1996 NISSAN 200SX Problems & Recalls
Detailed safety information and owner complaints
Problem Breakdown
Compare to Other Years
Common Problems
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 NISSAN 200SX. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS OR EXCEED 20 MPH. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 92,000.
Mileage: 92,000
WIPER ARM LINKAGE POPS OFF AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL SECTION, BOTH WIPERS BECOME NON-FUNCTIONAL. LOCAL NISSAN DEALER WILL NOT HONOR THE RECALL, STATING THAT MY CAR DOES NOT HAVE THE DEFECTIVE PART - NO RECORD OF THIS RECALL BEING PERFORMED LINKED TO THIS VIN. *TR
Mileage: 141,500
ENTERING A RIGHT TURN ON A CLOVER LEAF THE CAR MADE A SUDDEN SIDEWAYS MOVEMENT. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 20 MPH AND WAS FORCED TO THE SHOULDER. INITIAL ROADSIDE INSPECTION FOUND LEFT REAR TIRE TOUCHING LEFT REAR FENDER WELL. CAR WAS TAKEN BY FLATBED CARRIER FROM ROADSIDE. UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION FOUND...
Mileage: 181,000
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE WIPER ARM LINKAGE DISENGAGED WITHOUT WARNING, WHILE THE WINDSHIELD WASHER/WIPERS WERE ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 98V093000, REGARDING THE WINDSHIELD WASHER/WIPER ARM LINKAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE REC...
Mileage: 128,000
I OWN A 1996 NISSAN 200SX WITH . I PURCHASED THE CAR IN LATE SUMMER OF 2005. ON JULY 5 2006 MY SON WAS DRIVING THE CAR IN A RAIN STORM AND THE WIPERS STOPPED FUNCTIONING. THE NEXT DAY HE ASKED ME TO LOOK AT THE CAR AND I DISCOVERED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE HAD FAILED AT THE BALL JOINT WHERE THE ...
Mileage: 141,000
MY WITNESS WHO DROVE WITH ME CHECKED THE TIRE PRESSURE BEFORE WE LEFT BECAUSE WE WERE DRIVING OVER 150 MILES. WE WERE DRIVING FROM ALMOST APACHE JUNCTION,AZ TO SIERRA VISTA AZ. TO PICK MY 7 YEAR OLD SON FROM HIS MOTHERS. WE GOT OUTSIDE OF CASA GRANDE GOING THE SPEED LIMIT, WE HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND ...
Mileage: 17,300
DT: THE CONTACT STATED DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER DOES NOT WORK. THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER WILL WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THERE WAS NO FOREWARNING PRIOR TO THE WIPERS NOT WORKING. THERE WAS RECALL 98V093000. HE CONTACTED THE DEALER, THEY STATED IT WAS TOO OLD OF A RECALL IN THEIR DATABAS...
Mileage: 113,000
MANUAL TRANSMISSION CLUTCH CABLE FAILED, UNABLE TO CHANGE GEARS WHILE DRIVING. THIS CONDITION WAS INTERMITTENT AND HAPPENED THREE TIMES BEFORE DEALER WAS ABLE TO DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR. AS A RESULT OF FAILURE, CAR WAS UNABLE TO DOWNSHIFT WHICH LED TO VEHICULAR LACK OF CONTROL. LOCAL NISSAN DEALER FI...
Mileage: 97,400
VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR 4 OR 5 HOURS. OWNER HEARD A LOUD POP BUT IGNORED IT BECAUSE HE RESIDED CLOSE TO THE INTERSTATE. MINUTES LATER, THE OWNER HEARD ANOTHER POP SOUND AND WENT TO INVESTIGATE. OWNER FOUND THE VEHICLE ENGULFED IN FLAMES . THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THE FIRE STARTED UNDER THE DRIVE...
Mileage: 105,500
DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM BALL JOINT FAILED RESULTING IN THE INOPERABILITY OF THE DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER. ACCORDING TO THE NHTSA WEBSITE, THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM. NISSAN SAYS THIS PROBLEM IS VIN NUMBER SPECIFIC AND MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. MY CAR ...
