2002 Nissan Pathfinder Engine Problems

NISSAN POWER CONTROL VALVE LOOSE FASTENERS: MY CONCERN RESONATES WITH CONSUMER SAFETY THAT INVOLVES GROSS ENGINE FAILURE DURING OPERATIONS DUE TO LOOSENING INTERNAL FASTENERS/COMPONENTS. WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, I NOTICED AN ABRUPT AND UNUSUAL MECHANICAL GRINDING SOUND COMING FROM MY VEHICLE (V6 PATHFINDER). EVENTUALLY THE CAR WOULD NOT START. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS AND SERVICE, THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT AN INTERNAL POWER CONTROL VALVE WAS MISSING FROM THE INTAKE AFTER HE HAD REMOVED THE VALVE COVER DURING HIS TROUBLESHOOTING. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW (SOLE OWNER) AND HAVE NEVER HAD ANY WORK/MAINTENANCE PERFORMED THAT REQUIRED THE VALVE COVER TO BE REMOVED. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON MY OWN, I FOUND MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT NISSAN POWER CONTROL VALVE SCREWS LOOSENING, FALLING WITHIN THE ENGINE AND CAUSING SEVERE ENGINE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING AND MORE THAN $2K IN REPAIRS TO THE CONSUMER. I ALSO NOTED THAT NISSAN (WEST COAST, CALIFORNIA) RECENTLY RECALLED VARIOUS MODELS/MULTI-YEARS, INCLUDING THE 2002 PATHFINDER, ACKNOWLEDGING THE PROBLEM WITH LOOSENING FASTENERS WITHIN THE RESPECTIVE ENGINES; HOWEVER, NO RECALL WAS ENACTED FOR THE SAME MODELS ON THE EAST COAST USA. ALTHOUGH MY VEHICLE WAS EVENTUALLY DIAGNOSED WITH IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE AND ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ENGINE) PROBLEMS, THE LOCATION (WITHIN MY ENGINE) OF THE MISSING POWER CONTROL VALVE AND IT'S FASTENERS IS NOT KNOWN AND I AM NOT CONVINCED THAT THIS FOREIGN MATERIAL (LOOSE SCREWS/VALVE) WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN THE ROOT CAUSE OF THESE DIAGNOSED FAILURES. PLEASE NOTE THAT I HAVE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE IN THAT MY VEHICLE HAS OVER 200K MILES; HOWEVER, THERE ARE MULTIPLE POWER CONTROL VALVES WITHIN MY (THESE) VEHICLES THAT MAY BE SUBJECT TO FAILURE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY IF OTHER CONSUMERS MAY BE ONE ENGINE FAILURE AWAY FROM A POTENTIAL CATASTROPHIC RESULT.

HITSHOPPING CART

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING ILLUMINATED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL PAN WAS FAULTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.

PART FROM BUTTERFLY VALVE CAME LOOSE AND FELL INSIDE ENGINE. DESTROYED ENGINE. *TR

RECENTLY, OUR 2002 NISSAN PATHFINDER HAD TO HAVE AN ENGINE REPLACED. THE CAUSE WAS A SET OF VERY SMALL BOLTS IN THE BUTTERFLY VALVE ASSEMBLY WHICH IS NOW A PART OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE ENGINE SHOP TECH NOW PERFORMING THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT MENTIONED THAT HE IS SEEING A LOT OF THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM WITH THESE SPECIFIC ENGINES. ALSO, THIS IS THE SECOND 2002 PATHFINDER WE HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN TO. THE OTHER ONE WAS MY DAUGHTER'S. I AM AN OPERATIONS RESEARCH SYSTEMS ENGINEER AND KNOW THAT THE PROBABILITY OF THIS OCCURRING TO TWO VEHICLES OF THE SAME YEAR WITHIN THE SAME FAMILY; BOTH PURCHASED FROM THE SAME LOCATION IS A PRIME INDICATOR OF A SYSTEMIC ENGINEERING PROBLEM. THE FACTORS ARE THAT THE BOLTS WORK LOOSE AND DROP INTO THE CYLINDERS. IF THEY DO NOT GET CAUGHT IN THE CYLINDER, THEY ARE BLOWN OUT THE EXHAUST. IF THEY DO GET CAUGHT BY THE PISTON, THEY SCRATCH THE WALLS OF THE CYLINDERS ALLOWING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF OIL TO BE FORCED INTO THE CHAMBER WHERE IT IGNITES AND IS EXHAUSTED. THE SUBSEQUENT REPAIR IS COSTING $5200. IN BOTH OF THESE SITUATIONS, THE OIL RESERVOIR WAS EMPTIED WITHIN 2-3 DAYS. I KNOW THIS AS I CONSTANTLY CHECK VEHICLE FLUIDS (I WAS AN ARMY OFFICER AND HAD A MOTOR POOL). I CAUGHT A LOW OIL QUANTITY IN BOTH VEHICLES; REFILLED THE RESERVOIR; AND CHECKED IN A FEW DAYS TO FIND THEM NEAR EMPTY AGAIN. I ALSO KNOW THAT HAD THE OIL RUN OUT WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AN ENGINE SEIZING COULD POTENTIALLY OCCUR, CAUSING CATASTROPHIC ENGINE DAMAGE AND POTENTIAL SERIOUS ACCIDENTS. WHEN THIS OCCURRED, ON BOTH VEHICLES, I TOOK THE VEHICLES TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION/REPAIR. THEY SEEMED TO BE UNAWARE OF THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM AND RECOMMENDED A SPECIFIC DIAGNOSTIC ACTION AT A COST OF $2000 THAT ONLY WOULD DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND NOT REPAIR IT. A NON-NISSAN TECH RECOMMENDED THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT GIVEN HIS KNOWLEDGE OF THE VEHICLES AND THE RECURRING PROBLEM. I REPORTED THIS SITUATION TO NISSAN MOTOR C *TT

