2006 Nissan Pathfinder

I HAVE A 2006 NISSAN PATHFINDER WITH A LOOSE STEERING WHEEL (IT CAN BE MOVED UP AND DOWN). I HAD IT LOOKED AT TODAY BY NISSAN AND WAS TOLD THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. $850. I PASSED BECAUSE I COULDN'T AFFORD IT, BUT THEY SAY THE STEERING COLUMN IS WEARING AWAY. I HAVE SEEN MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS ONLINE AND AM WORRIED FOR MINE AND MY CHILDREN'S SAFETY IF MY VEHICLE COMES TO A POINT WHERE THE STEERING WHEEL BECOMES NON CONTROLLABLE. *TR

THE STEERING WHEEL ON MY 2006 NISSAN PATHFINDER BECAME WOBBLY AFTER ONLY 50,000 MILES. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD, AT TIMES, BE NORMAL, THEN BE WOBBLY. AT TIMES THE POWER STEERING WOULD SEEMS TO FAIL AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD BE HARD TO TURN. THE NISSAN DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS NEEDING A NEW STEERING COLUMN AND, TO THEIR CREDIT, WHILE OUT OF WARRANTY, REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN FOR FREE. *TR

2006 PATHFINDER STEERING COLUMN ISSUE. STEERING GOES FROM WOBBLY TO TIGHT BUT MOSTLY WOBBLES. PROBLEM WORSENING OVER THE COURSE OF A FEW WEEKS. GETS REALLY HARD TO STEER WHEN IT IS COLD AND GETS VERY WOBBLY WHEN IT IS WARM. NISSAN DEALER SAY THAT AT SOME POINT I WILL TURN AND THE WHEEL WILL NOT RETURN TO CENTER, BUT THEY SAY IT ISN'T A SAFETY ISSUE. I GUESS WE WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR SOMEONE TURNING TO CRASH INTO A BUS STOP OR SOMETHING FOR THEM TO FIX THE PROBLEM. WELL I CAME CLOSE YESTERDAY. I WAS TURN RIGHT AND AFTER THE TURN THE TRUCK KEPT TURNING RIGHT. I HIT THE CURB AND WENT UP ONTO THE SIDEWALK. I AM JUST THANKFUL THERE WAS NO ONE WALKING AT THAT SPOT. I WAS SO SCARED I TURNED OFF THE TRUCK AND JUST STOOD OUTSIDE FOR A WHILE. *TR

2006 PATHFINDER STEERING COLUMN ISSUE. STEERING GOES FROM WOBBLY TO TIGHT BUT MOSTLY WOBBLES. PROBLEM WORSENING OVER THE COURSE OF A FEW WEEKS. DEALERSHIP STATES THAT BEARINGS ARE WORN OUT IN THE COLUMN AND THE ONLY WAY TO REPAIR IT IS TO BUY WHOLE NEW COLUMN AND COUPLING FOR $1300. NISSAN REFUSES TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE AS CAR IS OUTSIDE OF THE 3 YR/36,000 WARANTY. SEARCHED INTERNET AND THERE ARE MANY OTHER 2005-2006 PATHFINDER OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE. ONE SIMILAR POSTING: HTTP://REVIEWS.CNET.COM/SUV/2006-NISSAN-PATHFINDER-LE/4864-10868_7-31849298-1.HTML?TAG=TXT;UO. HAVE TO SAY THAT I AM SURPRISED THAT NISSAN WOULD NOT TAKE A MORE PROACTIVE APPROACH IN DEALING WITH THIS DEFECT AS IT COULD POTENTIALLY BE LIFE THREATENING.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN SHAKING FROM SIDE TO SIDE INTERMITTENTLY. WHENEVER THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT SHAKING IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS DEFECTIVE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CONTACT HAS NOT EXPERIENCED ANY DIFFICULTIES WITH THE STEERING SINCE THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 52,300. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 52,250.

APPROXIMATELY SEPT OF 2008, THE STEERING WHEEL OF OUR 2006 NISSAN PATHFINDER STARTED BECOMING EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN LEFT OR RIGHT, ALMOST TO THE POINT THAT I COULD NOT TURN. I WOULD DREAD HAVING TO MAKE A TURN. THEN A GRINDING SOUND STARTED AND A CLICKING, AND HAS SINCE GONE AWAY. NOW, OUR STEERING WHEEL CAN MOVE UP AND DOWN WHILE WE ARE DRIVING. IT IS VERY LOOSE AND IS BECOMING A HAZARD. THE CRUISE ALSO SHUTS ITSELF OFF WHILE WE ARE DRIVING. AFTER TAKING THE CAR TO 2 NISSAN DEALERSHIPS AND A INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN HAS TO BE REPLACED - BUT NISSAN WILL NOT REPLACE THIS OR HELP WITH THE COST - AROUND $800 FOR PARTS AND LABOR. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TOLD US THERE IS A SAFETY BULLETIN ON THIS ISSUE, BUT NOT A RECALL, YET. IF THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING COLUMN, SHOULDN'T THIS BE REPLACED BY RECALL BEFORE AN ACCIDENT HAS HAPPENED? WE HAVE REQUESTED IN WRITING FROM NISSAN THAT THEY (NISSAN) IS REFUSING TO REPLACE THIS PART. I AM FILING A COMPLAINT BECAUSE THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE THAT NISSAN IS AWARE OF BUT IS UNWILLING TO RESOLVE IT. *TR

