2002 Nissan Pathfinder: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2002 Nissan Pathfinder: 5 recalls, 156 owner complaints and up to 16 mpg combined.
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Recalls
5 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer, plus 4 equipment/tire recalls that can apply. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Airbags Vehicle recall #10V312000 · 2010 · 46 vehicles
What's wrong: The air bag inflator contains propellant wafers that are required to properly deploy the front passenger air bag. Due to improper propellant wafer installation during the air bag inflator assembly process, some air bag inflators May be missing one of the wafers. As a result, the remaining wafers in the inflator used for the deployment of the front passenger air bag May, over time, break up into powder due to normal…
Why it matters: The inflator housing May rupture and pieces of the inflator could strike and injure vehicle occupants.
The fix: Nissan will notify the owners of the forty-six affected vehicles. Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag module assembly with a new one free of charge. The safety recall began on August 19, 2010.
Suspension, Steering Vehicle recall #11V244000 · 2011 · 195,991 vehicles
What's wrong: C., west virginia and wisconsin. In areas of the country in which heavy concentrations of road salt are used, a mixture of snow/water and salt May enter an assembly location hole in the upper strut housing, causing water to collect at the mating surface of the strut housing panel and the inner hood ledge assembly. Over time, this snow/water and salt intrusion May result in corrosion of the strut tower housing in…
Why it matters: The strut housing May crack and pull away from the inner hood ledge assembly. This May lead to grinding noises, increased steering effort, and possibly the steering column to break, resulting in the loss of steering control, which could result in a crash.
The fix: 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.
Airbags Vehicle recall #15V287000 · 2015 · 1,090,569 vehicles
What's wrong: Nissan north america, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2001-2003 Nissan maxima, 2002-2004 pathfinder, 2002-2006 sentra, 2002-2003 Infiniti qx4 and i35, 2003 fx35 and fx45, and 2001 i30 vehicles. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure May cause the inflator to rupture.
Why it matters: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on June 15, 2015.
Airbags Vehicle recall #17V068000 · 2017 · 46 vehicles
What's wrong: Nissan north america, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2002 pathfinder and Infiniti qx4 vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with takata air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators May rupture.
Why it matters: An inflator rupture May result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began on March, 31, 2017.
Airbags Vehicle recall #20V008000 · 2020 · 307,962 vehicles
What's wrong: Nissan north america, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2001-2003 maxima, 2002-2006 sentra, 2002-2004 pathfinder, 2007-2011 versa sedan and versa hatchback, 2001-2004 Infiniti i30 and i35, 2002-2003 inifiniti qx4, 2003-2008 Infiniti fx35 and fx45 and 2006-2010 m35 and m45 vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated, frontal passenger air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (psan)…
Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators with alternate desiccated inflators, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2020.
4 aftermarket equipment / tire recalls replacement parts sold to fit this car, not the car itself
Exterior lights Equipment recall #06E026000 · 2006 · 61,944 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain pro-a motors corner lamps, turn signals, and headlights sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles listed above. Some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
Why it matters: Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
The fix: Pro-a motors will notify owners and offer to repurchase the lamps. The recall began on April 3, 2006.
Exterior lights Equipment recall #06E049000 · 2006 · 27,176 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain ck motorsports combination headlights, clear corner, bumper, and side marker lights sold as replacement lamps for use on the passenger vehicles listed above. Some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
Why it matters: Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
The fix: Ck motorsport will notify owners and replace the noncompliant lamps free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2006.
Exterior lights Equipment recall #09E012000 · 2009 · 16,270 vehicles
What's wrong: These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
Why it matters: Decreased lighting visibility May result in a vehicle crash.
The fix: Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on May 11, 2009.
Exterior lights Equipment recall #09E025000 · 2009 · 42,540 vehicles
What's wrong: Dope, Inc. is recalling 42,540 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
Why it matters: Decreased lighting visibility May result in a vehicle crash.
The fix: Dope, Inc. will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on July 28, 2009.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 1 mention a fire, 6 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Suspension (43): the most common themes are rust / corrosion (19), steering problems (13), noise or vibration (9).
- Engine & cooling (35): the most common themes are leaks (21), noise or vibration (8), stalls / loses power (5).
- Body & structure (18): the most common themes are rust / corrosion (13), noise or vibration (4).
- Steering (17): the most common themes are steering problems (14), noise or vibration (3).
The 2002 Nissan Pathfinder has 156 owner complaints, ranking #13 of 36 Pathfinder model years for complaints (about average; the typical year has 203). Complaints peaked in 2008 (14 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 8 years old, at a median of 100,000 miles. Neighboring years: 2001 (230 complaints, 3 recalls), 2003 (110 complaints, 3 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.3 L 6-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 14 | 18 | 16 | Regular |
| 3.5 L 6-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 14 | 18 | 16 | Regular |
| 3.5 L 6-cyl | Manual 5-spd | Rear-Wheel Drive | 15 | 18 | 16 | Regular |
| 3.5 L 6-cyl | Manual 5-spd | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 15 | 17 | 16 | Regular |
| 3.5 L 6-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive | 13 | 17 | 15 | Regular |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2002 Nissan Pathfinder.
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FAQ
Does the 2002 Nissan Pathfinder have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 5 vehicle recalls for the 2002 Nissan Pathfinder, plus 4 equipment or tire recalls that can apply. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2002 Nissan Pathfinder problems?
Owners have filed 156 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are suspension (43), engine & cooling (35), body & structure (18).
What gas mileage does the 2002 Nissan Pathfinder get?
EPA ratings run up to 16 mpg combined (3.3 L, Automatic 4-spd), across 5 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2002 Nissan Pathfinder repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.