooper Discoverers of the "H" tread style, which is decidedly more road than offroad. Right off, my daughter had the rig at Snow Mass, Colorado, at the moment of the biggest, deepest snowstorm to begin a Colorado ski season in 40 years! She reported the tires to be wonderful, as she noted many hapless people struggling to get through the deep and slippery stuff clogging the road. I'm glad she talked me into it!
    Also, last winter we had a rock chip become a pillar to pillar crack. I have seldom had such developments in any vehicle. From the above comments I get the idea it may not be uncommon in Pathfinders.
  • world_travelerworld_traveler Member Posts: 153
    I have 450 miles now on my 03 Pathfinder so I think I'm still in the breakin period.

    I am currently experiencing extremely bad MPG, its crazy, about 200 miles with a full tank (almost).

    Is it supposed to be that bad during the breakin period? If so for how long? 1000 miles? 2000 miles ?

    I mostly do city driving this time of year. But still I should be experiencing better mileage ? No?

    thanks
  • marino2marino2 Member Posts: 3
    I've decided on a 2003 Pathfinder SE with the Leather, Popular, and the Sunroof packages. I've also included the Side Moldings, the Floor Mats, and the In-Cabin Microfilter. The MSRP is $33,693. TMV is $31,687. However, Edmunds doesn't give the dealer invoice. I live in the Mid Atlantic region. Has anyone gotten any deals better than the TMV price? I don't know if I'm within reason to negotiate any lower.
  • thelthel Member Posts: 767
    Are you sure the tank is emptying and/or filling completely. My 2002 Miata needs to be topped off when I fill it up. After the pump shuts off automatically, I ca still squeeze in about 2-3 gallons! My first few tanks I was astonished at the puny range (~240 miles). With topping off, I can easily go 300 miles unless I engage in excessive zoom zooming. :)
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Many people report that their mpg is lousy for the first 1,000 miles or more, and then it gets better for the next 10,000 miles (not vehicle specific).

    If you have "winter formula" gas up there like we do down here, that's another strike again you. Often there's a ~2 mpg penalty from it.

    You're not confusing yourself with those Imperial gallons are you? (/joke)

    Steve, Host
  • wildcorgiswildcorgis Member Posts: 84
    My 02 SE 2WD was getting 17-18 with about 50/50 cty/hwy driving. I'm now doing more city driving and I'm only getting about 15 mpg. What exactly is your mileage?

    My overly cautious fuel gauge will light up with about 1/8 of a tank left and I've never managed to get more than 16 gallons in it.My driving range is probably close to 300 if I was truly brave enough to go that far before filling up.

    Happy Pathfinding!!!

    Steve
  • danpf1danpf1 Member Posts: 89
    My 2001 PF LE has about 12,000 miles on it, I get 16 mpg in town in two wheel and AWD mode.

    On the open highway I get 18 mpg in AWD and 20 in two wheel drive. This is winter and summer
    driving.

    The highway drives usually cover about 300 miles in all, I usually average 70 to 80 mph.

    One thing I found that there is some lag time when stations change from summer to winter gas. If you get a tank of summer gas when the weather has turned cold, your gas mileage will drop a little, same for summer.
  • fleetwoodsimcafleetwoodsimca Member Posts: 1,518
    My 1998 is approaching 48K. I am beginning to think about the disk pads up front. Does anyone have experience on how long the original pads typically last? How about the rear brakes?
  • xplorx4xplorx4 Member Posts: 621
    Brake wear is highly dependent upon driving style, but 40K miles is not uncommon for average driving, and rear brakes typically last 2-3 times longer than front pads. (Note: other factors, such as brake pad composition also affect longevity.)

    Nonetheless, you should have them inspected to be sure. (Or, do it yourself- take off the wheel and look at the brake pad to see how much is left.)
  • world_travelerworld_traveler Member Posts: 153
    Thanks for your replies both Steves and Dan

    I did not try to approximate the MPG in my previous post because of all the conversion I'd have to do (Canadian gallon vs US gallon, liters, km, argh....)

    I feel adventurous this morning so lets try:

    1 US Gallon = 3.7854 litres
    1 US mile = 1.6093 kilometers

    So I put 63 litres to do 370 kilometers (tank topped off before and after)

    In US: 16.6 gallon to do 229.9 miles

    So
    229.9 by 16.6 gives 13.8 MPG (US)
    63 by 3.70 gives 17L/100 for canadian folks

    This is Lamborghini fuel comsomption rating I think ;-)

    Arrrghhh..... I'm looking forward to my 2000th mile to get over that breakin period.

    I was doing 14L/100 with my 4Runner and I thought that was bad.

    I'll be buying shares in petrol company soon !!!!

    World
  • andy1961andy1961 Member Posts: 32
    My 2001 LE got a "bulls-eye" crack that never spread.

    Had it repaired, looks pretty good and didn't cost anything out of pocket.

    AW
  • dinsdale1dinsdale1 Member Posts: 4
    Don't hold your breath too long waiting for the mileage to improve. We have a 2001 LE with 12K km on it. Around town we get about 14 mpg imperial and 17 to 18 on the highway. The dealership tried to tell us the average for the vehicle is about 28mpg. Yeah right! Love the Pathy but the fuel consumption really does suck!
  • smibradsmibrad Member Posts: 34
    I have an 2001 LE 4x4 with 40,000. The other week I did a lot of highway driving. I got 20.5MPG. I averaged 70-75mph and use 93 octane.
  • mjohnr99mjohnr99 Member Posts: 193
    To Pricing Post: For comparison, last month we bought a SuperBlack 2003 Pathfinder 4WD LE with the Side Moldings, the Floor Mats, and In-Cabin Microfilter, and the new Vehicle Dynamic Control system. This was at VOB Nissan in Maryland in CAT region. We paid 31,107 total plus T/T/T. Don't remember the breakdown; only the total - but something like: base plus option invoice price (which of course includes destination/freight) + $400 marketing - $1000 rebate - $400 dealer drop (worked with Internet dept.) for a grand total = $31,107. Seemed very fair and perhaps a better deal than VA. This 2003 LE should be comparable to your super loaded 2003 SE, so hope the numbers help. Edmunds TMV seems to be like Kelley Blue Book . . . both too high! Also: got 3.9% over 5 years; financing deals should be even better this month.

    On Mileage Post: 1,150 miles on new US '03 LE; using 93 octane; in 2WD mode majority of time (except brief periods of rain when in Auto); averaging 13.98 MPG in downtown DC city driving. I fill at same station pump and don't fill beyong automatic shut-off pump feature - that way, I get consistent measurements. At this rate, I get about 250 miles of range from Full to the top of the empty line. When you fill up on top of the empty line, there are still a few gallons in the tank (do the math) - thus true range should be close to 300 miles if you want to push it (I wouldn't it). Given the gas reserve, I wait until it hits exactly the top of the E line to get the most consistent average MPG measurements across the tank of gas. FYI. On a highway trip driving at a varying rate between 45-65 MPH (break-in period), I averaged just above 18 MPG. Both of my numbers seem to hit the 15/19 CITY/HWY rating for the vehicle. If I did not have my loved Thule racks on top (which create much wind friction), I am confident I would be hitting 15/19 exactly. Hope this helps.
  • world_travelerworld_traveler Member Posts: 153
    Nice to see that our numbers match pretty closely. I admit that it is not very far off the 15/19 rating. So I might as well get used to that MPG I guess...

    I think the 2003 4Runner V6 will have similar ratings thus similar consumption.
  • larrylee2larrylee2 Member Posts: 3
    I bought my '02 PF LE in CT end of July and drove it home to Pensacola without incident- comfortable drive with full load. On several occasions when coming to full stop, usually from a slow speed such as in my garage, the edge of my foot overlapped the gas pedal slightly causing the engine to accelerate with some forward lurch of the vehicle. Examination reveals that with engine running and as little pressure as two fingers depressing the brake pedal, the pedal travels an inch below the gas pedal. Moderate foot pressure, with the power assist, will bottom the pedal on the floor stop. The dealer here adjusted the rear brakes at 2300 miles, which changed nothing. The svc. mgr. demonstrated that another new PF does the same, stating that the condition is normal. I sent photos illustrating the condition to Nissan, who finally stated that, "the vehicle's brake and gas pedal positions are within manufacture specifications."

    Review of the NHTSA website records for 2000-2002 PF's reveals several incidents of unintended acceration when the brakes were applied, some resulting in accidents. Only a couple identified the cause as unintentional pressure on the gas pedal. No NTSB/NHTSA investigation is indicated. Assuming that only a small portion of the public even knows of the NHTSA, or would report to same; there must be numerous incidents unreported.
    The space between the pedals is 2 1/2", which is appropriate, but it still unacceptably dangerous to have the brake travel below gas pedal level. My experience occurred with tennis and boat shoes. Pity the guy or gal with winter muclucs!
    I intend to pursue this with the NHTSA, and would appreciate hearing from other owners. Note, that with the engine off, no power brakeing, pedal travel is lessened.
  • marino2marino2 Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for the reply. I've been anxiously waiting for some input.

