Illustration1) SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER BROKEN @ 72500 MILES. 2) EXHAUST STUDS BROKEN, TECH BULLETIN OUT (#94041) BUT DEALER WOULDN'T FIX IT.
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
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: 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
What owners actually said
91 reportsNUTS BROKE OFF HATCHBACK HYDRAULIC CYLINDER. DEALER NOTIFED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT PART WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL, AND REPAIRS WOULD BE AT CONSUMER'S COST. *AK
MECHANIC STATED UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO GAS LEAK FROM INJECTORS AND PARTS ARE ON NATIONWIDE BACK ORDER FROM JAPAN...I'M WITHOUT A VEHICLE. *AK
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
RIGHT REAR EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS FAILED. *AK
TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT FROM 1ST GEAR. MUST GO TO N, SHUT DOWN AND RESTART ENGINE, THEN BACK TO D TO CLEAR PROBLEM. *AK
CRACKED EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND BROKEN MANIFOLD STUDS CAUSED NOISE AND OCCASIONAL EXHAUST SMELL IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT (WHEN ON FRESH AIR VENT). BROKEN MANIFOLD STUDS ARE A KNOWN DEFECT WITH A TSB IN EFFECT (OVER 10% OF ALL COMPLAINTS REGISTERED IN THE CUSTOMER COMPLAINT DATABASE RELATE TO THIS ISSUE). ONLY BECAUSE I HAD PURCHA…
Read full complaint
CRACKED EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND BROKEN MANIFOLD STUDS CAUSED NOISE AND OCCASIONAL EXHAUST SMELL IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT (WHEN ON FRESH AIR VENT). BROKEN MANIFOLD STUDS ARE A KNOWN DEFECT WITH A TSB IN EFFECT (OVER 10% OF ALL COMPLAINTS REGISTERED IN THE CUSTOMER COMPLAINT DATABASE RELATE TO THIS ISSUE). ONLY BECAUSE I HAD PURCHASED A NISSAN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOUR YEARS AGO WAS MOST OF THE REPAIR COST COVERED, HOWEVER, I WAS STILL REQUIRED TO PAY THE DEDUCTABLE. I DON'T FEEL ANY OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSE SHOULD BE INCURRED FOR AN OBVIOUSLY PREVALANT DEFECT OR ENGINEERING DESIGN FLAW.
COMMON EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLT FAILURE PROBLEM/ GOV'T HELP NEEDED FOR CUSTOMERS.
HOLE IS DEVELOPPING COMPLETELY THROUGH FLOOR BURNING MULTIPLE HOLES IN MAT FROM EXHAUST HEAT COMING THROUGH PANEL. *AK
WHEN DRIVING AND TURNING ON THE FRESH AIR, EXHAUST SYSTEM CAUSES FUMES AND VAPOR SMELLS TO GET INTO VEHICLE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK
Official recalls
202V125000 · 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
1RQ02009 · 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.