1992 Nissan Maxima problems & reliability
110 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1992 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.
11 complaints report injuries (18 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1992 Nissan Maxima vehicles were involved in 3 fatal crashes with 3 occupant deaths. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 22 | 20% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 21 | 19% |
| Visibility | 14 | 13% |
| Air Bags | 11 | 10% |
| Seat Belts | 9 | 8% |
| Electrical System | 6 | 5% |
| Seats | 6 | 5% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 6 | 5% |
| Power Train | 5 | 5% |
| Fuel System, Other | 4 | 4% |
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
“Tl* the contact owns a 1992 nissan maxima. The contact stated that while refueling, fuel spewed from the filler neck. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 95v244000 (fuel system, gasoline). The failure mileage…”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Apr 8, 2013
“Tl*the contact owns a 1992 nissan maxima. The contact stated that while adding gasoline to the fuel tank he smelled fuel and noticed it leaking from underneath the fuel tank. The dealer was informed about the failure and stated that the vent holes in the fuel tank were cracked. The vehicle was not repaired. The…”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Oct 22, 2010
“Tl*the contact owns a 1992 nissan maxima. The contact stated that there is a fuel leak on the pipe that connects to the gas tank due to corrosion. The manufacturer stated that there was a recall regarding this failure. The contact went to the dealer; however, there was only one person there who could perform the…”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Aug 22, 2008
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- INADVER.AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT
Engineering Analysis EA93024 · opened Oct 8, 1993 · closed Jan 25, 1994 · led to recall 94V007000
- INADVER.AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT
Preliminary Evaluation PE93063 · opened Jul 12, 1993 · closed Oct 8, 1993
Technical service bulletins
29 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1992 Nissan Maxima. The 10 most recent:
DIAGNOSIS OF VEHICLE PULL (DRIFT) AND/OR STEERING WHEEL OFF-CENTER This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
NTB08-097L · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 21, 2023
SILICONE-BASED LUBRICANT OR GREASE CAN DAMAGE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SERVICE INFORMATION Do not apply Silicone-based lubricants or grease to, or around, any interior electrical components. To avoid the risk of death or…
NTB23-053 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 16, 2023
12 VOLT BATTERY TESTING FOR IN-SERVICE VEHICLES SERVICE INFORMATION The following Service Information lists NNA procedural recommendations for establishing good connections while performing 12V battery testing. These…
NTB23-049 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 16, 2023
VEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
NTB13-107F · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 27, 2023
INTELLIGENT KEY REPLACEMENT OR SWAPPING BETWEEN VEHICLES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Discard all previous versions of this bulletin.
NTB16-003C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 17, 2023
REMOVING FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM THE WINDOW GLASS This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
NTB13-028H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 27, 2023
WINDSHIELD CRACKING This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
NTB09-081J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 27, 2023
WHEEL BEARING COLLISION DAMAGE This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
NTB10-126C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 22, 2023
DIAGNOSIS OF VEHICLE PULL (DRIFT) AND/OR STEERING WHEEL OFF-CENTER This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
NTB08-097K · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 22, 2023
STRUT AND SHOCK ABSORBER REPLACEMENT GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
NTB99-001F · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 7, 2021
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 1992 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 1992 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.