Total Complaints
9 filings
NISSAN PICKUP · model year
1986 NISSAN PICKUP
9 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986NISSANPICKUP 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, 1 fire, 1 injury, 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 PICKUP is structure:frame and members with 2 filings, followed by seat belts:front:buckle assembly (1) and power train:clutch assembly:pedal/hand lever(motorcycle) (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 1986 PICKUP, 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
1
Fires
1
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 |
|---|---|
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE) | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| TRAILER HITCHES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20020813TRAILER HITCHES
ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL TOOK BACK OF VEHICLE AND WELDED IT ON A 1-TON PICKUP CAB. CONSUMER STATED THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS.*AK
20010827ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
MANUL FOR 86 PICKUP "RECOMMENDS" REPLACING TIMING BELT AT 60,000 MILES. THIS IS NOT A "RECOMMENDATION, IT IS A REQUIREMENT. THE SUDDEN AND COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES CAN BE DEADLY. I CANNOT BELIEVE THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS TYPE FAILURE, COMMON PLACE WITH NISSANS AND HONDAS. I DELAYED REPAIR UNTIL I HAD TIME TO INVESTIGATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE OF THE BELT CAUSES THE VALVES TO CONTACT THE PISTONS BENDING THE VALVE STEMS. THERE IS NO WARNING OF IMMINENT FAILURE NOR AN INDICATOR TO SHOW THAT THE BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED. THIS IS NOT A NORMAL MAINTENANCE ITEM AND A CONSUMER SHOULD NOT BE EXPECTED TO PAY FOR THE MAJOR COST TO REPLACE A TIMING BELT. HOW CAN ANY MANUFACTURER PERMIT A SUBSTANDARD PART TO DESTROY THE ENGINE?*AK
20010323TIRES
SEPARATION AT SIDEWALL AND TREAD ON ALL 4 TIRES. *AK (TIRESIZE: 30X95R15LT)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 30X95R15LT )
19990929ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
ENGINE QUITS WHILE DRIVING AND IS EXTREMELY HARD TO START SINCE FUEL PUMP OPERATION IS SPORATIC. A NEW FUEL PUMP, IGNITION SWITCH, PUMP RELAY AND FUSE (ALL GENUINE NISSAN PARTS) HAVE BEEN INSTALLED AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS AND IS GETTING WORSE. THE STALLING PROBLEM HAS FORCED ME TO SEVERELY LIMIT MY DRIVING TO BACK ROADS.
19990921FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FIRE UNDER DASH, DUE TO POSSIBLE WIRING HARNESS UNDER DASH FAILURE, CAUSING MINOR INJURY. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). MJS
19970129POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)
CLUTCH: HYDRAULIC CYLINDER FAILURE. *AK
19961114STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
WELDS HOLDING CROSS MEMBERS ARE BREAKING, ALLOWING CROSS MEMBER TO LOOSEN AND BREAK AWAY.
19960314STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
LEFT SIDE MAIN FRAME MEMBER BROKEN BETWEEN AXLE/LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY. *DSH
19951127SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLES COME LOOSE WHEN LOCKED . TT CONSUMER STATES DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NO LONGER LOCK, PASSENGER SIDE SOMETIMES COMES UNLOCKED WHILE TRAVELING OVER ROUGH TERRAIN. *SLC
Compare 1986NISSANPICKUP 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 PICKUP have?▼
The 1986 NISSAN PICKUP has 9 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 NISSAN PICKUP?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 NISSAN PICKUP is STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY and POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE).
Is the 1986 NISSAN PICKUP 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.