    Do you happen to know the MSRP on the 2003 LE? I'm just trying to figure about how much they came down. It's difficult to negotiate, not having dealer invoice.

    Also, I noticed you are also a 4Runner fan. I'm actually still torn between the 4Runner and the Pathy. I can't understand the comments I've read that the 4Runner is so much more expensive than the Pathfinder. The 2003 SR5 with similar options as the Pathy is only about $1000.00 more MSRP. Any comments? (or for anyone else reading).
  • jiaminjiamin Member Posts: 556
    As for pricing you can check the carsdirect.com that provides invoice price, MSRP and the their discounted price.

    Among Japanese big three, Honda, Nissan and Toyota, Nissan is of lower reputation and less popular. Some of my friends never consider any Nissan in their shopping list when buying cars. I suggested Nissan and they said well I don't know that Make/Model... too sad for Nissan. That could be one reason the other two makes are high priced because of high demand.
  • fleetwoodsimcafleetwoodsimca Member Posts: 1,518
    Edmunds TMV can be used to get "window sticker" if you know what the optional equipment.

    http://www.edmunds.com/products/tmv
  • danpf1danpf1 Member Posts: 89
    In 1995 here in California we were using gas that was formulated to get the best gas mileage while maintaining engine HP to it's Peak. In 1995 and earlier I could get at least 5 to 7 MPG better then today. Why? because after 1995 California switched to re formulated gas with MTBE, not to get better gas mileage or better HP, but to lower emissions. The trade off was gas that produce less HP and decreased MPG.

    So what to do? 1. use full synthetic oil. 2. replace the OEM air filter with a K/N air filter. 3. make sure that you maintain proper tire air pressure, not whats posted on the door but tire manufacture posted cold pressure. 4. learn to drive like you have an egg between your foot and the gas pedal. Or say the hell with it, and drive the way you want and pay the price at the pump.

    I use 5w/30w full synthetic, a K/N air filter and keep the front tires 32PSI, the rear at 30PSI.

    On the highway I try to maintain a constant speed and try not to use your brakes by timing the lights.

    It's takes time to learn to drive for improved gas mileage, but it can be done. But a lot people say the heck with it and pay the price.

    Anyone else have some good ideals about improving gas mileage?
  • sailor16sailor16 Member Posts: 34
    Yeah,buy a 4 cyl hybrid!:>)Seriously though, fuel economy has to be the last thing an anyone's list who'd buy a Pathfinder or any other similar SUV.Why jump through a bunch of hoops to get 15 MPG instead of 13.8?
  • closs1closs1 Member Posts: 13
    I think the only thing that can be done to improve fuel mileage is to install a set of warn hubs. That way you can unlock the hubs, ours are locked all the time. Why they didn't make these trucks with auto locking hubs I don't know. If you have owned any other 4x4 you can see how much more gas is used if you don't unlock the hubs when your not in four wheel drive. " full time" four wheel drive is what our pathy's are.
  • world_travelerworld_traveler Member Posts: 153
    Sailor16,

    The issue about gas mileage is not about money. I think people nowadays are more conscious about wasting fuel. They like their Pathfinder, 4Runners and MDX but they care to some extent about fuel effiency and reflect a bit on how this situation could be improved.

    I don't know about you but the people I know who do not care about effiency in general are not the people who can afford wasting the most. The more people can afford the more these people are conscious about how their money is being spent and care when they see waste.

    World
  • fleetwoodsimcafleetwoodsimca Member Posts: 1,518
    I have noted over the years just how right your observation is. I speculate that often, people curse themselves into never being able to leave the ranks of never having quite enough by never conserving, never using frugality, snubbing the practice of opportunistic buying, etc. On the other hand, those that can afford more often get to that station in life via the reverse of the above formula.
  • sailor16sailor16 Member Posts: 34
    I never said it was about money.If people really cared about wasting fuel,wasting money on fuel or conservation in general they wouldn't be driving a PF in the first place . I'm as guilty as anyone. If I really wanted to be even a little bit "greener" I'd have gone for the CR-V or the Subaru I also considered before buying the PF. Instead I got seduced by the power,space and some other reasons. I guess my point was that it seemed to be a contradiction in terms for someone driving a PF (or any other SUV) to talk about saving fuel.
  • hutch85hutch85 Member Posts: 8
    Haven't checked city mileage on our '02 LE lately, but on a couple of the trips to the interior of BC I've managed to squeeze almost 22 MPG out of it (21.7 or something like that). Driving at 100-110 km/h most of the time and judicious use of cruise control (yeah, I drive like a granny with it, but I save the speed runs for the other car!).
    Of course, coming *back* from the interior on the Coquihalla highway seems to feel like we have more of a downhill coast than going the other way, could be just psychological :)
  • mjohnr99mjohnr99 Member Posts: 193
    It's more than the difference in MSRP numbers you're considering, e.g., bought my '03 Pathfinder at 1,000-1,400 below listed invoice; '03 4Runners are selling much higher than invoice (and closer to MSRP). Good luck.
  • smokey75smokey75 Member Posts: 434
    Hey DANPF1, I was reading your post & you mentioned that you should "maintain proper tire air pressure, not what's posted on the door but tire manufacturer posted cold pressure." While I agree it is very important that proper tire pressure be maintained, I disagree what that proper pressure is. The cold pressure listed on the sidewall of the tire is the recommended pressure for the maximum weight that tire can be used on, as it clearly states. The Pathfinder is less than that max weight. If you ask the tire manufacturer what pressure they recommend for a specific vehicle they will quickly tell you to follow the vehicle manufacturer recommendation located on the door sill. That is because that's the pressure that that manufacturer has found to give the best handling for that vehicle. I don't disagree, however, that raising the tire pressure will increase your fuel economy. I'm only saying that it will also worsen your Pathfinder's handling & that it will ride more harsh.
  • danpf1danpf1 Member Posts: 89
    Hey smokey75, remember when owners of the famed Ford Explorer decided to use the recommended Ford tire pressure, instead of Firestone's recommended cold tire pressure, there were explorer's flying in all directions with blown out tires caused by high heat generated by low tire pressure, coupled with bad tire design.

    I tried the 26 PSI recommended by Nissan and found it to be inadequate for the type of driving I was doing. That is most of the time high speed highway driving. Handling was much better and gas mileage was too.

    Now I agree with you, 26 PSI would be great for off road use, but I do most of my driving on hard surfaced roads. Thats the reason for 32 and 30 PSI. that I maintain on my 2001 LE OWD 4x4 and it rides fine, as you know by now the 2001 has a very soft suppension.
  • fleetwoodsimcafleetwoodsimca Member Posts: 1,518
    I agree that running the tires on a Pathfinder above 30 is a good idea. The ride and the handling are good at 32, and just may be a lot safer than 26, especially when the tires soften over time, and you have "forgotten" to air them up.
  • onboost91onboost91 Member Posts: 86
    I have a 2002 LE and according to the tag the
    recommended pressure is 30 psi. It is shod with Dueler HT's.
  • smokey75smokey75 Member Posts: 434
    Tire manufacturers approve a tire pressure range. With the Explorers, Ford recommended a pressure that was within Firestone's acceptable range. Firestone later determined that this pressure was not acceptable for that tire. And Explorers were "flying in all directions" because of non-drivers, not the tires blowing out. A tire blowing out, even at highway speed, is not a catastrophic event. People just can't drive & freaked out, over-corrected, & rolled them. People were killed because they didn't have their seatbelt on, not because they rolled their Explorer, but that's a whole other issue. Motor Trend or one of the other magazines even did a test where they drove an Explorer on a track rigged to instantly dump the pressure out of one tire. Time after time the vehicle barely even pulled to that side & was easily managed. Also, many of the tires were found to be lower than the recommended pressure because too many people don't check their tires until they look low. But that's enough about that... the only point I was trying to make is that the pressure posted on the sidewall of the tire is not the tire manufacturer's recommendation. This is for the maximum load that tire would be used on. If you asked the tire manufacturer what pressure to use for a vehicle that weighs less than that max load they too would tell you to lower the pressure.
  • omega11omega11 Member Posts: 36
    I have a 2001 SE and am thinking of getting winter tires. I have my mind set on 4 bridgestone winter duelers,but don't know whether i should get the same size tire as the stock tires or something smaller. The 255/65/R16 are quite expensive, and i've heard that you may want to get a "thinner" tire fore winter tires. Anyone out there with some suggestions?

    Thanks!
  • Jack44Jack44 Member Posts: 221
    You would think that what is on there would be good in the snow...My son has an '02 and drove it to the snows of Northern California with no problems...

