2002 Pathfinder SE purchased early 2004 with ~32,000 miles. Currently has 193,000 miles and still running strong, rust issues aside.

My father owned a 88 or 89?, whenever they first started making them, and drove it to just over 250,000 miles

I have a 2004 Pathfinder 3.5 which recommends premium, but run just fine on 87 Oct regular. However, on a 97 merc villager with a 3.o nissan v-6, extremely hot weather, 102 + may cause under hood temps to heat up fuel in the injector galleries and lead to something akin to vapor lock. Car stalls...pull over...open hood for 15 minute cool down. then continue drive until it happens again.
Note that engine is not overheating and turning of AC helps for an extra mile or two. Perhaps lower volatility of premium fuel would help my Villager in warm weather, as it might in a pathfinder under extreme conditions, though my pathfinder doesn't yet show that problem. I replaced the fuel filter on the Mercury Villager and percieved some improvement, but it happened again and again. Car runs perfect and burns no oil at 178K on original tranny.

'98 qx4 w/266k. Still strong, everything works, orig. Timing set, new suspension, charging system and aftermarket wheels. What a ute!!

2002 qx4 213566 love it running stronger than ever CD changer finally crapped out fixing to replace with Kenwood and bypass amp much love to nico

2002 Pathfinder SE 4 x4 with Rear Limited Slip
Original Owner
208K

Just took it in for the front suspension/rust recall. Had Level 2 rust so it was repairable.
They had it 2 days, added the bracket to the Driver Side, did the fiberglass reinforcement on both sides. Hopefully I can get another couple of years on it.

Best truck I ever owned. Still running strong.

Common problem is the exhaust pipe going into the muffler rusts out but that was easily fixed.
The stupid heat shields for the exhaust rattled so those came off
The Blower Motor Resistor
Alternator went on it at 201K. My mechanic hated me for that. Had to pull the radiator to replace it.

A little surface rust over the front windshield, over one of the back fenders, and by the bottom of the widows (going to get those parts replace though)

99 Pathfinder XE 4wd, manual transmission. Bought this in 2008 with 42k miles on it and it now has 82k miles. No problems, only routine upkeep but it will get a new clutch before the summer. A bearing in the clutch is making noise but only after long road trips, like 500 miles. And it makes the noise only for a day or two until the bearing gets the needed lubrication but I don't want to end up in some out of the way place needing a clutch.

Mileage? Maybe 16 mph highway if I drive carefully. Around town? 13-14 mpg. The vehicle was such a deal when I bought it (perfect shape, manual transmission, 4x4, only 42k miles.........$7,000, and new tires included) that I really didn't care about mileage because it's the depreciation that is the major cost of driving. Window sticker says $28,900 and I paid $7k so the original owner spent almost exactly 50 cents per mile in depreciation alone over the 9 years he owned it.

1998 Nissan Pathfinder LE
Auto Transmission
Canadian Model
Build Date, Feb. 1998
198,000 Kilometers.
Mileage when new-ish
(16.7L/100KM or 14 MPG)
Mileage now
(21.4/100KM or 11 MPG)


Bought it used in 2001 from dealership

Regular Services including 1 all-round shock & strut replacement, 1 brake replacement front and rear +:

*Fuel filter & pressure regulator? - Bad fuel in the US (Shell) Replaced under purchase warranty, 2003.
*Gauge Cluster 139,000 KM. (Rev-counter, speedo, fuel gauge all went Kaput within 15 days) June 2008
*A/C control (small part inside the HVAC control unit) July 2008
*Tailgate window seal January 2009
*Both headlight connectors burn out (replaced with aftermarket and aftermarket "blue-ish" bulbs, had to replace both again within 4 weeks (August 2012, September 2012) Currently using aftermarket plug with OEM bulbs and no issues.
*Front Constant Velocity Joints, control arm bushings and sway bar bushings (May 2012)
*IACV 2013 - (due to irregular idle and stalling) after replacement issue is still not resolved
*Rear Link Rods and Bump stops + accompanying bushings, etc. (They rods were cracked)

Will need to fix/replace within 1 year:

Either MAF, or TPS
Auto Transmission (starting to slip and shift roughly)
Motor starting to smoke blue on cold-startups (once in a while) and loud tap on cold start-ups too.

She worked beautifully for many, many years...kinda sad that I'm having all these issues now...

My '98 Nissan Pathfinder has over 371000 mile on it and still runs strong. It has the orignal engine and I bought it new with only 3 mile on it. I hope to see it make it to 400000.

