2002 Pathfinder Severe Engine Damage

[rodney976]

I have the same exact problem right now, and it is costing $5,000 to fix. Nissan Corporate will only come up with $1,500 because its out of warranty. The dealership is taking $474 off in labor. They are charging 34 hr labor anyway. We need to find out how to remedy this situation.

[kingorcus]

hey guys

just bought a 2002 Pathfinder
can someone please post step by step procedure to fix these engine screws problem

Thanks

[mpe235]

Originally Posted by rodney976

I have the same exact problem right now, and it is costing $5,000 to fix. Nissan Corporate will only come up with $1,500 because its out of warranty. The dealership is taking $474 off in labor. They are charging 34 hr labor anyway. We need to find out how to remedy this situation.

You may want to get another quote. 34 hours for what? You could put a new engine it it for that price.

[Ken]

Originally Posted by kingorcus

hey guys

just bought a 2002 Pathfinder
can someone please post step by step procedure to fix these engine screws problem

Thanks

Here is onother thred that might help Power Valve Screws Falling Out On 3.5's, 01-04 - Nissan Pathfinder Off-Road Association

[mpe235]

Originally Posted by kingorcus

hey guys

just bought a 2002 Pathfinder
can someone please post step by step procedure to fix these engine screws problem

Thanks

It would be kind of hard to give step by step instructions.

I would start by inspecting the power valve. You will have to remove the upper intake manifold to see them. If the screws are still in the plates I would take them out 1 at a time and apply some lock-tite to them and then reinstall them. If any are missing you will need to look for them. This could mean taking apart the engine to find them or any damage they may have caused.

[tomnius]

Originally Posted by rodney976

I have the same exact problem right now, and it is costing $5,000 to fix. Nissan Corporate will only come up with $1,500 because its out of warranty. The dealership is taking $474 off in labor. They are charging 34 hr labor anyway. We need to find out how to remedy this situation.

hey rodney976,

you were reimbursed $1500? how did you get nissan to pay you even that after your warranty expired? i haven't been able to get anywhere with those clowns at their consumer affairs department.

[tomnius]

hey all,

its been a few months since i posted my original message. i paid for the repairs and moved on, thinking there wasn't much else to do. but today i received a message from a gentleman whose power valve screw came undone. though i am very dismayed to hear of others having to go through the hell caused by the same nissan design flaw, i am not at all surprised that other cases are appearing.

if anyone else out there has been through this predicament, please by all means PM me. if you've found a way to get nissan to take financial responsibility for this it would be a great service to all of us for you to share.

here are photos from my 2002 pathfinder's intake manifold. 9 of the 12 screws are missing, as well as the 4 valves they should have held in place. where are those valves, nissan?

[88pathoffroad]

That is MESSED UP! Damn!

I think the only recourse is to start a lawsuit. Sentras and Maximas have the same exact problem on different engines. A lawsuit would wake them up.

[Ken]

And Xtrails in australia

Australia4WD The Four Wheel Drive and Camper Trailer Resource And this one

http://com1.runboard.com/baustralianxtrail.f28.t124404

[koty_dog]

just to add another complaint to this list. i also have a 2002 pathfinder that had power valve screws ingested into a cylinder. after multiple discussions with Nissan's Arbitration department, they are offering no financial support. i am entering small claims court, however feel that a class action suit would be a better way to go. feel free to private message me if you would be interested in joining the fight.

Brian

[kingorcus]

hey guys

My mechaninc did the Job on the weekend

luckily no screws were missing...
two were little loose
I used something called master thread lock.. red compund

also I change my plugs...

[rodney976]

Have you received any help from Nissan to date?

[twofouroh]

Well, I don't actually have a Pathfinder, but I bought an engine from one last year for a transplant into my 84 720 Kingcab 4x4. As I tore the engine down, there were no screws missing from my lower intake collector, or the swirl control valves. [[That's right!! There are six more of these valves down in the actual intake manifold with twelve more identical screws to worry about!]]
I'm surely going to take them all out and Loctite the hell out of them now. Thanks for the warning, really sorry for all of you that got burned . . . .

Scott B
Gainesville, FL -

[maxeeen]

I just experienced the same knocking sound in my 2002 LE on 9/17. It didn't stall though. I was driving and the noise started. It's at the dealer now and they're trying to find out what is wrong but they won't call me back. I filed a complaint with nissan consumer affairs but they can't do anything until the dealer tells me what is wrong. Thanks for the info. Sorry you had to experience this. I still owe 10,000 on mine.

[MerlotLE]

This is probably not the best place to introduce myself, but I am new to this forum. I have owned my 2003 Pathfinder LE since it was new and it currently has 48K miles on it. It is routinely serviced by our local dealer. My cousin bought a used 2002 LE with close to 80K miles last year because he liked mine so much. About a month and a half after he bought his, the engine failed. I didn't think much about it but he did say "a screw came loose and got sucked into the engine". As I continue to love my Pathfinder, I've been doing some searches on this issue lately, and I'm glad to have found this forum. Fortunately I purchased an extended warranty when I bought mine, will take me to 6 years/ 72K. However, if this happens, does warranty really cover it? Is there anything I can do now as a preventative measure to secure those screws through the dealer? (I'm not a mechanic) As a preventative measure for this recurring problem, will Nissan cover the labor involved? As for my cousin, he couldn't afford to fix his, ended up going to a private mechanic, and $4K later, he didn't resolve the problem, he lost $6K total in one month, and had to basicly give the truck away. He's still paying off the loan for it - a real disaster. It was a damn shame to say the least, especially after coming back home from being in the military for the last 4 years. We should keep this issue alive, as it affects many of us. Has anyone discovered anything in regards to this issue with Nissan or any consumer affairs board? Thanks!

[88pathoffroad]

Someone needs to start a class-action lawsuit to get Nissan to take notice. I think the answers to all of your questions should be directed towards your local dealer, not us, we can't say.

[powervalve]

I have a 2004 Pthfinder with 33,000 miles on it which had this failure. The problem is, I am out of time on the warranty by 6 months. Nissan has denied the claim. I am working on letters to write to Nissan North America and Nissan Motors. I have also contacted Newsday and will be sending them all the information. If anyone has had this same problem, please send me the specifics so I can include it. My email is un33dit@yahoo.com.

Thanks,
Gary

[Phantom01Pathfinder]

I recently just bought a 2001 LE Pathfinder with 80k. I called the dealer today after reading all these forums on the power valve screws coming loose and getting sucked into the intake. The service manager said there hasnt been any recall about this problem on Pathfinders, but he did say hes seen it happen on some altima's and sentra's. well i told him about all the websites ive gone to and read all this stuff about people having motor failure do to screws coming loose. i asked him how much it would cost to check the screw problem and loctite all of them, and he said $200. that seems like a small price to pay to have a peace of mind, plus a mechanic with 30yrs experience will be taking it apart.

i am so veery pleased that i have found all these forums to assist me with problems. hopefully everything will go well.

thanks

[Phantom01Pathfinder]

So i just got back from the Dealership, and so far so good. i went in at 1030 this morning and the mechanic started to tear it down. He told me that the screws were not to the point of falling out, but they came out easier then they should have...so $200 later and some lock-tite, im good to go. oh also had the MAF replaced, got a deal worked out with the mechanic, so no more SES light.

NOTE: ANYBODY WITH AN '01 TO '04 PATHFINDER, GET THIS PROBLEM CHECKED OUT!! YOUR BUTTERFLY SCREWS MAY NOT BE TO THE POINT OF FALLING OUT, BUT THEY COULD BE VERY LOOSE!!!!! it'll be worth an extra couple hundred dollars to keep you pfinder running!!!!

[whitwlf]

Coming from the aviation industry where there are definite ways of securing fasteners, in addition to locktite, I am horrified of these lose screws problems. If any of the came loose in an aircraft, there would not be any part of the world that would not hear about it. The racing industry does the same thing as aviation. We use fasteners that use locking tab rings or fasteners that have the heads drilled crossway to allow the application of stainless steel safety wire. Those of you interested in this can, do the following, which is what I would be inclined to do. Buy a single screw from the Niisan parts counter for the valve assy. In question. Take it over to the local airport and or aviation part house. Go in and buy however many you need with drilled heads of the appropriate metric size and pitch. YES. There are European engines flying in the skys above you.. LOOKING at the photos, I gather that the screws are raised heads, above the flange and that height clearance will not be an issue. Replace these screws with the new ones, and safety them together in pairs or triplets. If any one has any questions or suggestions, I can be reached at 909 234 -3988 . Mike (whitwlf) My wife has an ’05. I will be seeing if it is affected by this also.