Nissan Pathfinder · model year

1990 Nissan Pathfinder

44 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

Complaints
44
Recalls
0

The verdict

The 1990 Nissan Pathfinder posts top-quartile complaint standing among its own model-year siblings.

Top 17%
fewest complaints, own model years
0
recall campaigns

The 1990NissanPathfinder carries 44 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1990 Pathfinder is power train:automatic transmission with 9 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe (9) and engine and engine cooling:engine (3). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.

NHTSA currently has 4 investigation files overlapping the 1990 Pathfinder. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.

44
Complaints
1
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
F
PlainCars Safety Score
0/100
1990 Nissan Pathfinder

PlainCars' own composite of NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings and rollover-risk assessment, each dimension normalized against the federal scale or the full national model-year corpus. Not an official NHTSA figure, and not a substitute for a specific vehicle's VIN-level recall check.

NHTSA Overall Rating N/A
Not rated
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program overall crash-test rating.
Front Crash N/A
Not rated
Frontal barrier crash-test rating.
Side Crash N/A
Not rated
Side barrier and pole crash-test rating.
Rollover Resistance N/A
Not rated
Static stability factor + dynamic rollover test rating.
Rollover Risk N/A
Not reported
NHTSA single-vehicle rollover probability, dynamic test.

Total Complaints

44 filings

Crashes Reported

1 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION9
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE9
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM3
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY2
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP2
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR1
TIRES1
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
STRUCTURE1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR1

Recent Complaints

20040330ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

INQUIRY WHETHER NISSAN IS OBLIGATED TO REPAIR OR COVER THE COST OF REPAIR FOR BROKE EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS WHICH COULD CAUSE CARBON MONOXIDE PROBLEMS. *PH *LA

20040304ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS HAVE BROKEN ON BOTH MANIFOLDS AT AN ESTIMATED REPAIR BILL OF $800. WE HAVE NO CHOICE TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AS WE CANNOT RECEIVE OUR EMMISSION TEST APPROVAL TO GET OUR VEHICLE REGISTERED (1990 PATHFINDER) THERE IS NO WARNING FOR THIS DEFECT AND IT WAS NOT DETECTED LAST MAY BECAUSE IT DID PASS THE INSPECTION AT THAT TIME. THE BOLTS ON THE VALVE COVERS WORK THEMSELVES LOOSE AND I AM ABLE TO MOVE THEM WITH MY BARE FINGERS. ALSO, WE CAN NOT FIGURE OUT WHY THE HIGH-BEAM OF THE LEFT FRONT HEADLIGHT WON'T WORK.

Mileage: 226,904

20040304EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS HAVE BROKEN ON BOTH MANIFOLDS AT AN ESTIMATED REPAIR BILL OF $800. WE HAVE NO CHOICE TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AS WE CANNOT RECEIVE OUR EMMISSION TEST APPROVAL TO GET OUR VEHICLE REGISTERED (1990 PATHFINDER) THERE IS NO WARNING FOR THIS DEFECT AND IT WAS NOT DETECTED LAST MAY BECAUSE IT DID PASS THE INSPECTION AT THAT TIME. THE BOLTS ON THE VALVE COVERS WORK THEMSELVES LOOSE AND I AM ABLE TO MOVE THEM WITH MY BARE FINGERS. ALSO, WE CAN NOT FIGURE OUT WHY THE HIGH-BEAM OF THE LEFT FRONT HEADLIGHT WON'T WORK.

Mileage: 226,904

20030130ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

MULTIPLE STUDS BROKEN ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD MULTIPLE TIMES. RIGHT (PASSENGER) SIDE TWICE. LEFT SIDE ONCE.

Mileage: 157,921

20020416ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

NISSAN RECOGNIZED EXHAUST MANIFOLD DESIGN DEFECTS LEADING TO MANIFOLD WARPAGE AND REPEATED EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLT BREAKAGE. EVENTUALLY CAUSING EXHAUST GAS LEAKS AND NOISE PROBLEMS . NISSAN RECOGNIZES DESIGN FAILURE BUT REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I'VE SPENT OVER $1500 REPAIRING EXHAUST MANIFOLDS AND BROKEN EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS. PLEASE HAVE NISSAN RECALL THE FAULTY EXHAUST MANIFOLDS AND BOLTS!

