2003 Nissan Pathfinder Steering Problems

Your steering column broke, which resulted in a crash. A broken steering column is a serious safety issue that affects your ability to control the vehicle's direction.

When you drive your Pathfinder faster than 50 mph, the vehicle begins to wobble noticeably, which stops when you ease off the accelerator. You've been told this is caused by worn trailing arm bushings and rear arm bearings that need replacement—a condition some owners call "death wobble." This is a significant safety concern, especially at highway speeds. The fix will involve inspecting and replacing the worn suspension bushings and bearings.

Your 2003 Nissan Pathfinder had a steering and suspension recall repair performed on the driver's side of the frame by the previous owner. You've now discovered the same failure is occurring on the passenger side of the frame, and Nissan confirmed this problem. The fix will likely involve having a dealership inspect and repair the affected suspension components on the passenger side.

Your 2003 Nissan Pathfinder's passenger-side front struts have developed corrosion. Your dealer refused to repair this under a manufacturer recall campaign because your vehicle exceeded the mileage limit for coverage (you had 187,000 miles). The driver's side struts were previously repaired. Fixing this will likely involve replacing the corroded front struts on the passenger side.

When driving over bumps at any speed, your Pathfinder makes an abnormal noise from the suspension. An independent mechanic found that the struts are rusted and need replacement. The Nissan dealer couldn't diagnose or repair the issue and said your vehicle wasn't covered under a related recall.

NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 11V244000 THE STRUT HOUSING CORRODED ON THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL ON MY 2003 NISSAN PATHFINDER WHEN I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. HAD PROBLEM WITH STEERING BEING HARD TO TURN I HAVE FOUND A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM BUT BEING THAT I LIVE IN TEXAS THEY WILL NOT ACCEPT THIS RECALL.

INNER WHEEL WELL AREA ROTTING, NEAR THE STRUT MONT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN PATHFINDER. WHILE MAKING A TURN AT 30 MPH, AN UNKNOWN NOISE WAS HEARD WHENEVER A TURN WAS MADE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STRUT TOWER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V244000(STEERING, SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY TIGHT AND DIFFICULT TO TURN LEFT AND RIGHT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STRUT TOWER WAS SEPARATING FROM THE FRAME DUE TO EXTENSIVE RUST AND CORROSION ASSOCIATED WITH THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, NEAR THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE WHEEL WELLS. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V244000 (STEERING, SUSPENSION). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

THE STRUT TOWER REPAIR THAT WAS MADE BY NISSAN IN 09/2011 AS PART OF NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN #11V24000 (STRUT TOWER CORROSION RECALL BECAUSE OF SALT IN NEW ENGLAND STATES) FAILED ON 8/17/2015. AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE STRUCTURAL FAILURE IN THE PASSENGER SIDE STRUT TOWER, THE BREAK-LINE SEVERED CAUSING AN IMMEDIATE BREAKING FAILURE, AND ALSO MADE THE CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF THE STRUCTURAL FAILURE WHICH EXPOSED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO THE INTERIOR WHEEL WELL. AS OF 8/26/2015, NISSAN USA CONSUMER AFFAIRS DIV. REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE $1,300 IN REPAIRS (PARTS & LABOR) STATING THAT THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE TO MAKE ADDITIONAL REPAIRS TO CORRECT THE ORIGINAL RECALL NOTICE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS MORE THAN 8 YEARS OLD, AND THEY ALREADY FIXED IT AS AS A LEVEL 1 REPAIR AS REQUIRED UNDER THE RECALL. THEY DID'T CARE THAT THEIR REPAIR WAS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD AND THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A VISUAL/SAFETY INSPECTION PERFORMED BY A NISSAN DEALER LESS THAN A YEAR AGO WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RECALLED TO REPLACE THE AIR BAGS.

DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON FREEWAY WITH 1/4 TANK OF FUEL - ENGINE STALLED IN FAST LANE AND WOULD NOT RESTART. I WAS STUCK IN THE TRAFFIC LANE FOR 40 MINS UNTIL THE STATE POLICE HAD A TOW TRUCK TOW ME AWAY. TURNS OUT, THE FUEL GAUGE WAS INACCURATE BECAUSE MY TANK WAS EMPTY. MY GAUGE GOES ABOVE THE F WHEN I FILL UP AND IT IS EMPTY AT JUST ABOVE A THE 1/4 MARK. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OVER A FAULTY GAS GAUGE THAT SEEMS TO BE A BIG PROBLEM AFTER SEEING ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET. WHEN THE GAUGE GOES BAD - THE LOW FUEL WARNING LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON SO I WAS COMPLETELY CAUGHT OFF GUARD. I WAS A SITTING DUCK ON THE FREEWAY WITH CARS SLAMMING ON THEIR BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING ME EVEN WITH MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON. PLEASE HELP. *TR

2003 NISSAN PATHFINDER. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED IN THE SPRING OF 2009, SHE BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING COLUMN MAKING NOISES. THE MECHANIC PERFORMED A WHEEL ALIGNMENT, IN ADDITION TO OTHER WORK TOTALING OVER $660. HOWEVER, SHE CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE STEERING PROBLEMS. THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED THE BRAKES, BUT THE STEERING COLUMN STILL WAS NOT FEELING RIGHT. FINALLY, THE CONSUMER WENT TO ANOTHER ESTABLISHMENT WHO WAS ABLE TO ASCERTAIN AND FIX THE PROBLEM. THE REPAIR SHOP FOUND THE RACK AND PINION VERY TIGHT AND ADJUSTED THE STEERING GEAR. THE CONSUMER STATED SINCE NISSAN ONLY SENT HER AN INTERIM NOTICE, SHE DID NOT KNOW SHE SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A FREE SERVICE, NOR DID SHE KNOW TO INFORM THE MECHANIC ABOUT THE STRUT TOWER HOUSING DAMAGE TO THE STEERING COLUMN. *JB

VEHICLE TAKEN TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP FOR RECALL CAMPAIGN 11V-244 INSPECTION AND REPAIR OF STRUT HOUSINGS AND STEERING COLUMN. DEALERSHIP CONFIRMED CORRODED STRUT TOWERS WERE PULLING AWAY FROM THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE AND THAT IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT NISSAN USA REFUSED RECALL BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN A SPECIFIED VIN RANGE. NHTSA LATER CONFIRMED THAT THE RECALL WAS NOT LIMITED TO A VIN RANGE AND THAT THE VEHICLE MEETS THE RECALL CRITERIA BECAUSE IT IS WITHIN THE APPLICABLE YEAR RANGE AND IS REGISTERED IN MASSACHUSETTS. NISSAN USA HAS NOT CONTACTED ME DIRECTLY YET.

WHILE TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF LESS THAN 30 MPH IN THE LEFT TURN LANE I HEARD A LOUD GRINDING NOISE THAT FELT LIKE THE GEARS STUCK. THE CAR THEN SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING, REVVED UP,SPEED FORWARD WITH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED TO THE RIGHT. THE STEERING AND BRAKES WERE NON RESPONSIVE, AND I HAD NO CONTROL. MY CAR, AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, CROSSED THREE ADDITIONAL LANES STRIKING A TELEPHONE POLE(ACTUALLY SPLIT THE POLE IN 2 PLACES), TRANSFORMER, FIRE HYDRANT, AND FINALLY ROLLING DOWN A HILL WHERE IT CAME TO REST IN A PARKING LOT. THERE WAS FIRE FROM THE POWER LINES TOUCHIN AND WATER GUSHING FROM THE FIRE HYDRANT AT THE SAME TIME. MY FATHER WAS TWO CARS AHEAD OF ME AND WITNESSED THE ENTIRE ACCIDENT. WE HAD JUST LEFT FROM GETTING THE ANNUAL EMISSIONS CHECKED ON OUR VEHICLES AND HAD TRAVELED LESS THAN A MILE TOWARDS HOME, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. I WAS TOLD BY THE PARAMEDICS THAT THEY NEVER SAW ANYONE WALK AWAY FROM AN ACCIDENT THIS SEVERE. I SUFFERED WHIPLASH, MINOR CUTS AND A 2ND DEGREE CONCUSSION BUT THIS MALFUNCTION COULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE DEATH OF ME OR SOMEONE ELSE. *TR