Total Complaints
11 filings
NISSAN STANZA · model year
1989 NISSAN STANZA
11 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989NISSANSTANZA carries 11 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 1 fire, 2 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 1989 STANZA is fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system:injectors with 3 filings, followed by seat belts:front:buckle assembly (1) and vehicle speed control (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 1989 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.
11
Complaints
2
Crashes
1
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 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:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS | 3 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20000131ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
MOTOR MOUNTS FAILED CAUSED MOTOR TO ROCK BACK AND FORTH. YH
19990113STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
THE VEHICLE HAS A CRACKED UNIBODY, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE ALIGNED. *AK
19981130STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH DOOR ASSEMBLY. WHEN CONSUMER OPENED THE DOOR, IT FELL OFF. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
19980916POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
BAD CYLINDER RINGS CAUSED ENGINE TO BURN OIL EXCESSIVELY AT 45000 MILES AND HAD TO REBUILD THE ENGINE AT 70000 DUE TO EXCESSIVE OIL USAGE.
19970825FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS
TWO FUEL INJECTORS LEAKED FUEL ONTO INTAKE MANIFOLD WHEN ENGINE RUNNING , CAUSING STRONG SMELL OF GAS WITHIN ENGIEN COMPARTMENT. *AK
19970304FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS
FUEKL INJECTOR: WHEN IDLE GAS FUMES COMING FROM VEHICLE. FUMES ARE NOT AS STRONG WHEN THE WINDOW IS DOWN. TOOK VEHICLE TO NISSAN FOR REPAIRS AND DEALER4 SAID THAT HER FUEL INJECTORS WERE LEAKING. *AK
19961210FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS
THE VEHICLE HAS A FUEL LEAK COMING FROM THE #1 FUEL INJECTOR, CAUSING A STRONG FUEL ODOR INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. *AK *JB
19960715FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *AK *SLC
19960618CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHEN SHIFTED FROM NEUTRAL TO DRIVE, VEHICLE TOOK OFF AT HIGH SPEED, BRAKES APPLIED, HIT BUILDING, HOOD FLEW UP. *AK
19960618CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WHEN SHIFTED FROM NEUTRAL TO DRIVE, VEHICLE TOOK OFF AT HIGH SPEED, BRAKES APPLIED, HIT BUILDING, HOOD FLEW UP. *AK
19950523SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
CENTER REAR SEATBELT RED BUTTON CHIPPED OFF AND FELL DOWN IN THE MECHANISM, INOPERATIVE. TT
Compare 1989NISSANSTANZA 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 1989 NISSAN STANZA have?▼
The 1989 NISSAN STANZA has 11 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 1 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 NISSAN STANZA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 NISSAN STANZA is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
Is the 1989 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.