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1987 Nissan Maxima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1987 Nissan Maxima do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 99.

About this comparison →

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: 4 of 176 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.

  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 100 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports95 fire reports5 injury reports

What owners actually said

176 reports
Mileage unknown · Oct 9, 2000
Fuel System, GasolineFire

WE HAD LIABILITY COVERAGE ONLY. NISSAN UNWILLING TO SETTLE FOR VALUE OF CAR.

NHTSA ODI #733793

Mileage unknown · Sep 19, 2000
Tires

DUNLOP QUALIFIER, ALL SEASON, STEEL RADIAL TIRES, P195/60R15, FAILED EARLY DUE TO BUBBLES FORMING IN THE TIRE WALLS. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #870936

Mileage unknown · Jul 19, 2000
Seat Belts

SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER SIDE HAS OIL ON IT. CONSUMER SAID THAT OIL WAS COMING FROM THE SEAT BELTS AND ARE RUINING HER CLOTHES. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THE MECHANIC HAS NO IDEA FROM WERE THE OIL WAS LEAKING. *AK

NHTSA ODI #865681

Mileage unknown · Jun 15, 2000
Electrical SystemFire

HAD COME UPON A STOP LIGHT, STARTED TO TAKE OFF & SMELLED FUEL. NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. PULLED OVER & LIFTED HOOD. NOTICED FLAMES & PUT OUT FIRE. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC CHECKED VIN & NOTICED A RECALL AFFECTING THIS VEHICLE. HOWEVER, MANUFACTURER REFUSED RECALL REPAIRS DUE TO LACK OF MAINTENA…

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HAD COME UPON A STOP LIGHT, STARTED TO TAKE OFF & SMELLED FUEL. NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. PULLED OVER & LIFTED HOOD. NOTICED FLAMES & PUT OUT FIRE. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC CHECKED VIN & NOTICED A RECALL AFFECTING THIS VEHICLE. HOWEVER, MANUFACTURER REFUSED RECALL REPAIRS DUE TO LACK OF MAINTENANCE RECORDS. *AK *ML

NHTSA ODI #863632

Mileage unknown · Apr 24, 2000
Fuel System, Gasoline

I KEPT SMELLING GAS THEN I KNEW THE INJECTORS HAD BEEN REPLACED BECAUSE I HAD A STARTER REPLACED AND TOM PEACOCK NISSAN RAN A CHECK TO INSURE THE RECALL HAD BEEN PERFORMED IT WAS ALREADY DONE SO I WAS CONVINCED THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED, SO ABOUT A YEAR LATER I'M SMELLING GAS ME AND MY FATHER LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND SAW THAT FU…

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I KEPT SMELLING GAS THEN I KNEW THE INJECTORS HAD BEEN REPLACED BECAUSE I HAD A STARTER REPLACED AND TOM PEACOCK NISSAN RAN A CHECK TO INSURE THE RECALL HAD BEEN PERFORMED IT WAS ALREADY DONE SO I WAS CONVINCED THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED, SO ABOUT A YEAR LATER I'M SMELLING GAS ME AND MY FATHER LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND SAW THAT FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM AN INJECTOR SO I CALLED TOM PEACOCK NISSAN.CONSIDERING THEY SUPPOSEDLY FIXED THE PROBLEM CONCERNING INJECTORS FAILING RESULTING IN FIRES THEY SAID IT HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED AND THEIR BEST ADVICE WAS TO PAY $915 FOR ALL NEW REPLACEMENT INJECTORS,SO MY REACTION WAS WHY WOULD I REPLACE ALL OF THEM IF ONLY ONE OF THEM IS LEAKING,SO I THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND SAID I WILL JUST BUY ONE CONSIDERING THE OTHERS ARE STILL FUNCTIONING SO I CALLED TOM PEACOCK NISSAN AND ORDERED ONE INJECTOR IT COST ME $115.00 SO I THAT'S FINE I'LL ORDER IT AND LET THEM PUT THE INJECTOR IN WHEN THE INJECTOR CAME IN I WAITED A WEEK FOR MY NEXT PAY CHECK TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS,THAT TIME CAME AND I CALLED TOM PEACOCK TO SET UP A TIME TO BRING IN THE CAR, I NOTIFIED THEM THAT I HAD ALREADY BOUGHT THE INJECTOR I JUST NEEDED IT INSTALLED THEY SAID THEY DON'T WORK ON CARS 10 YEARS OR OLDER AND REFERRED ME TO A GORDON AUTOMOTIVE, WHICH SURPRISED ME CONSIDERING THEY MADE THE CAR AND GUY I SPOKE WITH PREVIOUSLY SAID JUST BRING THE CAR BUY WE WILL REPLACE THE INJECTORS ALL OF THEM FOR $915 I AM JUST VERY UPSET WITH NISSAN WHY MAKE CAR THAT CAN YOU CAN'T REPAIR,IF THEY HAD A RECALL ON THE SAME PROBLEM,WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING REGARDING SOMETHING THEY WERE FORCED INTO A RECALL IN 1996,ALL I SEE IS THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURING AGAIN AND AGAIN I'M SURE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM.I HOPE YOU CAN HELP ME WITH THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS NOT BEING RESOLVED IT'S BEING AVOIDED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #721872

Mileage unknown · Mar 3, 2000
Unknown Or Other

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #719613

Mileage unknown · Jan 12, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

CONTINUALLY SQUEAKS AT ANY SPEED, EVEN WITH NEW BRAKES. *AK

NHTSA ODI #717258

Mileage unknown · Dec 29, 1999
Fuel System, GasolineFire

RECEIVED NOTICE 95I006000. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP. TOOK VEHICLE FOR FUEL INJECTION SYSTEMS RECALL REPAIRS. MECHANIC REPLACED OLD CLIPS WITH SAME TYPE OF FUEL INJECTOR CLIPS. VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO CLAMPS PIECED TOGETHER WRONGLY. RETURNED HOSE PIECED TOGETHER WITH METAL TUBE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #854518

Mileage unknown · Jul 23, 1999
Fuel System, GasolineFire

I WAS GIVEN A RECALL NOTICE AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE 6-10-99. I TOOK THE CAR TO DON DAVIS NISSAN TWO TIMES. BOTH TIMES THEY TOLD ME THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PARTS IN STOCK TO REPAIR THE DEFECT. THEY TOLD ME TO RETURN LATER. I CALLED THEM TWO MORE TIMES AND BOTH TIMES THEY TOLD ME THEY WERE " TOO BUSY " AND THE SHOP WAS "TOO FULL" A…

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I WAS GIVEN A RECALL NOTICE AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE 6-10-99. I TOOK THE CAR TO DON DAVIS NISSAN TWO TIMES. BOTH TIMES THEY TOLD ME THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PARTS IN STOCK TO REPAIR THE DEFECT. THEY TOLD ME TO RETURN LATER. I CALLED THEM TWO MORE TIMES AND BOTH TIMES THEY TOLD ME THEY WERE " TOO BUSY " AND THE SHOP WAS "TOO FULL" AT THE TIME I CALLED. ABOUT SIX MONTHS FROM THE TIME OF PURCHASE THE RUBBER FUEL LINES ON THE FUEL INJECTOR HOSES CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED THE INJECTORS, INJECTOR WIRES, AND OTHER WIRES ON TOP OF THE ENGINE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO DON DAVIS NISSAN. THEY CHARGED ME $60 FOR A DAMMAGE ESTIMATE WHICH THEY SENT TO NISSAN CORP. , ALONG WITH PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE. THREE MONTHS LATER, 3-24-99 NISSAN CORP. NOTIFIED DON DAVIS NISSAN THAT THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE DAMAGE, BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MAINTAINANCE RECORDS OF OIL CHANGES AND TUNE-UPS. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY FATHER'S HOUSE WHERE IT REMAINS. I HAVE CALLED NISSAN AND ARGUED WITH THEM. THE MOST RECENT TIME 7-23-99 CASE OR CALL # 2865398. I TOLD THEM DURING THIS LAST CALL I WAS GOING TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA. THEY TOLD ME TO GO AHEAD AND FILE THAT YOU COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT MY PROBLEM ANYWAY BECAUSE THE RECALL WAS VOLUNTARY ON NISSAN'S PART. CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME? MY CAR BURNED AND HASN'T RUN FOR MONTHS BECAUSE OF THIS MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. SARAH ASH

NHTSA ODI #709070

Mileage unknown · Jul 15, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH TIMING BELT BLEW OUT FOR THE FOURTH TIME, AND DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #842450

Official recalls

0

No 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 ↗

NHTSA investigations

2

EA94018 · Fuel Injector Assembly Leakage

Opened Jun 23, 1994 · Closed Nov 8, 1995

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline:fuel Injection System

AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS CLOSING REPORT IS INCLUDED IN THE PUBLIC FILE.SERVICE CAMPAIGN 95I-006.

DP92009 · Sudden Acceleration

Opened Apr 20, 1992 · Closed Aug 20, 1992

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

There is no summary currently available