1987 Nissan Pathfinder: common problems

Owners of the 1987 Nissan Pathfinder filed 19 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 19

What fails most often

1 Seat belts 37% of all complaints
2 Engine and cooling 26% of all complaints
3 Vehicle speed control 16% of all complaints
4 Powertrain 11% of all complaints
5 Seats 11% of all complaints
6 Steering 11% of all complaints
7 Visibility 11% of all complaints
8 Fuel system 5% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Seat belts: 7 complaints (37% of all).
Engine and cooling: 5 complaints (26% of all).
Vehicle speed control: 3 complaints (16% of all).
Powertrain: 2 complaints (11% of all).
Seats: 2 complaints (11% of all).

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

2.4 L · petrol · 4 cyl
3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
automatic, 3-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: AWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 19 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

seat belts7 · 37%
knocking, grinding or other noise2 · 11%
rust, corrosion2 · 11%
A/C or heater1 · 5%
smoke, burning smell, fire1 · 5%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Seat belts	7	0	0
Engine and cooling	5	0	0
Vehicle speed control	3	0	0
Powertrain	2	0	0
Seats	2	0	0
Steering	2	0	0
Visibility	2	0	0
Fuel system	1	0	0
Structure	1	0	0
Suspension	1	0	0
Tires	1	0	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

Accelerator pedal gets stuck, and consumer has to physically force accelerator to become unstuck. Vehicle accelerates to higher speeds due to such force. Dealer was notified., and inspected the problem 2 years when the problem first occurred. Problem has occurred the same way.
Vehicle speed control · 2002-04-11 · NHTSA complaint #8007424
Consumer was going 20 mph & heard a grinding noise. Vehicle came to a grinding halt and wouldn't do anything. It cut off right in front of a auto shop. They found top of head bolt had sheared off and fell down into camshaft and busted it. It was passed mileage for manufacturer to cover it. The engine was damaged.
Engine and cooling · 2001-03-12 · NHTSA complaint #882789
The floor under the back seat rusted through. Seat belt anchors were rusted so that they probably would have pulled out in an accident. Exhaust was coming into the passenger compartment thru the floor.
Seat belts · 2001-01-10 · NHTSA complaint #738838
Firestone firehawk atx 31/10.5/r15 lt m&s tire failure - tread separation. ([ref])
Tires · 2000-10-20 · NHTSA complaint #6900214
When pulling seat up it is rusted, and consumer can see straight through the foot board.
Seats · 2000-02-04 · NHTSA complaint #856301
Vehicle has a tendency to fishtail on wet pavement when turning. Mjs
Visibility · 1999-08-30 · NHTSA complaint #547952
Automatic cruise control stuck when it accelerated on an incline, installed new cruise control.
Engine and cooling · 1998-06-04 · NHTSA complaint #524481
Exhaust headers, manifold and studs, warped and leaks causing ticking sound at cold starts as well as strong exhaust smells.
Engine and cooling · 1998-02-05 · NHTSA complaint #530118

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

19955
19963
19972
19983
19991
20003
20012
20021

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 8,437 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 23% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Pathfinder has 176 complaints (42 years in the data). This year has 19, below average.

What to check before buying

Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1987 Nissan Pathfinder?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, engine and cooling, vehicle speed control. Total complaints: 19. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (37%), knocking, grinding or other noise (11%), rust, corrosion (11%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1987 Nissan Pathfinder?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 1987 Nissan Pathfinder from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 1987 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.