1989 Nissan 240SX problems & reliability
36 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1989 Nissan 240SX. 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).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1989 Nissan 240SX 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 → | 11 | 31% |
| Seat Belts | 7 | 19% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 6 | 17% |
| Electrical System | 4 | 11% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 11% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 8% |
| Steering | 3 | 8% |
| Visibility | 3 | 8% |
| Child Seat | 1 | 3% |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 11 reported components →Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“When I was driving my car the electronic seat belt went forward, which basically means im unbuckled and it wont go back to the buckled position for some reason.”
Seat Belts · filed May 16, 2012
“Seat belt motor does not work, and the shoulder buckle does not lock in place, making the shoulder belt useless. *ak”
Seat Belts · filed Mar 9, 2000
“Seat beltretractor on the driver's side isn't working, and there is a fuel leakage within the fuel injectors. *ak”
Seat Belts · filed Aug 26, 1999
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- TAKATA SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILURE
Engineering Analysis EA95007 · opened Mar 10, 1995 · closed Aug 2, 1995 · led to recall 95V103002
Technical service bulletins
9 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1989 Nissan 240SX.
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
Front seat belt latch plate retaining button missing. *tt
99022 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 28, 2005
Front seat belt latch plate retaining button missing. *tt
NTB99022C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 5, 2003
Seat belt latch plate retaining button missing. *tt
NTB99022B · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 2, 2001
Concerns with the front seat belt latch plate stopper button missing. *tt
NTB99022A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 26, 1999
UNKNOWN
NTB95027 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 1, 1995
K24e tension side timing chain guide broken. *tw
NTB95027 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 1, 1995
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 240SX 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 240SX?
- · 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.