Nissan 200SX problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
104 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
104,250 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1980 to 2001 model years. Data snapshot: . 26 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Air Bags:Frontal is the most frequently named component, appearing in 15 of 104 complaints (14.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 9 | 8.7% |
| Fuel system concerns | 8 | 7.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 4 | 3.8% |
| Steering behavior | 4 | 3.8% |
| Braking behavior | 3 | 2.9% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 1.9% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Air Bags:Frontal | 15 |
| Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Linkages | 11 |
| Air Bags | 9 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 7 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System:Injectors | 6 |
| Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner | 5 |
| Unknown Or Other | 5 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 4 |
Air Bags:Frontal: 15; Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Linkages: 11; Air Bags: 9; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 7; Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System:Injectors: 6; Equipment:Appliance:Air Conditioner: 5; Unknown Or Other: 5; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 5 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 11 |
| 150,000 and above | 6 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 5; 100,000 to 149,999: 11; 150,000 and above: 6
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (11). 78 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 6 |
| 1996 | 18 |
| 2000 | 18 |
| 2001 | 15 |
| 2002 | 9 |
| 2003 | 6 |
| 2004 | 9 |
| 2005 | 7 |
| 2006 | 3 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
1995: 6; 1996: 18; 2000: 18; 2001: 15; 2002: 9; 2003: 6; 2004: 9; 2005: 7; 2006: 3; 2007: 3; 2008: 1; 2009: 3; 2012: 3; 2015: 1; 2018: 1; 2019: 1
Pattern summary
Air Bags:Frontal leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 9 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 8 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 4 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 855261 · 2000-01-20 (January 20, 2000)
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
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 855261 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10018666 · 2003-05-14 (May 14, 2003)
FUEL INJECTORS LEAK. NISSANS "VOLUNTARY RECALL CAMPAIGN" DOES NOT INCLUDE THE CA20E ENGINE WHICH IS INSTALLED IN MY VEHICLE. THE FUEL PUMP WIRING IS EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS AND SHORTED OUT ON MY VEHICLE. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 212,302 miles reported. Look up ODI 10018666 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 505673 · 1996-06-18 (June 18, 1996)
LEAKY FUEL INJECTOR CAUSED ENGINE FIRE. *DH
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 505673 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 979204 · 1996-02-14 (February 14, 1996)
FUEL INJECTOR IS LEAKING GASOLINE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 979204 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10030723 · 2003-08-04 (August 4, 2003)
HIGH PRICED REPAIRS-I'VE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR 2 YRS AND I BELIEVE I'M THE SECOND OWNER. I BOUGHT IT USED. ITS A 1995 NISSAN 200 SX SE-R WITH 108K MILES AND I'VE HAD MORE PROBLEMS WITH IT THAN I BARGAINED FOR. EVERY MONTH IT'S SOMETHING NEW WITH THE CAR. I'M RUNNING OUT OF PATIENCE AND MONEY GETTING THE CAR FIXED AND FINANCIALLY I CAN'T AFFORD ANOTHER CAR RIGHT NOW NOT TO MENTION THE REPAIRS ON THIS ONE. TOTAL I'VE PROBABLY SPENT WELL OVER $2000 IN THE TWO YEARS THAT I'VE HAD IT. MOST RECENTLY, I'M HAVING TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH AND BOTH CV …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10030723 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10127865 · 2005-07-08 (July 8, 2005)
MANUAL TRANSMISSION CLUTCH CABLE FAILED, UNABLE TO CHANGE GEARS WHILE DRIVING. THIS CONDITION WAS INTERMITTENT AND HAPPENED THREE TIMES BEFORE DEALER WAS ABLE TO DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR. AS A RESULT OF FAILURE, CAR WAS UNABLE TO DOWNSHIFT WHICH LED TO VEHICULAR LACK OF CONTROL. LOCAL NISSAN DEALER FINALLY WAS ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND REPLACE THE ENTIRE CLUTCH CABLE ASSEMBLY. UNKOWN OF OLD PART IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION.
Owner-reported narrative. 97,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10127865 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10074756 · 2004-06-03 (June 3, 2004)
I TRIED TO PURCHASE TWO FRONT TIRES AT COSTCO, BUT WAS TOLD BY THE GENERAL MANAGER 'CHRIS MOORE' THAT THEIR POLICY IS ONLY TO MOUNT ONE OR TWO TIRES WHEN PURCHASED ON THE REAR. THEY REFUSED TO MOUNT THE TIRES ON THE FRONT AND INSISTED THAT THEY MOUNT MY TWO REAR TIRES BY DIFFERENT MANUFACTURERS ON THE FRONT. ONE TIRE IS A GOODYEAR RS AND THE OTHER A MICHELIN X, BOTH 185X65X14 ON A FRONT WHEEL DRIVE NISSAN SE. I INSISTED THAT TWO DIFFERENT BRANDS WITH POORER TREAD WOULD AFFECT STEERING AND HANDLING, BUT COSTCO REFUSED TO SELL AND MOUNT THE TI…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10074756 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10090646 · 2004-09-08 (September 8, 2004)
I HAD A MINOR FENDER BENDER ABOUT 5 DAYS AGO AND MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, CAUSING SERIOUS BURNS TO MY HANDS AND WRISTS AND MINOR FACIAL BURNS. I WOULD HAVE BEEN UNHURT HAD THE AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOYED. I REAR-ENDED ANOTHER CAR DUE TO SUN GLARE. I HAD NO IDEA AIRBAGS CAUSED SUCH INJURY AND I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE OR ANY OTHER WARNING ABOUT THIS. THE AIRBAGS ALSO BROKE MY STEERING WHEEL AND MY WINDSHIELD. OTHERWISE THE CAR SUFFERED RELATIVELY MINIMAL DAMAGE.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 48,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10090646 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 979357 · 1996-02-20 (February 20, 1996)
HAD AN ACCIDENT, BRAKE PEDAL FLUTTERED, AIR BAG DEPLOYED LATE, LAP BELT LOCKED SHOULDER BELT DID NOT. TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 979357 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 894631 · 2001-08-17 (August 17, 2001)
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH ON HIGHWAY AND NOTICED THAT BRAKES WERE GRINDING. ALSO, WHEN SHE PUT VEHICLE IN REVERSE VEHICLE WOULD JERK AND MAKE A ROARING NOISE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 894631 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 984803 · 1996-05-23 (May 23, 1996)
WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND MAKE A STOP THE VEHICLE CUT OFF AND STALLS/HESITATES. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 984803 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10705397 · 2015-04-13 (April 13, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 NISSAN 200SX. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WITHOUT HAVING THE BATTERY RECHARGED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FORMALLY DIAGNOSED. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 150,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10705397 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1985 | 0 |
| 1986 | 0 |
| 1987 | 1 |
| 1988 | 1 |
| 1995 | 2 |
| 1996 | 1 |
| 1997 | 1 |
| 1998 | 1 |
| 2001 | 0 |
1985: 0; 1986: 0; 1987: 1; 1988: 1; 1995: 2; 1996: 1; 1997: 1; 1998: 1; 2001: 0