1997 Nissan Pathfinder V6

Faults:

I was waxing the car and my hand went through the fender. What a rust bucket!

Very poor gas mileage

Now the transmission is going bad, I have no reverse!

Used parts (i.e: Automatic Transmission) are very hard to find. Maybe someone on this site can help me with finding a used transmission.

My name is Randy. You can reach me by email at: randy-klingman@hotmail.com

General Comments:

Poor quality.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 14th April, 2013

1997 Nissan Pathfinder SE 3.3L V6

Summary:

Be careful when buying used!

Faults:

Clutch needed to be replaced when first purchased.

Struts and ball joints needed replacement - the Nissan Death Wobble =)

Transmission rebuilt.

Various lines have cracked/broken - clutch hydraulic line, gas line, brake lines.

General Comments:

First, the pros:

Very comfortable vehicle; adequate power; capable of handling itself in most situations, from harsh winters to light off-roading; solid engine.

Now, the cons:

Horrible gas mileage (13MPG average - but what else would I expect from a 4WD SUV?)

Sucked my wallet dry - repairs were overly expensive.

RUST - watch out for this! The majority of my problems were a result of the rust bucket that is my truck.

4WD system finicky at times (could just be my experience, tended to slow the car down greatly when engaged)

Way more repairs required than I would expect for a vehicle of this age - what happened to Pathfinders being reliable? Not in my experience.

Overall, I liked this truck. Bought it used for 2,100 in 2007 (dealer trade in value - bought from a private owner who decided not to trade it in). In the two years I've owned it, I've sunk around 5,000 into it in repairs - not something I'm pleased with.

How could this have been improved? My recommendation to anyone looking at a used Pathfinder - look closely!!! RUST IS THE ENEMY. My car lived most of its life in upstate New York and lasted through some very harsh winters, but each one took a significant toll on the body. The body itself is disintegrating, the frame will likely soon follow. So many of the little problems with this truck could have been avoided if the rust weren't such an issue. Check your used cars carefully!

In addition to the rust, I think that the vehicle's previous owners had a lot to do with its current state. When we bought it, the clutch was burnt out, ball joints and struts were going, exhaust was falling apart... lots of small things that added up to one big lemon.

It was a very comfortable truck, with plenty of power and capability, but the lack of reliability is severely pushing me away from buying another one in the future.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 21st April, 2009

5th May 2013, 15:06

I had just bought a used a AWD car that was very sluggish even with the clutch disengaged. It would not coast, but would slow down right away.

Turns out the transfer case had very little oil, and this was causing a drag that the engine had to "overcome - all the time", hence bad gas mileage.

I put a good synthetic gear oil in the transfer case, including the 5 speed tranny & differentials. The change was most notably, a greatly improved gas mileage, better acceleration and smoother constant speed (highway) driving, plus easier shifting.

1997 Nissan Pathfinder LE V6

Summary:

Very dependable vehicle

Faults:

Had an exhaust problem, muffler rusted through around 85,000, bought the extended warranty and it was taken care of asap. Excellent service.

That's it other than general maintenance.

General Comments:

This has been a great vehicle! No real mechanical problems and has never missed a beat. The interior is starting to wear, but this vehicle is heavily used for my work and I am in and out of it a lot. Handles well, but is not the best thing to be in on the ice. Light in the rear and very quick to lose traction if icey.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 24th February, 2008