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1990 Nissan Maxima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1990 Nissan Maxima do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 99.

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 →
106Owner complaints

Model-year median: 99

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1990 Nissan Maxima

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 106 owner complaints · 1 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)

  • Fuel System, Gasoline: 36 reports
  • Visibility: 20 reports
  • Power Train: 10 reports
  • Exterior Lighting: 8 reports
  • Engine And Engine Cooling: 7 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

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

Other model years Selected year
176
198760
198862
1989106
199076
1991110
199278
1993
Compare all Maxima years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Fuel System, Gasoline
36Visibility
20Power Train
10Exterior Lighting
8Engine And Engine Cooling
7
All reported categories
Electrical System
6Seat Belts
6Seats
6Service Brakes, Hydraulic
6Equipment
3Latches/locks/linkages
3Steering
3Structure
3Vehicle Speed Control
3Unknown Or Other
2Air Bags
1Fuel System, Other
1Fuel/propulsion System
1Interior Lighting
1Service Brakes, Air
1

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: 11 of 106 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 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 10 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 reports3 fire reports5 injury reports

Steering complaints

3 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Jan 12, 2000
Steering

WHEN TURNING LEFT AT SLOW SPEED THERE IS A CHATTER LIKE GROWL THAT WAS IN THE CAR AT DELIVERY. DEALER HAS ROAD TESTED CAR 5 TIMES, BUT REFUSED TO REPAIR WHILE IN WARRANTY. "WAIT UNTIL THE NOISE GETS WORSE". PER DEALER. AM CONCERNED WITH WIFE'S SAFETY AS PRIMARY DRIVER. COULD BE IN STEERING RACK WHICH COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL …

Read full complaint

WHEN TURNING LEFT AT SLOW SPEED THERE IS A CHATTER LIKE GROWL THAT WAS IN THE CAR AT DELIVERY. DEALER HAS ROAD TESTED CAR 5 TIMES, BUT REFUSED TO REPAIR WHILE IN WARRANTY. "WAIT UNTIL THE NOISE GETS WORSE". PER DEALER. AM CONCERNED WITH WIFE'S SAFETY AS PRIMARY DRIVER. COULD BE IN STEERING RACK WHICH COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL AND POSSIBLY BAD ACCIDENT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #717252

Mileage unknown · Oct 5, 1998
Steering

VEHICLE ERRATICALY AND INCONSISTENTLY PULLS TO THE LEFT, SEVERLY. 8 DIFFERENT MECHANICS INCLUDING NISSAN CANNOT FIND CAUSE OR CORRECT.

NHTSA ODI #780705

Mileage unknown · Jun 26, 1996
Steering

WHEN OPENING TRUNK WITH KEY, ALARM GOES OFF. *AK

NHTSA ODI #505703

Recall campaigns

1

95V244000 · 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 ↗

Defect investigations

0

No 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.