1989 Nissan Maxima problems & reliability
62 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1989 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.
7 complaints report injuries (9 injured, 1 deaths reported).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1989 Nissan Maxima vehicles were involved in 1 fatal crash with 1 occupant death. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline → | 20 | 32% |
| Power Train | 9 | 15% |
| Seat Belts | 9 | 15% |
| Electrical System | 8 | 13% |
| Visibility | 6 | 10% |
| Seats | 4 | 6% |
| Steering | 4 | 6% |
| Structure | 3 | 5% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 3% |
| Unknown OR Other | 2 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Yesterday july 18 2011, passport nissan indicated to me that nissan is willing to give me a $1200, ( twelve hundred) for the maxima 1989 that you have inspected. Nissan wants my car for that amount, I made a counter offer to him. At any rate I decided ,that nissan should just fix my car. Thank you, to: rbittinger…”
Structure · filed Aug 1, 2011
“Dt*: the contact stated there is corrosion between fuel filler tube and left rear fender and wheel housing. There is a nhtsa recall 95v244000, regarding the fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank: filler pipe and cap. This vehicle in included in this recall; however the dealer will not repair the problem until other…”
Structure · filed Mar 9, 2006
“Recall campaign #95v244000 ; customer states r5002, corrosion recall was performed. The fuel filler tube assembly was replaced. *bf *sc *jb”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Mar 11, 2005
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
7 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1989 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
Key value brake pad service information. *tt
NTB99005A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 17, 1999
Service information on key value brake pads. *tt
NTB99005 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 1, 1999
New non-asbestos replacement pads and shoes. *tw
NTB95067 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 1, 1995
New non-asbestos brake pad. *tw
NTB93077 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 1, 1993
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 1989 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 1989 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.