166,000
2nd Owner. Replaced struts, shocks and front axles. Drives nicely. Had a little problem with tracking straight on the freeway. Wanted to creep side to side. Consulted on-line Nissan tech. He indicated the rubber bearings in the struts that go to the rear axle. Had them replaced by a shop, Problem solved.
One day parked it. Came back would not start. Called on-line help again. Cost $18. He indicated common failure of distributor. Yep, New distributor $125 started right up. Use an old timing light. Timed to spec. Passed smog same day.
I have heard that if you don't use 4 wheel drive much you should engage it once in a while and drive in a straight line just to move the gears around. Is this true? Very Happy with this rig. This is a nicely built car.

First post!

1999 QX4 w/ 100,250 kms.
(bought in July 2012 with ~97,000 kms/60,000 mi)

One previous owner: well-to-do female dentist, only drove it back and forth to work, always garaged.

Replace brake pads and A/C compressor are first on the to-do list.

Newbie question: what's the difference between a 99 and a 99.5 and how do I know which one I have? Engine size?

Hello,

I'm new to this forum. I have a 2002 Nissan Pathfinder LE and I've just approached 316,000KM. My dad purchased it back in 2005 with 110,000KM. Still going strong!

D13_R50 wrote:Bought my '04 Pathfinder in the summer of '08. About 90000 km, now about 107000 km.
in the time period ive owned it, i've already replaced a fan clutch, muffler, evap control vent, and evap canister.

lets just say im not all that impressed.

Little update on this, now about 142000 km. No real issues and I haven't had to replace any major parts since replacing the evap canister/control vent 3 years ago.

Hey everyone,

I am new to NICO!

My 2001 Infiniti QX4 just reached 215,000 KM.

I recently added magnaflow dual-in-out exhaust and K&N intake.

Will post pictures up later =) please share your thoughts then.

chickenknob wrote:I got the hand me down from my brother its a

98 QX4 with 171,XXX miles and i replaced plugs for the second time and just serviced the trans. it just developed a crazy idle it will go dead at a stop and go up and down on the highway.

I don't know if I replied correctly. I am new to this site. Anyway, i am having idle issues. I just bought my 2001 Pathfinder and it runs and looks great aside from this idle issue. I bought it with the assurance of the car dealer it would be taken care of, alas he is having troubles fixing it. Now mine doesn't idle up and down while driving, but in park it will SOMETIMES (yes it does not do it all the time) race up and down up and down about 1000rpms. What did you do to fix your idle problem? Maybe that will fix mine? Thank you.

as for major repairs:
- Intake timing valve sensor PO1140 Bank 1 @ 213,247 km
- Intake timing valve sensor P1145 Bank 2 @ 177,490 km
- Repaired “O-Ring” Oil Leak @ 177,000 km
- Replace Front stabilizer Link @ 175,000 km
- Replaced: Mass Airflow Sensor and
Re-Programed Electronic Computer Unit,
Throttle Position Sensor, @151,402 km
- Replace rear O2 sensor @73,401 km

@ jrgilbert

I know exactly what you are talking about, I was in and out of the dealer trying to fix this headache, at first we thought it was the intake timing valve that failed on me, but after replacing them it didn't fix it.

I do not know the actualy solution but what I have been noticing is that if you let the car warm up, adn drive it slowly fort the first 15 minutes this problem will not happen, but if i drive the car cold right away it will definately act up.

if anyone has the solution ? please share!

We have updated our reliability stats for the Pathfinder to include owner experiences through December 31, 2012.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2008: 25, low

2007: 34, low

2006: 68, moderate

2005: 48, low, sample size one vehicle short

2003: 62, low

2002: 73, low

2001: 55, low

2000: 45, low

1998: 113, moderate

Sample sizes all small or even very small.

Thank you, once again, to everyone who has been helping. We'll have further updates in May and August. With more owners involved, we could provide more precise information and cover more model years.

We will have a stat for the 2013 next time.

To see how competitors compare, and to sign up to help improve this information:

Nissan Pathfinder reliability ratings and comparisons

Hello. New to forum. 03 QX4 with 135,000 miles. Bought in summer of 2011 with 111,000 miles. New tires, new stereo, leather conditioner on the seats and it's like new. Slight vibration in the front end on braking and I'm planning to fix it and drive this car another 100,000 miles at least. --Jerry

edit: As for repairs, not sure about before I got it but I had to repair a leaking oil cooler when I got it. It had obviously been drive for years with the leak. Lot of work to clean it up.

Over 200K and still running strong. Today also marks my second year of owning my vehicle, and I have had no severe problems since then. I've fixed minor problems and have performed regular maintenance and that is it.

1996 Nissan Pathfinder SE 4wd w/ 275k and still running strong and perfect. Only had regular maintenance including the exhaust manifolds, replacing struts and electronic shocks and brakes...etc. LOVE LOVE LOVE my Pathfinder!

Correction - Also had to replace front axle bushings, but 17 year old rubber will do that to you.

2001 QX4, bought used in 2009 with 99,000mi. Currently has just over 147,000mi.

Since 2009 I've replaced:
Stock stereo for an Alpine iPod/USB only unit in 2009
Intake timing valve sensor in 2010 (cannot remember which one)
Three O2 sensors (two in 2010, one last year because of emissions)
Shocks, struts, tires, drivers-side window motor in 2011
MAS and HID's were both replaced yesterday

Otherwise it has been an excellent vehicle. The brakes are starting to squeal and the interior could use some love (some leather distress on the driver's side). The same could be said for the exterior paint. But it's had such a relatively minute number of problems, when I do have one it's a bit of a shock. Can't say enough good things about these vehicles, err except for my fuel economy.

Just bought mine, so 03' SE 54,800 original miles.

'99 SE automatic 4x4 just hit 252000 runs perfectly except she pulls slightly to the right.. so an alignment is in the future.

i guess ill get in on this thread.

I had a 2003 pathfinder 4wd SE. when it was totalled it had 165k miles i think.
overall, i loved it. handled very well, had pretty decent power, fuel mileage wasnt the worst.

i had very few problems with mine other than the transmission that was never sorted out so i cant say what exactly that problem was.

most common problem was bulbs burning out. headlights fog lights tail lights. they constantly blew.

cd changer went out at 32k miles

the automatic headlight mode wasnt working properly. head and fog lights would come on but no running or gauge lights i never fixed it, probably just the switch. messed up around 60k miles

blower motor would make an awful rumble/hum/vibrate noise with the heat, and only the heat. the ac would make a rattle noise in the dash, but it was only with the ac on.

trailing arm bushings were replaced twice. the second time was with poly bushings.

and i had an idle issue at 70k miles. it idled very low, nissan claimed i needed a new ecm, and throttle body. they failed to put my intake on tight and i happened the glance in the throttle body. a little cleaning was all that was needed. i actually joined this site to solve this problem.

heat sheilds rattled at around 85k miles, i cut them all off.

and finally at around 150k miles the catalytic converters werent funtioning to their full potential. i forgot the code but it was "catalyst efficiency below threshold"

other than that, three sets of tires, two sets of front brakes, one set of belts, 5 batteries, one set of plugs, and normal fluid changes. the engine bay, the bottom of the vehicle the interior, everything looked great, living in tennessee, rust isnt an issue, and i never really went offroading. i just toyed around from time to time. i did, however, drive it on the street like it was stolen from time to time. rev limiter was hit several times, red line was hit multiple times a day, pulled a trailer a few times

1999 QX4. 161K miles. Owned for 12 years. Now used only in the summertime.

Probably the best car/truck I have ever owned. Virtually no problems ever[/u].

Working on the (somewhat) overdue 150K maintenance.

Local (non Nissan) shop after an inspection proposes several maintenance items not in the log book:

Tranmission flush (add cleaner and replace old fluid), power steering service (add cleaner, flush, refill), remove fluid from tansfer case and refill, serpentine belt replacement and wheel bearing repack.

I think I'll just go to Infiniti/Nissan and have them do the scheduled 150K maint.

Thoughts ??

Cleaning additives are worthless. The fluid exchanges and belts are rather easy to do yourself. You can do a transmission fluid exchange in your driveway, and you can siphon fluid from the power steering fluid reservoir and refill. The transfer case has drain and fill plugs to make service easy. The belts should be fairly simple too, the only difficult procedure may be the wheel bearing grease repack. Most of the maintenance procedures can be found in the general information thread linked in my signature.

Welcome to NICO!

Thank you so much Towncivilian. Saved me a lot of money I think.

2000 Pathfinder SE Ltd - 2WD - Purchased in July 2012 with 158k - now has 171k - running strong!

Just got done with a ton of needed maintenence.

We've updated our reliability stats for the Pathfinder to include owner experiences through March 31, 2013.

Repair frequencies, in terms of repair trips per 100 cars per year:

2013 Pathfinder: 31, moderate, small sample size
2008 Pathfinder: 29, low, small sample size
2007 Pathfinder: 40, low, very small sample size
2006 Pathfinder: 70, moderate, small sample size
2005 Pathfinder: 57, moderate, small sample size
2003 Pathfinder: 60, low, small sample size
2002 Pathfinder: 77, low, small sample size
2001 Pathfinder: 41, low, small sample size
2000 Pathfinder: 42, low, very small sample size
1998 Pathfinder: 95, moderate, very small sample size

We'll have further updates in August and in November.

For the details, including the descriptions of reported repairs, and to sign up to help improve this information:

Nissan Pathfinder reliability ratings and comparisons