Total Complaints
14 filings
NISSAN 200SX · model year
1986 NISSAN 200SX
14 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986NISSAN200SX carries 14 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1986 200SX is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 2 filings, followed by seat belts:front:anchorage (2) and engine and engine cooling:exhaust system (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 54 investigation files overlapping the 1986 200SX, and 5 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
14
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 2 |
| TIRES | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20010320ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHOLE CAR SHAKES BECAUSE OF THIS ENGINE. *AK
20000918TIRES
I WAS DOING A LOT OF INTERSTATE DRIVING. THE FIRST ONE SHREDDED IN CENTRAL IDAHO AND THE SECOND IN SALT LAKE. I WAS LIVING IN DENVER AT THE TIME AND GOT NOWHERE WITH THE DEALER. SAID IT MUST HAVE BEEN MY FAULT OR ROAD CONDITIONS, ETC. YA RIGHT, SOUND FAMILIAR. PASSED ME ON TO AN 800 NUMBER. I MOVED TO SEATTLE TRIED TO FOLLOW UP AGAIN BUT KEP GETTING PASSED OFF BETWEEN DEALER AND 800 NUMBER AND FINALLY GAVE UP. I STILL HAVE TWO OF THOSE ORIGINAL FOUR TIRES. ONLY TIME WILL TELL IF THEY BLOW ALSO. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P195/60R15 )
20000914TIRES
I WAS DOING A LOT OF INTERSTATE DRIVING. THE FIRST ONE SHREDDED IN CENTRAL IDAHO AND THE SECOND IN SALT LAKE. I WAS LIVING IN DENVER AT THE TIME AND GOT NOWHERE WITH THE DEALER. SAID IT MUST HAVE BEEN MY FAULT OR ROAD CONDITIONS, ETC. YA RIGHT, SOUND FAMILIAR. PASSED ME ON TO AN 800 NUMBER. I MOVED TO SEATTLE TRIED TO FOLLOW UP AGAIN BUT KEP GETTING PASSED OFF BETWEEN DEALER AND 800 NUMBER AND FINALLY GAVE UP. I STILL HAVE TWO OF THOSE ORIGINAL FOUR TIRES. ONLY TIME WILL TELL IF THEY BLOW ALSO. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P195/60R15 )
20000120FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
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
19981005ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
EXHAUST SYSTEM HAS FAILED CAUSING LEAKS ON THREE OCCASIONS.
19981005SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
SEAT BELTS FAILED.
19980225SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
RECALL ON SEATBELT, DRIVER SIDE WILL NOT BUCKLE AT ALL, DEALER DOES NOT HAVE THE PART.
19971008ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
EXHAUST LEAKED INTO PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT, CAUSING CONSTANT SMELL OF EXHAUST FLUID. THERE IS A POSSIBLE RISK OF CARBON MONOXIDE. *AK
19970506LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
THE HOOD ON THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPLACED (3) TIMES SINCE PURCHASING VEHICLE IN DECEMBER OF 1995. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE HOOD BECOMES UNLATCHED, HITS THE WINDSHIELD AND FLIES RIGHT OVER THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE. *AK
19970311EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH
HEADLIGHTS AND COMMUNCATION SYSTEM, THE SWITCH THAT CONTROLS THE HEADLIGHTS/LIGHTING SYSTEMS AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS, HAD AN ELECTRICAL SHORT, CONTINUES TO FAIL. *AK
19960502SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
SEAT BELT PARTS NOT REPLACED AFTER RECALL/FRAUD. *SD
19960408FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS
FUEL INJECTORS ARE LEAKING FUEL ONTO MANIFOLD; COULD CAUSE ENGINE FIRE; 4 CYLNDER; NOT INCLUDED IN SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY NHTSA #951006000. *AK
19950307SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT WON'T RETRACT. TT
19950307SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
PASSENGERS SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WON'T LATCH. TT
Compare 1986NISSAN200SX to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 5 Open
PE25005Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Driver Airbag Inflator Rupture
PE24020Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Inner Tie Rod Failures
PE24017Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Side curtain air bags may deploy inadvertently
PE24007Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Reduced Power After Engine Stall
PE23020Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Loss of motive power due to broken crankshaft with no ability to restart.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1986 NISSAN 200SX have?▼
The 1986 NISSAN 200SX has 14 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 NISSAN 200SX?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 NISSAN 200SX is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM.
Is the 1986 NISSAN 200SX safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.