1985 Nissan Maxima Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year mainly describe engine-compartment fires, and several link them to leaking fuel injectors that were under recall. Other complaints concern how recall repairs were handled, a gasoline odor, and smoke or fire under the hood after parking or stopping. The few complaints that list mileage cite about 90,000 to 95,000 miles.

1. 1
   Fuel system

   Under-hood fires tied to fuel-injector leaks

   • 24 complaints (44%)
   • median 90,000 mi at 16.8 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 22 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2004

   Owners describe engine-compartment fires that they link to leaking fuel injectors, some while driving and some right after starting the engine. Some fires are described as happening before a recall repair was done, and owners report damage to wiring, the power steering pump and oil seals. According to complaints, injector replacement was offered, but other damaged parts were not covered. The few complaints that list mileage cite about 90,000 to 95,000 miles, and the fires are described while driving or just after starting.

   What to check: Ask for records showing that the fuel-injector recall work was completed, and check the injectors and fuel lines for fuel odor, wet spots or leaks during an inspection.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Was notified of a recall due to engine fires by a friend who worked at Nissan. I took my car in for the repair to be done and was put on a waiting list. Was never contacted back. When I try to start my car one day, the engine blew up lifting the front end of my car off the ground and my cars front end (engine) was on fire. I sent all the information to Nissan and they gave me the run around for about a year. They wanted receipts for oil changes and tune ups, which I did not have. It was becoming to much of a hassle and I stopped pursuing it. …”

   NHTSA complaint #736352, filed 2000-11

   “While driving, noticed smoke coming from engine compartment, then suddenly engine caught fire, due to fuel injector leak, had prior notice of gas fumes.”

   NHTSA complaint #979675, filed 1996-02
2. 2
   Fuel system

   Recall repair delays and missed notices

   • 8 complaints (15%)
   • median 95,000 mi at 16.8 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1996–2004

   Owners describe waiting on a fuel-injector recall repair, sometimes being put on a waiting list and not hearing back. Some say the repair was never done, that a dealer declined to repair after the recall notice, or that paperwork such as maintenance receipts was requested first. Other owners say they were not notified and learned of the recall elsewhere. Mileage is given in only one of these complaints, at about 95,000 miles; the others describe the repair process after a recall notice.

   What to check: Before buying, check for open recalls on the vehicle and ask the seller or dealer for written proof that the fuel-injector recall repair was completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Fontana dealer which is now purchased by san bernardino Nissan advised me sometime in 1993 that fuel injectors are to be changed under recall. I gave my car with trust to perform necessary replacements of injectors and related hoses.the job was not done. When other dealer as well as professional technicians detected that the job was not done and the original parts are there. I took it to the service manager, planet Nissan [now san bernardino Nissan] to check and confirm. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10063720, filed 2004-03

   “I have since had my leak repaired after learning of the recall on the internet (car point). I was never notified by Nissan of the recall in 1995. I paid to fix the problem of the smell of gasoline in april of 1995 but car still smelled like gas intermittently and I was never told by anyone that my car could catch on fire! Thankfully, the problem is fixed with a new injector and hose harness system, and my family and my home are no longer in danger of fire but but I feel that Nissan should pay for previous repairs that did not fix the problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #729614, filed 2000-08
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Under-hood smoke or fire, source unclear

   • 16 complaints (30%)
   • typically at 11.0 yrs old
   • 16 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–1998

   Owners describe smoke from the engine area followed by flames under the hood, in some cases after the car had been parked or left sitting for a time. One owner smelled something burning while driving and then saw a fire after pulling over, and another smelled gas before the fire started. Complaints generally do not identify where the fire started. No mileage is given in these complaints; they describe fires after parking, sitting for a while, or pulling over.

   What to check: Look for heat marks, melted wiring or fresh repair work in the engine bay, and ask the seller whether any electrical or fuel-line repairs were done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Started vehicle at noon. After vehicle had been sitting for 2 hours, saw smoke then flames under the hood area of vehicle. The fire department put fire out.”

   NHTSA complaint #821829, filed 1998-03

   “Driving home from work, smelled something burning, saw smoke, pulled over, waited & lifted hood, saw fire, turned vehicle off, smothered flames w/blanket.”

   NHTSA complaint #986589, filed 1996-07
4. 4
   Fuel system

   Gasoline smell, especially at startup

   • 6 complaints (11%)
   • typically at 11.7 yrs old
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2000

   Owners describe a gasoline smell that comes and goes, noticed at startup and when the fan is running. Some owners report the odor before a fire, and one paid for an earlier repair but the smell continued at times until a later injector and hose replacement. The complaints describe the odor as intermittent rather than constant. No mileage is given in these complaints; the odor is described at startup, with the fan running, and while driving.

   What to check: On a test drive, check for a fuel smell at startup and with the blower on, and look for fuel leaks or wet spots around the injectors and fuel lines.

Buying note. Before buying, ask for records showing that the fuel-injector recall work was completed, and have the engine bay and fuel system inspected for odor, leaks and heat damage. Owners who report fires often tie them to the injectors, so proof of that recall work and a fuel-system inspection address the first issue above.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 22 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.