Total Complaints
7 filings
NISSAN STANZA · model year
1988 NISSAN STANZA
7 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988NISSANSTANZA carries 7 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, 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 STANZA is fuel system, gasoline with 1 filings, followed by structure:frame and members (1) and exterior lighting:headlights (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 STANZA, 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.
7
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
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 | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20001003ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD FAILED.*ET
20000427SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
I FEEL THIS VEHICLE I PURCHASED WAS NOT SAFE TO LEAVE THE CAR LOT, IT HAS MAJOR PROBLEMS AND BAD BRAKES ANY HELP IN THIS MATTER WILL BE GREATLY APPREICATED. *AK
19991116ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
19990217LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE DRIVER'S DOOR POPPED OPEN FOUR TIMES WHILE THE LOCK WAS ON. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE WAS NOTHING CAUGHT IN THE DOOR OR IN THE TRACK. *SLC
19961001STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
FRAME RAILS HAVE COMPLETELT ROTTED OUT, ALSO TWO HEADLAMP LENSES CRACKED/DISCOLORED. *AK
19961001EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
FRAME RAILS HAVE COMPLETELT ROTTED OUT, ALSO TWO HEADLAMP LENSES CRACKED/DISCOLORED. *AK
19951018FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
TURNED ON IGNITION, WOULD NOT START;NOTICED BIG FUEL PUDDLE/HOOD SCORCHED; LIFTED HOOD, ENGINE PARTS WERE BURNT; FIRE MUST HAVE OCCURRED WHILE PARKED 2 DAYS.
Compare 1988NISSANSTANZA 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 STANZA have?▼
The 1988 NISSAN STANZA has 7 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 NISSAN STANZA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 NISSAN STANZA is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS and EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS.
Is the 1988 NISSAN STANZA 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.