1997 Nissan Pathfinder — Known Issues & Recalls

When you ease off the accelerator at highway speeds (55-60 mph), your vehicle's back end sways violently from side to side, even on straight, dry roads. This shimmy happens with no warning and feels severe enough that you're concerned the vehicle could go out of control if you don't slow down immediately. The problem occurs even at low speeds when you're coasting.

While driving at 40 mph, your Pathfinder's rear end wobbles violently, especially when turning. This problem has happened multiple times. The dealer was unable to diagnose or fix the issue.

Your trailer arms (which keep your rear axle stable) failed, causing your truck's rear end to sway or bounce excessively. You replaced them along with the shocks, which resolved the handling issue. You've also noticed rust developing on the frame and are concerned about potential rust damage to the front strut housing. The repair involved replacing the trailer arms and shock absorbers.

Your Pathfinder's rear end wobbles or sways excessively when driving at highway speeds. This makes the vehicle feel unstable and harder to control. The suspension components responsible for keeping the rear stable may need inspection and replacement.

Your steering shaft has broken multiple times (in 2011, 2013, and 2014), each time requiring replacement. The problem appears to be caused by corrosion on the strut tower, which the steering shaft rests against and causes it to break while you're driving—creating a serious loss of steering control. One failure occurred on a busy street in Washington, D.C., resulting in a $150 towing charge. The fix will likely involve replacing the corroded strut tower and steering shaft with corrosion-resistant parts or protective measures to prevent future failures.

When driving at highway speeds, your truck randomly rocks and fishtails side-to-side in an unpredictable manner, creating a serious safety hazard. This steering instability issue has been reported by many other owners of similar vehicles. A mechanic should inspect your steering components and suspension system to identify and correct the cause.

While driving at about 55 mph, your Pathfinder unexpectedly swayed back and forth between lanes on its own. You were able to regain control by slowing down, but the swaying happened multiple times. This issue was never diagnosed or repaired.

While driving at 65 mph, your Pathfinder began shaking violently, and this happened multiple times. The vehicle hasn't been repaired yet, and you're waiting for the dealer to diagnose the problem. The shaking likely involves your steering or suspension system and may require inspection of worn components.

Your 1997 Nissan Pathfinder was subject to a recall (campaign 11V244000) for steering and suspension issues, but the repair parts weren't available when you tried to get the work done. While driving at 40 mph, you heard a loud abnormal noise from the driver's side and your steering wheel failed. The manufacturer took longer than a reasonable amount of time to make the repair parts available. Fixing this will likely require replacement of the steering and suspension components covered under the recall.

Your Pathfinder randomly develops a severe vibration or wobbling sensation in the steering and suspension that feels dangerously out of control. You've already replaced the shocks, but the problem continues to occur. This issue may require inspection of multiple steering and suspension components to identify the root cause.

Your Pathfinder's front end suspension and steering components have failed — you've lost struts and the steering rack is damaged, causing serious handling problems. The dealer has refused to repair these issues. The entire front end is deteriorating and needs immediate attention to ensure safe vehicle operation.

Your truck is drifting side to side on the highway and is hard to keep in your lane during turns. A tire shop found that the shock and strut mounts were heavily rusted, causing excessive movement in the suspension. This instability makes the steering feel unpredictable and unsafe at highway speeds. The fix will involve replacing the rusted shock and strut mounts to restore proper suspension control.

Your Pathfinder started swaying side-to-side uncontrollably around 120,000 miles, and mechanics couldn't identify the cause. The swaying stops temporarily when you tap the brakes or accelerate, but happens frequently and feels unsafe. Additionally, your vehicle's entire frame and underbody have developed severe rust and corrosion. Fixing this may require inspection of suspension components, frame reinforcement, or rust treatment depending on the underlying cause of the swaying.

Your vehicle develops a dangerous side-to-side swaying or "death wobble" when you're cruising at steady speeds, making it hard to keep the car in your lane. The wobbling stops when you accelerate or decelerate significantly. This problem involves your suspension and drivetrain working together, and you'll need a mechanic to inspect the suspension components, wheel alignment, and drivetrain for wear or damage.

Your vehicle sways dangerously starting at 20 mph, and at higher speeds it fishtails and could flip, especially on wet roads. You have little to no control when this happens. The suspension and stability control system may need inspection and repair to restore proper handling.

Your check engine light keeps coming back on, and you've paid for multiple repairs to fix it. The dealership diagnosed that your EVAP tube (part of the emissions system) is clogged throughout, and Nissan no longer makes this part, leaving you with no factory solution. You'll likely need to find an aftermarket EVAP tube or have a shop fabricate a replacement.

Your Pathfinder has extensive rust on the frame, chassis, and suspension components that's causing the suspension to sag into the chassis. The rust appears to go beyond normal wear and tear, suggesting inadequate rust protection from the factory. If the rust continues unchecked, it could eventually weaken the suspension or axles enough to cause them to fail while driving, which would be dangerous. Addressing this will likely require rust treatment, protective coatings, and possibly replacement of severely corroded suspension and frame components.

Your vehicle's round running boards are rusting severely, which could be dangerous when you or passengers enter or exit the vehicle. The rust weakens the structural integrity of these boards, potentially causing them to fail. Replacement of the corroded running boards would be necessary to restore safety.

Your vehicle sways noticeably side to side when you accelerate moderately or when you brake hard or speed up suddenly. This swaying motion feels unsafe and potentially dangerous during normal driving. This issue may involve the transmission or drivetrain components and should be inspected by a mechanic to identify worn suspension or drivetrain parts causing the instability.

Your fuel fill tube and vent tube are rusting due to a coating defect that allows road salt to corrode the metal. This causes fuel vapors to escape into the air around your gas tank, and you may notice a strong fuel smell whenever you walk near your parked car. Nissan has issued a recall for this problem, but your vehicle's VIN isn't included in the recall coverage. Fixing this will likely involve replacing the corroded fuel fill tube and vent tube components.