Problems · NHTSA complaints
1998 Nissan Pathfinder problems
Owners filed 149 complaints about the 1998 Nissan Pathfinder with NHTSA between Dec 1997 and Oct 2018. The most-cited component is suspension (47).
Complaints
149
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
21
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
29
People reported injured
Deaths
2
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Suspension47
- Power train20
- Vehicle speed control16
- Structure14
- Service brakes, hydraulic12
- Steering11
- Air bags10
- Fuel system, gasoline9
- Tires9
- Engine and engine cooling5
- Electrical system5
- Fuel/propulsion system3
- Equipment3
- Seat belts3
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 4, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
8
16
11
9
9
12
5
5
3
4
14
7
8
16
5
1
4
5
0
5
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1997 | 1 |
| 1998 | 8 |
| 1999 | 16 |
| 2000 | 11 |
| 2001 | 9 |
| 2002 | 9 |
| 2003 | 12 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2006 | 3 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 14 |
| 2009 | 7 |
| 2010 | 8 |
| 2011 | 16 |
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 5 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Suspension
47 reports1 crash
“OUR 1998 PATHFINDER HAS WHAT IS DESCRIBED BY MANY PEOPLE AS A "DEATH WOBBLE." IT BEGAN AFTER WE BOUGHT IT IN 2003 AND HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE. IT HAPPENED AS RECENTLY AS 2017 AND I AM BEGINNING TO BE AFRAID TO RIDE IN IT. AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 40-70 MPH THE CAR BEGINS TO VIOLENTLY SHAKE FROM SIDE TO SIDE. IT GRADUALLY GETS WORSE. REDUCING YOUR SPEED DOES HELP. IT APPEARS TO BEGIN BECAUSE OF A SMALL, UNEVEN PLACE IN THE HIGHWAY ROAD, BUT THEN DOESN'T STOP SHAKING BACK AND FORTH, SIDE TO SIDE. IT HAS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY EVEN AFTER HAVING IT SUPPOSEDLY FIXED. EACH TIME WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO BE REPAIRED THE SERVICE PERSONNEL ARE FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROBLEM CALLLING IT A "DEATH WOBBLE" AND REPLACE THE STRUTS AND OTHER AFFECTED PARTS. IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE. WE'VE DONE THIS 2-3 TIMES BUT AFTER A COUPLE YEARS IT HAPPENS AGAIN. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP OWNERS OF THE NISSAN PATHFINDER WITH THIS DEFECT? IT'S EXTREMELY UNSAFE AND TERRIFIES BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGERS. PLEASE SEARCH ONLINE: 1998 NISSAN PATHFINDER DEATH WOBBLE AND YOU WILL READ HUNDREDS OF POSTS AND UTUBE VIDEOS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP US.”
Power train
20 reports2 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 NISSAN PATHFINDER. WHEN THE SHIFT LEVER WAS SHIFTED INTO THE REVERSE POSITION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO OPERATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.”
Vehicle speed control
16 reports4 crashes
“DRIVING DOWN THE HWY AND SUV STARTED ROCKING BACK AND FORTH SIDE TO SIDE SEVERELY..I HAD TO BRAKE FAST ..THEN WHEN I ACCELERATED IT WOBBLED WORSE...I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO ROLL...COULD NOT GO OVER 30...VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY...I LOOKED IT UP ON FORUMS TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM....EVERYBODY THAT OWNS THEM HAS HAD THIS EXPERIENCE AT ALL DIFFERENT MILEAGES..THEY REFER TO IT AS THE "DEATH WOBBLE" ONLINE...MILLIONS OF VEHICLES HAVE THIS PROBLEM FROM FAULTY BUSHINGS AND TRAILING ARMS....YET THEY "NISSAN" REFUSE TO RECALL OR PAY TO FIX IT...HERE IS "NISSANS" BULLETIN I FOUND AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE....THEY SHOULD BE PAYING FOR THIS AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL...I HOPE THAT THIS GETS SOME ATTENTION BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED SERVICE BULLETIN CLASSIFICATION: RA97-002 REFERENCE: NTB98-001 DATE: APRIL 1, 1998 PATHFINDER VEHICLE PULL AND FRONT/REAR SUSPENSION EXCESSIVE PLAY APPLIED VEHICLE: 1996-98 PATHFINDER (R50) APPLIED VIN: VEHICLES BUILT BEFORE JN8AR05Y*WW256932 SERVICE INFORMATION IF A 1996-98 PATHFINDER EXHIBITS THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS, THE CAUSE MAY BE FROM WORN BUSHING(S) IN THE REAR SUSPENSION UPPER AND/OR LOWER LINKS. * EXCESSIVE PLAY IN…”
Structure
14 reports2 crashes
“I CANT EVEN DRIVE DOWN THE STREET OVER 40 WITHOUT THE VEHCLE DOING A DEATH SHAKE FROM HELL TO TOP THAT OFF DUE TO THE RECALL FOR THE STRUT PLACEMENT ERROR CAUSING MY STRUT TOWER WALL DIRECTLY BEHIND MY PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL TO ALMOST BE COMPLETLY GONE FROM RUSTING OUT. THIS IS TOTAL BULLSHIT. SOMETHING GOTTA GIVE. IM CALLING CORPORATE IN THE MORNING. HOPEFULLY THEY DONT TRY TO BEAT AROUND BUSH WITH ME LIKE THEY DO TO ALL THERE CUSTOMERS THEY DO WRONG.”
Service brakes, hydraulic
12 reports2 crashes
“LOAD SENSING VALVE ---BRACKET WELDED TO DIFFERENTIAL HAS RUSTED OFF. SPRING APPLYING TENSION TO LOAD SENSING VALVE IS NO LONGER CONNECTED TO THE BRACKET THUS MAKING THE VALVE INOPERABLE. REAR BRAKE PRESSURE NO LONGER CONTROLLED BY THE VALVE DEPENDING ON LOAD. INCREASED CHANCE OF REAR WHEEL LOCK UP AND LOSS OF CONTROL. *TT”
Steering
11 reports3 crashes1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 NISSAN PATHFINDER. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN AWAY FROM THE SCENE. IN ADDITION, THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER LEFT OR RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE CRASH OR THE POWER STEERING FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 176,548.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 4, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.