daopi

Finally I have the answer: Master cylinder. I just changed it, new fluid and I'm back in business. Now I have strong brakes. THANK YOU ALL FOR HELP! Daniel

Looks like my master cylinder is gone again on my 97 Pthf. The last one I had was an Ultra 8 Performance or something, and lasted 3 years... not impressive. So the question is which one do you recommend, original or which aftermarket you know is good? Thks!

I changed the master cylinder almost 3 years ago. Few months before the complete failure behaved somewhat the same. Unfortunately the mechanic decided to go with the cheapest master cylinder on the market, a no-name (Ultra 8 Performance...?). Anyway, even after was changed I wasn't very happy with how strong were the brakes, and now I have again almost the same symptoms. What if I have 2 problems in the same time, eg. master cylinder and vacuum check valve? Anyway, as soon I'll have time (week-end), I'll go to buy a check valve and bleed the brakes. Are the normal first steps. thks!

I just checked the brake booster following the proc described in owner manual and FSM. The brake booster is fine! Also I had a short look at the vacuum hoses and apparently they are fine. I will check the vacuum valve. Also I will have to bleed the brakes, who knows... Do you guys think is possible to be the master cylinder? thks

What is interesting is that the troubles are only at low speeds, like moving in a parking lot. Plus is not doing always, just sometimes, random. Even more awkward is I brake now and the brakes will not work and if I press the brake after few seconds will work fine... But always at low speed. The vacuum thing I guess is related to the speed of the car or rpm? How can I check the vacuum pipes, booster? thks

No, I didn't bleed them, don't know how to... but I will learn.

Hi guys! I have a Pathfinder 97. My brakes have an awkward behavior. When I brake normal to hard I have good braking. But if the car moves slow and and I press light the brake, the pedal goes almost all the way down, and barely brakes. In these cases became a reflex for me to make a "double brake" or "double pedal" to get good braking. I suspected the pads are gone and I changed them. Now I have brand new pads and is doing the same... Anyone ideas? Thanks!

Good question! The tank is half. I use the car for work, and normally I carry some tools or something. Now is quite empty and maybe that's why I noticed only now. I guess is possible to look tilted now because of the tank. When the car is normal loaded I don't see much of the tilt. Anyway, I will try to have checked the sway bar also.

Do you know what work for leveling?

BDS suspension. They stop making the lift kit for Pathfinder 2 years ago or so. Here is the link: http://www.bds-suspension.com/

I just noticed today that my Pathfinder is tilted / slanted when stays on level ground, looking at the back. I measured and looks like right side is 1 inch higher than left. What can be other than the springs? I have installed BDS springs front and back ( 2 inches lift), and Monroe Sensatrac shocks/struts. Thank you!

I'm surprised so many answered my question and I'm also surprised that shifting in 4LO requires some "skills". So looks like is nothing really wrong with my transfer case, just the driver's technique... I didn't check the oil level yet, but I tried today this thing: before the car stopped, for the last feet, I put transmission in N and let roll. After the stop I moved fast in 4LO (without stopping the engine) and everything worked fine. I applied same technique to move out of 4LO. All fine. About the oil: automatic transmission and transfer case are using same type of oil. I'm 100% sure that in 97 automatic models have separate oil fill/drain plugs for transfer case (TX10A) then transmission. Looks like later models are different... Thank you!

Anyone has an idea what is wrong with my transfer case? thks!

I have 1997 automatic pathfinder. I'm a bit confused: to switch in 4L I have to stop the car (= speed zero), put transmission in N, stop the engine, put carefully transfer case in 4L, and start the engine again. Sometimes worked with transmission in P. Is it normal to stop the engine to switch in / out 4L? If I don't stop the engine I can hear a grinding sound and I can't switch in 4L. Sometimes O/D light blinks for few seconds. Also yesterday I was with a wheel in air and I had troubles big time to switch in /out 4L, was stuck in neutral even with engine off. Do I have to be with all wheels on ground? Thank you! Daniel

This is what I did: 1. checked the fuses with multimeter and all were fine. 2. I wiggled ten million times the socket without any result. Very frustrating. 3. I opened the cover and I checked with a multimeter if there is power at the plug and there was! Put back the plug, pressed hard... but nothing. So the last solution was replacing the socket, which I did and then was FINE! So Geoff was right: Some sockets have a thermal fuse strip mounted at the back of the positive terminal that melts if the socket over heats. It is generally non repairable but can be bypassed by soldering a piece of wire across it. As a lesson, for things drawing more than 10 amps I will use power collected direct from the battery. Is less headache. Thank you all for ideas! Daniel