2002 Nissan Pathfinder Transmission Problems

WE WERE DRIVING NORTH BOUND ON 395 ABOUT 30 MILES SOUTH OF RITZVILLE, AT 3:30 ON SATURDAY, MAY 5TH. CLEAR SKIES, CLEAR ROAD CONDITIONS. SPARSE TRAFFIC, WE WERE IN THE OUTER MOST LANE. KIDS WERE QUIETLY WATCHING DVD IN BACKSEAT, WIFE AND I WERE CASUALLY TALKING. NO MUSIC ON, NO CELLPHONES, NO DISTRACTIONS. ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE HERD A THUNK AND THE REAR TIRES LOCKED UP. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS AND DROPPED THE CLUTCH (MANUAL TRANSMISSION), HOWEVER THE CAR WAS UNRESPONSIVE. ESSENTIALLY IT WAS AS IF I HAD SLAMMED ON THE BREAKS. AFTER A SECOND OF SKIDDING, WE STARTED A SLOW SPIN TO THE LEFT, CROSSING THE 'FAST' LANE. WE ENDED UP DOING A 360, THEN HIT THE SHOULDER AND THE CAR IMMEDIATELY ROLLED, FINALLY LANDING DRIVER SIDE DOWN. SOMETHING ON THE PATHFINDER MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THIS PROBLEM. I AM HOPING THIS IS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, BUT WOULD LIKE TO REPORT IT IN CASE THIS IS A MUCH BIGGER ISSUE. *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE ROLLED DOWNHILL WHILE IN THE PARK POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING AND ON LEVEL GROUND PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE INCURRED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE AND THE DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED. UPDATED 09/15/06. *JB

CAR HAD VIRATION DURING TEST DRIVE BEFORE PURCHASE. DEALER SAID MINOR PROBLEM AND WOULD BE FIXED. 8 TRIPS AND MANY REPAIRS AND PARTS BY DEALER OVER 3 MONTH PERIOD, SAME VIBRATION PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. CAR IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE OVER 55 MPH DUE TO CONSTANT VIRATION THAT I FEAR MAY DEVELOPE INTO A LARGER PROBLEM AND COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL ON HWY. DEALER NOW CALIMS HE DROVE SAME MAKE, MODEL VEHICLE AND IT HAS SAME VIRATION THEREFORE HE CLAIMS VIBRATION IS NORMAL FOR THAT YEAR VEHICLE.

MY CONCERNS ARE ALSO REFLECTED IN 2 OTHER COMPLAINTS LISTED ON YOUR WEBSITE. MY 2002 NISSAN ALITMA 3.5L SE, STARTED GIVING ME PROBLEMS AT 57,000 MILES. IT STARTED WITH VERY HARD SHIFTING GOING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. SOMETIMES IT WOULD WORK FINE (ESPECIALLY IF THE VEHICLE WAS WARM) IF THE VEH HAS BEEN SETTING OVER NIGHT, AND YOU PUT IT INTO "DRIVE" IF WOULD SHIFT VERY HARD. IF I REVVED THE ENGINE UP BEFORE PUTTING IT INTO GEAR IT USUALLY DID NOT SHIFT HARD. UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE ONE EVENING TO DRIVE HOME FROM WORK, THE VEHICLE WENT INTO DRIVE FINE, HOWEVER WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR. AS I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HAD THE VEH TOWED TO THE NEAREST NISSAN DEALERSHIP, I WAS ADVISED THE THROTTLE CHAMBER WAS THE ISSUE AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS HAS COST ME A TOTAL OF $4600.00 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION, A $150.00 TOWING BILL AND THEN HAD TO RENT A RENTAL CAR UNTIL THIS WAS REPLACED. AM SEEING MANY VEHICLE COMPLAINTS WITH THIS ISSUE, INCLUDING 2 ON YOUR WEBSITE. *AK

WHEN THE CONSUMER STARTED HIS VEHICLE, WITH HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE VEHICLE IN PARK, THE VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD ABOUT A FOOT. *PH THE CONSUMER HAS SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT AT THE DEALER TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED. *NM

VEHICLE JERKS SHORTLY AFTER PLACING IN THE "PARK" POSITION. THREE TIMES THE VEHICLE HAS ROLLED BACK WHILE IN THE PARK POSITION AND ONE OF THESE EPISODE'S WAS WHILE I WAS WALKING BEHIND THE VEHICLE. I AM VERY CONCERNED WITH THIS INCIDENT AND I AM UNABLE TO LOCATE ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THE PROBLEM.*AK

REAR RIGHT AXLE SEAL CONTAINED A CRACK AND HAD LEAKED FLUID ONTO BRAKES. THIS CAUSED VEHICLE TO LOSE BRAKING ABILITY. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS OF THE AXLE SEAL CRACK. BUT PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED.*JB....*AK