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 2002 Nissan Pathfinder owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2002 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously serviced at a local dealer under NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V244000 (Steering, Suspension); however, the mechanic diagnosed that there was no rust in the strut housing assembly. The contact then stated that when he replaced the front struts, excessive rust was seen in the strut housing assembly. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to multiple independent mechanics, who diagnosed that the front axle needed to be replaced and confirmed there was excessive rust in the strut housing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 147,477.
This relates to Campaign Number 11V244000 We are the original and only owners of the vehicle I originally brought the vehicle in for the recall and they simply sprayed some undercoating in the wheel wells. Less than a month later both strut towers separated from the body of the vehicle while my wife was driving home, she lost steering and could have had a serious or fatal accident. I towed to the dealer and they installed braces in both strut towers. I have always taken exceptional care of my vehicles, which includes multiple washes during winter months and extensive undercarriage washing every spring. This past Oct when I took the vehicle in for mandatory state inspection I was informed that the vehicle would not pass inspection next year. They told me this once before in relation to extensive rust to the passenger side rear frame next to the muffler. …
Strut tower rust damage, my Pathfinder started having that noise coming from the steering column during motion. After a quick inspection at the dealership we realized there was a big gap under the strut towers in both sides, and that there was already a recall, but the recall does not includes to replace the strut column, just a cheap, glued-bolted strip of metal they call a bracket that does not even covers the gap. The "fix" used in recall nhsta id: 11v-244 is totally inadecuate for vehicles in which corrosion has take all the base of the strut tower and the tower is already touching the steering column. To elaborate imagine a gap 3 inches high and 12 inches long; two of the 3 inches in heigh were created by material that rusted and fell apart an only one inch if bent displacement. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that the steering wheel locking mechanism failed to unlock and the contact constantly had to maneuver and adjust the steering wheel to insert the key. The contact was able to insert the key after numerous attempts. The contact mentioned that the vehicle experienced the failure of the engine not cranking upon turning the key over into the start position. The contact also experienced suspension failure in which the vehicle was swaying back and forth with no warning at any rate of speed. The contact was not included in NHTSA campaign id number: 11V244000 (steering, suspension). The vehicle was taken to the authorized dealer several times and the vehicle had several repairs performed. However the failure recurred. The vehicle was to be taken back to the dealer for further inspection and diagnosis. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the front passenger's side tire vibrated abnormally. The contact stated that it was difficult to control the vehicle. There was no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated he parked the vehicle on the side of the road for approximately 30 minutes, restarted the vehicle and drove to the residence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that subframe needed to be welded prior to replacing the lower control arm on the front passenger's side of the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. A dealer was not contacted or notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and complaint was filed. The failure mileage was 118,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Nissan Pathfinder. While driving 35 MPH, the brakes failed. The contact stated that fluid leaked out of the brake lines due to rust on the struts of the vehicle. Due to the brake failure, the vehicle came to a complete stop while driving. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and the brakes were replaced. Star Nissan (206-02 northern blvd, bayside, new york 11361, [phone]) repaired the driver's side strut per NHTSA campaign number: 11V244000 (steering, suspension), but the failure recurred. The contact stated that the passenger side strut became faulty in September of 2018. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that there was no recall on the vehicle. The failure mileage was 96,070.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while making a turn at approximately 25 MPH, there was an abnormal noise coming from the front driver side of the vehicle. In addition, the contact mentioned that when making a left turn, the vehicle would shake violently without warning. The contact discovered that the undercarriage of the vehicle was corroded. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the frame was excessively corroded and could not be repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure and the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 11V244000 (suspension). The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.
Not pleased with the way Nissan repaired the strut housing recall on my Pathfinder! There was a foot long gash that was about 3in. Wide that Nissan repaired with a piece of sheet metal ,4 nuts n bolts, and cocking..now a couple of months later I have two more cracks showing up in front of fix that are running from frame up towards the hood. Going to take it to a few different state inspection places to have them take a look at it before I take it back to Nissan dealer because Nissan is saying there fix is good. Don't know how there fix could be good when they never did any welding and now I have new cracks running vertical towards my hood.
Within 5 minutes of pulling out of a parking lot and onto a main street, driving at 20 MPH in stop and go traffic , suddenly the vehicle veered to the right. The driver lost control of the vehicle , causing it to go over a curb, up onto a lawn, across the street, hitting a mail box and went back onto the road. The vehicle hit an on coming van, went back up onto a curb and stopped. The driver had no steering control. The vehicle is currently at the dealership being repaired.
Takata recall- the Nissan consumer affairs department was unwilling to assist me in repairing the affected vehicle. The closest service area is 98.3 miles one way from my house in which they told me to pay for the cost of travel and time off of work out of my own pocket in order for the repairs to be completed. I asked if the service station could instead pick up my vehicle and provide me a loaner vehicle while the repairs were taking place in which they declined.
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 2002 Nissan Pathfinder?
NHTSA has 43 complaints about the suspension of the 2002 Nissan Pathfinder, 28% of the model year's 156 complaints. The component named most often is rear (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Nissan Pathfinder suspension problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 11V-244 (front, Apr 20, 2011). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2002 Nissan Pathfinder suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 120,000 miles, and 6% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury 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.