Most common 1998 Nissan Pathfinder problems
Share of the 149 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Nissan Pathfinder complaints by model year
Best Pathfinder years: 2012, 2011, 2020. Years to avoid: 2013, 2014, 2025, 2022, 2015. Compare all years →
1998 Nissan Pathfinder recalls (2)
Suspension › Front
Nissan is recalling certain model year 1996-2004 pathfinder and model year 1997-2003 Infiniti qx4 vehicles originally sold, or currently registered in, connecticut, delaware, iowa, illinois, indiana, massachusetts, maine, maryland, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode…
Remedy: Nissan will inspect the strut housing and repair the vehicles as necessary, free of charge. An interim notification letter was sent out in May 2011. The second notice was mailed on July 25, 2011.
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly › Filler pipe and cap
On certain vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, iowa, illinois, indiana, kentucky, massachusetts, maine, maryland, michigan, minnesota, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, tennessee, vermont, virginia, west virginia , wisconsin and the…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel filler tube assembly with a new one with an improved coating process. The recall began on November 26, 2007. Owners May contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 1998 Nissan Pathfinder:
Frame/Body Structure Corrosion
In their Defect Information Report (DIR) of April 20, 2011, Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) notified NHTSA that it would conduct a safety recall of certain 1996-2004 Nissan Pathfinder and 1997-2003 Infinity QX4 vehicles to repair corrosion damage to the driver's side front strut tower.The vehicles included in the recall are those that were originally sold, or are currently registered in salt belt states…
What 1998 Nissan Pathfinder owners say
Suspension all 47 →
Driving down the hwy and SUV started rocking back and forth side to side severely..I had to brake fast ..then when I accelerated it wobbled worse...I thought I was going to roll...could not go over 30...very dangerous and scary...I looked it up on forums to see if anyone else has had this problem....everybody that owns them has had this experience at all different mileages..they refer to it as the "death wobble" online...millions of vehicles have this problem from faulty bushings and trailing arms....yet they "Nissan" refuse to recall or pay to fix it...here is "nissans" bulletin I found after researching online....they should be paying for this and there should be a recall...I hope that this gets some attention before someone gets killed service bulletin classification: ra97-002 reference: ntb98-001 date: April 1, 1998 Pathfinder vehicle pull and front/rear suspension excessive play …
Our 1998 Pathfinder has what is described by many people as a "death wobble." it began after we bought it in 2003 and has happened several times since. It happened as recently as 2017 and I am beginning to be afraid to ride in it. At speeds between 40-70 MPH the car begins to violently shake from side to side. It gradually gets worse. Reducing your speed does help. It appears to begin because of a small, uneven place in the highway road, but then doesn't stop shaking back and forth, side to side. It has happened repeatedly even after having it supposedly fixed. Each time we have taken it to be repaired the service personnel are familiar with this problem callling it a "death wobble" and replace the struts and other affected parts. It's very expensive. We've done this 2-3 times but after a couple years it happens again. …
Transmission & drivetrain all 20 →
I am having multiple issues with my 1998 Nissan Pathfinder due to corrosion. The most recent incident was while I was driving my muffler fell off. I took it to a shop and when they raised the vehicle, the entire exhaust system had corrosion and holes from it. This was followed by last years strut housing corrosion which broke off the strut from the frame of the vehicle while I was driving. I lost brakes and had to step on pedal all the way, and then the vehicle gradually came to a stop. The recall notice came after the incident. This was followed by the previous year's gas tank corrosion which caused gas to drip. Also a recall notice came in and Nissan dealer fixed issue.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact was unable to shift the gear into reverse. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000. Updated 7/16/15
Speed control & acceleration
Driving down the hwy and SUV started rocking back and forth side to side severely..I had to brake fast ..then when I accelerated it wobbled worse...I thought I was going to roll...could not go over 30...very dangerous and scary...I looked it up on forums to see if anyone else has had this problem....everybody that owns them has had this experience at all different mileages..they refer to it as the "death wobble" online...millions of vehicles have this problem from faulty bushings and trailing arms....yet they "Nissan" refuse to recall or pay to fix it...here is "nissans" bulletin I found after researching online....they should be paying for this and there should be a recall...I hope that this gets some attention before someone gets killed service bulletin classification: ra97-002 reference: ntb98-001 date: April 1, 1998 Pathfinder vehicle pull and front/rear suspension excessive play …
Tl contact owns a 1998 Nissan Pathfinder. While driving approximately 60 MPH, the accelerator pedal stuck and continued to accelerate the vehicle. The brakes did not function when applied and the steering wheel was stiff.the contact had to jump from the vehicle in order to escape from the vehicle. The vehicle crashed through the bypass and down another street into oncoming traffic but did not crash into any other vehicle. The contact did not sustain injuries. The insurance company contacted the manufacturer and was awaiting a response. The vehicle was destroyed. The VIN was unavailable. The approximate failure mileage was 207,000.
1998 Nissan Pathfinder engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 18 / 16 |
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | RWD | 15 / 18 / 16 |
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 17 / 15 |
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 16 / 15 |
EPA ratings. Class: Small SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Nissan Pathfinder a good car?
Based on 149 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 Pathfinder rates average: 22% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Pathfinder at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1998 Nissan Pathfinder?
The suspension — 47 complaints, 32% of all complaints for this model year, most often about rear. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (20) and speed control & acceleration (16).
How many recalls does the 1998 Nissan Pathfinder have?
There are 2 recalls for the 1998 Nissan Pathfinder, the most recent from April 20, 2011 (front). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Nissan Pathfinder?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2012, 2011 and 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2013, 2014, 2025, 2022 and 2015. See the full Nissan Pathfinder years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Nissan Pathfinder problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 112,000 miles; 11% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.