1987 Nissan Pathfinder Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1987 Nissan Pathfinder, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Seat belts725.0%
- Engine517.9%
- Driver assistance310.7%
- Visibility27.1%
- Interior & seats27.1%
- Steering27.1%
- Transmission27.1%
- Body & structure13.6%
- Suspension13.6%
- Fuel system13.6%
- Tires & wheels13.6%
- Heating & air conditioning13.6%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE FLOOR UNDER THE BACK SEAT RUSTED THROUGH. SEAT BELT ANCHORS WERE RUSTED SO THAT THEY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE PULLED OUT IN AN ACCIDENT. EXHAUST WAS COMING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT THRU THE FLOOR. THE SAME PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO YOU (BY OTHER PATHFINDER OWNERS) FOR 1987 THROUGH 1996 PATHFINDERS(PROBABLY ABOUT 20 TIMES)THE PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED WHENT HE REAR SEAT WAS FOLDED DOWN TO USE THE EXTENDED CARGO AREA. THE REPAIR COST $2000.*AK
DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER WAS GOING 20 MPH & HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. VEHICLE CAME TO A GRINDING HALT AND WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING. IT CUT OFF RIGHT IN FRONT OF A AUTO SHOP. THEY FOUND TOP OF HEAD BOLT HAD SHEARED OFF AND FELL DOWN INTO CAMSHAFT AND BUSTED IT. IT WAS PASSED MILEAGE FOR MANUFACTURER TO COVER IT.*AK THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED. THERE WAS A DEFECT CAMPAIGN BY NHTSA, # FC0002519 ABOUT HEAD BOLT SEPARATION. *YH
THE FLOOR UNDER THE BACK SEAT RUSTED THROUGH. SEAT BELT ANCHORS WERE RUSTED SO THAT THEY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE PULLED OUT IN AN ACCIDENT. EXHAUST WAS COMING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT THRU THE FLOOR. THE SAME PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO YOU (BY OTHER PATHFINDER OWNERS) FOR 1987 THROUGH 1996 PATHFINDERS(PROBABLY ABOUT 20 TIMES)THE PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED WHENT HE REAR SEAT WAS FOLDED DOWN TO USE THE EXTENDED CARGO AREA. THE REPAIR COST $2000.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
ACCELERATOR PEDAL GETS STUCK, AND CONSUMER HAS TO PHYSICALLY FORCE ACCELERATOR TO BECOME UNSTUCK. VEHICLE ACCELERATES TO HIGHER SPEEDS DUE TO SUCH FORCE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED., AND INSPECTED THE PROBLEM 2 YEARS WHEN THE PROBLEM FIRST OCCURRED. PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED THE SAME WAY.*AK
AUTOMATIC CRUISE CONTROL STUCK WHEN ACCELERATING ON AN INCLINE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
REAR VIEW MIRRORS INADEQUATE IN DESIGN CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY, ON TWO OCCASIONS VEHICLE STRUCK UNSEEN VEHICLES DUE TO BLIND SPOTS. MJS
HEATER CORE HOUSING CAUGHT FIRE. *DSH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
REAR SEAT ROCKS BACK AND FORTH. WHEN PULLING SEAT UP IT IS RUSTED, AND CONSUMER CAN SEE STRAIGHT THROUGH THE FOOT BOARD. *AK *ML
REAR SEAT BELTS FAILED. *SKD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
AUTOMATIC CRUISE CONTROL STUCK WHEN ACCELERATING ON AN INCLINE.
RUBBER CUSHIONING ON STEERING WHEEL BROKE AWAY FROM PIN IN THE MIDDLE, THIS COULD CAUSE CHEST INJURY UPON VEHICLE IMPACT. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
AUTOMATIC CRUISE CONTROL STUCK WHEN ACCELERATING ON AN INCLINE.
CONSUMER STATES THAT HE HAS REPLACED THE CLUTCH (3) TIMES SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AND THE CLUTCH NEEDS TO REPLACED AGAIN. HAS HAD VEHICLE FOR (2) YEARS AND (9) MONTHS. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE FLOOR UNDER THE BACK SEAT RUSTED THROUGH. SEAT BELT ANCHORS WERE RUSTED SO THAT THEY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE PULLED OUT IN AN ACCIDENT. EXHAUST WAS COMING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT THRU THE FLOOR. THE SAME PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO YOU (BY OTHER PATHFINDER OWNERS) FOR 1987 THROUGH 1996 PATHFINDERS(PROBABLY ABOUT 20 TIMES)THE PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED WHENT HE REAR SEAT WAS FOLDED DOWN TO USE THE EXTENDED CARGO AREA. THE REPAIR COST $2000.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
REAR VIEW MIRRORS INADEQUATE IN DESIGN CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY, ON TWO OCCASIONS VEHICLE STRUCK UNSEEN VEHICLES DUE TO BLIND SPOTS. MJS
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
AUTOMATIC CRUISE CONTROL STUCK WHEN ACCELERATING ON AN INCLINE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
FIRESTONE FIREHAWK ATX 31/10.5/R15 LT M&S TIRE FAILURE - TREAD SEPARATION. (CLAIM# 14-1295-337) *MW
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
AUTOMATIC CRUISE CONTROL STUCK WHEN ACCELERATING ON AN INCLINE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .