Total Complaints
8 filings
NISSAN 200SX · model year
1988 NISSAN 200SX
8 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988NISSAN200SX carries 8 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 4 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 1988 200SX is fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system with 3 filings, followed by seat belts:front:buckle assembly (1) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (1). 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 1988 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.
8
Complaints
0
Crashes
4
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 |
|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | 3 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030904FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
FUEL LEAKED ONTO THE ENGINE THAT COULD HAV E CAUSED A POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED, AND WAS INFORMED THAT FUEL INJECTERS WERE DEFECTIVE.*AK
Mileage: 100,000
20020122FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
CONSUMER STATED THERE IS A FUEL SMELL COMING INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE VENTS, DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK *YH
20010907FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS
THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BECAUSE A FUEL ODOR WAS PRESENT WHICH WAS COMING FROM THE FUEL INJECTORS, THE CONSUMER MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE VEHICLE REPAIRED BUT PRIOR TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED, THE CONSUMER WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THE VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN CONCERNING THE FUEL INJECTORS AND HOSES. NLM
20010611SEATS
VEHICLE WAS PARKED, CONSUMER SAT IN DRIVER SEAT, SEAT BOTTOM DETACHED FROM BOTTOM OF VEHICLE AND CONSUMER WAS THROWN BACKWARD. CONSUMER STATED LEFT FRONT ANCHOR BROKE, VEHICLE AT DEALER AT THIS TIME. CONSUMER NOT INJURED. *SLC
20010427FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
RECALL 95I00600; CONSUMER FOUND OUT ABOUT A RECALL. CALLED NISSAN DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS AFFECTED. CONSUMER WANTED TO GET THIS DONE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BUT DEALER SAID COULD NOT DO IT UNTIL 3 DAYS LATER. BEFORE DEALER WOULD PERFORM RECALL VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN GARAGE AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. TOTALLED VEHICLE, AND DESTROYED GARAGE. NISSAN WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS LOSS.*AK
19981020FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
ENGINE FIRE DUE TO LEAK IN THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM.
19950822FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
SMALL ENGINE FIRE OCCURED ON THE SIDE WERE THE DISTRIBUTOR IS LOCATED. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
19950717SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT FAILURE, BELT BUCKLE BROKEN, CANNOT LATCH SEAT BELTS, DEALER IS CHARGING FOR REPAIR. TT
Compare 1988NISSAN200SX 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 1988 NISSAN 200SX have?▼
The 1988 NISSAN 200SX has 8 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 4 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 NISSAN 200SX?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 NISSAN 200SX is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE.
Is the 1988 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.