Mileage: 100,506
WIPERS STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE IN THE FIRST DAY OF SNOW DURING VERY BAD WHETHER CONDITIONS. TOOK THE CAR TO NISSAN, A 49.99 FEE JUST TO LOOK AT THE CAR. LEFT AND WENT SOMEWHERE ELSE WERE THEY MADE ME AWARE OF A RECALL ON THE PROBLEM AND TO GO BACK TO NISSAN FOR THE REPAIR WHICH SH...
Mileage: 103,000
AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES CONSTANTLY. DLR SAYS SRS COMPUTER HAS FAILED AND WILL COST $600.00 TO REPAIR. DLR SHOULD PAY FOR THIS ITEM AS IT IS SAFETY AND HAS BEEN REPORTED SEVERAL TIMES BY DIFFERENT OWNERS. ON SOME THE AIRBAG HAS DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. *JB
Mileage: 72,000
CONSUMER NOTICED THAT WHILE USING WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION WIPERS WOULD PAUSE INTERMITTENTLY. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO WORK. THERE WAS A RECALL CAMPAIGN, BUT THE CONSUMER VEHICLE WAS NOT ON RECALL. HOWEVER, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING AN EXPLANATION AND REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *YH
REAREND COLLISION WITH 2000 DODGE P/U. INJURIES INCLUDE CONCUSSION, FACIAL AND CHEST BRUISES, THREE BROKEN BONES ON RIGHT FOOT. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
THIS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A DIASTER FOR US SINCE WE DROVE IT OFF THE LOT ON MARCH 18, 1996. WITHIN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF OWNING THE CAR THE WATER PUMP BLEW UP WHILE WE WERE DRIVING IT, THEN THE CAR KEPT LOCKING UP WHILE DRIVING IT ABOUT FOUR TIMES AND ALL TIMES WE KEPT BRINGING IT BACK TO THE...
THIS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A DIASTER FOR US SINCE WE DROVE IT OFF THE LOT ON MARCH 18, 1996. WITHIN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF OWNING THE CAR THE WATER PUMP BLEW UP WHILE WE WERE DRIVING IT, THEN THE CAR KEPT LOCKING UP WHILE DRIVING IT ABOUT FOUR TIMES AND ALL TIMES WE KEPT BRINGING IT BACK TO THE...
THIS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A DIASTER FOR US SINCE WE DROVE IT OFF THE LOT ON MARCH 18, 1996. WITHIN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF OWNING THE CAR THE WATER PUMP BLEW UP WHILE WE WERE DRIVING IT, THEN THE CAR KEPT LOCKING UP WHILE DRIVING IT ABOUT FOUR TIMES AND ALL TIMES WE KEPT BRINGING IT BACK TO THE...
THIS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A DIASTER FOR US SINCE WE DROVE IT OFF THE LOT ON MARCH 18, 1996. WITHIN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF OWNING THE CAR THE WATER PUMP BLEW UP WHILE WE WERE DRIVING IT, THEN THE CAR KEPT LOCKING UP WHILE DRIVING IT ABOUT FOUR TIMES AND ALL TIMES WE KEPT BRINGING IT BACK TO THE...
AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES. DEALER SAYS AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY AND COMPUTER MODULE IS BAD WITH A REPLACEMENT COST TO US (THE OWNER) OF $600. THERE IS NO EXPLANATION WHY THIS WOULD GO BAD. DEALER SAYS THEY SOMETIMES GO BAD. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND WE BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD BE REPAIRED AT NO COST TO...