I OWN A 2002 NISSAN PATHFINDER WITH 97,000. MILES ON IT. THERE IS A CRACK IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD THAT HAS BEEN GETTING LOUDER OVER THE LAST 24 MONTHS AND RECENTLY I HAVE BEGUN TO SMELL EXHAUST INSIDE THE CAR. THIS APPARENTLY IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND SHOULD BE CORRECTED BY NISSAN. *TR

1: EVENTS LEADING TO FAILURE: 2002 NISSAN PATHFINDER, 71,000 MILES. LOUD EXHAUST SOUNDS. DEALERSHIP LOOKED AT CAR (CHARGED $50 TO LOOK) AND REPORTED THE EXHAUST SYSTEM PIPES GOING INTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER ARE CRACKED - AGAIN - ALREADY REPAIRED ONCE. DEALERSHIP WILL NOT REPAIR/REPLACE WITHOUT CHARGE. THIS IS A RECURRING DEFECT AND POSSIBLY AN EMISSIONS PROBLEM. THE PIPES CARRY EXHAUST FROM ENGINE INTO CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND MUFFLER AND THEY ARE LEAKING AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME FOR THIS VEHICLE OR MANY OTHERS ONLINE. DEALERSHIP MECHANIC SPECIFICALLY TOLD ME, "WE SEE THIS ALOT" ?!?! DEFECTIVE! NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT, I NEED ASSISTANCE ENSURING THAT THE DEALERSHIP TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR A RECURRING ISSUE. *TR

EXHAUST SYSTEM PROBLEM ON 2002 NISSAN PATHFINDER. JUST PAID $645.00 TO HAVE TWO CO2 OXYGEN SENSORS REPLACE ON VEHICLE AND THEN WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE MY RESONATORS REPLACE IN ORDER TO PASS THE EMISSION CONTROL TEST. I HAVE BEEN SMELLING EMISSION FROM THE CAR FOR A YEAR AND WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS CO2 SENSORS THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 NISSAN PATHFINDER WITH 67,000 MILES. ACCORDING TO MY MECHANIC, MY TWO REAR CATALYTIC CONVERTERS ARE LEAKING CO2 FROM THEIR SEAMS. ACCORDING TO MY SERVICE MANUAL, CATALYTIC CONVERTERS ARE COVERED UNDER THE FEDERAL WARRANTY 8/80. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE WHITE PLAINS NISSAN DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT'S THE EXHAUST TUBES THAT ARE LEAKING. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID IT COULD BE REPAIRED BUT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING AND FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH 2002-2003 PATHFINDERS AND THAT THE EPA HAS NOTIFIED NISSAN IN THE PAST THAT THIS PRODUCTION DEFECT COULD CAUSE HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUES. I DON'T SEE WHY THEY CAN CALL THESE PARTS "EXHAUST TUBES" WHEN THEY ARE REALLY CATALYTIC CONVERTERS AND HAVE THEM NOT SUBJECT TO THE FEDERAL WARRANTY. I BELIEVE NISSAN SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING THESE DEFECTIVE PARTS WITH A PRODUCT RECALL. CAN YOU HELP ME IN THIS MATTER? THANK YOU, DORRINE LIVSON *TR

