Total Complaints
19 filings
NISSAN PATHFINDER · model year
1989 NISSAN PATHFINDER
19 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989NISSANPATHFINDER carries 19 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1989 PATHFINDER is vehicle speed control with 3 filings, followed by seat belts:front:buckle assembly (2) and engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 4 investigation files overlapping the 1989 PATHFINDER. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page, a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
19
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
3 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 3 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS | 2 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 1 |
| STEERING:LINKAGES | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20050331UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THE 1989 NISSAN PATHFINDER HE HAS CONSIDERED PURCHASING HAS ANY RECALLS. *NM *JB
20011116SEAT BELTS
SEAT BELT CABLE ATTACHMENT JUST BROKE OFF WITH NO LOAD. *AK
20010927SUSPENSION
CONSUMER STATES FRONT SUSPENSION COMPONENT MAYBE BROKEN OR LOOSE.*JB
20001213ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
THE MANIFOLD BOLTS ARE DEFECTIVE ON THESE VEHICLES. I HAVE NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THESE THINGS WHEN I GET THE CAR INSPECTED. NISSAN FAILS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THESE THINGS ARE FAULTY PREVIOUS TO 1995. WHAT I FIND INTERESTING IS THAT WHEN THEY DO REPLACE THEM (AT YOUR EXPENSE) THEY USE A MUCH HEAVIER DUTY BOLT! WHY? BECAUSE THEY SCREWED UP THE FIRST TIME. IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT'S EXHAUST RELATED AND RI HAS BECOME MUCH TOUGHER ON THESE ISSUES, WHICH COULD FORCE ME TO SPEND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX THESE THINGS!*AK
19991108VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE UP AND STILL IN PARK, VEHICLE ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEED. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND THE PEDAL WENT HALF WAY TO THE FLOORLBOARD. VEHICLE KEPT GOING AT HIGH SPEED, AND THE CONSUMER HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF TO GET THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A STOP. *AK
19991108SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE UP AND STILL IN PARK, VEHICLE ACCELERATED AT HIGH SPEED. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND THE PEDAL WENT HALF WAY TO THE FLOORLBOARD. VEHICLE KEPT GOING AT HIGH SPEED, AND THE CONSUMER HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF TO GET THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A STOP. *AK
19990716SUSPENSION:FRONT
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
19990716ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
19990716ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
19990716UNKNOWN OR OTHER
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.
19990217CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE WAS PUT IN REVERSE ,WENT IMMEDIATELY INTO HIGH SPEED BACKWARDS, HIT TREE DRIVER. PUT VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL ,JUMPED GEAR INTO DRIVE, BRAKES DID NOT HOLD ,HAD TO HIT ANOTHER TREE IN ORDER TO STOP.THROTTLE STUCK WIDE OPEN WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO GO OUT OF CONTROL, RESUTLING IN INJURIES TO DRIVER. *AK
19980712ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
EXHAUST HEADER LEAKED AND CRACKED. THIS IS A NON-MOVING PART AND SHOULD NEVER WEAR OUT.
19971223SEAT BELTS
REPLACEMENT SEAT BELT (REPLACED UNDER RECALL) FAILS. IT WILL OPEN WITH MODERATE FORWARD PRESSURE.
19960531CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
AFTER CAMPAIGN 95V103002 WAS DONE IN MARCH 1996, EXPERIENCED SHOULDER/LAP BUCKLE FAILURE, WHEN BUCKLE DETACHED, ALLOWING DRIVER TO IMPACT WITH INTERIOR. *AK
19960509STEERING:LINKAGES
STEERING TIE ROD BROKE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. IN ONE OCCURRENCE OWNER LOST CONTROL. PLEASE DESSCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
19960417CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
SUDDEN ACCELERATION/LOSS OF CONTROL, CAUSING ACCIDENT/INJURIES. *SD
19960328ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
BOLTS HOLDING EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAVE SHEARED AND FELL OFF, CAUSING LEAKING HOT EXHAUST FUMES. *AK
19960229STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. *SD
19960208SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT LATCH COME LOOSE . TT
Compare 1989NISSANPATHFINDER to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 NISSAN PATHFINDER have?▼
The 1989 NISSAN PATHFINDER has 19 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 NISSAN PATHFINDER?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 NISSAN PATHFINDER is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE.
Is the 1989 NISSAN PATHFINDER safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.