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1996 Nissan 200SX

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales 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: 12 of 37 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.

  • Air Bags. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports1 fire reports2 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

2 reports
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Mileage unknown · Feb 13, 2002
Engine And Engine CoolingEquipmentSuspension

THIS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A DIASTER FOR US SINCE WE DROVE IT OFF THE LOT ON MARCH 18, 1996. WITHIN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF OWNING THE CAR THE WATER PUMP BLEW UP WHILE WE WERE DRIVING IT, THEN THE CAR KEPT LOCKING UP WHILE DRIVING IT ABOUT FOUR TIMES AND ALL TIMES WE KEPT BRINGING IT BACK TO THE NISSAN DEALER. WE ASKED TO G…

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THIS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A DIASTER FOR US SINCE WE DROVE IT OFF THE LOT ON MARCH 18, 1996. WITHIN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF OWNING THE CAR THE WATER PUMP BLEW UP WHILE WE WERE DRIVING IT, THEN THE CAR KEPT LOCKING UP WHILE DRIVING IT ABOUT FOUR TIMES AND ALL TIMES WE KEPT BRINGING IT BACK TO THE NISSAN DEALER. WE ASKED TO GIVE THE CAR BACK CAUSE IT WAS A LEMON TO US BUT THEY DID NOT ACCEPT AND WE HAVE HAD MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR EVER SINCE. THIS CAR IS A PIECE OF JUNK, IT IS IN GOOD CONDITION BY LOOKING AT IT YOU WOULD THINK IT WAS NEW. TO MANY MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. I WILL NEVER IN MY LIFE BY ANOTHER NISSAN. WE STILL OWN IT AND WOULD LIKE TO GET RID OF IT. WE HAD TO REFINACE IT CAUSE THE PAYMENTS FOR IT WAS TOOOO HIGH. I WISH WE COULD BE REIMBURSED. EVERYONE WE KNOW EVEN KNOWS THE TROUBLE WE HAVE HAD WITH THIS CAR. I TRIED CALLING THE ORIGINAL PLACE WHERE WE BOUGHT IT TO TELL THEM ALL THE PROBLEMS AND NO ONE NEVER CALLED ME BACK. IT HAS BEEN HECTIC WITH THIS CAR. IT HAS BEEN SITTING INOUR DRIVEWAY FOR THE PAST SEVEN MONTHS. IS THERE ANYWAY YOU CAN HELP US??? THE ENGINE WENT OUT ONE DAY WHEN MY HUSBAND WENT OUT TO GO TO WORK ONE DAY. WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE WATERPUMP THREE TIMES, THE AC COMPRESSOR WENT OUT TOO EARLY AND HAD TO GET DISCONNECTED CAUSE IT COST TOO MUCH TO GET FIXED. THIS CAR IS A HEART ACHE AND WE CAN'T AFFORD TO GET ANYMORE WORK DONE TO IT. NOW IT NEEDS SHOCKS. IT IS ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER. I CAN GET PROOF FROM FRIENDS AND FAMILY STATING THAT WE HAVE SPENT MOST OF OUR TIME GETTING THIS CAR FIXED THAN DRIVING IT. WE HAVE HAD TO GET LOANS TO GET IT FIXED AND CAN'T AFFORD IT NO MORE.

NHTSA ODI #758164

Mileage unknown · Apr 23, 1997
Engine And Engine Cooling

MAP SENSOR FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #603214

Official recalls

1

98V093000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:linkages

May 5, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. WATER CAN ENTER AND DISPLACE THE GREASE IN THE WIPER ARM LINKAGE BALL JOINT WHERE THE WIPER LINKAGE ATTACHES TO THE WIPER MOTOR LINKAGE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN GRADUAL WEAR OVER A PERIOD OF TIME INSIDE THE JOINT THAT COULD LEAD TO THE SEPARATION OF THE WIPER LINKAGE ASSEMBLY FROM THE WIPER MOTOR LINKAGE AT THE BALL JOINT. A LOSS OF WINDSHIELD WIPER FUNCTION CAN RESULT IN THIS SEPARATION OCCURS.

Remedy: TO PREVENT GREASE FROM BEING WASHED OUT OF THE JOINT, THE DEALERS WILL MODIFY BY ADDING A WATER DIVERSION SEAL THAT WILL PREVENT WATER FROM ENTERING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE BALL JOINT AREA.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.