1996 Nissan 200SX: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
23 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
104,250 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1996 model year. Data snapshot: . 12 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Linkages is the most frequently named component, appearing in 5 of 23 complaints (21.7%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 8.7% |
| Braking behavior | 1 | 4.3% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Linkages | 5 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 4 |
| Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer | 3 |
| Air Bags | 2 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 2 |
| Tires:Tread/Belt | 2 |
| Unknown Or Other | 2 |
| Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood | 1 |
Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Linkages: 5; Air Bags:Frontal: 4; Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer: 3; Air Bags: 2; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 2; Tires:Tread/Belt: 2; Unknown Or Other: 2; Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood: 1
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 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 7 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 7; 150,000 and above: 1
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (7). 11 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 |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 2 |
| 2000 | 2 |
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2002 | 4 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 2 |
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 1 |
1996: 2; 2000: 2; 2001: 2; 2002: 4; 2003: 1; 2004: 2; 2005: 5; 2006: 2; 2007: 2; 2008: 1
Pattern summary
Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Linkages leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 1 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10034131 · 2003-08-18 (August 18, 2003)
CONSUMER NOTICED THAT WHILE USING WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION WIPERS WOULD PAUSE INTERMITTENTLY. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10034131 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10058723 · 2004-02-22 (February 22, 2004)
AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES CONSTANTLY. DLR SAYS SRS COMPUTER HAS FAILED AND WILL COST $600.00 TO REPAIR. DLR SHOULD PAY FOR THIS ITEM AS IT IS SAFETY AND HAS BEEN REPORTED SEVERAL TIMES BY DIFFERENT OWNERS. ON SOME THE AIRBAG HAS DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 72,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10058723 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10100510 · 2004-11-24 (November 24, 2004)
WIPERS STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE IN THE FIRST DAY OF SNOW DURING VERY BAD WHETHER CONDITIONS. TOOK THE CAR TO NISSAN, A 49.99 FEE JUST TO LOOK AT THE CAR. LEFT AND WENT SOMEWHERE ELSE WERE THEY MADE ME AWARE OF A RECALL ON THE PROBLEM AND TO GO BACK TO NISSAN FOR THE REPAIR WHICH SHOULD BE FREE OF CHARGE. AFTER I RETURNED TO NISSAN THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MADE ME AWARE THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER ONLY FOR CERTAIN CARS OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL BUT WITHIN A CERTAIN VIN NUMBER RANGE BASED ON THE MANUFACTU…
Owner-reported narrative. 103,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10100510 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10115641 · 2005-06-28 (June 28, 2005)
VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR 4 OR 5 HOURS. OWNER HEARD A LOUD POP BUT IGNORED IT BECAUSE HE RESIDED CLOSE TO THE INTERSTATE. MINUTES LATER, THE OWNER HEARD ANOTHER POP SOUND AND WENT TO INVESTIGATE. OWNER FOUND THE VEHICLE ENGULFED IN FLAMES . THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THE FIRE STARTED UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. *AK *TT *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 105,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10115641 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10126935 · 2005-06-28 (June 28, 2005)
DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM BALL JOINT FAILED RESULTING IN THE INOPERABILITY OF THE DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER. ACCORDING TO THE NHTSA WEBSITE, THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM. NISSAN SAYS THIS PROBLEM IS VIN NUMBER SPECIFIC AND MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. MY CAR HAS THIS VERY SPECIFIC PROBLEM AND WE BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. THE RECALL COVERS SEVERAL YEARS (1995 TO 1998) OF THE MANUFACTURE OF THE CAR AND MINE IS A 1996. ABOUT 500,000 OF THESE CARS WERE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL, WHY…
Owner-reported narrative. 100,506 miles reported. Look up ODI 10126935 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 10141372 · 2005-11-01 (November 1, 2005)
DT: THE CONTACT STATED DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER DOES NOT WORK. THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER WILL WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THERE WAS NO FOREWARNING PRIOR TO THE WIPERS NOT WORKING. THERE WAS RECALL 98V093000. HE CONTACTED THE DEALER, THEY STATED IT WAS TOO OLD OF A RECALL IN THEIR DATABASE. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 113,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10141372 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10142207 · 2005-11-08 (November 8, 2005)
MY WITNESS WHO DROVE WITH ME CHECKED THE TIRE PRESSURE BEFORE WE LEFT BECAUSE WE WERE DRIVING OVER 150 MILES. WE WERE DRIVING FROM ALMOST APACHE JUNCTION,AZ TO SIERRA VISTA AZ. TO PICK MY 7 YEAR OLD SON FROM HIS MOTHERS. WE GOT OUTSIDE OF CASA GRANDE GOING THE SPEED LIMIT, WE HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND FELT SOMETHING HIT THE SIDE OF THE CAR. COME TO FIND OUT THE TREAD COMPLETELY PEELED OFF AND WHEN IT PEELED OFF IT DID $2000 OF DAMAGED TO MY PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. EVEN THOUGH THE TREAD PEELED OFF THERE WAS STILL AIR IN THE TIRE, SO WE DROVE TO …
Owner-reported narrative. 17,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10142207 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
98V093000 · Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Linkages
Reported: 1998-05-05 (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: 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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