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1994 Nissan Pathfinder

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1994 Nissan Pathfinder do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 97.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales 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: 18 of 91 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.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports2 fire reports1 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

35 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jun 13, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

IN DEC OF 1999 AN EXHAUST LEAK STARTED. COSTS $650 TO REPAIR SINCE MANIFOLDS WARP AND BREAK BOLTS OFF IN ENGINE BLOCK. THE BOLTS THEN HAVE TO BE BORED OUT AND THE HOLES IN THE ENGINE HAVE TO BE RETAPPED FOR THREADS. HE SAID IT WAS SURPRIZING THAT BOTH SIDES WEREN'T BAD BECAUSE PATHFINDERS WHERE "KNOWN" FOR THIS FAILURE AND HE…

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IN DEC OF 1999 AN EXHAUST LEAK STARTED. COSTS $650 TO REPAIR SINCE MANIFOLDS WARP AND BREAK BOLTS OFF IN ENGINE BLOCK. THE BOLTS THEN HAVE TO BE BORED OUT AND THE HOLES IN THE ENGINE HAVE TO BE RETAPPED FOR THREADS. HE SAID IT WAS SURPRIZING THAT BOTH SIDES WEREN'T BAD BECAUSE PATHFINDERS WHERE "KNOWN" FOR THIS FAILURE AND HE SAID THAT EVEN THOUGH IT LOOKED LOOK AT THAT TIME, I SHOULD EXPECT IT TO FAIL ANYWAY SOMEDAY BECAUSE THEY ALL DO. ABOUT 1-YEAR LATER, THAT OTHER MANIFOLD DID FAIL IN THE EXACT SAME WAY AND IT COST ME $600+ AT ANOTHER SHOP TO GET THAT ONE REPLACED AND RETAPPED AFTER DRILLING OUT BROKEN BOLTS. THE MECHANIC AT THAT SHOP SAID THAT HE WAS SURPRISED BOTH SIDES WEREN'T BAD SINCE ALL PATHFINDERS HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM AND I EXPLAINED THAT IT HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED. WHY ISN'T NISSAN BEING HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS???*AK

NHTSA ODI #746787

Mileage unknown · Jan 30, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

ACCORDING TO THE DEAL THIS IS A " KNOWN ISSUE " FOR PATHFINDERS AND THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME. I HAVE NOTICED ON THE INTERNET ALOT OF REFERENCES TO THIS PROBLEM, INFACT I GOT THIS WEB ADDRESS FROM THE NISSAN WEBSITE. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #740165

Mileage unknown · Jan 19, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

HAD TO REPLACE BOTH LEFT & RIGHT SIDE EXHAUST MANIFOLD BECAUSE A DESIGN FLAW CAUSED THE STUDS TO START BREAKING OFF.

NHTSA ODI #739630

Mileage unknown · Dec 4, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS ARE BROKEN FROM FATIGUE ON BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES OF THE ENGINE, POSSIBLE ENGINEERING/DESIGN DEFECT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #737285

Mileage unknown · Jul 17, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipment

EXHAUST MANIFOLD (PASSINGER SIDE) CRACKED DUE TO FATIGUE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK BLOWER NOISE IN A/C SINCE THE BEGINING. *YH

NHTSA ODI #865527

Mileage unknown · Jun 7, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

I WOULD LIKE THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALERS TO TAKE THESE PROBLEMS SERIOUSLY. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #723724

Mileage unknown · Apr 6, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

EXHAUST MANIFOLD FAILED TWICE ONCE IN DECEMBER 1998 AND IN MARCH 2000 DUE TO BOLTS BREAKING OFF WHICH WERE TOO SMALL AND NARROW,AND THEN WARPED THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. *AK

NHTSA ODI #859817

Mileage unknown · Mar 13, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 60 MPH. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER WHO INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND BURNED UP. *AK

NHTSA ODI #858441

Mileage unknown · Feb 23, 2000
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

1) SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER BROKEN @ 72500 MILES. 2) EXHAUST STUDS BROKEN, TECH BULLETIN OUT (#94041) BUT DEALER WOULDN'T FIX IT.

NHTSA ODI #719146

Mileage unknown · Jan 26, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. NISSAN DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE DESIGN DEFECT. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ODI #717912

Official recalls

2

02V125000 · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly

May 2, 2002

ON CERTAIN LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS, THE LATCH PLATE USED IN THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WAS NOT MANUFACTURED ACCORDING TO DESIGN DIMENSIONS. IF THE SEAT BELT TONGUE IS INSERTED SLOWLY AT AN ANGLE INTO THE BUCKLE, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF PARTIAL ENGAGEMENT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE SEAT BELT TONGUE TO COME OUT OF THE BUCKLE IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION OR HARD BRAKING OF THE VEHICLE INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY TO AN OCCUPANT OF THE SEAT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BUCKLE AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY WITH A NEW BUCKLE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 22, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

96V170001 · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly

Sep 10, 1996

THE LATCH PLATE USED IN THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WAS NOT MANUFACTURED ACCORDING TO DESIGN DIMENSIONS. IF THE SEAT BELT TONGUE IS INSERTED SLOWLY AT AN ANGLE INTO THE BUCKLE, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF PARTIAL ENGAGEMENT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE SEAT BELT TONGUE TO COME OUT OF THE BUCKLE IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION OR HARD BRAKING OF THE VEHICLE INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY TO AN OCCUPANT OF THE SEAT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BUCKLE AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY WITH A NEW BUCKLE.

