Total Complaints
6 filings
NISSAN VAN · model year
1988 NISSAN VAN
6 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 1988NISSANVAN carries 6 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 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 1988 VAN is engine and engine cooling:cooling system:hoses/lines/piping/fittings with 1 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (1) and steering:hydraulic power assist:hose, piping, and connections (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 1988 VAN, 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.
6
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20090813LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 NISSAN VAN. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE MANUAL DOOR LOCK FAILED TO DISENGAGE WHILE LOCKED. THE DOOR WOULD ONLY UNLOCK MANUALLY FROM THE EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER NO LONGER PRODUCES THE LOCK MECHANISM FOR REPLACEMENT. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 95,000. UPDATED 09/14/09. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE LATCH/LOCK IS NOW WORKING PROPERLY. UPDATED 09/16/09.*JB
Mileage: 95,000
19991029FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS
FUEL INJECTORS FAILED. NLM
19991029POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED. NLM
19990113STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
POWER STEERING HOSE FAILURE; NO PARTS AVAILABLE.
19981222ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE WILL CUT OFF. ALSO, WHEN THE CONSUMER STARTS THE VEHICLE/ BACKS OUT, VEHICLE WILL CUT BACK OFF. CONSUMER STATES THERE IS A BUCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE BY THE ENGINE. *AK
19950911ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS
HAD COOLING RECALL DONE, VEHICLE IS OVERHEATING AGAIN. TT
Compare 1988NISSANVAN 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 1988 NISSAN VAN have?▼
The 1988 NISSAN VAN has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 NISSAN VAN?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 NISSAN VAN is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE and STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS.
Is the 1988 NISSAN VAN 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 1988 NISSAN VAN; 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.