1998 Nissan Pathfinder — Known Issues & Recalls

Your front driver's side strut assembly fractured and separated from the vehicle's frame at 176,000 miles. The dealer inspected the vehicle but determined it couldn't be repaired. This is a serious structural problem that affects your vehicle's handling and safety.

While driving on the highway at normal speeds, your SUV rocks side to side when you accelerate, feeling like it might roll over even though you're driving straight. Applying the brakes stops the rocking. This has happened multiple times, including on curves where it's worse. The suspension or steering components may need inspection and adjustment to restore stability.

After hitting a pothole, your Pathfinder rocks side to side. This was a known recall issue that was fixed on September 23, 2011, when the bearings, tires, and struts were replaced.

Your steering wheel wobbles significantly while driving, especially at highway speeds around 60 mph, making you feel like you might lose control. The wobbling is less severe at lower speeds but still noticeable enough to make passengers feel queasy. Your dealer diagnosed worn suspension components that need replacement to fix this steering instability.

Your 1998 Nissan Pathfinder is leaking a strong gasoline odor from the fuel system. The smell is so intense that it filled your home's first floor when the vehicle was parked in the garage with about a quarter tank of fuel. Even though the filler tube was previously replaced, the odor problem persists. You'll likely need to have the fuel system inspected and possibly have the fuel filler tube or related seals replaced again.

Your fuel filler neck has developed rust holes, which can cause fuel leaks. This was confirmed by a Nissan dealer and the vehicle was repaired. The issue occurred at 144,000 miles. The repair will likely involve replacing the corroded fuel filler neck with a new one.

You notice a gas smell when driving after filling up your tank, which has forced you to only fill it halfway to avoid the odor. A dealership identified a gas neck recall issue during a previous repair but said they didn't have parts available and would contact you—but never followed up over a year later. The underlying gas smell and fuel system problem should be inspected and repaired by a qualified technician.

During a highway crash after hydroplaning in rain, your car's airbags deployed only partially in a balloon-like manner instead of fully inflating on impact. You and your passenger struck the windshield and sustained injuries including temporary blindness, neck pain, and cuts from glass, requiring medical attention. The airbag system may need inspection to determine why deployment was incomplete.

You lost consciousness while driving 30 mph and crashed your 1998 Nissan Pathfinder. When the airbag deployed, it caused minor facial injuries and left eye injuries that required ongoing medical treatment. Your vehicle was destroyed in the crash and the manufacturer was never notified of the incident.

Your vehicle won't go into reverse when you shift the lever to the reverse position. This happened without any warning signs. The vehicle hasn't been diagnosed or repaired yet. Fixing this will likely involve inspecting the transmission system and potentially replacing internal transmission components or the shift linkage.

Your car won't shift into reverse gear. This happened at around 200,000 miles, and the vehicle hasn't been diagnosed or repaired yet. The issue may involve the transmission linkage, shift cable, or internal transmission components that need inspection and repair.

Your vehicle shakes severely when driving over 40 mph. Due to a recall-related strut placement error, the strut tower wall behind your passenger-side front wheel has rusted out almost completely. This structural and suspension damage is making your car unsafe to drive at normal speeds.

Your Pathfinder was involved in a crash at 40 mph into a tree, but the airbags failed to deploy. Additionally, your power steering has malfunctioned on several occasions, making the steering wheel very difficult to turn left or right. These issues involve both safety systems and drivability and should be inspected by a technician. Repairs may involve airbag system diagnostics, replacement of airbag components, and power steering system inspection or fluid/pump replacement.

Your SUV rocks and sways severely from side to side while driving on the highway, especially during acceleration or braking, making it feel like it might roll over. You're limited to speeds under 30 mph because the wobbling gets worse the faster you go. The issue is likely caused by worn rubber bushings and suspension links in the rear axle that have excessive play. Nissan has issued a service bulletin about this problem, but repair typically involves replacing the worn suspension bushings and trailing arm components.

Your 1998 Nissan Pathfinder was brought in for recall service on steering and brakes that could cause a crash. The dealer said they weren't sure how to repair the vehicle safely, and after weeks with no updates, they decided to send it to an auto body shop instead of a certified Nissan service center. You're concerned the vehicle may be returned in unsafe condition since body shops don't specialize in structural safety repairs. The repair will require proper steering and brake system inspection and restoration by a qualified technician.

Your brakes failed when you pressed the pedal, and your vehicle accelerated instead of stopping, causing you to crash into a brick wall. The airbags deployed during the crash and caused eye and hand injuries to you and your front passenger. This incident was reported to police and occurred at 200,000 miles.

Your 1998 Pathfinder experiences a violent side-to-side shaking at speeds between 40-70 mph, often triggered by uneven road surfaces, that gradually worsens and continues even after slowing down. This problem, known as "death wobble," has recurred multiple times over the years despite previous repairs involving strut replacement. Slowing down temporarily stops the shaking, but the issue returns after a couple of years. Fixing it typically requires replacing suspension components like struts and related parts.

Your 1998 Nissan Pathfinder has lost reverse gear, but park, neutral, drive, and 4-wheel drive still work normally. A mechanic inspected it and suspects the problem could be either a faulty clutch pack or the transmission itself needing replacement. The fix will likely involve either replacing the clutch pack inside the transmission or rebuilding/replacing the entire transmission.

While driving at 25 mph, you heard an abnormal clicking noise from the front driver's side of your vehicle. When making a left turn to exit the highway, the front driver's side tire fractured. The strut subsequently came off the vehicle after exiting the freeway. The dealer determined that both front struts needed to be replaced.

Your strut housings and struts on both the driver and passenger sides of the front suspension failed and needed replacement. Your front driver-side tire also had to be replaced as a result of the strut failure. A mechanic performed all the repairs and charged you for both parts and labor. The repair likely involved removing and installing new strut assemblies and replacing the damaged tire.