VehicleVerdict

1987 Nissan Maxima engine problems

The 1987 Nissan Maxima has 21 engine complaints filed with NHTSA — 11% of the year's total, and up sharply from the prior model year.

21

Engine complaints

11%

Share of year

0

Crash-involved

0

Related recalls

Engine complaints by year

Maxima engine complaints by model year124 complaints1983: 2 complaints1984: 3 complaints1985: 13 complaints1986: 10 complaints1987: 21 complaints1988: 12 complaints1989: 2 complaints1990: 9 complaints1991: 10 complaints1992: 23 complaints1993: 12 complaints1994: 19 complaints1995: 23 complaints1996: 19 complaints1997: 14 complaints1998: 7 complaints1999: 43 complaints2000: 84 complaints2001: 36 complaints2002: 49 complaints2003: 98 complaints2004: 124 complaints2005: 101 complaints2006: 71 complaints2007: 24 complaints2008: 6 complaints2009: 22 complaints2010: 23 complaints2011: 14 complaints2012: 13 complaints2013: 4 complaints2014: 9 complaints2016: 20 complaints2017: 7 complaints2018: 2 complaints2019: 4 complaints2020: 1 complaints2021: 1 complaints2022: 1 complaints
Maxima engine complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

What owners report

“VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AFTER MOVING AND RESTARTING THE CAR 2 TIMES. THE FIRE/EXPLOSION BEGAN IN THE ENGINE AREA MOSTLY ON THE LEFT SIDE. *AK CONSUMER WAS ADVISED BY NISSAN CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT SOME VEHICLE'S HAS FUEL LEAKS CONSUMER STATES SHE WAS NEVER NOTIFIED.*JB ”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · October 15, 1996 · fire

Common questions

How many engine complaints does the 1987 Nissan Maxima have?

NHTSA has 21 complaints about the 1987 Nissan Maxima engine — 11% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.