IllustrationACCELERATOR PEDAL GETS STUCK, AND CONSUMER HAS TO PHYSICALLY FORCE ACCELERATOR TO BECOME UNSTUCK. VEHICLE ACCELERATES TO HIGHER SPEEDS DUE TO SUCH FORCE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED., AND INSPECTED THE PROBLEM 2 YEARS WHEN THE PROBLEM FIRST OCCURRED. PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED THE SAME WAY.*AK
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Pathfinder years →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: 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
What owners actually said
19 reportsCONSUMER 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
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
FIRESTONE FIREHAWK ATX 31/10.5/R15 LT M&S TIRE FAILURE - TREAD SEPARATION. (CLAIM# 14-1295-337) *MW
REAR SEAT ROCKS BACK AND FORTH. WHEN PULLING SEAT UP IT IS RUSTED, AND CONSUMER CAN SEE STRAIGHT THROUGH THE FOOT BOARD. *AK *ML
VEHICLE HAS A TENDENCY TO FISHTAIL ON WET PAVEMENT WHEN TURNING. MJS
EXHAUST HEADERS, MANIFOLD AND STUDS, WARPED AND LEAKS CAUSING TICKING SOUND AT COLD STARTS AS WELL AS STRONG EXHAUST SMELLS.
EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS FAILURE, CAUSING LEAKAGE.
AUTOMATIC CRUISE CONTROL STUCK WHEN IT ACCELERATED ON AN INCLINE, INSTALLED NEW CRUISE CONTROL.
DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT.
Official recalls
290V072000 · 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
1EA95007 · 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