1987 Nissan Maxima

176 federal complaints (194 component records) · 0 recall campaigns on file · 2 federal investigations · 3 service bulletins
See all 42 model years of the Nissan Maxima →
Engine
3.0L 6-cyl
Fuel
Regular
Drive
FWD
EPA economy
16 city / 22 hwy
Federal complaints
176
Recall campaigns
0
Specifications show one example EPA configuration for this model year; other engines, drivetrains, and trims exist and the records below cover all of them.
How to read this file. Complaint records are unverified owner submissions to the federal safety agency. Counts are raw, not adjusted for sales volume or vehicle age. Recall campaigns apply to the model; only a VIN check shows whether this car is affected or repaired. Parts shown are named by an editorial note or listed as a search directory; none is a diagnosis. Full methodology.

Fault profile

Complaint-component records on this vehicle, grouped by family. A complaint naming two systems counts once in each.

Fuel system
105
Electrical system
23
Engine & cooling
21
Seat belts
15
Speed control
7
Glass & wipers
6
Power train
5
Other
3
Complaints are owner-reported and not verified by the agency.

When it fails

The timing of this vehicle's reported failures, from the complaint file itself. A cluster tells you what to expect and when; it is shaped by reporting behavior as well as by the vehicle.

Vehicle age when the failure occurred

0 years old: 3 complaints01 years old: 0 complaints2 years old: 0 complaints3 years old: 1 complaints4 years old: 1 complaints5 years old: 0 complaints56 years old: 5 complaints7 years old: 15 complaints8 years old: 50 complaints9 years old: 37 complaints10 years old: 5 complaints1011 years old: 12 complaints12 years old: 6 complaints13 years old: 1 complaints14 years old: 2 complaints15 years old: 0 complaints1516 years old: 2 complaints17 years old: 1 complaints18 years old: 0 complaints19 years old: 0 complaints20+ years old: 2 complaints20+
Years between the model year and the owner's reported failure date. Based on 143 of 176 complaints with a usable failure date.

Known issues

The component families with the most complaint records against this vehicle. Counts, crash and fire figures belong to the whole family, not to any single named issue. Parts listed are related system parts, not a diagnosis.

Fuel system

105 complaint records75 fire reports1 crash report
"AFTER FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM REPLACED, UNDER CAMPAIGN NUMBER #951006000 ON 12/5/96, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE ON 1/4/97. *AK..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse fuel system parts in the directory →

Electrical system

23 complaint records16 fire reports
"ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, DRIVING VEHICLE FOR A PERIOD 0F 10 MIN. VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND CAUGHT FIRE WITHOUT WARNING. TT..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse electrical system parts in the directory →

Engine & cooling

21 complaint records10 fire reports
"DEALERSHIP IS TRYING TO CHARGE FOR THE RECALL WORK AND HE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM NISSAN 95I006000. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse engine & cooling parts in the directory →

Federal defect investigations

Formal investigations opened by the federal safety agency into this vehicle. An investigation is the step between a complaint pattern and a recall; not every one results in one.

InvestigationStatusComponentSubject
EA94018
opened Jun 1994
closed Nov 1995Fuel System, GasolineFUEL INJECTOR ASSEMBLY LEAKAGE - led to recall 95I006000
AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS CLOSING REPORT IS INCLUDED IN THE PUBLIC FILE.SERVICE CAMPAIGN 95I-006.
DP92009
opened Apr 1992
closed Aug 1992Vehicle Speed ControlSUDDEN ACCELERATION
There is no summary currently available

Service bulletins and warranty extensions

Manufacturer communications to dealers on file with the federal agency: repair instructions, service campaigns, and warranty extensions. A warranty extension means the manufacturer may pay for a repair the recall table does not cover.

BulletinTypeComponentSummary
NTB-09-101
Sep 2010
TiresNISSAN: TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS) WARNING LIGHT ON/FLASHING. NO MODELS OR MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE UPDATED ON 08-11-2011. *KB
NTB-09-129
Sep 2010
EquipmentNISSAN: VENT CONTROL VALVE REPLACEMENT. WHEN REPLACING THE EVAP CANISTER VENT CONTROL VALVE FOR REASON: USE THE ONE LISTED ON PAGE 2; FOR VENT CONTROL VALVE REPLACEMENT PROCEDURE, REFER TO THE APPROPRIATE SECTION OF THE ELECTRONIC SERVICE MANUALS (ESM; WHEN INSTALLING THE NEW...
NTB-09-030
Apr 2009
Electrical SystemNISSAN: THE 12 VOLT BATTERY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND IS REQUIRED TO STAY CONNECTED WHEN THE ENGINE IS RUNNING. TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO VEHICLE ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS/CAUTIONS. NO MODEL YEARS LISTED. *PE

Before you buy this vehicle

A test-drive checklist generated from this vehicle's own complaint and recall record.

  1. Smell for fuel and watch the first restart when hot.Hard starting when warm, hesitation under load, or any fuel odor near the tank or engine bay match this vehicle's fuel-system cluster. Check the recall table for fuel pump campaigns.
  2. Sit in it with the engine off and test everything that has a switch.Windows, locks, lights, the cluster, the radio. Electrical faults are this vehicle's story and the hardest to see on a drive: an intermittent no-start waits for the second week of ownership. Ask for the battery's age and whether any control module has been replaced.
  3. Cold-start it yourself and listen for the first thirty seconds.Knocking, ticking that fades as it warms, or blue or white smoke on startup are the sounds of this vehicle's engine cluster. Check the oil level and the coolant color, and ask whether the engine or its head gaskets have ever been out.
  4. Ask for the service history in writing, then read it against this page.The complaint families above are where owners of this vehicle report trouble. Repairs in exactly those systems are evidence the car had the problem; no such repairs could mean it never developed it, or that it was never fixed. The test-drive items above are how you tell those apart.

Parts search directory

The generic parts list for this vehicle has its own page: a search launcher for every system, filtered by fuel type and era but not by engine, trim, or brake type. It is not a diagnosis and not a fitment guarantee.

Open the parts directory for this Nissan Maxima →