I WAS TURNING MY STEERING WHEEL TO LEAVE A PARKING LOT ON FRIDAY FEBRUARY 6,2009 AND HEARD A CLICKING NOISE IN MY STEERING WHEEL. NEXT THING I KNOW THE STEERING WHEEL CAN BE JIGGLED FROM SIDE TO SIDE BECAUSE IT IS SO LOOSE. I THEN PROCEEDED TO DRIVE HOME AND IT TIGHTENED UP AGAIN AFTER A FEW TURNS. IT BECAME LOOSE ONCE AGAIN AFTER TURNING A FEW MORE TIMES. I HAVE NEVER HAD A STEERING COME LOOSE AND FEEL LIKE IT IS GOING TO COME OFF THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN. AS OF NOW, WE HAVE NOT HAD IT REPAIRED YET, WE ARE TAKING THE CAR IN ON MONDAY FEBRUARY 9,2009 TO GURLEY LEEP NISSAN IN MISHAWAKA INDIANA. WE HAVE ATTEMPTED TO CAPTURE THIS ON A SHORT VIDEO. DO YOU HAVE AN EMAIL ADDRESS THAT WE CAN SEND THIS VIDEO TO? WE ARE FILING A COMPLAINT FOR A SAFETY CONCERN. WE ARE CURIOUS IF OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL HAVE HAD ANY SIMILAR ISSUES GOING BACK TO 2005 AND NEWER. THIS COULD BE A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN WHICH COULD LEAD TO THE STEERING WHEEL COMING OFF THE COLUMN OR LOSING THE ABILITY TO STEER ALTOGETHER. I HAVE NEVER OWNED A NEW VEHICLE THAT HAD THIS PROBLEM OCCUR, THIS IS NOT FROM NORMAL DRIVING OR WEAR AND TEAR ON A VEHICLE. I AM VERY CAREFUL WITH MY VEHICLE AND KEEP UP ON THE MAINTENANCE. *TR

STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN. THIS MADE STEERING DIFFICULT. WHEEL WOULD NOT RETURN TO STRAIGHT POSITION WITH OUT HELP. I THINK THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. TOOK SUV TO DEALER WHO REPLACED THE STEERING COL. NISSAN DID NOT PAY ANY OF THE REPAIR COST BECAUSE SUV HAD 43, 000 MILES. I KEPT THE OLD PARTS JUST TO PROVE PROBLEM. I THOUGHT THAT NISSAN WOULD PAY SOME OF THE REPAIR COST BUT THEY DID NOT. THEY BELIEVED THIS WAS A NORMAL WEAR. FIRST ONE I HAVE HAD! I HAVE DRIVEN CARS AND PU TRUCKS OVER 750,000 MILE IN THE LAST 20 YEARS. I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THAT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED BY NISSAN. DOES THE MANUFACTURER PAY FOR THESE PROBLEMS. DRIVING WAS UN SAFE IN MY OPINION...PLEASE HELP BEFORE SOMEONE IS INJURED OF WORSE..... *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN PATHFINDER. WHILE PROCEEDING TO PLACE THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE AND ACCELERATE, THE STEERING COLUMN FAILED AND BECAME VERY STIFF WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STEER. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SAFELY MANEUVER THE VEHICLE TO HER DESTINATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND INSPECTED BY A TECHNICIAN, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE LOWER SHAFT NEEDED TO BE LUBRICATED. THE REPAIR WOULD COST $91. THE VEHICLE WAS TEMPORARILY REPAIRED UNTIL THE CONTACT RETURNED TO HER LOCAL DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY DISCOVERED INTERNAL FAILURE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE STEERING COLUMN AND COUPLER WERE REPLACED AT THE COST OF $442. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD COVER THE COST OF THE PARTS, BUT THE LABOR WOULD HAVE TO BE COVERED BY THE CONTACT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,750 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 41,260. UPDATED 02/05/09. *LJ UPDATED 02/10/09. *JB

ON JULY 6, 2006 > 5 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT MY BRAND NEW NISSAN PATHFINDER LE. I WAS DRIVING WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO TIGHTEN. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND IT WAS BECOMING HARD FOR ME TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION TO CHANGE LANES. WHICH WAS SCARY BECAUSE I HAD MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR WITH ME. I WAS ABLE TO GO STRAIGHT TO THE DEALER AND BY THE TIME I GOT THERE I COULD BARELY TURN MY STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT TO TURN IN. WHEN THEY EXAMINED THE CAR THEY FOUND THE UPPER BEARING IN THE STEERING COLUMN WAS SHEARING AND HAD COME APART. I WAS LUCKY I WAS CLOSE TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND NOT TOO FAR AWAY FROM HOME OR DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WERE I COULD NOT PULL OVER. THEY HAD MY CAR IN THERE OVER A WEEK AND A HALF WHICH WAS A BIG INCONVENIENCE BECAUSE THEY WERE HAVING PROBLEMS LOCATING THE PART AND I WAS GETTING A RUN AROUND ABOUT IT. I WOULD CALL AND THEY WOULD NOT CALL ME BACK FOR A DAY OR TWO. THEN I WAS TOLD THEY WERE AWARE THERE HAS BEEN PROBLEMS WITH THIS HAPPENING TO THE NEW PATHFINDERS AND THEY HAD MADE A NEWER PART FOR IT THAT WOULD NOT COME APART. SO THEY FINALLY REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN WITH A NEW ONE AND SO FAR IT HAS DRIVEN GREAT. IT WAS A BIT UPSETTING TO GET A BRAND NEW CAR THOUGH AND IN ONLY 5 MONTHS I WAS ALREADY HAVING PROBLEMS. *JB