Total Complaints
8 filings
NISSAN 240SX · model year
1996 NISSAN 240SX
8 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996NISSAN240SX carries 8 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 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.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1996 240SX is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 2 filings, followed by tires:tread/belt (2) and parking brake:conventional (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 55 investigation files overlapping the 1996 240SX, and 6 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
8
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
3 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 |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 2 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 2 |
| PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20110304FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
I WAS DRIVING NORMALLY TO SCHOOL ALONG WITH MY BROTHER AND I NOTICED THAT THERE'S A VERY STRONG SMELL OF GAS INSIDE THE CAR DURING DRIVING. I STOPPED AT A SAFE PLACE TO CHECK AND I NOTICE THAT THERE'S GAS DRIPPING SLOWLY UNDER THE GAS TANK. IT STILL LEAKS AND IT SEEMS TO BE CONTINUING TO LEAK A LITTLE MORE. PARTS FOR THIS REPAIR ARE ESTIMATE TO $400+ EXCLUDING LABOR, AS THE GAS TANK IS ALSO LOCATED QUITE BEHIND LOADS OF SUSPENSION PARTS FOR THE REAR. *TR
20050922FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
DT: THERE WAS A SPLIT IN THE SEAM OF THE GAS TANK. THE SMELL OF GAS WAS STRONG IN THE GARAGE. THIS HAD BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT A WEEK. THE CONSUMER NOTICED A SPOT ON THE DRIVEWAY AND SUSPECTED THAT IT WAS GAS. THE CONSUMER'S HUSBAND HAD TAKEN A PIECE OF TISSUE AND DIPPED IT INTO THE SPOT AND DETERMINED IT WAS GASOLINE ON THE SPOT WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE DAY BEFORE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A NISSAN DEALERSHIP FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THEY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, AND DISCOVERED A SPLIT IN THE SEAM OF A GAS TANK THE COST WOULD BE $1,200 TO FIX IT. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT SHE SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO SAID THEY WOULD NOT PAY BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. NO REPAIRS OR CORRECTIONS HAD BEEN MADE. *AK (11/22/05) *SC
Mileage: 48,000
20030414ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
IF THE AIR CONDITION WAS ON WHEN THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE ENGINE SURGED AND THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD. *JB
Mileage: 45,000
20010904TIRES:TREAD/BELT
BRIDGESTONE TURANZA T SIZE P20555R16, REPLACEMENT TIRES ON A NISSAN, 240SX, 1996. VEHICLE WAS WOBBLING. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THE DEALER STATED THAT LEFT FRONT TIRES BELT HAD SEPARATED. *AK BRIDGESTONE TURANZAT, DOT NUMBER Y78KPVB397. *SLC
20010619CrashTIRES:TREAD/BELT
TIRE TREAD SEPARATED ON TWO INSTANCES. ONE DID DAMAGE TO REAR OF CAR. ALMOST HAD ACCIDENT AS RESULT. *AK (TIRESIZE: 175/70/14)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 175/70/14 )
19971016PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND PARKED ON A INCLINE AND PASSENGERS GETTING INTO THE REAR SEAT, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE DID NOT KEEP THE VEHICLE SECURE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ROLL INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. *AK *SLC
19970319CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *AK
19970113CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *AK
Compare 1996NISSAN240SX to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 6 Open
DP26003Defect PetitionOpen
Fuel smell and loss of motive power
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
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 NISSAN 240SX have?▼
The 1996 NISSAN 240SX has 8 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 NISSAN 240SX?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 NISSAN 240SX is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES:TREAD/BELT and PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL.
Is the 1996 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 vintage: August 2026. 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.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1996 NISSAN 240SX; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.