A wobble in the front end of your Nissan Pathfinder can range from mildly annoying to dangerous, depending on the severity of the wobble. A wobble may be caused by a variety of different issues within the vehicle's front end components and can seriously affect the way your Pathfinder handles and drives. It may take several attempts or repairs in order to completely eliminate the wobbling sensation.
Check the condition of the Pathfinder's tires. Look at the tire tread and check for signs of uneven wear where one section of the tire tread is more or less worn than the rest of the tires. One of the primary causes of a front end wobble in any vehicle are badly or unevenly worn tires. Tires may wear badly due to the vehicle's front end being out of alignment or a defect in the tires. Rotate or replace worn tires.
Have a mechanic or tire technician check the Pathfinder's front end alignment. If the vehicle is out of alignment, tires will continue to wear badly and can cause a continued or reoccurring wobble over time.
Have your mechanic check the suspension on the Pathfinder's front end. There are several different components that may break, wear out or malfunction that can cause a front end wobble. Components to check include the shock, springs and wheel bearings.
Engage your Pathfinders four wheel drive system. If you hear a popping noise accompanying the wobble, there is a chance one of your locking hubs may be malfunctioning or failing to disengage properly. Have your mechanic thoroughly inspect the 4x4 system and hubs.
Determine if the wobble occurs all the time or only when the Pathfinder is stopping. Problems with the front braking system, including the brake pads, warped rotors or calipers that are not fully disengaging. Have your mechanic examine the braking system on the Pathfinder carefully if the vehicle is only wobbling while stopping.