DETAILS: WE HAVE BEEN LOYAL NISSAN CUSTOMERS SINCE 1987 AND MY 2002 PATHFINDER STARTED MAKING A LOUD RATTLING NOISE. WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE TECHNICIAN CHECKED IT OUT AND TOLD US THAT 2 SCREWS HAD FALLEN OUT OF THE POWER VALVE AND WERE BOUNCING AROUND IN THE CYLINDER, AND THERE WAS NOTHING WE HAD DONE WRONG. IT IS A DESIGN FLAW THAT NISSAN REFUSE TO CORRECT. I AM TOLD IT COULD HAVE BEEN CORRECTED FOR $150.00. THE COST OF REPAIR THE PATHFINDER IS $7,899.99 WHICH NISSAN NORTH AMERICAN HAS REFUSE TO PAY. WE HAVE TALKED TO THEIR CONSUMER AFFAIRS SPECIALIST AND SHE REFUSE TO AUTHORIZE THE DEALERSHIP TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. AFTER BEING A LOYAL NISSAN CUSTOMER SINCE 1987, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THEY REFUSES TO HELP US. I HAVE A 1994 WITH OVER 100,000 MILES ON IT AND NEVER HAD ANY ENGINE PROBLEMS. I WENT ON LINE AND FIND OUT THAT MANY NISSAN PATHFINDER CUSTOMERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. WE KEPT THE OIL CHANGED EVERY 2,000-2,500 MILES. I NEED HELP. *TR

WE HAVE BEEN LOYAL NISSAN CUSTOMERS SINCE 1987 AND MY 2002 PATHFINER STARTED MAKING A LOUD RATTLING NOISE. WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE TECHNICIAN CHECKED IT OUT AND TOLD US THAT 2 SCREWS HAD FALLEN OUT OF THE POWER VALVE AND WERE BOUNCING AROUND IN THE CYLINDER, AND THERE WAS NOTHING WE HAD DONE WRONG. IT IS A DESIGN FLAW THAT NISSAN REFUSE TO CORRECT. I AM TOLD IT COULD HAVE BEEN CORRECTED FOR $150.00. THE COST OF REPAIR THE PATHFINDER IS $7,899.99 WHICH NISSAN NORTH AMERICAN HAS REFUSE TO PAY. WE HAVE TALKED TO THEIR CONSUMER AFFAIRS SPECIALIST AND SHE REFUSE TO AUTHORIZE THE DEALERSHIP TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. AFTER BEING A LOYAL NISSAN CUSTOMER SINCE 1987, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THEY REFUSES TO HELP US. I HAVE A 1994 WITH OVER 100,000 MILES ON IT AND NEVER HAD ANY ENGINE PROBLEMS. I WENT ON LINE AND FIND OUT THAT MANY NISSAN PATHFINDER CUSTOMERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. WE KEPT THE OIL CHANGED EVERY 2,000-2,500 MILES. I NEED HELP. *TR

I AM COMPLAINING ABOUT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM ON MY 2002 NISSAN PATHFINDER. I HAD A LEAK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PIPE AT WHAT LOOKS LIKE A CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I PAID NISSAN TO FIX THE PROBLEM. A YEAR LATER IT IS LEAKING AGAIN. I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO BE REPAIRED. THEY TOLD ME THE PART ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PIPE IS NOT A CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC IT WAS. EITHER WAY THIS SEEMS TO BE A LARGE PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE FIXED BY NISSAN. *TR

WHEN WE PURCHASED THE CAR USED IN SEPT 2007, IT HAD 24,509 MILES ON IT. THE EXHAUST SOUNDED SOMEWHAT LOUD BUT NOT TOO ABNORMAL. JUST UNDER A YEAR LATER, THE EXHAUST WAS VERY LOUD AND RATTLING. WE TOOK IT IN TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD US THE FRONT EXHAUST TUBES WERE RUSTED AND LEAK. THEY SAID NISSAN SUPPLIES A 'REPAIR KIT' TO PUT A PATCH ON THESE TUBES. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD US THEY HAVE SEEN MANY OTHER PROBLEMS LIKE THIS AND I HAVE FOUND THERE ARE MANY ENTRIES FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM ON ONLINE FORUMS. ONE SUCH FORUM CAN BE FOUND AT TOPIX.COM. JUST THE FACT THAT NISSAN SUPPLIES A 'REPAIR KIT' TO FIX THIS EXACT PROBLEM SHOWS THESE EXHAUST TUBES ARE FAULTY AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN PATHFINDER. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM HER VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. SHE TOOK HER VEHICLE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS SPLIT IN THE MIDDLE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE RESONATOR NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED INSTEAD OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE REPAIR WOULD COST OVER $1,500. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECENTLY SMELLED VAPORS COMING FROM HER VEHICLE. SHE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 11/07/08. *LJ THE FRONT EXHAUST TUBES WERE LEAKING AND VENT CONTROL VALVE WAS LEAKING. UPDATED 11/07/08. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN PATHFINDER. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE AND OIL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND IT BEGAN SMOKING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS JUST OVERHEATING AND NOT TO WORRY. A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BURNED TO THE GROUND. THE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARRIVED AND THE FIRE MARSHALL HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A JUNK YARD. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT TOOK PICTURES OF THE DAMAGE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 102,000.

RUMBLING SOUND COMING FROM EXHAUST. LOCAL REPAIR SHOP SAID IT WAS A LEAKING CATALYTIC CONVERTER. TOOK IT TO NISSAN DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID IT WAS A CRACKED TUBE IN THE EXHAUST AND THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN CLASSIFICATION FE04-002. REFERENCE NTB04-092. ISSUED 9-1-2004. THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY. MY SUBSEQUENT RESEARCH FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS, MOSTLY SAFETY RELATED, SEVERAL PEOPLE SUFFERED DIZZINESS WHILE IDLING. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. THEIR FIX IS TO CLAMP A PATCH ON TO THE LEAKING AREA. MANY OF THE REPORTS I READ SAID THAT THIS ALSO FAILS. I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THEIR SOLUTION IS A FAILURE ALSO. *TR

MY 2002 PATHFINDER HAS A OVERHEATING PROBLEM. IT BEGAN APPROXIMATELY 2 MONTHS AGO. WHILE GOING DOWN THE INTERSTATE THE ENGINE TEMP. ROSE AND THE CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONED. A LOCAL MECHANIC NOTICED THE A/C COMPRESSOR GOING BAD, REPLACED THIS AND PROBLEM STILL CONTINUED AND BECAME MORE FREQUENT. MECHANIC PRESSURE TESTED RADIATOR, IT SEEMED FINE, FOUND TWO VERY TINY LEAKS, SEALED THEM, PUT ON A NEW RADIATOR CAP. PROBLEM STILL CONTINUED. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A NISSAN DEALER. THEY REPLACED FAN CLUTCH. STILL SAME PROBLEM. NISSAN DEALER TRIED FLUSHING RADIATOR. STILL OVERHEATING. DEALERSHIP THINKS THERE IS SOME KIND OF BLOCKAGE IN THE RADIATOR THAT THEY CANNOT FLUSH OUT. THEY CANNOT CREATE ENOUGH PRESSURE TO FLUSH IT PROPERLY. THEY RECOMMEND A NEW RADIATOR. THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO INSTALL IT IN 2 DAYS. HOPEFULLY THIS FIXES MY PROBLEM. I'VE REPLACED THE WHOLE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM. WHAT CAUSES THIS PROBLEM? I'VE READ A SERVICE BULLETIN OF THIS HAPPENING TO ANOTHER PERSON. NISSAN CAN'T EXPLAIN CAUSE. CHECK OUT CONSUMER COMPLAINT: ODI CASE NUMBER: 10191259. MILEAGE ON VEHICLE WHEN PROBLEMS AROSE: 85,000 MILES. *TR

2002 NISSAN PATHFINDER - SPLIT SEAMS IN RESONATORS / CATALYTIC CONVERTER THE EXHAUST ON THIS VEHICLE HAD BEEN A BIT NOISY SINCE IT WAS ABOUT A YEAR OLD. RECENTLY WHEN IT WENT TO A SHOP FOR SOME UNDERCAR WORK, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS WERE BOTH SPLIT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND REQUESTED REPLACEMENT UNDER THE 8 YEAR 80,000 MILE WARRANTY MANDATED ON EMISSIONS EQUIPMENT. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THOSE PARTS WERE INDEED LEAKING BADLY, AND THAT NISSAN HAD SO MANY FAILURES THAT THEY HAD DEVELOPED A SPECIAL PATCH KIT FOR THEM. I DECLINED THE PATCH DUE TO AN EXCESSIVE COST FOR A FEW LARGE CLAMPS AND SOME EXHAUST CEMENT. SUBSEQUENT RESEARCH INDICATES THAT NUMEROUS OTHER PATHFINDERS OF SIMILAR VINTAGE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, THUS THERE IS A MANUFACTURING ISSUE IN THE WELDING OF THE SEAMS OF THIS PART WHICH ACCORDING TO MIDAS IS A CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND ACCORDING TO NISSAN IS A RESONATOR. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS CARBON MONOXIDE IS BEING RELEASED DIRECTLY UNDER THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. A COMPLAINT WAS FILED WITH NISSAN AND THEY CLAIM IT IS PART OF STANDARD WARRANTY AND THUS NOT COVERED, AND THEY HAVE NOT ISSUED A RECALL. I INFORMED THEM OF MY INTENT TO PROCEED WITH COMPLAINTS TO NHTSA AND A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IF NECESSARY TO FORCE A RECALL OF THIS DEFECT THAT IS CAUSING SAFETY ISSUES FOR ALL OWNERS OF NISSAN PATHFINDERS OF SIMILAR VINTAGE. *TR

LEAKING EXHAUST SYSTEM FROM RESONATORS/CATALYTIC CONVERTERS. *TR

RECURRING EXHAUST LEAK, EVEN AFTER HAVING THE MANUFACTURER INSTALL THEIR OWN REPAIR KIT. *TR