1999 Nissan Pathfinder Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about the front strut towers and surrounding sheet metal rusting through, often in vehicles driven in road-salt states, which can pull the body away from the suspension and steering. A smaller but steady share of complaints covers whole-vehicle drivability problems such as vibration and wander, airbags that did not deploy in some frontal impacts, and a few reports of transmission or fuel filler problems at lower mileage.

1. 1
   Suspension

   Rusted-through front strut towers and wheel wells

   • 34 complaints (33%)
   • median 145,000 mi at 12.2 yrs old (23 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2019

   Complaints describe corrosion around the driver-side front strut tower and wheel well that progresses to cracking or tearing of the surrounding sheet metal, sometimes letting the strut assembly settle onto the steering column. Owners report grinding or rubbing noises, the vehicle leaning to one side, and steering that becomes stiff or unresponsive; several say a mechanic or body shop told them the area was too rusted to repair normally. Some owners had the tower welded, and a number say the work was declined or that their vehicle was not covered when they asked about the strut-tower recall. Mostly reported between roughly 90,000 and 200,000 miles, and several owners tie it to winter road-salt use.

   Recall 11V2440002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Have a shop inspect both front strut towers and the surrounding wheel-well sheet metal from above and below for rust, cracks or fresh welding, especially on vehicles from salt-belt states. Ask whether the strut-housing recall work was performed and keep the paperwork.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The 1999 Nissan Pathfinder was parked in the driveway and noticed it was leaning to the drivers side a bit. I looked at the suspension and found the drivers front strut mounting area was corrroded away severly. I was going to repair it but the cost is very high and one place did not want to do it. I am affraid to drive it now in fear of an accident.”

   NHTSA complaint #10394041, filed 2011-04, 159,310 miles

   “I am writing as requested on our phone call on january 3 2015 as you are aware my wife and eleven year old daughter were nearly in an accident on december 15 2014. My 1999 Nissan Pathfinder had gone back to the dealer in 2014 as there was a recall on strut tower failure in high road salt sections of the country. They repaired the driver side strut tower and half of the passenger side tower the enclosed pictures show where they stopped the repair. This is where the tower failed. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10672460, filed 2015-01, 209,000 miles
2. 2
   Suspension

   Front-end shimmy, vibration and wander at highway speed

   • 12 complaints (12%)
   • median 125,000 mi at 12.2 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2015

   Owners describe a front-end shimmy, shaking or wandering that shows up above about 50-55 mph and can make the vehicle feel hard to hold in a lane. Complaints mention repeated tire replacement and alignments that did not settle the condition, worn or leaking struts and shocks, and in one case rear suspension bushings replaced in stages without resolving a swaying feel. Several owners say the dealer characterized the behavior as normal or could not correct it. Reported across a wide mileage range, from new or low-mileage vehicles up to about 130,000 miles, typically at highway speeds.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: Drive the vehicle at highway speed and over bumps, watching for shake through the wheel and any drift or off-center steering wheel. Ask about the age of the struts, shocks and bushings, and whether an alignment and tire balance were recently done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “1999 Nissan Pathfinder rear suspension swaying feels like the car is going to roll over. Very scary to drive. Occurs at all speeds but mostly at higher rate (55-60 MPH) replaced - per Nissan dealer- front/rear shocks/ struts. When this didn't fix problem then was told about rear bushings needed replacing but only 4 of them. Cost $1200. Still have problem. Took back to dealer and told another/different 4 rear bushing needed replacing another $1200. Have not been able to get back to dealer yet. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10325413, filed 2010-04, 125,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 1999 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA campaign id number: 11v244000 (suspension:front). After repairs, the contact noticed a loud squeaking noise coming from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where they advised that the strut was leaking and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not further repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 91,177. The VIN was unavailable.”

   NHTSA complaint #10418647, filed 2011-08, 91,177 miles
3. 3
   Body and structure

   Rusted frame and body seams

   • 10 complaints (10%)
   • median 126,000 mi at 11.0 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2008–2012

   Owners report body and frame rust developing from the inside out, in some cases severe enough that a state safety inspection failed or a shop declined to repair the vehicle. Complaints describe visible holes in the frame, body welds rusted through so the body separates from the frame, and wheel-well metal tearing away. Several owners say the dealer or manufacturer attributed the condition to vehicle age and mileage and offered no assistance. Typically reported from about 120,000 to 200,000 miles, most often on vehicles used in areas with road salt.

   Recall 07V4350002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Look underneath along the frame rails, body mounts and wheel wells for flaking or perforated metal, and ask whether the vehicle has passed a recent state inspection. Be wary of fresh undercoating that could hide corrosion.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My 1999 Nissan Pathfinder has extensive frame rust, rusting from the inside out. It failed a virginia safety check. Virginia law prohibits frame repair on vehicles. The report and pictures were sent from the local Nissan dealer to Nissan corporate, and they dismissed any liability, saying the vehicle was too old, with too many miles (200k). I have researched this and found hundreds of reports on the internet. The rust is so extensive that you can literally see through the frame in some spots.”

   NHTSA complaint #10287091, filed 2009-10, 199,999 miles

   “1999.5 Nissan Pathfinder 4wd lx with less than 130k miles started rusting last year and now has excessive body rust. Front driver side strut assembly completely separated from car and had to be replaced and rewelded in 2007, gas fill pipe was recalled for repair by Nissan due to excessive rust. Single owner garaged car never taken near salt water.”

   NHTSA complaint #10238667, filed 2008-08, 120,000 miles
4. 4
   Air bags

   Airbags not deploying in frontal collisions

   • 10 complaints (10%)
   • median 80,000 mi at 5.6 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • 9 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2001–2015

   Several owners report that the front airbags did not deploy in head-on or significant frontal impacts, including crashes at highway speed. A few complaints also mention burns to the wrist from an airbag that did deploy, and one owner describes trouble getting a recall-related airbag switch installed at a dealer. Complaints generally describe the vehicle being inspected or repaired afterward without a clear explanation for the non-deployment. Reported at low to moderate mileage, with complaints filed from the early 2000s through the 2010s.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check that the airbag warning lamp behaves normally with the ignition on and ask whether any open airbag-related campaigns were completed. Be cautious about aftermarket seat covers or trim changes over seat-mounted side airbags.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My left wrist was burned badly when the air bags deployed after an accident I was involved in. Is whatever is put in the air bag to burn a person's skin necessary? Is there another way?”

   NHTSA complaint #10723543, filed 2015-06, 135,000 miles

   “Airbag failure 2 deploy x2 1st 2004 head on collision which lead 2 permanent disability & loss of my career of 20+ yrs police report stts airbags should have deployed & im lucky im not dead I filled this form prior I had substantial injuries however it states no injuries again in 2007 my child head on mva & again airbags did not deploy seat belts also failed to restrain help anyone with similar problem call me as I've only been told no complaints by Nissan I also noted 54+ service notifications of which none of I was notified Nissan does not …”

   NHTSA complaint #10219149, filed 2008-02, 80,000 miles

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.