20011231TIRES:TREAD/BELT

ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, GENERAL AMERI-TECH TIRES, SIZE P23575R15, DOT#3HL27W443; REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TREAD SEPARATED WHILE TRAVELING 65MPH. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. CONSUMER HAS TIRES. CONSUMER IS REQUESTING TO SEND TIRES TO OFFICE OF DEFECTS. *AK TREAD KICKED UP, SMASHING REAR LEFT PANEL, LEFT TAIL LIGHT AND MUD FLAP. *TT

20010620POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO FAILURE OF INTERNAL COMPONENETS. THERE SEEM TO BE A LARGE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AROUND THE TRANSMISSION OF THE 1990 NISSAN PATHFINDERS. I HAVE HAD 2 TRANSMISSION FAILURES IN 10 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE FOR THE FIRST FIVE YEARS WAS DIFFERENT THAN THE PRIMARY DRIVER FOR THE SECOND FIVE YEARS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM. IN ADDITION MY DEALER INFORMED ME THAT NISSAN DID REDESIGN THE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE OF FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION. THI IS A HUGE PROBLEM. IS THERE A WAY TO BEGIN AN INVESTIGATION INTO NISSAN SURROUNDING THIS VEHICLE PROBLEM.*AK

20001213ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

EXHAUST MANIFOLD LEAKS ARE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE PATHFINDER WITH MANY OF THE REPAIRS BEING PERFORMED MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. MY FIRST REPAIR WAS COMPLETED IN THE FALL OF 1996 WITH THE MANIFOLDS REMOVED, TRUED TO FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS, BROKEN MANIFOLD STUDS REPLACED WITH THE FACTORY RECOMMENDED PARTS AND REASSEMBLED BY A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE REPAIR CAST $800.00 AND LASTED 6 MONTHS. NISSAN IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THESE MANIFOLDS AND IN 1997 ISSUED A "SILENT" RECALL ON THEIR 1996 AND 1997 PATHFINDERS BUT WILL NOT HELP THE FOLKS WITH THE OLDER TRUCKS. FACTORY REPLACEMENTS OF THE MANIFOLDS HAVE NOT ELIMINATED THE PROBLEM FOR OTHERS AND AT $800.00 FOR THE REPAIR DOING IT MORE THAN ONCE SEEMS EXCESSIVE. THERE ARE SEVERAL WEB SITES THAT HAVE ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM AND IT SEEMS WELL DOCUMENTED, WE FEEL THAT NISSAN NEEDS TO BE PUSHED TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT. THANK YOU. *AK

20000824ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

20000814ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

EXHAUST MANIFOLD WARPED, CAUSING BOLTS , THAT HOLD THE ENGINE, TO BREAK. VEHICLE MADE A LOUD NOISE. ALSO, EXHAUST VAPOR GOT INSIDE OF VEHICLE. DEALER SAID IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, AND THAT THE BOLTS WERE TOO SMALL TO HOLD THE ENGINE. *AK

20000807FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS

WHEN DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. LOSS OF ALL BRAKES AND CLUTCH WHEN THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CAUSE OF FIRE MAY BE LINKED TO THE FUEL INJECTOR WHICH POSSIBLE HAD A CRACK CAUSING A LEAK WHICH CAUSED THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

19990623ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

EXHAUST SYSTEM FAILURE HAS OCCURRED THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. *AK

