IllustrationWHOLE CAR SHAKES BECAUSE OF THIS ENGINE. *AK
1986 Nissan 200SX
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.
About this comparison →11Owner complaints
Model-year median: 4
0Recall campaignsView recall details →
0InvestigationsView investigation details →
Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Inspection summary
1986 Nissan 200SX
NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 11 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.
Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.
Top reported categories (up to 5)
- Seat Belts: 4 reports
- Engine And Engine Cooling: 3 reports
- Fuel System, Gasoline: 2 reports
- Exterior Lighting: 1 reports
- Latches/locks/linkages: 1 reports
Full reported-category list and vehicle report
Recall links
No recall campaigns in this snapshot.
Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.
How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 200SX years →Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 0 of 11 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Seat Belts. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
11 reportsI WAS DOING A LOT OF INTERSTATE DRIVING. THE FIRST ONE SHREDDED IN CENTRAL IDAHO AND THE SECOND IN SALT LAKE. I WAS LIVING IN DENVER AT THE TIME AND GOT NOWHERE WITH THE DEALER. SAID IT MUST HAVE BEEN MY FAULT OR ROAD CONDITIONS, ETC. YA RIGHT, SOUND FAMILIAR. PASSED ME ON TO AN 800 NUMBER. I MOVED TO SEATTLE TRIED TO FOLLOW UP …
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I WAS DOING A LOT OF INTERSTATE DRIVING. THE FIRST ONE SHREDDED IN CENTRAL IDAHO AND THE SECOND IN SALT LAKE. I WAS LIVING IN DENVER AT THE TIME AND GOT NOWHERE WITH THE DEALER. SAID IT MUST HAVE BEEN MY FAULT OR ROAD CONDITIONS, ETC. YA RIGHT, SOUND FAMILIAR. PASSED ME ON TO AN 800 NUMBER. I MOVED TO SEATTLE TRIED TO FOLLOW UP AGAIN BUT KEP GETTING PASSED OFF BETWEEN DEALER AND 800 NUMBER AND FINALLY GAVE UP. I STILL HAVE TWO OF THOSE ORIGINAL FOUR TIRES. ONLY TIME WILL TELL IF THEY BLOW ALSO. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P195/60R15 )
VEHICLE WAS NOT GETTING GAS AT FIRST & HAD DIED OUT ON HIGHWAY. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP & HAD TEMPORARY REPAIR DONE ON FUEL PUMP WIRING HARNESS. LATER, THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE INSIDE VEHICLE AFTER HAVING FUEL PUMP REPAIRED. VEHICLE WAS STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME LEAKAGE PROBLEM. TOOK VEHICLE BACK & WAS INFORMED BY MECHA…
Read full complaint
VEHICLE WAS NOT GETTING GAS AT FIRST & HAD DIED OUT ON HIGHWAY. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP & HAD TEMPORARY REPAIR DONE ON FUEL PUMP WIRING HARNESS. LATER, THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE INSIDE VEHICLE AFTER HAVING FUEL PUMP REPAIRED. VEHICLE WAS STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME LEAKAGE PROBLEM. TOOK VEHICLE BACK & WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC VEHICLE COULD BE DRIVING FROM MASSACHUSETTS TO RHODE ISLAND WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. OWNER WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH ANSWER. *AK
EXHAUST SYSTEM HAS FAILED CAUSING LEAKS ON THREE OCCASIONS.
EXHAUST LEAKED INTO PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT, CAUSING CONSTANT SMELL OF EXHAUST FLUID. THERE IS A POSSIBLE RISK OF CARBON MONOXIDE. *AK
THE HOOD ON THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPLACED (3) TIMES SINCE PURCHASING VEHICLE IN DECEMBER OF 1995. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE HOOD BECOMES UNLATCHED, HITS THE WINDSHIELD AND FLIES RIGHT OVER THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE. *AK
HEADLIGHTS AND COMMUNCATION SYSTEM, THE SWITCH THAT CONTROLS THE HEADLIGHTS/LIGHTING SYSTEMS AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS, HAD AN ELECTRICAL SHORT, CONTINUES TO FAIL. *AK
FUEL INJECTORS ARE LEAKING FUEL ONTO MANIFOLD; COULD CAUSE ENGINE FIRE; 4 CYLNDER; NOT INCLUDED IN SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY NHTSA #951006000. *AK
RECALL ON SEATBELT, DRIVER SIDE WILL NOT BUCKLE AT ALL, DEALER DOES NOT HAVE THE PART.
SEAT BELT PARTS NOT REPLACED AFTER RECALL/FRAUD. *SD
Recall campaigns
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
Defect investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.