RecallMyCar

1997 Nissan Pathfinder Recalls, Complaints & Specs

2 safety recalls list the 1997 Nissan Pathfinder, and owners have filed 217 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

2
safety recalls
217
owner complaints to NHTSA
18 / 2
complaints citing a crash / fire
15–16
MPG combined (EPA)

2 safety recalls for the 1997 Nissan Pathfinder

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Suspension: front and column (steering)

    NHTSA 11V244000 Reported 195,991 vehicles potentially affected NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

    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 island,…

    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. Owners may contact…

  2. Filler pipe and cap (fuel system)

    NHTSA 07V435000 Reported 372,250 vehicles potentially affected NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

    On certain vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, iowa, illinois, indiana, kentucky, massachusetts, maine, maryland, michigan, minnesota, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, tennessee, vermont, virginia, west virginia , wisconsin and the district of…

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel filler tube assembly with a new one with an improved coating process. The recall began on november 26, 2007. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

217 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1997 Nissan Pathfinder have filed 217 complaints with NHTSA; 18 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. Reports cite 17 injuries and 1 death. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 119,865 miles. Complaints peaked in 2011 with 27 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“The vehicle swings left to right when cruising at about any speed. When the vehicle is pulling it does not swing or sway, however once the vehicle has got up to a desired speed and you try to maintain”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, November 22, 2021 · Suspension

“I have taken my nissan to the dealership to decode my engine light. I have paid for several repairs to have the eval code corrected. After the last attempt of trying to fix the problem, i was told tha”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 17, 2020 · Unknown or other

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 1997 Nissan Pathfinder (Pathfinder 2WD, Pathfinder 4WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined15–16 mpg
City / Highway14–15 / 17–18
FuelRegular
EPA classSpecial Purpose Vehicles
Engine6 cyl, 3.3 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd

Compare Nissan Pathfinder model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Nissan Pathfinder model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1986 Nissan Pathfinder01
1987 Nissan Pathfinder219
1988 Nissan Pathfinder217
1989 Nissan Pathfinder215
1990 Nissan Pathfinder238
1991 Nissan Pathfinder139
1992 Nissan Pathfinder030
1993 Nissan Pathfinder049
1994 Nissan Pathfinder291
1995 Nissan Pathfinder0170
1996 Nissan Pathfinder3159
1997 Nissan Pathfinder2217
1998 Nissan Pathfinder2149
1999 Nissan Pathfinder2104
2000 Nissan Pathfinder2112
2001 Nissan Pathfinder3230
2002 Nissan Pathfinder5156
2003 Nissan Pathfinder3110
2004 Nissan Pathfinder367
2005 Nissan Pathfinder21,050
2006 Nissan Pathfinder3837
2007 Nissan Pathfinder1561
2008 Nissan Pathfinder4328
2009 Nissan Pathfinder337
2010 Nissan Pathfinder440
2011 Nissan Pathfinder245
2012 Nissan Pathfinder223
2013 Nissan Pathfinder11890
2014 Nissan Pathfinder11574
2015 Nissan Pathfinder5321
2016 Nissan Pathfinder2105
2017 Nissan Pathfinder2186
2018 Nissan Pathfinder377
2019 Nissan Pathfinder276
2020 Nissan Pathfinder048
2022 Nissan Pathfinder5136
2023 Nissan Pathfinder1104
2024 Nissan Pathfinder283
2025 Nissan Pathfinder151
2026 Nissan Pathfinder010

Checking a specific 1997 Nissan Pathfinder

How do I know if my 1997 Nissan Pathfinder has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 2 campaigns currently list the 1997 Nissan Pathfinder; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Nissan dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 07V435000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Nissan models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.