Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1998 Nissan Pathfinder owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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. …
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. When the vehicle was taken in for inspection, the front driver's side strut assembly was fractured and separated from the uni-body. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was determined that it was unable to be repaired. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 176,000.
1998 Nissan Pathfinder 200,000 miles. July 2008. Driving on freeway around 60-70 MPH, any change in road surface ( ie going over bridge) sends rear of vehicle into severe wobble. Acceleration seems to be only way to recover. Around large curves ( turnpike in pennsylvania) feels very unstable. All shocks/struts had been replaced in last year except r rear, so upon return from trip had r rear replaced. Did not fix problem. Mechanic unable to tell what else is causing problem except wide wheel wall of new tires, but these have been on car for 5 months and problem did not occur before this. 4 months later received call from mechanic stating same vehicle different owner in with same problem, but worse, investigated to find TSB (ntb98-001) for rear upper/lower link bars and bushings needing to be replaced. …
I have a 1998 Pathfinder se 4wd. On a recent trip to colorado, the car began to rock violently from side-to-side whenever we exceeded 70mph, depending on the type of pavement we were driving on. Given we had a long drive (over 18 hrs), this was a big problem, and we were constantly fearing that the car would tip over. We had not seen the problem before as we don't do a lot of interstate driving normally. When we got to colorado, we attempted to get the vehicle fixed in a local garage. They replaced shocks, struts, and did an alignment. Unfortunately, we couldn't get to the right speed (or perhaps have the right pavement) to reproduce the problem and we thought it was fixed. When we left and got back on the interstate, it started again. The vehicle is at the dealer now and they believe this is a fairly common problem. …
I have a 1998 Nissan Pathfinder se and have loved it since the day I got it. Until the yesterday when I was driving home from a football game about 110 miles away from home. When I was on the highway doing 65 MPH +/- 5 MPH, the rear end would start wobbling uncontrollably. It is very dangerous and very unsafe. I did some research online to find the problem ( to save myself money ) and it seems that I am not the only person that has had this problem, Nissan themselves have a site that addresses the issue, but no recall has been made. What has to be done for the automotive company to say " hey this isn't safe, we should get this fixed for our valued customers" I have been driving nissans for 10 years now and have been thoroughly disappointed in the way it seems the manufacturer is handling this. …
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 MPH, there was an abnormal clicking noise coming from the front end of the driver's side. The contact mentioned that while making a left turn to exit the highway, the front driver's side tire fractured. The contact was able to slowly drive the vehicle to his residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 72,000. Updated 10/10/14 the consumer stated the strut came off of the vehicle after exiting the freeway. According to the dealer both struts needed to be replaced. Updated 3/31/2015
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the steering wheel began to wobble and the driver felt like she was going to lose control of the vehicle. The failure ocurred while driving at low speeds as well, but the degree of wobbling was lesser. The vehicle wobbled so much that the passengers became queasy. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for a diagnosis and the contact was informed that the vehicle needed new bushings, control arms, and struts. The manufacturer was notified and offered little assistance. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure and current mileages were 180,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated the manufacturer recently issued a voluntary recall regarding strut corrosion (reference number: r1108). The vehicle was repaired for the same defect two years ago. The contact stated the front driver side strut was defective due to excessive corrosion. The vehicle was repaired by an independent mechanic at the owner's expense. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The contact expressed the repair should had been included in the voluntary recall remedy. The approximate failure mileage was 43,000.
Related recalls
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.
Suspension complaints in other Pathfinder years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 1998 Nissan Pathfinder?
NHTSA has 47 complaints about the suspension of the 1998 Nissan Pathfinder, 32% of the model year's 149 complaints. The component named most often is rear (17 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Nissan Pathfinder suspension problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 11V-244 (front, Apr 20, 2011). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1998 Nissan Pathfinder suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 139,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to suspension problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.