1990 Nissan Maxima Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about fuel smells and leaks traced to the filler neck and tank area, and separately about tired fuel injectors that make the engine idle rough, hesitate and smell of gasoline. Power windows that stop working, seat belt anchors rusted at the rear wheel housing, and rear brake lamp housings that melt or lose contact are the other recurring themes. Most reports come from cars well past 100,000 miles, and much of what is described is corrosion or wear rather than a sudden failure.

1. 1
   Fuel system

   Fuel filler neck corrosion and fuel leaks

   • 16 complaints (15%)
   • median 130,000 mi at 14.2 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1996–2013

   Complaints describe rust on the fuel filler tube and neck, a strong gasoline smell around the car, and drips or a puddle after filling the tank, sometimes worse after topping off. Several owners say their car behaved the same way as recall 95V244000 but were told by the manufacturer or dealer that their VIN was not covered and declined a free repair. Some also report the filler hose or the tank itself needing replacement. Reported across a wide mileage span in the sample, from about 54,000 up to roughly 190,000 miles, and often noticed only after a fill-up.

   Recall 95V244000

   What to check: Look at the filler tube and the metal around the rear wheel housing for rust, and check for a fuel smell or stains under the car after a fill-up. Ask whether the work under recall 95V244000 was ever completed on this vehicle.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Nhtsa campaign number: 95v244000.the car was recalled 1999, but has been since leaking gas sporadically after top-off or fill ups, now getting worse. Ironically, it was not leaking gas prior to the recall. I contacted Nissan USA; but they refused to grant a second recall due to the mileage and age of the vehicle. To me, the car is hazardous to drive.”

   NHTSA complaint #10075228, filed 2004-06, 190,000 miles

   “I have a gas leak as described in NHTSA campaign # 95v244000. Recall date was 12/15/95. I took my 1990 Nissan Maxima to the dealer repair and was told that there was no open recall on my VIN even though I had a print out of the recall from your web site. This could present a fire hazard.”

   NHTSA complaint #10127530, filed 2005-07, 54,000 miles
2. 2
   Fuel system

   Leaking or clogged fuel injectors, rough idle

   • 14 complaints (13%)
   • typically at 6.7 yrs old
   • filed 1995–2005

   Owners describe injectors that leak or stop firing within spec, giving a rough, shimmying idle, hesitation when the accelerator is pressed, weak acceleration and worse fuel economy. Some report a gasoline smell and an emissions warning light that could not be reset, and mechanics replacing one injector or the whole set, in some cases more than once. Described throughout the sample, with several owners saying the rough running and hesitation built up gradually over months rather than appearing at once.

   What to check: Start the car from cold and listen for an uneven idle, then note any hesitation on a test drive and any gasoline smell around the engine bay. Ask whether the injectors have been replaced and whether the emissions light stays off.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I've had a number of problems with this car and have put a lot of money and time into it. But my mechanic warned me after having my tune-up done that the fuel injectors are leaking. He suggested I contact Nissan to verify whether or not they had recalled my vehicle model for this defect. According to a Nissan consumer affairs associate, the 1990 Maxima does not fall under the recall that was issued for the previous years Maxima. But I have searched the NHTSA site and found that I am not the only person to have experienced this problem with my Maxima.”

   NHTSA complaint #736654, filed 2000-11

   “Fuel injectors have not been firing within the specified range as assessed by my mechanic as well as an authorized nisssandealer/ mechanic. The car idles rough and shimmies while the brake is applied at a stop. Sometimes there is a hesitation when I depress the accelerator. The problem seems to be getting worse over time, recently the emissions warning light on the dashboard has come on and cannot be reset. I am hesitant to pay for repair work because of the expense (and I've been told replacing the bad injectors only may hasten the others going bad). …”

   NHTSA complaint #700231, filed 1998-10
3. 3
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Power window regulators failing

   • 15 complaints (14%)
   • typically at 6.0 yrs old
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2000

   Complaints describe door windows that stop moving, drop on their own, or stick partway, usually one window at a time and often across several doors of the same car. Owners report the regulator, crank or cable being replaced, sometimes more than once, with costs around a couple of hundred dollars per window and the problem returning after repair. Owners describe the windows failing on cars that were already several years old, typically one window at a time rather than all at once.

