1997 Nissan Pathfinder Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/14/2026

20Steering complaints

9.2%Of all 217 complaints

#4Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

SUSPENSION42 · 19.4%

SUSPENSION:FRONT28 · 12.9%

SUSPENSION:REAR28 · 12.9%

STEERING20 · 9.2%

TIRES14 · 6.5%

Share of the 217 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1997 Nissan Pathfinder overview page.

What owners report

“CLAIM NUMBER 05-4603-579 - WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A LFET TURN WHEN VEHICLE'S STEERING LOCKED UP CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL AND HIT…”NHTSA complaint 6901109 — filed 04/25/2002

“SINCE PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE, I'VE HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT THE ALIGNMENT (TAKEN TO DEAL AND NUMEROUS OTHER PLACES) IT HAS BEEN ALIGNED, TIRES ROTATED, BALANCED, ETC…”NHTSA complaint 719027 — filed 02/21/2000

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1997 Nissan Pathfinder have steering problems?

Steering is the #4 most-reported problem area on the 1997 Nissan Pathfinder: 20 of 217 complaints on file (9.2%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1997 Nissan Pathfinder have in total?

217 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 18 involved a crash, 2 involved a fire, 17 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.