Total Complaints
49 filings
Nissan Pathfinder · model year
1991 Nissan Pathfinder
49 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports. 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
- 49
- Recalls
- 0
The verdict
The 1991 Nissan Pathfinder posts top-quartile complaint standing among its own model-year siblings.
- Top 22%
- fewest complaints, own model years
- 0
- recall campaigns
The 1991NissanPathfinder carries 49 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 3 fires, 2 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 1991 Pathfinder is power train:automatic transmission with 12 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe (5) and seat belts:front:buckle assembly (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 1991 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.
49
Complaints
3
Crashes
3
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
F
PlainCars Safety Score
0/100
1991 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.
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 |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 12 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 5 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 3 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 3 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 2 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 2 |
| TIRES | 2 |
| STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20130825STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
REAR FRAME ON THESE SUV RUSTED OUT FROM THE INSIDE OUT, WAS PULL A SMALL TRAILER AND THE FRAME AT THE DRIVER SIDE REAR WHEEL COME APART AND WENT TO MANY JUNKYARDS TO FIND THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH ALL PATHFINDER FROM 89-95 THEY RUST FROM THE INSIDE OUT GIVING NO WARNING THAT IT IS FAILING, SOME THAT I CHECK WITH A HAMMER AT THE JUNKYARD THE HAMMER WENT THREW THE FRAMES, NISSAN HAS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM IT COULD CAUSE A WRECK IF THE FRAME IS WEAK ,WITH NO WARNING !!!! *TR
Mileage: 152,031
20050708TIRES
1991 NISSAN PATHFINDER DEVELOPING PROBLEMS WITH THE GOODYEAR FORTERA TIRE EQUIPMENT. ***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR ONE OF THE VEHICEL' S FRONT TIRES WAS CUPPED SEVERELY AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO WANDER WHEN DRIVEN (GOODYEAR FORTERA H1). *NM
20040616TIRES
WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT. CONSUMER PULLED OFF THE ROAD, AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE CAUSE WAS NOT DETERMINED. FIRESTONE, FIREHAWK, DOT BB604RB307. *AK
Mileage: 162,000
20030725STEERING
STEERING MECHNISM HAS FAILED, CAUSING UNVEN WEAR ON THE TIRES. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
20030725SUSPENSION
STEERING MECHNISM HAS FAILED, CAUSING UNVEN WEAR ON THE TIRES. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
20030711TIRES:TREAD/BELT
ABNORMAL TREAD SEPARATION. *AK
20020514TIRES:TREAD/BELT
CONSUMER WAS DENIED REIMBURSEMENT FOR 4 P235/75R15 FIRESTONE ATX STEEL BELTED RADIAL TIRES HE PURCHASED WHICH WERE PART OF SAFETY RECALL 00T005. *TT
20020222TIRES:TREAD/BELT
CONSUMER WAS DENIED REIMBURSEMENT FOR 4 P235/75R15 FIRESTONE ATX STEEL BELTED RADIAL TIRES HE PURCHASED WHICH WERE PART OF SAFETY RECALL 00T005. *TT
20011002CrashSEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
WHILE IN A CAR CRASH REAR DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEATBACKS RECLINED UPON IMPACT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
20010924SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
RECALL 95V103002 REPAIRS WERE PREVIOUSLY DONE. HOWEVER, SEAT BELT BUCKLES ARE FAILING TO REMAIN LOCKED, PREVENTING PASSENGERS FROM BEING PROPERLY RESTRAINED. NO DETERMINATION HAS BEEN MADE FOR CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / ATTACHMENTS.*AK
20000623POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
UNKNOWN TO ME AS EXPLAINED TO ME BY TRANSMISSION MECHANIC THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS DISINTEGRATING OVER TIME PUTTING DEBRIS INTO TRANSMISSION COOLER LOCATED INSIDE THE RADIATOR. THIS CLOGGED UP THE RADIATOR THUS PREVENTING COOLING OF TRANSMISSION. TRANSMISSION GEARS THUS WORE OUT DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT. THE MECHANIC WHOSE SPECIALTY IS TRANSMISSIONS HAS RECEIVED BULLETINS FROM HIS TRADE ASSOCIATION AND NISSAN ON THIS MATTER BUT AT THE TIME COULD ONLY SHOW ME BULLETIN FROM THE "INFINITY Q45 "MODEL WHO HAS THE SAME TRANSMISSION AND PROBLEMS. MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT NISSAN ADVICE WAS TO ADD AN EXTERNAL TRANSMISSION COOLER WHICH WOULD ALLOW A LITTLE LONGER LIFE, BUT EVENTUALLY THE TORQUE CONVERTER WILL GO. I HAD ONLY 62K MILES AND CONSIDER THIS NOT ENOUGH TO WARRANT TRANSMISSION FAILURE. NISSAN DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL ON THIS THUS WILL NOT HELP OUT ON EXPENSES. I FEEL THEY SHOULD CONTRIBUTE SOMETHING SINCE THEY KNOWINGLY WERE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WHICH WAS A POORLY MANUFACTURED TORQUE CONVERTE
20000623POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER
UNKNOWN TO ME AS EXPLAINED TO ME BY TRANSMISSION MECHANIC THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS DISINTEGRATING OVER TIME PUTTING DEBRIS INTO TRANSMISSION COOLER LOCATED INSIDE THE RADIATOR. THIS CLOGGED UP THE RADIATOR THUS PREVENTING COOLING OF TRANSMISSION. TRANSMISSION GEARS THUS WORE OUT DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT. THE MECHANIC WHOSE SPECIALTY IS TRANSMISSIONS HAS RECEIVED BULLETINS FROM HIS TRADE ASSOCIATION AND NISSAN ON THIS MATTER BUT AT THE TIME COULD ONLY SHOW ME BULLETIN FROM THE "INFINITY Q45 "MODEL WHO HAS THE SAME TRANSMISSION AND PROBLEMS. MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT NISSAN ADVICE WAS TO ADD AN EXTERNAL TRANSMISSION COOLER WHICH WOULD ALLOW A LITTLE LONGER LIFE, BUT EVENTUALLY THE TORQUE CONVERTER WILL GO. I HAD ONLY 62K MILES AND CONSIDER THIS NOT ENOUGH TO WARRANT TRANSMISSION FAILURE. NISSAN DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL ON THIS THUS WILL NOT HELP OUT ON EXPENSES. I FEEL THEY SHOULD CONTRIBUTE SOMETHING SINCE THEY KNOWINGLY WERE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WHICH WAS A POORLY MANUFACTURED TORQUE CONVERTE
19991005ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
LH AND RH EXHAUST MANIFOLD STUDS FAILED.
19990919POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
NO SUMMARY
19990311VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
AUTOMATIC CRUISE CONTROL STUCK WHEN ACCELERATING ON AN INCLINE.
19990311EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
AIR CONDITIONER FAN MOTOR VERY LOUD.
19990311STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
STEERING WHEEL REPLACED DUE TO DISTORTION (ONE SIDE WAS LIKE A PLIABLE RUBBER HOSE).
19990311ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
MUFFLER ASSEMBLY REPLACED DUE TO LEAK, REPLACEMENT FAILED ALSO.
19990311FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
FUEL/TEMP GAUGE FAILED TWO TIMES.
19990311ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
FUEL/TEMP GAUGE FAILED TWO TIMES.
Compare 1991NissanPathfinder to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Vehicle Safety Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1991 Nissan Pathfinder have?▼
The 1991 Nissan Pathfinder has 49 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 3 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1991 Nissan Pathfinder?▼
The most-complained component for the 1991 Nissan Pathfinder is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 12 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY.
Is the 1991 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 1991 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.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.