1990 NISSAN PATHFINDER Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

INQUIRY WHETHER NISSAN IS OBLIGATED TO REPAIR OR COVER THE COST OF REPAIR FOR BROKE EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS WHICH COULD CAUSE CARBON MONOXIDE PROBLEMS. *PH *LA

EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS HAVE BROKEN ON BOTH MANIFOLDS AT AN ESTIMATED REPAIR BILL OF $800. WE HAVE NO CHOICE TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AS WE CANNOT RECEIVE OUR EMMISSION TEST APPROVAL TO GET OUR VEHICLE REGISTERED (1990 PATHFINDER) THERE IS NO WARNING FOR THIS DEFECT AND IT WAS NOT DETECTED LAST MAY BECAUSE IT DID PASS THE INSPECTION AT THAT TIME. THE BOLTS ON THE VALVE COVERS WORK THEMSELVES LOOSE AND I AM ABLE TO MOVE THEM WITH MY BARE FINGERS. ALSO, WE CAN NOT FIGURE OUT WHY THE HIGH-BEAM OF THE LEFT FRONT HEADLIGHT WON'T WORK.

Mileage: 226,904

MULTIPLE STUDS BROKEN ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD MULTIPLE TIMES. RIGHT (PASSENGER) SIDE TWICE. LEFT SIDE ONCE.

Mileage: 157,921

NISSAN RECOGNIZED EXHAUST MANIFOLD DESIGN DEFECTS LEADING TO MANIFOLD WARPAGE AND REPEATED EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLT BREAKAGE. EVENTUALLY CAUSING EXHAUST GAS LEAKS AND NOISE PROBLEMS . NISSAN RECOGNIZES DESIGN FAILURE BUT REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I'VE SPENT OVER $1500 REPAIRING EXHAUST MANIFOLDS AND BROKEN EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS. PLEASE HAVE NISSAN RECALL THE FAULTY EXHAUST MANIFOLDS AND BOLTS!

EXHAUST MANIFOLD LEAKS ARE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE PATHFINDER WITH MANY OF THE REPAIRS BEING PERFORMED MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. MY FIRST REPAIR WAS COMPLETED IN THE FALL OF 1996 WITH THE MANIFOLDS REMOVED, TRUED TO FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS, BROKEN MANIFOLD STUDS REPLACED WITH THE FACTORY RECOMMENDED PARTS AND REASSEMBLED BY A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE REPAIR CAST $800.00 AND LASTED 6 MONTHS. NISSAN IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THESE MANIFOLDS AND IN 1997 ISSUED A "SILENT" RECALL ON THEIR 1996 AND 1997 PATHFINDERS BUT WILL NOT HELP THE FOLKS WITH THE OLDER TRUCKS. FACTORY REPLACEMENTS OF THE MANIFOLDS HAVE NOT ELIMINATED THE PROBLEM FOR OTHERS AND AT $800.00 FOR THE REPAIR DOING IT MORE THAN ONCE SEEMS EXCESSIVE. THERE ARE SEVERAL WEB SITES THAT HAVE ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM AND IT SEEMS WELL DOCUMENTED, WE FEEL THAT NISSAN NEEDS TO BE PUSHED TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT. THANK YOU. *AK

EXHAUST MANIFOLD WARPED, CAUSING BOLTS , THAT HOLD THE ENGINE, TO BREAK. VEHICLE MADE A LOUD NOISE. ALSO, EXHAUST VAPOR GOT INSIDE OF VEHICLE. DEALER SAID IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, AND THAT THE BOLTS WERE TOO SMALL TO HOLD THE ENGINE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

EXHAUST SYSTEM FAILURE HAS OCCURRED THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. *AK

THERE ARE 2 RECURRING PROBLEMS THAT APPEAR TO BE PATENT DEFECTS WITH MOST EARLY 90'S PATHFINDERS. THEY DESERVE INVESTIGATION BY DOT. FIRST IS PREMATURE AND REPEATED FAILURE OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, PROBABLY (BUT NOT CERTAINLY) DUE TO INADEQUATE OIL COOLING. I NOTE THAT IN THE YOUR DATABASE THERE ARE 30+ REPORTS OF TRANSMISSION FAILURES (SEVERAL OF THEM INDICATING MULTIPLE FAILURES) FOR MODEL YEARS 1989-1991. THERE ARE ALSO A DOZEN OR MORE REPORTS OF EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUD FAILURE - MOST INDICATING MULTIPLE FAILURES - AND NISSAN DEALERS REPORT THAT THIS HAPPENS TO VIRTUALLY EVERY EARLY 90'S PATHFINDER. AT $300-400 A POP, THIS IS AN OUTRAGE...AND IF YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE MANIFOLD (WHICH MAY WARP WHEN THE STUD BREAKS), IT'S $1,300 PLUS! I'VE SPENT OVER $8,000 ON REPAIRS FOR THESE 2 TYPES OF PROBLEMS, AND NISSAN IS UNRESPONSIVE. I'D LOVE TO KNOW WHAT THEIR OWN RECORDS SHOW IN TERMS OF # AND $ VOLUME OF DEALER SERVICE INCIDENTS RELATING JUST TO THESE PATENT DEFECTS. *AK

ENGINE FAILURE. OWNER CLAIMS THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF VG30 ENGINE FAILURES.

DEALER ADVISES WARPING OF EXHAUST MANIFOLD CAUSED EXHAUST STUDS TO BREAK. ALSO STATES THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE.

VEHICLE HAS NO POWER AND A "KNOCKING" NOISE HEARD WHEN ACCELERATING.

TIMING BELT REPLACED DUE TO LOSS OF POWER.

CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPAIRED.

VEHICLE HAS NO POWER, HEARS KNOKING NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING, FOUND VEHICLE JUMP TIME, REMOVED AND REPLACED TIMING BELT, FUEL PUMP SHOULD STILL BE REMOVED AND FOLLOWED UP, PROBLEM OCCURED AFTER FILLING UP GAS TANK.

THE IDLE SPEED OF THE ENGINE SURGES.

REPLACED LEAKING EXHAUST MANIFOLD. *AK