1988 Nissan Maxima Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1988 Nissan Maxima, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Fuel system2843.1%
- Engine1218.5%
- Seat belts710.8%
- Electrical57.7%
- Steering34.6%
- Driver assistance23.1%
- Visibility23.1%
- Exterior lighting11.5%
- Interior & seats11.5%
- Body & structure11.5%
- Suspension11.5%
- Tires & wheels11.5%
- Transmission11.5%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
THERE IS A FUEL LEAKAGE IN VEHICLE DUE TO FUEL INJECTION. VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. 95I006000. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK
GAS FUMES SMELL FROM ENGINE, SOUNDS OF AIR BLOWING FROM ENGINE, TRY TO ACCELLERATE AND THERE IS HESITATION DURING TAKE OFF. GAS FUMES COMING THRU FLOOR VENTS WHEN HEAT IS ON.R. *AK
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
THERE WAS A VERY BAD GAS SMELL IN CAR, TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC AND THEY SAID GAS WAS POURING OUT OF INJECTORS. CONSUMER STATED THAT DEALER CORRECTED INJECTOR RECALL, AND THAT RECALL CAUSED A PROBLEM WITH MASS AIR FLOW AND IDLE AIR CONTROL. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE JUST STARTED TO BURNUP, RESULTING IN A FIRE. *AK
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
SHOULDER BELT LOCKS AT VARYING SPEEDS. YH
DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT BROKE/ CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK AND ALARM SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
TURNED OFF VEHICLE AND THEN WENT INSIDE OF STORE. THEN, SAW SMOKE AND FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER GLOVE COMPARTMENT. TRIED TO OPEN HOOD, AND FIRE WAS COMING FROM HOOD. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THERE WAS SMOKE, WENT HOME TO CHECK, CAR WAS ON FIRE . FIRE WAS A RESULT OF A RECALL ON THE FUEL INJECTORS. NISSAN DOES NOT WANT TO REIMBURSE FOR REPAIRS. *AK *ML
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE'S STABLIZER WHEEL BROKE INTO CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT BROKE/ CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK AND ALARM SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
THERE WAS A VERY BAD GAS SMELL IN CAR, TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC AND THEY SAID GAS WAS POURING OUT OF INJECTORS. CONSUMER STATED THAT DEALER CORRECTED INJECTOR RECALL, AND THAT RECALL CAUSED A PROBLEM WITH MASS AIR FLOW AND IDLE AIR CONTROL. *AK
DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT BROKE/ CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK AND ALARM SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
CLOSED SUN ROOF BLEW OFF WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH. *AK
SUNROOF WAS SHUT AND IT FLEW OFF. *AK CONSUMER STATES ELECTRIC SUNROOF, ALSO A RECALL ON FUEL INJECTION.*JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
HEADLIGHT ASSY FORMS CONDENSATION, CAUSING SEVERAL LIGHT BULBS TO BE REPLACED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNDER THE DASH COMPARTMENT FIRE, ELECTRICAL SHORT, WIRIES COMPLETE BURNED GOING TO THE IGNITION SWITCH. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
FRONTAL COLLISION IMPACT 12:00 POSITION SPEED 30 MPH, HOOD FLEW UP INTO WINDSHEILD AND HIT THE DRIVER IN THE HEAD, FATAL INJURY *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE REAR SUSPENSION HAS CRACK . *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
TIRE IN FRONT BLEW OUT ON SIDE WALL BIGO TIRES SAID GOOD LUCK GETTING FALKEN TO HONOR THE TIRE WARRANTY AND A DAY LATER MY REAR TIRE HAS NOW A BUBBLE ON THE SIDE WALL THAT WILL BE RESULTING IN THE SAME BLOW OUT SOONER OR LATER ACCORDING TO BIG O TIRES. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
A/T: WHILE ACCELERATING, HEARD NOISE, LET UP ON GAS, HEARD HUMMING NOISE, TRANSMISSION WENT OUT, COASTED SIDE OF ROAD AVOIDING ACCIDENT SPEED 65 MPH. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .