IllustrationNAR 03/03/2003. THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE FAILED TO PASS A CALIFORNIA SMOG TEST BECAUSE THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. IT WAS DISCOVERED THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED WITHOUT A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. *JB
1992 Nissan Pathfinder
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Fewer warning signs than most model years
Owner complaints for the 1992 Nissan Pathfinder are lower than the model-year median of 97.
Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.
About this comparison →30Owner complaints
Model-year median: 97
0Recall campaignsView recall details →
0InvestigationsView investigation details →
Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Inspection summary
1992 Nissan Pathfinder
NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 30 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.
Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.
Top reported categories (up to 5)
- Power Train: 9 reports
- Engine And Engine Cooling: 8 reports
- Structure: 4 reports
- Tires: 4 reports
- Electrical System: 2 reports
Full reported-category list and vehicle report
Recall links
No recall campaigns in this snapshot.
Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.
How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Pathfinder years →Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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: 4 of 30 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.
- Power Train. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
2 crash reports2 fire reports4 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
8 reportsEXHAUST MANIFOLD'S BOLT BROKE, CAUSING LOUD NOISE COMING FROM VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE PUT INTO REPAIR SHOP FOR REPAIRS. *AK
ON A NISSAN RELATED WEBSITE, AT LEAST 10-15 OTHERS HAD SAME PROBLEM!!!, DEALER SAYS THEY KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BUT WON'T FIX IT AFTER 60,000 MILES. THERE MUST BE HUNDREDS OF OTHERS LIKE ME. IS THIS JSUT SOMETHING US CONSUMERS HAVE TO LEARN TO LIVE WITH? CAN MANUFACTURERS JUST GIVE US DEFECTIVE PARTS AND WE HAVE TO PAY? I AM AF…
Read full complaint
ON A NISSAN RELATED WEBSITE, AT LEAST 10-15 OTHERS HAD SAME PROBLEM!!!, DEALER SAYS THEY KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BUT WON'T FIX IT AFTER 60,000 MILES. THERE MUST BE HUNDREDS OF OTHERS LIKE ME. IS THIS JSUT SOMETHING US CONSUMERS HAVE TO LEARN TO LIVE WITH? CAN MANUFACTURERS JUST GIVE US DEFECTIVE PARTS AND WE HAVE TO PAY? I AM AFRAID TO BUY ANOTHER CAR!
RADIATOR COOLER FAILED, RESULTING IN TRANSMISSION FAILURE. QCAW
EXHAUST MANIFOLD MOUNTS ON FRONT LEFT SIDE AND REAR RIGHT SIDE BROKE.
THE ENGINE EXHAUST MANIFOLD LEAKS.
TWO EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS BROKE OFF. *AK
WHEN VEHICLE IS COLD, EXHAUST NOISES COME OUT, STUDS BROKE ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD, WHEN VEHICLE IS WARMED UP/HEATED THE NOISE GOES AWAY. TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
Recall campaigns
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
Defect investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.