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1987 Nissan Pathfinder

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

About this comparison →
19Owner complaints

Model-year median: 97

2Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
1
198619
198717
198815
198938
1990
Compare all Pathfinder years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Seat Belts
7Engine And Engine Cooling
5Vehicle Speed Control
3Power Train
2Seats
2
All reported categories
Steering
2Visibility
2Fuel System, Gasoline
1Structure
1Suspension
1Tires
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 0 of 19 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Seat Belts. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

5 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Mar 12, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

CONSUMER WAS GOING 20 MPH & HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. VEHICLE CAME TO A GRINDING HALT AND WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING. IT CUT OFF RIGHT IN FRONT OF A AUTO SHOP. THEY FOUND TOP OF HEAD BOLT HAD SHEARED OFF AND FELL DOWN INTO CAMSHAFT AND BUSTED IT. IT WAS PASSED MILEAGE FOR MANUFACTURER TO COVER IT.*AK THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED. THE…

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CONSUMER WAS GOING 20 MPH & HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. VEHICLE CAME TO A GRINDING HALT AND WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING. IT CUT OFF RIGHT IN FRONT OF A AUTO SHOP. THEY FOUND TOP OF HEAD BOLT HAD SHEARED OFF AND FELL DOWN INTO CAMSHAFT AND BUSTED IT. IT WAS PASSED MILEAGE FOR MANUFACTURER TO COVER IT.*AK THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED. THERE WAS A DEFECT CAMPAIGN BY NHTSA, # FC0002519 ABOUT HEAD BOLT SEPARATION. *YH

NHTSA ODI #882789

Mileage unknown · Jan 5, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingSeat BeltsStructure

THE FLOOR UNDER THE BACK SEAT RUSTED THROUGH. SEAT BELT ANCHORS WERE RUSTED SO THAT THEY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE PULLED OUT IN AN ACCIDENT. EXHAUST WAS COMING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT THRU THE FLOOR. THE SAME PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO YOU (BY OTHER PATHFINDER OWNERS) FOR 1987 THROUGH 1996 PATHFINDERS(PROBABLY ABOUT 20 TIMES)THE…

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THE FLOOR UNDER THE BACK SEAT RUSTED THROUGH. SEAT BELT ANCHORS WERE RUSTED SO THAT THEY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE PULLED OUT IN AN ACCIDENT. EXHAUST WAS COMING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT THRU THE FLOOR. THE SAME PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO YOU (BY OTHER PATHFINDER OWNERS) FOR 1987 THROUGH 1996 PATHFINDERS(PROBABLY ABOUT 20 TIMES)THE PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED WHENT HE REAR SEAT WAS FOLDED DOWN TO USE THE EXTENDED CARGO AREA. THE REPAIR COST $2000.*AK

NHTSA ODI #738838

Mileage unknown · Feb 5, 1998
Engine And Engine Cooling

EXHAUST HEADERS, MANIFOLD AND STUDS, WARPED AND LEAKS CAUSING TICKING SOUND AT COLD STARTS AS WELL AS STRONG EXHAUST SMELLS.

NHTSA ODI #530118

Mileage unknown · Jan 27, 1998
Engine And Engine Cooling

EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS FAILURE, CAUSING LEAKAGE.

NHTSA ODI #530013

Mileage unknown · Nov 5, 1997
Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, GasolinePower Train

AUTOMATIC CRUISE CONTROL STUCK WHEN IT ACCELERATED ON AN INCLINE, INSTALLED NEW CRUISE CONTROL.

NHTSA ODI #524481

Official recalls

2

90V072000 · Equipment:other:labels

Apr 17, 1990

INCORRECT TIRE INFLATION PRESSURES WERE PRINTED ON CERTIFICATION LABELS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: INCORRECT TIRE INFLATION COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy: INSTALL CORRECTED TIRE INFORMATION LABEL ON DOORPOST CERTIFICATION LABEL.

87V137000 · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly

Sep 4, 1987

MISMATCH OF MALE AND FEMALE REAR SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE SEAT BELTS CAN NOT BE BUCKLED AND PASSENGERS AREUNABLE TO USE THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM.

Remedy: INSPECT AND REPLACE ALL MISMATCHED BELT ASSEMBLIES.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

EA95007 · Takata Seat Belt Buckle Failure

Opened Mar 10, 1995 · Closed Aug 2, 1995

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly

There is no summary currently available