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

RQ02009 · Seat Belt Latch Failures

Opened Apr 11, 2002 · Closed Dec 17, 2002

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

TAKATA/NISSAN/ISUZU HAVE DETERMINED THAT DURING THE INITIAL RECALL CAMPAIGN (96V-170), SOME VEHICLES THAT CONTAIN DEFECTIVE SEAT BELT BUCKLES WERE INADVERTENTLY OMITTED FROM THE CAMPAIGN. NISSAN WILL RECALL 92,500 MY1994 PATHFINDER AND D21 PICKUP TRUCKS (02V-125).ISUZU WILL RECALL 13,831 MY1994/1995 RODEO, AMIGO, TF AND PICKUP TRUCKS (02V-281) .ISUZU IS ALSO RECALLING 618 MY 1994 HONDA PASSPORT VEHICLES UNDER RECALL 02V-281 (THE HONDA PASSPORT IS MANUFACTURED BY ISUZU FOR HONDA AND IS SIMILAR TO THE ISUZU RODEO VEHICLE). THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

Additional source detail variants (4)

Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly

TAKATA/NISSAN/ISUZU HAVE DETERMINED THAT DURING THE INITIAL RECALL CAMPAIGN (96V-170), SOME VEHICLES THAT CONTAIN DEFECTIVE SEAT BELT BUCKLES WERE INADVERTENTLY OMITTED FROM THE CAMPAIGN. NISSAN WILL RECALL 92,500 MY1994 PATHFINDER AND D21 PICKUP TRUCKS (02V-125).ISUZU WILL RECALL 13,831 MY1994/1995 RODEO, AMIGO, TF AND PICKUP TRUCKS (02V-281) .ISUZU IS ALSO RECALLING 618 MY 1994 HONDA PASSPORT VEHICLES UNDER RECALL 02V-281 (THE HONDA PASSPORT IS MANUFACTURED BY ISUZU FOR HONDA AND IS SIMILAR TO THE ISUZU RODEO VEHICLE). THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly

TAKATA/NISSAN/ISUZU HAVE DETERMINED THAT DURING THE INITIAL RECALL CAMPAIGN (96V-170), SOME VEHICLES THAT CONTAIN DEFECTIVE SEAT BELT BUCKLES WERE INADVERTENTLY OMITTED FROM THE CAMPAIGN. NISSAN WILL RECALL 92,500 MY1994 PATHFINDER AND D21 PICKUP TRUCKS (02V-125).ISUZU WILL RECALL 13,831 MY1994/1995 RODEO, AMIGO, TF AND PICKUP TRUCKS (02V-281) .ISUZU IS ALSO RECALLING 618 MY 1994 HONDA PASSPORT VEHICLES UNDER RECALL 02V-281 (THE HONDA PASSPORT IS MANUFACTURED BY ISUZU FOR HONDA AND IS SIMILAR TO THE ISUZU RODEO VEHICLE). THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

Seat Belts

TAKATA/NISSAN/ISUZU HAVE DETERMINED THAT DURING THE INITIAL RECALL CAMPAIGN (96V-170), SOME VEHICLES THAT CONTAIN DEFECTIVE SEAT BELT BUCKLES WERE INADVERTENTLY OMITTED FROM THE CAMPAIGN. NISSAN WILL RECALL 92,500 MY1994 PATHFINDER AND D21 PICKUP TRUCKS (02V-125).ISUZU WILL RECALL 13,831 MY1994/1995 RODEO, AMIGO, TF AND PICKUP TRUCKS (02V-281) .ISUZU IS ALSO RECALLING 618 MY 1994 HONDA PASSPORT VEHICLES UNDER RECALL 02V-281 (THE HONDA PASSPORT IS MANUFACTURED BY ISUZU FOR HONDA AND IS SIMILAR TO THE ISUZU RODEO VEHICLE). THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

Seat Belts

TAKATA/NISSAN/ISUZU HAVE DETERMINED THAT DURING THE INITIAL RECALL CAMPAIGN (96V-170), SOME VEHICLES THAT CONTAIN DEFECTIVE SEAT BELT BUCKLES WERE INADVERTENTLY OMITTED FROM THE CAMPAIGN. NISSAN WILL RECALL 92,500 MY1994 PATHFINDER AND D21 PICKUP TRUCKS (02V-125).ISUZU WILL RECALL 13,831 MY1994/1995 RODEO, AMIGO, TF AND PICKUP TRUCKS (02V-281) .ISUZU IS ALSO RECALLING 618 MY 1994 HONDA PASSPORT VEHICLES UNDER RECALL 02V-281 (THE HONDA PASSPORT IS MANUFACTURED BY ISUZU FOR HONDA AND IS SIMILAR TO THE ISUZU RODEO VEHICLE). THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.