Total Complaints
5 filings
NISSAN D21 · model year
1989 NISSAN D21
5 NHTSA complaints. 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 1989NISSAND21 carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 2 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 1989 D21 is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 2 filings, followed by electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash (2) and engine and engine cooling:exhaust system (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 1989 D21, 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.
5
Complaints
0
Crashes
2
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 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20010531ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
I HAVE LEARNED FROM MANY THIS IS VERY VERY COMMON FAILURE. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED. *AK
19960516SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT HAD PARTS SINCE DECEMBER 18, 1995. PLEASE DESCRIBE.
19960501FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE RUNNING FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19960501FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE RUNNING FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19960213SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILURE, DEALER MADE REPAIRS ON VEHICLE BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. TT
Compare 1989NISSAND21 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 1989 NISSAN D21 have?▼
The 1989 NISSAN D21 has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 NISSAN D21?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 NISSAN D21 is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM.
Is the 1989 NISSAN D21 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 1989 NISSAN D21; 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.