19990622ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

THERE ARE 2 RECURRING PROBLEMS THAT APPEAR TO BE PATENT DEFECTS WITH MOST EARLY 90'S PATHFINDERS. THEY DESERVE INVESTIGATION BY DOT. FIRST IS PREMATURE AND REPEATED FAILURE OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, PROBABLY (BUT NOT CERTAINLY) DUE TO INADEQUATE OIL COOLING. I NOTE THAT IN THE YOUR DATABASE THERE ARE 30+ REPORTS OF TRANSMISSION FAILURES (SEVERAL OF THEM INDICATING MULTIPLE FAILURES) FOR MODEL YEARS 1989-1991. THERE ARE ALSO A DOZEN OR MORE REPORTS OF EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUD FAILURE - MOST INDICATING MULTIPLE FAILURES - AND NISSAN DEALERS REPORT THAT THIS HAPPENS TO VIRTUALLY EVERY EARLY 90'S PATHFINDER. AT $300-400 A POP, THIS IS AN OUTRAGE...AND IF YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE MANIFOLD (WHICH MAY WARP WHEN THE STUD BREAKS), IT'S $1,300 PLUS! I'VE SPENT OVER $8,000 ON REPAIRS FOR THESE 2 TYPES OF PROBLEMS, AND NISSAN IS UNRESPONSIVE. I'D LOVE TO KNOW WHAT THEIR OWN RECORDS SHOW IN TERMS OF # AND $ VOLUME OF DEALER SERVICE INCIDENTS RELATING JUST TO THESE PATENT DEFECTS. *AK

19990622POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

THERE ARE 2 RECURRING PROBLEMS THAT APPEAR TO BE PATENT DEFECTS WITH MOST EARLY 90'S PATHFINDERS. THEY DESERVE INVESTIGATION BY DOT. FIRST IS PREMATURE AND REPEATED FAILURE OF THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, PROBABLY (BUT NOT CERTAINLY) DUE TO INADEQUATE OIL COOLING. I NOTE THAT IN THE YOUR DATABASE THERE ARE 30+ REPORTS OF TRANSMISSION FAILURES (SEVERAL OF THEM INDICATING MULTIPLE FAILURES) FOR MODEL YEARS 1989-1991. THERE ARE ALSO A DOZEN OR MORE REPORTS OF EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUD FAILURE - MOST INDICATING MULTIPLE FAILURES - AND NISSAN DEALERS REPORT THAT THIS HAPPENS TO VIRTUALLY EVERY EARLY 90'S PATHFINDER. AT $300-400 A POP, THIS IS AN OUTRAGE...AND IF YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE MANIFOLD (WHICH MAY WARP WHEN THE STUD BREAKS), IT'S $1,300 PLUS! I'VE SPENT OVER $8,000 ON REPAIRS FOR THESE 2 TYPES OF PROBLEMS, AND NISSAN IS UNRESPONSIVE. I'D LOVE TO KNOW WHAT THEIR OWN RECORDS SHOW IN TERMS OF # AND $ VOLUME OF DEALER SERVICE INCIDENTS RELATING JUST TO THESE PATENT DEFECTS. *AK

19990219VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

CONSUMER EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE ACCELERATING AT AN HIGH SPEED WHILE DRIVING. CONSUMER WOULD HAVE TO TAKE VEHICLE OUT OF GEAR IN ORDER FOR ENGINE NOT TO CONTINUE ACCELERATING UNTIL THE RPM COME BACK DOWN TO NORMAL. VEHICLE BEEN INSPECTED BY DEALER, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PROBLEM MAY BE THE CRUISE CONTROL MODULE. COST FOR REPAIR WOULD GO TO CONSUMER. CAN YOU HELP IN THIS MATTER.

19990217ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

VEHICLE HAS NO POWER, HEARS KNOKING NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING, FOUND VEHICLE JUMP TIME, REMOVED AND REPLACED TIMING BELT, FUEL PUMP SHOULD STILL BE REMOVED AND FOLLOWED UP, PROBLEM OCCURED AFTER FILLING UP GAS TANK.

19980823ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

ENGINE FAILURE. OWNER CLAIMS THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF VG30 ENGINE FAILURES.

19980713POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT

REPEATED TRANSMISSION PLANETARY GEAR FAILURE.

19980310ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

DEALER ADVISES WARPING OF EXHAUST MANIFOLD CAUSED EXHAUST STUDS TO BREAK. ALSO STATES THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE.

19980207LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH

FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR CANNOT BE UNLOCKED WITH KEY.

Compare 1990NissanPathfinder to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Vehicle Safety Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1990 Nissan Pathfinder have?
The 1990 Nissan Pathfinder has 44 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 Nissan Pathfinder?
The most-complained component for the 1990 Nissan Pathfinder is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 9 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE.
Is the 1990 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.

Data vintage: August 2026. 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.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1990 Nissan Pathfinder; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.