CONSUMER PURCHASED A NEW UNIROYAL P175/65R14 WW UNIR AS TIRE ON 10-13-2001 AND STATES THAT THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE WITH A DAMAGED BELT, CONSUMER IS EXPECTING A FULL REFUND. *SLC
CONSUMER PURCHASED A NEW UNIROYAL P175/65R14 WW UNIR AS TIRE ON 10-13-2001 AND STATES THAT THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE WITH A DAMAGED BELT, CONSUMER IS EXPECTING A FULL REFUND. *SLC
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH ON HIGHWAY AND NOTICED THAT BRAKES WERE GRINDING. ALSO, WHEN SHE PUT VEHICLE IN REVERSE VEHICLE WOULD JERK AND MAKE A ROARING NOISE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK *JB
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH ON HIGHWAY AND NOTICED THAT BRAKES WERE GRINDING. ALSO, WHEN SHE PUT VEHICLE IN REVERSE VEHICLE WOULD JERK AND MAKE A ROARING NOISE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK *JB
SET OF 4 TIRES WERE BOUGHT AS REPLACEMENT TO VEHICLE, AFTER 13500 MILES OF USE A LARGE BULDGE WAS OBSERVED ON RIGHT FRONT TIRE SIDEWALL, DEALER REPLACED TIRE AT NO COST(FIRESTONE FT70C SIZE P175/65R14 8/S M+S). NLM
WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 45MPH, BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT REASON OR WARNING. DRIVER SUFFERED INJURIES. DLR HAS NOT SEEN. *AK
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE WOULD FREEZE UP WHEN ENGAGED AT 33 DEGREE OR LOWER. UNABLE TO MOVE UNTIL WEATHER GET WARMER. DEALER NOTIFIED AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK
SRS CONTROL UNIT FAILED WITHOUT ANY REASON. CAR WAS NOT IN MOTION, AND HAD NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENT OF ANY KIND AT ANY TIME. AFTER VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE RED AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. DEALER REPLACE THE SRS CONTROL UNIT FOR $595 (INSTALLED.) HOW RELIABLE ARE THESE UNI...
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ACCELERATES UNEXPECTEDLY AND IDLES HIGH. OCCUPANT HAS TO PRESS THE BRAKES HARD IN ORDER TO STOP VEHICLE. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM, UNABLE TO DUPLICATE IT. *AK *ML
WHILE DRIVING 30MPH SUDDENLY AIR BAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. PRIOR TO DEPLOYMENT, AIR BAG LIGHT WAS FLICKERING ON/OFF. *AK
WHILE MAKING A TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 5-10 MP THE REAR WHEEL ROLLED OVER THE CURVE WHICH CAUSED BOTH AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT WAS NORMAL CONDITION. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 5-10MPH, THE BACK TIRE HIT THE CURB, RESULTING IN THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAGS . THE DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
CLUTCH MAKES GRINDING/CHATTERING NOISE WHEN FULLY DEPRESSED. DEALER REPLACED THROWOUT BEARING AND ADJUSTED LINKAGE, BUT PROBLEM REMAINS UNSOLVED.
DESIGN OF THE HEADLIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHTING SYSTEM CAUSING CONFUSION DUE TO INTERIOR DASHBOARD LIGHTS ILLUMINATING WHEN PARKING LIGHTS ARE ACTIVATED CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO ASSUME THAT THE HEADLIGHT WERE ENGAGED, HOWEVER THET WERE NOT.
SUNROOF FAILED.
ENGINE SPARK PLUG FAILED.
WHILE AT A STOP VEHICLE WAS HIT IN THE REAR BY A DODGE VAN. THIS CAUSED VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO THE REAR OF VEHICLE IN FRONT, WHICH WAS ALSO STOPPED. THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. *AK CONSUMER ALSO STRUCK A DEER RESULTING IN $3900 IN DAMAGE YET NEITHER FRONTAL A...
MAP SENSOR FAILED.
ALL SHOULDER SEAT BELT RETRACTORS EXCEPT ON DRIVER'S SIDE LOCKED UP WHEN MAKING ANY KNID OF MOVEMENT AND SOMETIMES WHEN THERE IS NO MOVEMENT . *AK
PARKING BRAKES : WHEN TEMPERATURE DROPS BELOW 35 THE EMERGENCY BRAKES FREEZE AND WILL NOT RELEASE. CAUSE OF PROBLEM IS UNKNOWN. *AK
DRIVING ABOUT 25MPH WHEN SUDDENLY AIR BAGS ON DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDES DEPLOYED FOR UNKNOWN REASON. *AK
ON FIVE OCCASIONS THE ENGINE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT KEPT COMING ON . *AK
ON FIVE OCCASIONS THE ENGINE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT KEPT COMING ON . *AK
DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON FRONTAL IMPACT, VEHICLE REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLING OUT OF WHERE PARKED WITH NO LIGHTS ON. *AK