Faults:

The motor ran great. However, it did suffer from the broken exhaust manifold stud problem that is common with these cars. I had to get it repaired as part of the state inspection/emissions requirements. So, both sides had broken studs, requiring them to be drilled out of the head (s). It ended up costing over $700, which was mostly all labor. I think costs will vary depending on the mechanic's ability to get the old studs out.

My car had the adjustable shocks, which actually work; you can tell the difference between sport and soft modes. Soft was way too sloppy for my taste, though. I had to replace the rear coil springs, as the truck would bottom out when even sligthly loaded-even with 3 or 4 passengers. I replaced them myself.

Nothing else went wrong. I took the car loaded with women and children on a 3,000 road trip (round trip) in the car when it had about 145,000 miles on it. At first I was a little worried. It ran great. I had a rare 5 speed model with original clutch. No problems, whatsoever. Automatics are said to have weak transmissions. I have at least 2 friends that needed to replace theirs on cars with less than 100k miles.

The car only had very modest power from the 3.0, even with 5 speed. But, it cruised on the interstate fine and got about 18 mpg.

I think the single worst aspect on this and other Pathfinders I've seen is RUST. Structural rust kills the car far before the engine wants to die. So, for those in the salty road states, be careful. Check underneath, in the area above the muffler and catalytic converter. Also, the frame mounts and lower body.

Once they start rusting, they are on life support.

General Comments:

Great rugged-looking truck. No rattles even with 150k+ miles.

I wouldn't recommend this truck for towing because its already underpowered.

High quality fit and finish on the interior. I had cloth seats.

Faults:

Vehicle has started to rust very badly.

General Comments:

Excellent off road vehicle; although, a locking differential would be nice. The vehicle is very comfortable and handles reasonably well for its size and height. Power is lacking and especially noticeable when towing an 1800LB trailer. Fuel economy is quite poor.

Faults:

Automatic front left hub wore out. Self destructed actually, with fragments getting into the wheel bearing. Had manual hubs fitted, at half the price of auto ones.

General Comments:

This vehicles goes really well once warmed up. A bit slow on the hills though, especially with the boat or trailer on behind. This is my first diesel, so getting used to the "rattle" has taken a bit.

Faults:

A few of the manifold studs have come out which is very noisy and takes away some power. It is very expensive to fix this, but it's a problem every Pathfinder owner has to deal with.

Electrical problems are difficult to diagnose with this vehicle, so you'll have to go to the dealer every now and then.

An odd rattling every time my RPM are around 3,000 along with other squeaks and creaks; I can't find the problem.

Gas is a big issue now that the prices have been going up.

Alternator went, as well as the starter.

Sometimes it won't start with one turn of the key.

Having no cup-holder is annoying at times.

If you leave your window open and something is resting on your dashboard, say goodbye to it if you make a turn because it will fly out the window.

General Comments:

The pathfinder has not let me down. I drive it all the time, which is pretty expensive. I would not recommend this vehicle to anyone trying to save money because although many things don't go wrong, when something does, it's costs a lot of money to fix. Gas is also expensive, and it goes through a lot.

The vehicle has a nice shape; rugged yet sleek. The chrome highlights really make it look nice. If you keep it clean, and make sure rust doesn't take over, you'll love it.

The vehicle, as any other, has it's problems. The big issue is that the Pathfinder's problems are expensive to fix.

The four-wheel drive is wonderful, but you have to keep using it or it will seize up on you. Once a week I'll put it in four-wheel drive and drive down my street, or if it's raining hard I'll use it.

If you don't have the money to maintain this vehicle, don't bother buying one.

Faults:

At 134000 miles the alternator burned up and the doughnut gasket had a bad leak which caused a very annoying clicking noise. Wiring problem that won't let my alarm turn on right.

General Comments:

This is a great SUV. It is great through mud and snow. Very luxurious on the inside. I would recommend buying this car to anybody.

Faults:

Exhaust manifold bolts broke costing a few hundred dollars to repair. This is a recognized problem with the Pathfinder of this era, but no secret warranty (if there is, it's very secret).

Interior dome light would come on intermittently. Repaired, but source of problem was unknown.

A whine (disconcerting rather than annoying) in 5th gear. Too expensive to find out the cause, but no obvious ill-effects.

General Comments:

Very good on road and off-road performance. Well-protected with skid plates for off-road.

Engine is a bit underpowered, including low-end pulling power, but this is not a major problem. Shift-on-the-fly is a bit antiquated and inconvenient. I always stopped to do this.

Minor complaint - lack of cup holders.

On the positive side, the car was reliable, withstood a lot of abuse off road (for a production model), handled well, came with a good options package and was comparatively cheap compared to its Japanese competition - the 4-Runner.