Your vehicle report
1994 Nissan Pathfinder
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 91
- Received Jan 1995 to May 2014
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Frame rusts and corrodes through17 complaints · 19% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Exhaust manifold cracks and leaks fumes17 complaints · 19% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Tires blow out or tread separates4 complaints · 4.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #02V125000On certain light duty pickup trucks, the latch plate used in the seat belt buckle was not manufactured according to design dimensions. If the seat belt tongue is inserted slowly at an angle into the buckle, there is a possibility of partial engagement.
- Recall #96V170001The latch plate used in the seat belt buckle was not manufactured according to design dimensions. If the seat belt tongue is inserted slowly at an angle into the buckle, there is a possibility of partial engagement.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 8 crashes, 2 fires, 1 person injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 8 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Airbags, belts & seats
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 7 |
| 1996 | 4 |
| 1997 | 7 |
| 1998 | 11 |
| 1999 | 8 |
| 2000 | 12 |
| 2001 | 10 |
| 2002 | 6 |
| 2003 | 8 |
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2005 | 2 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 91 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 17 | 19% | – | |
| Exhaust manifold cracks and leaks fumes | 17 | 19% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 4 | 4.4% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 4 | 4.4% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 4 | 4.4% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 4 | 4.4% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 3 | 3.3% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 3 | 3.3% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #02V125000May 2, 200292,500 vehicles affected
seat belts: front: buckle assembly
On certain light duty pickup trucks, the latch plate used in the seat belt buckle was not manufactured according to design dimensions. If the seat belt tongue is inserted slowly at an angle into the buckle, there is a possibility of partial engagement.
This condition Can cause the seat belt tongue to come out of the buckle in the event of a collision or hard braking of the vehicle increasing the risk of personal injury to an occupant of the seat.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the buckle and, if necessary, replace the buckle assembly with a new buckle. Owner notification began may 22, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
NHTSA recall #96V170001September 10, 199684,000 vehicles affected
seat belts: front: buckle assembly
The latch plate used in the seat belt buckle was not manufactured according to design dimensions. If the seat belt tongue is inserted slowly at an angle into the buckle, there is a possibility of partial engagement.
This condition Can cause the seat belt tongue to come out of the buckle in the event of a collision or hard braking of the vehicle increasing the risk of personal injury to an occupant of the seat.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the buckle and, if necessary, replace the buckle assembly with a new buckle.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1994 Nissan Pathfinder.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN