IllustrationCONSUMER COULD MOVE THE SHIFTER ON ITS OWN OUT OF PARK WITHOUT APPLYING FORCE. ALSO, STEERING COLUMN FAILED TO LOCK. CONSUMER WILL CONTACT THE DEALER FOR AN APPOINTMENT. *AK
1989 Nissan Maxima
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1989 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
Compare all Maxima years →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 62 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 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
7 crash reports2 fire reports7 injury reports
Steering complaints
4 reportsTHE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE KEEPS SHOWING 15MPH EVENTHOUGH THE VEHICLE IS A T STOP. ALSO, THE GAS GAUGE SOMETIMES SHOWS EMPTY EVENTHOUGH THE TANK IS FULL. THOSE PROBLEMS HAPPEN VERY OFTEN. IN ADDITION, THE TRANSMISSION WON'T SHIFT GEAR AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. I HAVE TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTART AGAIN, THEN THE TRANSMISSION BE…
Read full complaint
THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE KEEPS SHOWING 15MPH EVENTHOUGH THE VEHICLE IS A T STOP. ALSO, THE GAS GAUGE SOMETIMES SHOWS EMPTY EVENTHOUGH THE TANK IS FULL. THOSE PROBLEMS HAPPEN VERY OFTEN. IN ADDITION, THE TRANSMISSION WON'T SHIFT GEAR AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. I HAVE TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTART AGAIN, THEN THE TRANSMISSION BECOMES NORMAL. IT DOESN'T MATTER IN HOT OR COLD WEATHER. ACCORDING TO THE PREVIOUS OWNER, HE HAD THE PROBLEM WITH THE SPEEDOMETER WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS ON 30,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPLACED THE NEW FACTORY SPEEDOMETER BY NISSAN DEALER. *AK
DRIVER EXPERIENCED TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, UNKNOWN CAUSE OF PROBLEM. TT
WHILE DRIVING, AT APPROX. 5 MPH, SUDDENLY LEFT FRONT TIE ROD END BROKE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING AND FOR NO APPARENT REASON. TT
Official recalls
195V244000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:filler Pipe And Cap
Dec 15, 1995
IT IS POSSIBLE FOR A MIXTURE OF MUD AND SALT TO GET TRAPPED BETWEEN THE FUEL FILLER TUBE AND WHEEL HOUSING. THE TRAPPED MUD AND SALT CAN RESULT IN CORROSION OF THE FUEL FILLER TUBE AND THE WHEEL HOUSING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SIGNIFICANT CORROSION OF THE FUEL FILLER TUBE MAY RESULT IN FUEL LEAKS WHICH IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE. IN ADDITION, THE LEFT REAR SEAT BELT RETRACTOR IS MOUNTED TO THE WHEEL HOUSING AND IN THE EVENT OF SIGNIFICANT CORROSION, AND THE MOUNTING COULD FAIL IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THESE VEHICLES AND CORRECTIVE ACTION WILL BE TAKEN DEPENDING UPON THE EXTENT OF THE CORROSION.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.