   What to check: Run every window up and down through its full travel on the test drive and listen for grinding or slow movement. Ask whether any regulators, motors or cables have already been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The window problem I have seems to be with a lot of this car model. Each time I had a window fixed, it cost me $220.00. It seems to me that this is a defect that Nissan should be paying for. Other than this problem my other with the transmisson just started and I do have 100,000 miles on the car. I would expect some things to go wrong. The window problem started about 5 years ago. Also when I took my car in to have the first window repaired I asked about my radio antenna not going up and down anymore. It seems that this is the same kind of problem I had with my windows. …”

   NHTSA complaint #734853, filed 2000-10

   “Electronic windows; windows will either lower on its own or not at all. System worked on (5) times with temporary results. Tt vehicle also experiences problems with the shifter.”

   NHTSA complaint #975379, filed 1995-11
4. 4
   Seat belts

   Rusted seat belt anchors at the wheel housing

   • 5 complaints (5%)
   • median 156,574 mi at 18.5 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1997–2008

   Owners report rust on the seat belt anchorage or retractor, in several cases found only after the belt or its webbing separated from the rusted mounting area. The rust is described at the lower rear wheel housing, and dealers quoted replacement at the owner's expense, with some owners told their VIN was outside the related campaign. Reported on older, higher-mileage cars in the sample, roughly between 128,000 and 185,000 miles, often discovered while cleaning the trunk or carpet.

   What to check: Pull back the trunk carpet and trim on both sides and inspect the seat belt anchor points and lower wheel housing for rust. Pull each belt firmly to confirm the webbing and retractor are still attached and retract properly.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The driver noticed that the left driver 's side seat belt anchorage rusted. This cause no support for the seat belts. The driver was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer for inspection. The mechanic informed the driver that the seat belt needed replacing on the owner expense. No recall for this vehicle the mechanic informed the driver. Please fill in additional information.”

   NHTSA complaint #10082118, filed 2004-07

   “Rear left passenger restraint webbing has separated from track due to rust. Dealer has inspected vehicle. A recall has been issued on vehicle make/model; however, this vehicle was not included due to the VIN#. Feel free to provide any further information.”

   NHTSA complaint #8017106, filed 2002-08
5. 5
   Exterior lighting

   Rear brake lamp housings melting and poor contacts

   • 6 complaints (6%)
   • median 146,000 mi at 13.0 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • filed 1996–2002

   Complaints describe the high-mount and rear brake lamp housings overheating, with melted or deformed plastic around the bulb sockets and sometimes smoke or a burning smell. Others report intermittent brake lights from corroded or loose bulb contacts that fail again shortly after repair, usually found when replacing a bulb or when another driver pointed out the lamps were out. Noticed generally on older, higher-mileage cars in the sample, often when a bulb needed replacing or when the lamps were used heavily in traffic.

   What to check: Have someone watch the rear lamps while you press the brake, and remove the high-mount lamp cover to look for melted or discolored plastic and corroded sockets.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I smell burned when I applied the brake. I isolated to the rear center brake lamp was not illuminated. Because the sockets were the metal can in the lamp socket moves or separates from the plastic socket housing. It is very close to the recall 96v253004.”

   NHTSA complaint #10000361, filed 2002-12, 146,000 miles

   “Rear brake lights do not light up on a regular basis when the brake pad is applied. The connectors that touch the light bulbs are very sensitive. The slightest movement causes the connection between the bulb and connetor to fail. I have noticed this problem with numerous maximas on the road. This problem exists with the rear lights as well (not only when braking). The rear 3rd brake light assembly has corroded and does not permit the bulb to be installed. This problem existed since I purchased the car with 92,000 miles on the odometer from a private party. …”

   NHTSA complaint #767583, filed 2002-09

Buying note. On this model year, spend the inspection on the fuel filler area and the rear wheel housings, since rust there is what most complaints describe and it is easy to see. A pre-purchase inspection by a mechanic familiar with older cars is worth the cost for the injectors, brakes and window mechanisms.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 57 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.