Steering complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 17% | — |
| 2024 | 3 | 3% | — |
| 2022 | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2019 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2018 | 6 | 8% | 11,000 miles |
| 2017 | 8 | 4% | 52,000 miles |
| 2016 | 3 | 3% | 21,000 miles |
| 2015 | 3 | 1% | 88,000 miles |
| 2014 | 9 | 2% | 43,000 miles |
| 2013 | 13 | 1% | 30,000 miles |
| 2012 | 2 | 9% | 38,000 miles |
| 2011 | 2 | 4% | 62,000 miles |
| 2010 | 5 | 13% | 110,000 miles |
| 2009 | 1 | 3% | 184,000 miles |
| 2008 | 3 | 1% | 145,000 miles |
| 2007 | 6 | 1% | 97,000 miles |
| 2006 | 41 | 5% | 74,000 miles |
| 2005 | 9 | 1% | 91,000 miles |
| 2004 | 2 | 3% | 196,000 miles |
| 2003 | 14 | 13% | 143,000 miles |
| 2002 | 17 | 11% | 121,000 miles |
| 2001 | 35 | 15% | 130,000 miles |
| 2000 | 27 | 24% | 149,000 miles |
| 1999 | 20 | 19% | 140,000 miles |
| 1998 | 11 | 7% | 158,000 miles |
| 1997 | 26 | 12% | 130,000 miles |
| 1996 | 24 | 15% | 138,000 miles |
| 1995 | 3 | 2% | 103,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
i purchased 2024 pathfinder within days the car stopped while driving i had to pull over to restart VERY FRIGHTING!!! I called the dealer service department they said i had hit the gear shifter and told me be careful?? INSULTING!!! The car goes into first gear by itself and it is showing its in DRIVE??This must be investigated if i blow the engine cause it will not get out of 1st gear who is responsible ?? If there are so many complaints and this is very important why isnt nissan doing something to solve this problem? I actually thought I had a LEMON!! Please help the dealership will not do anything and honestly, I am afraid to drive the car for it is not happening more frequent Yesterday i was driving out of my driveway and the car stalled in the middle of driveway !!! Please i want to live!
The Original Equipment (OE) Bridgestone Alenza Sport A/S 255/50R20 105H M+S tires on my brand new 2024 Nissan Pathfinder suffer from groove wander on roads in which grooves are cut into them to mitigate hydroplaning in rainy conditions. The geometric design, tread design incompatibility, or structural irregularities of these tires cause severe groove wander and impair safe handling. I believe there is a mismatch between the tire design and the vehicle's weight or suspension design - Nissan should not be placing this OE tire on new Pathfinders. Groove wander causes the vehicle to follow road grooves involuntarily, which is a handling defect that compromise driver control. This condition is a safety hazard, especially at highway and interstate speeds or in inclement weather. …
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the steering wheel seized, and the brake pedal was depressed because the contact was unable to turn the steering wheel. The contact stated that the air bag then deployed. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the steering wheel remained inoperable. The contact towed the vehicle to his place of employment. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 11,000.
The engine began to fail because of a lack of adequate breathability into the crankcase, causing high crankcase pressure, excessive oil blowby, severe exhaust smoke, severe engine sludge, severe engine shuddering, and lack of response to the power steering because of engine power loss. The failure of the PCV system was at fault. Produced codes P0300, P0306, and P0430. Engine sludge needed to be cleaned, PCV hoses and PCV needed to be replaced, spark plugs needed to be replaced because of blowby, and valve covers also needed to be replaced because of sludge clogging the PCV baffles within the valve covers.
While driving at a speed of 60mph on the highway my pathfinder lost all power and became had to control as my car came to a complete stop causing me to be stuck in between to merging highways with traffic on each side . I was given no warning this was about to happen and it could have cost me my life . My car had to be picked up and towed I would assume it's my transmission or my engine it is the 3rd. I could not accelerate or shift at all despite having NO warning lights on until I turned it off to save my battery and make my self able to keep my lights and flashers on without causing anymore damage to my car which has already had a complete engine ,diffrential, and transfcase, radiator, and tan blades replaced multiple times at just 2 years old but was out of mileage so Nissan wouldn't honor them . …
When hitting any imperfections in the road, the Pathfinder will lose traction and steering. On the highway it is most dangerous, online it is called "the death sway" and is a known issue to consumers in the Pathfinder and Infiniti Qx80. Forums identify Bushing and bushing arms as the likely culprit. I have never been more afraid to drive a vehicle and have had others drive my vehicle to verify the issue is not caused by my driving. I contacted Nissan twice and they have informed me both times that there isn't anything they can do about it
Tl* the contact owns a 2015 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while parking the vehicle, she heard an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the power steering unit needed to be replaced. The contact called jeff wyler Nissan of cincinnati (8680 colerain ave, cincinnati, oh 45251, [phone]) and made the dealer aware of the failure. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel became firm. The contact stated that extra effort was needed to steer the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact also stated that the vehicle would hesitate upon the depression of the accelerator after a complete stop. Additionally, the vehicle would shake as the engine would rev while idle without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000.
Related recalls (1)
Steering › Gear box (other than rack and pinion)
Due to the type of lubricant used in the steering transfer gear assembly, the effort required to turn the steering wheel at low ambient temperatures (less than -30 c) could increase to the point where some drivers would have difficulty in turning the wheel.
Remedy: Dealers are replacing the steering transfer gear assembly with a new assembly having different lubricant.
NHTSA investigations
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…
Frequently asked questions
Which Nissan Pathfinder years have steering problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2006 (41), 2001 (35), 2000 (27), 1997 (26) and 1996 (24) model years. Steering complaints make up 5% of all complaints for the 2006.
Is there a recall for Nissan Pathfinder steering problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 96V-034 (gear box (other than rack and pinion), Feb 22, 1996). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Nissan Pathfinder steering problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 106,000 miles; 19% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the column (11 mentions), followed by the hydraulic power assist system (6).
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.