1998 Nissan Pathfinder VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 NISSAN PATHFINDER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK AND CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKES DID NOT FUNCTION WHEN APPLIED AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS STIFF.THE CONTACT HAD TO JUMP FROM THE VEHICLE IN ORDER TO ESCAPE FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED THROUGH THE BYPASS AND DOWN ANOTHER STREET INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC BUT DID NOT CRASH INTO ANY OTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN INJURIES. THE INSURANCE COMPANY CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS AWAITING A RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 207,000.

I HAVE A 1998 NISSAN PATHFINDER, THERE ARE SEVERE PROBLEMS WITH THE ACCELERATOR. WHENEVER I GIVE IT GAS TO MAKE IT DRIVER, THE GAS PEDAL, "STICKS" AND THEN UNEXPECTEDLY "CATCHES" AND SEND THE VEHICLE ALMOST OUT OF CONTROL. IT'S BEEN THIS WAY SINCE I BOUGHT IT, USED, OVER A YEAR AGO. YET IT'S GETTING WORSE. VERY DANGEROUS, INDEED. *TR

RE: 98' NISSAN PATHFINDER SE THE GAS PEDAL STICKS WHEN THE CAR IS COMPLETELY STOPPED. WHEN YOU TRY TO ACCELERATE IT STICKS, SO YOU HAVE TO PUSH HARD ON THE PEDAL WHICH CAUSES THE CAR TO JUMP FORWARD AND ACCELERATE. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION, DROVE THROUGH IT, AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK

THIS IS THE SECOND 1998 NISSAN PATHFINDER I'VE OWNED WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. THE THROTTLE STICKS IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION FORCING ONE TO APPLY GREAT FORCE TO PROCEED FROM A STOPPED POSITION. THIS HAS BEEN DANGEROUS ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION AND NEAR MISSES HAVE OCCURED ESPECIALLY WHEN STOPPED BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT.*AK

WHEN CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE , THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE, WHEN GAS WAS APPLIED, VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS.*JB

ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD STICK WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKING. *AK

THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK, AT SPEEDS OF 50 MPH AND ABOVE, ALSO AFTER COMING TO A STOP. *JB

MY PATHFINDER HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN TWO SIMILAR INCIDENTS IN A SPAN OF 5 MONTHS. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED ON MARCH 11,2003 (PLEASE SEE ODI NUMBER 10036981).IT IS MY OPINION THAT A VEHICLE MALFUNCTION CAUSED BOTH INCIDENTS.IT IS A FACT THAT REPAIRS ORDERED BY THE DEALER (BG FUEL INDUCTION SERVICE) ON MARCH 12,2003 DID NOT ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. SECOND INCIDENT: ON AUG. 21,2003, AT APPROXIMATELY 8:00 AM, I DROVE THE PATHFINDER TO THE SECOND FLOOR OF MY SCHOOL PARKING GARAGE.THE PARKING SPACES ARE AT A RIGHT ANGLE TO THE BUILDING OUTSIDE WALL; THEREFORE, A DRIVER IS REQUIRED TO DESCRIBE A SMALL ARC TO PARK A VEHICLE WITHIN THE TWO BOUNDARY LINES PAINTED ON THE FLOOR.I USUALLY PARK AWAY FROM OTHER VEHICLES, IF POSSIBLE, TO AVOID OPENING-DOOR CONTACT WITH VEHICLES ALREADY PARKED. AS THE STEERING WHEEL IS BEING TURNED TO PARK IN A SPECIFIC SPOT, A VEHICLE USUALLY MOVES SLOWLY BECAUSE OF ITS OWN FORWARD MOTION WHEN IN DRIVE;THEREFORE, IT'S NORMAL TO KEEP A FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO COME TO A FINAL STOP.A NARROW SIDEWALK SEPARATES THE PARKING AREA FROM THE BUILDING OUTSIDE WALL.I APPROACHED THE SIDEWALK SLOWLY TO AVOID HITTING THE CURB WITH THE TIRES.SUDDENLY, THE PATHFINDER LURCHED FORWARD, HITTING THE CURB AT A HIGH SPEED.I WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL FULLY.THE VEHICLE CLIMBED ON THE SIDEWALK AND HIT THE WALL.THE IMPACT ON THE WALL CAUSED BOTH FRONT AIR BAGS TO BE ACTIVATED, THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE,AND THE CAR ALARM WENT OFF AS THE FRONT FENDER HIT THE WALL. I RECEIVED CUTS AND BRUISES ON BOTH ARMS, PROBABLY CAUSED BY BY THE SEAT BELT AND THE AIR BAG.THE PATHFINDER SUFFERED $ 7,218.74 IN DAMAGES.BUILDING PROPERTY DAMAGE (STILL UNDETERMINED) WAS ALSO CAUSED.THE WALL ON EACH FLOOR OF THE PARKING GARAGE IS MADE OF PRE-STRESSED CONCRETE SLABS ABOUT 4 OR 5 FEET TALL AND REINFORCED WITH STRETCHED STEEL CABLES.THE CONCRETE SLAB CRACKED AND BENT SLIGHTLY OUTWARDS ALONG THE MIDDLE;FORTUNATELY, IT DID NOT COLLAPSE.*AK

ON MARCH 11, 2003, MY NISSAN PATHFINDER WAS INVOLVED IN AN INCIDENT OF UNEXPLAINED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS ALREADY SHIFTED INTO DRIVE, AND MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WHILE I WAS WAITING FOR A RED LIGHT TO CHANGE. SUDDENLY, THE PATHFINDER LURCHED FORWARD AT A HIGH SPEED. ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY, I HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING OUT OF THE MOTOR. THE NOISE SOUNDED LIKE THE ONE PRODUCED BY AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF MOTOR REVOLUTIONS. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY WHEN I REALIZED THAT THAT I COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE BY DEPRESSING THE FOOT PEDAL. FORTUNATELY, NO PERSONS OR VEHICLED WERE AT THE STREET INTERSECTION WHEN THE VEHICLE JUMPED FORWARD. MY WIFE WAS IN THE PASSSENGER'S SEAT AT THE TIME. ON MARCH 12, 2003, I TOOK THE PATHFINDER TO NISSAN'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. NISSAN'S SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A CLEAN-UP OF THE ENTIRE FUEL SYSTEM. SO, HE SCHEDULED A BG FUEL INDUCTION SERVICE TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. THE PATHFINDER HAD 32,149 MILES AT THE TIME. MY RECORDS SHOW THAT MAINTENANCE ON THE PATHFINDER HAS BEEN PERFORMED AS SCHEDULED AT BILL SEIDLE'S NISSAN. PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, A MAJOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE HAD BEEN SCHEDULED AND PERFORMED AT 30,000 MILES ON OCT. 16, 2002. NO ADDITIONAL FAILURE OCCURRED UNTIL AUG. 21, 2003 (THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT).*AK

CONSUMER STATES THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS WHEN AT A STOP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LURCH FOWARD WHEN IT CATCHES.*JB

WHEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FROM A DEAD STOP, NOTHING HAPPENS. SUDDENLY THE PEDAL CATCHES AND VEHICLE LURCHES. PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAS BEEN CORRECTED. MANUFACTURER COMMENTED THAT THIS PROBLEM IS CONSIDERED A ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, WHICH CONCERNS THE OWNER. *AK *ML