Total Complaints
9 filings
NISSAN 240SX · model year
1991 NISSAN 240SX
9 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1991NISSAN240SX carries 9 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 1991 240SX is seat belts with 2 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission (2) and engine and engine cooling:engine (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 1991 240SX, 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.
9
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 | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20101228SEAT BELTS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 1991 NISSAN 240 SX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS INOPERABLE. HE CONTACTED A LOCAL DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY BOTH DIAGNOSED THAT THE CONTROL MODULE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 190,000.
Mileage: 190,000
20030504ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
ON COLD START-UP, BLACK SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE EXHAUST. *JB
Mileage: 96,000
19990414SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE LAP BELT UNBUCKLES WHEN PRESSURE IS APPLIED SUCH AS HARD BRAKING WHERE THERE IS STRESS PLACED ON THE COUPLING. *MJS
19990325FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS
NEED ALL INJECTORS TO BE REPLACED...WAS INFORMED THAT LEAKY INJECTORS MAY CAUSE FIRE. *AK
19990129POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION UNEXPECTEDLY STOPPED WORKING WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. NO ACCIDENTS OR INJURIES RESULTED, BUT THIS COULD EASILY HAVE OCCURRED UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCMSTANCES. WHEN I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A KNOWLEDGEABLE TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP, THE CHIEF MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THERE IS A KNOWN DESIGN FLAW IN THIS TRANSMISSION. IN FACT, HE HAD REBUILT MANY OF THESE AND KNEW HOW TO "MODIFY" THE UNIT TO PREVENT FURTHER PROBLEMS. MY QUESTION: DOESN'T THE MANUFACTURER HAVE SOME RESPONSIBILITY HERE? I AM IN THE PROCESS OF CONTACTING NISSAN AND WILL AWAIT THEIR FORMAL RESPONSE. IN THE MEANTIME, CAN YOU HELP ME GET THIS PROBLEM RESOLVED? I AM CONVINCED THERE ARE MANY MORE CONSUMERS OUT THERE DRIVING THESE VEHICLES WHO ARE AT RISK. *AK
19980601POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION WAS WASHED AND NOW TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF 1ST. VEHICLE HAS SAT FOR OVER A WEEK AND STILL WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF LOW WHEN IT IS IN DRIVE.
19970225SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
BOTH SEAT BELTS IN THE FRONT WILL NOT RETRACT. UPON PUTTING THE BELT ON THE BELT, IT WILL NOT RETRACT AROUND THE FRONT PASSENGER OR DRIVER. *AK
19961113SEAT BELTS
THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOES NOT GO BACK AND FORTH. *AK
19960222ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WARPED FLYWHEEL CAUSED RELEASE BEARINGS/CLUTCH TO FAIL PREMATURELY. *DSH
Compare 1991NISSAN240SX 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 1991 NISSAN 240SX have?▼
The 1991 NISSAN 240SX has 9 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1991 NISSAN 240SX?▼
The most-complained component for the 1991 NISSAN 240SX is SEAT BELTS with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE.
Is the 1991 NISSAN 240SX 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.