    And your comment on thinner tire in snow being better is correct...

    It would also depend on how much tread you have on your tires...
    Maybe just spend the money on new set of Michelins, but if you've got money to burn, go with the winter tires...Just my .02...
  • alwaysfordsalwaysfords Member Posts: 210
    If the original tires on there are the all season Duelers then you really owe it to yourself to get a better set of skins. There are a lot of much better all season tires that would in most cases handle well enough all year to allow you to avoid the dedicated winter set. The stock Duelers retail for $85, so Nissan must get them for about 45. Huge investment they made in the tires.
  • sailor16sailor16 Member Posts: 34
    I put 4X4 Alpins on my '03 Chilkoot for the winter. It came with smaller tires then the SE or LE Pathfinder(245/70/16) so I went with the same size.

    I'd have to agree with 'alwaysfords' about the OEM Dueler HT's.All the reviews at Tirerack.com were pretty awful,especially in the wet,slush or snow. When I was buying the PF I got the dealer to switch to Michelin LTX all seasons .I got the Alpins more for handling and braking in winter weather than for traction(the 4x4 system on the path should handle that). I too think it's pretty tacky of Nissan to go with el cheapo rubber on a higher end vehicle like the Pathfinder
  • w62w62 Member Posts: 27
    Hi all,
    Has anyone installed Decor package (Decoration package?)? Any pros and cons. I'd appreciate any info.
    Thanks
  • woodyr1woodyr1 Member Posts: 142
    Alwaysfords:

    I purchased a set of Bridgestone Winter Duelers last fall and used them for one season so far. They are great tires. I had considered the Arctic Alpin 4 x 4 but they were new on the market and couldn't find reviews of them. The size installed was 245/70/R16, as per the original tires. Changing tire sizes will alter the accuracy of your speedometer and odometer.
  • alwaysfordsalwaysfords Member Posts: 210
    I can't speak to the Winter Duelers since I've never ridden on them. My comments were related to the lousy all season Duelers. I was suggesting that by buying a better set of all season tires you could (in a lot of cases) negate the need for a dedicated set of snows.
    I believe the person asking about tire size is only considering narrower tires, which if selected properly (i.e. maintaining the correct circumference / height) will not effect the odo or speedo. It will also improve the in snow performance as narrower tires cut rather than float through the muck.
  • nosirrahgnosirrahg Member Posts: 872
    I'm thinking about replacing my weekend pickup with one of the early Pathfinders (one of the two-door models), so I'll still have something with some hauling capabilities, but can also seat the whole family on occasion, plus give me 4WD (and probably better gas mileage than my '82 F350!!).

    Are there any particular problem areas to look for in these models? Or are there any particular years to avoid/seek out? Any advice would be appreciated.
  • woodyr1woodyr1 Member Posts: 142
    Alwaysfords is correct in that speedometer/odometer error will only be evident when only the diameter of the tire changes. I have chosen to keep the error consistent throughout the year by maintaining the same tire diameters on both my winter tires and for tires for the other seasons. I concur that the factory Duelers are poor in slippery conditions.

    Woodyr1
  • marino2marino2 Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for the comments jiamin, fleetwoodsimca, and mjohnr99.

    We're going with the Pathfinder instead of the 4Runner. I like both vehicles. I realize that they are totally different. I would still love to get a 4Runner. Maybe next time. Their heads are a little too big for me, so I say screw 'em.

    Two things did, however, help confirm my decision.

    1.) The Nissan dealership that I'm dealing with is just so great. No hassles, up front, never waste your time. (excellent service dept. too) I've yet to get a monthly payment based on X amount of dollars for the 4Runner. I guess they don't want to give that information over the phone, and I don't have the time nor patience to go there and sit around while they try to jack with me. They don't even have a 4Runner to look at, and it's been about a month now. That, to me, is just ridiculous. I understand the demand and all, but come on.

    2.) My insurance payment would have been about $170.00 higher per year on the 4Runner. That's not that major, but it has influenced my decision.

    I also consulted with CarsDirect to get invoice price. Thanks for the info. Go Nissan! I think they are every bit as good as Toyota.
  • sailor16sailor16 Member Posts: 34
    If you have a dealer who's straight forward,has treated you right in the past and has a good service dept. that's half the battle.I went with my PF not because it was so much better than some of the other vehicles I considered but because of the great service we've had from our local Nissan dealer in the past.(My wife's Maxima is her second Nissan)
Sign In or Register to comment.

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles