1999 Nissan Pathfinder

midsize SUV / 4-door SUV

1999 Nissan Pathfinder 4-door SUV
1997 Nissan Pathfinder shown

Crashworthiness

Rating overview
Moderate overlap front: original test

Key

  • G
    Good
  • A
    Acceptable
  • M
    Marginal
  • P
    Poor
  • Superior
  • Advanced
  • Basic

Some ratings use a scale of Poor to Good. Others range from Basic to Superior.

Moderate overlap front: original test

Rating applies to 1997-2004 models built after October 1996

Tested vehicle: 1997 Nissan Pathfinder SE 4-door 4wd

The Nissan Pathfinder was redesigned for the 1996 model year, and the Infiniti QX4 was introduced in 1997. All 1997 and later Pathfinder and QX4 models manufactured after October 1996 include structural changes to improve occupant protection in frontal crashes (note: information about when a specific vehicle was manufactured is on the certification label typically affixed to the car on or near the driver door). The QX4 was discontinued after 2003, but the Pathfinder was continued through the 2004 model year before it was redesigned again.

The Institute has evaluated the crashworthiness of a 1997 Pathfinder with the structural changes in a 40 mph frontal offset crash test into a deformable barrier.

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Leg/foot, left
Leg/foot, right
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
Dummy movement was reasonably well controlled. There was too much upward and rearward movement of the steering wheel. During rebound, the dummy's head hit the B-pillar.

Action shot taken during the frontal offset crash test

The dummy's position in relation to the steering wheel and instrument panel after the crash test -- plus the footwell intrusion -- indicate the driver's survival space wasn't maintained well.

Major intrusion in the driver footwell area trapped the dummy's right foot.

There was too much upward and rearward movement of the steering wheel.

Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID CF97002
Footwell intrusion
Footrest (cm) 27
Left (cm) 31
Center (cm) 33
Right (cm) 25
Brake pedal (cm) 35
Instrument panel rearward movement
Left (cm) 15
Right (cm) 15
Steering column movement
Upward (cm) 13
Rearward (cm) 10
A-pillar rearward movement (cm) 13

Driver injury measures

Test ID CF97002
Head
HIC-15 607
Peak gs at hard contact 50
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.8
Extension bending moment (Nm) 39
Maximum Nij 0.38
Chest maximum compression (mm) 36
Legs
Femur force - left (kN) 1.8
Femur force - right (kN) 2.6
Knee displacement - left (mm) 8
Knee displacement - right (mm) 10
Maximum tibia index - left 0.56
Maximum tibia index - right 0.47
Tibia axial force - left (kN) 2.3
Tibia axial force - right (kN) 2.4
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 88
Right 144

How the moderate overlap front test is conducted

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