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1998 Nissan Pathfinder Recalls & Complaints

4

open safety recalls on record

Critical

194 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 1.39 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical07V435000

Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Filler Pipe And Cap

THIS MAY RESULT IN SURFACE RUST BUT NOT PERFORATION OF THE TUBE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL FILLER TUBE ASSEMBLY WITH A NEW ONE WITH AN IMPROVED COATING PROCESS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 26, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, KENTUCKY, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, MARYLAND, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, TENNESSEE, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA , WISCONSIN AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, DURING THE COATING PROCESS OF THE FUEL FILLER TUBE ASSEMBLY, AN INSUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF COATING MAY HAVE BEEN APPLIED AT THE LOWER MOUNTING BRACKET. THIS COULD RESULT IN AN OPENING IN THE COATING WHICH CAN ALLOW WATER TO ENTER AND MAKE CONTACT WITH THE BARE METAL OF THE TUBE.

Serious11V244000

Steering:Column

THE STRUT HOUSING MAY CRACK AND PULL AWAY FROM THE INNER HOOD LEDGE ASSEMBLY.

Remedy & full details

NISSAN WILL INSPECT THE STRUT HOUSING AND REPAIR THE VEHICLES AS NECESSARY, FREE OF CHARGE. AN INTERIM NOTIFICATION LETTER WAS SENT OUT IN MAY 2011. THE SECOND NOTICE WAS MAILED ON JULY 25, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1996-2004 PATHFINDER AND MODEL YEAR 1997-2003 INFINITI QX4 VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD, OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MASSACHUSETTS, MAINE, MARYLAND, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WASHINGTON D.C., WEST VIRGINIA AND WISCONSIN. IN AREAS OF THE COUNTRY IN WHICH HEAVY CONCENTRATIONS OF ROAD SALT ARE USED, A MIXTURE OF SNOW/WATER AND SALT MAY ENTER AN ASSEMBLY LOCATION HOLE IN THE UPPER STRUT HOUSING, CAUSING WATER TO COLLECT AT THE MATING SURFACE OF THE STRUT HOUSING PANEL AND THE INNER HOOD LEDGE ASSEMBLY. OVER TIME, THIS SNOW/WATER AND SALT INTRUSION MAY RESULT IN CORROSION OF THE STRUT TOWER HOUSING IN SOME SUBJECT VEHICLES.

Serious06E049000

Exterior Lighting

WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy & full details

CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.

CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

Serious06E026000

Exterior Lighting

WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy & full details

PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.

CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

Complaint volume

194 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

31Crashes
1Fires
41Injuries
4Deaths

Across 194 complaints. Severity Index 1.39.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Suspension20 · 10%Suspension · Rear17 · 9%Power Train · Automatic T…13 · 7%Vehicle Speed Control · A…11 · 6%Tires10 · 5%Steering9 · 5%Suspension · Front8 · 4%Vehicle Speed Control7 · 4%
  1. Suspension — 20 reports
  2. Suspension:Rear — 17 reports
  3. Power Train:Automatic Transmission — 13 reports
  4. Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal — 11 reports
  5. Tires — 10 reports
  6. Steering — 9 reports
  7. Suspension:Front — 8 reports
  8. Vehicle Speed Control — 7 reports
  9. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip — 6 reports
  10. Air Bags:Frontal — 6 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1995 · 1996 (5) · 1997 (4) · 1998 · 1999 (5) · 2000 (6) · 2001 (7) · 2002 (9) · 2003 (7) · 2004 (7) · 2005 (4) · 2006 (5) · 2007 (2) · 2008 (5) · 2009 (4) · 2010 (5) · 2011 (2) · 2012 (2) · 2013 (11) · 2014 (11) · 2015 (5) · 2016 (2) · 2017 (2) · 2018 (3) · 2019 (2) · 2020 · 2022 (5) · 2023 (1) · 2024 (2) · 2025 (1) · 2026

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.