Most common 1999 Nissan Pathfinder problems
Share of the 104 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 →
1999 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 1999 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 1999 Nissan Pathfinder owners say
Suspension all 35 →
I am writing as requested on our phone call on January 3 2015 as you are aware my wife and eleven year old daughter were nearly in an accident on December 15 2014. My 1999 Nissan Pathfinder had gone back to the dealer in 2014 as there was a recall on strut tower failure in high road salt sections of the country. They repaired the driver side strut tower and half of the passenger side tower the enclosed pictures show where they stopped the repair. This is where the tower failed. According to my mechanic if they had completed the procedure correctly this part of the tower would not have failed causing the brake lines to separate and break.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact noticed that the strut tower brace was severely rusted. The vehicle was taken to byrely Nissan (4027 dixie highway, louisville, ky 40216) where it was determined that the VIN was old and no longer in the system. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000. The consumer did not recieve the recall #11V244000 notice. The vehicle began making a grinding noise and became difficult to steer. The strut tower housing rusted and broke loose, and is rubbing against the steering column.
Steering all 20 →
I wrote previously on issues with my 1999 Nissan Pathfinder & recalls safety defects etc..etc.. ? Re airbag switch installation to my vehicle after years of inquiries & being told by Nissan dealers & Nissan north America consumer affairs there were no recalls &/or safety advisory even after receipt of a red urgent recall card from the dealer I purchased my vehicle from stating that I have been notified by my vehicle division of the existing problem ???? I was told over & over there were not any issues safety/recalls /technical bulletins or anything with my vehicle from both Nissan consumer affairs & dealer who sent this card & it must have been sent in error this card is postmarked 2/2008 & states I failed to reply however I never received any prior notifications & blatantly told prior upon my inquiries & after this card there were no issues &they don't know why I received this card …
Our 1999 1/2 Nissan Pathfinder's steering column separated from the wheels causing the vehicle to crash into a curbing. We had the car towed to our mechanic and they did a temporary fix but stated that the vehicle was so rusted out on the driver side that it needed to be welded back together with a piece of sheet metal. We spoke to three different sheet metal shops and all said that they would not do it because of safety concerns. We believe this problem occurred due to excessive corrosion on the driver's side strut tower and LED to our loosing our steering. This occurred in July 2009, at that time, we knew nothing of a recall involving this problem, I called Nissan and they said there was nothing they could do and there were no recalls. Due to the fact that the vehicle could not be repaired, we had to junk it. The car was only 10 years old at the time and always maintained. …
Body & structure
I am writing as requested on our phone call on January 3 2015 as you are aware my wife and eleven year old daughter were nearly in an accident on December 15 2014. My 1999 Nissan Pathfinder had gone back to the dealer in 2014 as there was a recall on strut tower failure in high road salt sections of the country. They repaired the driver side strut tower and half of the passenger side tower the enclosed pictures show where they stopped the repair. This is where the tower failed. According to my mechanic if they had completed the procedure correctly this part of the tower would not have failed causing the brake lines to separate and break.
I've had the same problem as others with my one owner 99 Pathfinder. The front drivers side wheelwell frame assembly has rusted and separated to the point that it is too dangerous to drive. It is at the repair shop now, I am waiting for the estimate for repair cost, I've been told to expect a minimum of $1500. I hope others respond and complain so that maybe Nissan will own up to manufacturing a vehicle with defective metal and at least issue a recall. These vehicles are dangerous as the entire wheel assembly can collapse and cause serious injury or death. I took excellent care of my SUV, the engine and the rest is in excellent condition, but I was totally unaware of the extensive rust until I took it to the shop for strut replacement and they informed me of the condition. …
1999 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 | 2WD | 14 / 18 / 16 |
| 3.3L 6-cyl | 5-speed manual | 2WD | 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: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1999 Nissan Pathfinder a good car?
Based on 104 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1999 Pathfinder rates better than average: 53% 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 1999 Nissan Pathfinder?
The suspension — 35 complaints, 34% of all complaints for this model year, most often about front. Next are the steering (20) and body & structure (18).
How many recalls does the 1999 Nissan Pathfinder have?
There are 2 recalls for the 1999 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 1999 Nissan Pathfinder problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 130,000 miles; 7% 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.