1985 Nissan Maxima problems & reliability
54 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1985 Nissan Maxima. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline → | 32 | 59% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling → | 13 | 24% |
| Electrical System | 7 | 13% |
| Power Train | 2 | 4% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 4% |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 2% |
| Steering | 1 | 2% |
| Tires | 1 | 2% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 2% |
| Visibility | 1 | 2% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Engine caught fire as a result of admitted defective fuel injectors(on recall). Nissan replaced fuel injectors at no charge, but would not replace other damaged items such as, power steering, "severe" seal damage causing large oil leak, and other damages. I have called and written nissan. Also, no apologies…”
Steering · filed Apr 22, 2004
“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…”
Fuel System, Other · filed Mar 23, 2004
“Fire in engine compartment caused by defective fuel injectors. Royed injectors and ower steering pump, numerous oil seals, electrical components, etc. In addition there was general soot all over the engine, which wiil not come off.*ak furthermore, it was a dangeous situation, and had to call the fire dept.. Nissan…”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Aug 25, 2003
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- FUEL INJECTOR ASSEMBLY LEAKAGE
Engineering Analysis EA94018 · opened Jun 23, 1994 · closed Nov 8, 1995 · led to recall 95I006000
- STEERING MALFUNCTION
Preliminary Evaluation PE88025 · opened Feb 9, 1988 · closed May 11, 1988
Technical service bulletins
3 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1985 Nissan Maxima.
Nissan: tire pressure monitoring system (tpms) warning light on/flashing. No models or model years listed. *pe updated on 08-11-2011. *kb
NTB-09-101 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 30, 2010
Nissan: vent control valve replacement. When replacing the evap canister vent control valve for reason: use the one listed on page 2; for vent control valve replacement procedure, refer to the appropriate section of the…
NTB-09-129 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 13, 2010
Nissan: the 12 volt battery is an important part of the vehicle electrical system and is required to stay connected when the engine is running. To prevent damage to vehicle electronic components follow the…
NTB-09-030 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 6, 2009
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1985 Nissan Maxima in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1985 Nissan Maxima?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.