2001 Nissan Pathfinder consumer reviews

I have a older pathfinder with just under 200,000 miles that is still running fine. Just needed a newer one to get my daughter to college, 9 hours with no worries. Only problem with the old Nissan is it is rusting out, but runs and handles well. My son will continue to drive until he graduates high school.

My family purchased a 2001 Nissan Pathfinder LE brand new in 2000, and it has my daily driver for 3 years since I started driving. The LE is the luxury model with heated leather seats, upgraded Bose sound system, 6 disc cd changer, my Pathfinder also has 4WD capability. Currently reaching 180,000 miles. The Good: The styling of this pathfinder has aged really well and is still sharp-looking inside and out 13 years later. I like the truck-like boxy exterior but it's not too overdone. It's not as dated and funky looking as the more truck-like pathfinder which came before it, but yet it's more rugged than the minivan styling of the newer pathfinder. The interior has held up really well and the leather seats are in pristine condition. The drivers seat has some wear and tear from so many years of use but is perfect compared to some other cars' leather I've seen. The materials feel like high-quality, lots of leather and soft touch surfaces. The Pathfinder's ride is firm and fun to drive. It rides like a rocket compared to most other trucks and SUVs. The blind spots aren't too bad and I feel like I can take it into the tightest corner and successfully maneuver my way out. The 4WD works well and is a very fun vehicle to drive off-road, almost as fun as a Jeep Wrangler. Much more fun to take off-roading than a clunky pickup. The bad: My check engine light has been on for about 4 years now. Along with almost every other owner of the 2001 Pathfinder, I've had to replace all the oxygen sensors. The CD player stopped working, but the casette & radio works just fine (I use the casette player to plug my ipod in, the quality is great). The dashboard clock has stopped working. The a/c broke last summer. The fuel economy is awful for a crossover. Our 2008 Tahoe gets 1 MPG better and that's a big SUV. It's not the worst gas mileage in the world but you would think a vehicle like this could do better. I only learned recently that it wants premium gasoline (after filling it with only regular for over a decade). It does ride a bit smoother on Premium and accelerate better, and the gas mileage goes further with premium so it pays off (I hope). The front doors are unreasonably heavy. Almost every passenger I have has to shut the door twice because they don't realize how heavy it is & they never shut it all the way the first time. The interior space may be a concern for some. However, it is perfect for me (I'm 5'8"). Getting in and out is a breeze. You don't have to climb up like in a truck (which takes a toll on the seats) and you don't have to squat down like in a sedan, it's just right. The door opens so that you don't scrape your dirty shoes on the door panel. Everything is within reach. If I have something on the passenger seat, I don't have to lean or extend my reach like in a bigger truck or suv. However, if you are a bigger or much taller person you may feel cramped in the interior.

-I am the owner of a 2001 Nissan Pathfinder SE 4x4. It has been a very good car so far. The outside styling is nice and the inside styling is uncluttered and easy to use. -My Pathfinder only has a few surface-rust spots around the wheel arches and rusted through on the sidesteps. Other than that; I have only had to replace the plugs, wires and change the brakes...why are there drum brakes on a 2001 car?? -A fuel efficient car; this is not. Expect to get roughly 300 miles out of each 21 gallon tank. Not Hummer H1 bad but not good either :) -a VERY GOOD car to have in the snowy months of the midwest. I have really put this car through its paces and it passed with flying colors!! *I would definitely recommend this car to anyone looking for a good used SUV.

My Pathfinder has 174k miles and is still in great shape. Remarkable how well it still runs. The one thing I would say is being a 2001 when gas prices were still pretty cheap manufacturers weren't terribly concerned with mpg especially with SUVs. Even at 174k I still get sticker mpg 14 to 15 mpg day to day and nearly 19 on highway. I have read the complaints and I have to say they are likely just the unfortunate who got one a bad one. EVERY maker has them.

The Nissan pathfinder is the best used SUV you can buy. As with any vehicle, if you take care of it, it will provide you with numerous years of service. I've NEVER had to do anything major to this vehicle other that oil changes, battery and tires. My 2001 Pathfinder has been the most reliable SUV I've ever owned and I am looking to replace it with another. I don't think I can trust anything else. I've owned a Honda pilot, Toyota 4Runner, and Chevy Blazer, but none performed or gave me less issues than my Pathfinder. I will definitely recommend it to anyone. If you have anyone has anything negative to say about the pathfinder, I'm sure they've abused this vehicle and then expect it to perform right.

My Grandfather bought this pathfinder new because his old Nissan pickup had over 250,000 miles on it and still ran great. He went with another nissan because the last was so reliable. I drove with him from MA to FL every year for about five years and when he passed away, I kept the truck. I have 120,000 miles on it now (mostly highway) and have had nothing but problems. The "check engine light" is ALWAYS on! Every time I need an inspection sticker I spend $300 to $700 to get the light to turn off. A month later it comes back on for a different problem. For this reason alone this truck will nickle and dime you to death. If you work on your own vehicles stay away from this one, I couldn't get the spark plugs out. Another issue I have always had is the truck shakes on the highway. I have bought new tires and had a garage inspect the front end and a new alignment. I can't get it to stop shakeing. The last thing I can think of that will drive you nuts is that the serpentine belt has a manual tensioner on it. What this means is that about three weeks after it is tensioned properly, every time you start the car cold you will hear the belt squeal for about 5 seconds. It's just annoying. A coworker of mine has the same car. His is an SE and mine is the LE. He has the exact same problems with his. A couple other notes, In my opinion, for a car this small I am surprised at how poor the gas mileage is. My friend has a Ford expedition that towers over this one when parked next to it and gets the same gas mileage. Also I am very comfortable at 5'-8" driving this car, but anyone 6' or taller complains that there head brushes against the roof. Also if your CD changer still works past 50k miles, it's a miracle. I will say though, when this car runs properly, it is a fun car to drive. It has a lot of power, and it handles very nicely.

I need a change !!! tHE ENGINE HAS REALLY GIVEN ME MUCH TROUBLES. I HAVE REALLY NOT ENJOYED THE RIDE AS i EXPECTED SINCE i PURCHASED IT IN oCTOBER, 2008 FROM THE USA. NOW I WANT TO CHANGE THE COMPLETE ENGINE OR SELL IT OFF FOR ANOTHER OPTION. PLEASE HELP

After 82K this SUV was downhill. I changed the oil every 3k and flushed fluids regularly. Pathfinders have major cooling system issues! Ive had a radiator, fan clutch, thermostat, coolant temp sensor and bunch of different gaskets replace and the thing is still burning coolant somehow.....Time to go to a competitor and see what happens. Never had this many issues with My maxima or G20...so after going to the nissan dealer i found out i was not alone.

Bought my 2001 Pathfinder LE Used with 32,000 miles on it. I owned it 7 years and had 83,661 miles when last week it was rear ended at 55 mph. We walked away unharmed. I can't say enough about this SUV. My heart broke to hear they have totaled it. In the 7 years I owned this fabulous vehicle, I put on one set of tires, replaced one battery and did periodic oil changes. I only used 87 octane fuel in it and the Pathfinder ran great. This is by far the only vehicle I will feel safe in and I am desperately looking to replace it.

Absolute workhorse and fun to drive. Mine has 115k miles on it, runs like a champ. Only issues were small sensors and a battery or two. Comfortable, can haul whatever you need and reliable.