1993 Nissan 240SX problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
10 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
140,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1993 model year. Data updated: . 1 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
Most common problems
Seat Belts is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 10 complaints (20.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 2 | 20.0% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 10.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Seat Belts | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc | 2 |
| Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar | 2 |
| Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery | 1 |
| Electrical System:Horn | 1 |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | 1 |
| Electrical System:Starter Assembly | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 1 |
Seat Belts: 2; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc: 2; Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar: 2; Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery: 1; Electrical System:Horn: 1; Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 1; Electrical System:Starter Assembly: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 9 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 1 |
| 1996 | 2 |
| 1998 | 1 |
| 1999 | 3 |
| 2000 | 1 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
1995: 1; 1996: 2; 1998: 1; 1999: 3; 2000: 1; 2003: 1; 2010: 1
Pattern summary
Seat Belts leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 713267 · 1999-10-13 (October 13, 1999)
BRAKES GRIND AND WEAROUT VERY FAST ROTOR WEAR IS PREMATURE
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 713267 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 806352 · 1996-12-13 (December 13, 1996)
EXCESSIVE BRAKE SERVICE PAD/ROTOR; EXP. EXCESSIVE WEAR OF PADS AND RESURFACED AGING OF ROTORS, WHILE BRAKING EXP. INTERMITTENT HYDRAULIC LIGHT APPEARENCE, GRINDING NOISE, SPONGY PEDAL AND LOW PEDAL, AFTER BEING FIXED BY PRIVATE GARAGE, GRINDING NOISE PERSISTS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 806352 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 723953 · 2000-06-13 (June 13, 2000)
ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THE STEERING WHEEL HAS LOCKED UP, AND THE IGNITION KEY WILL NOT TURN. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH THE IGNITION AND THE STARTER, AND STILL THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 723953 at NHTSA ↗
Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
10 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-09-30.
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System:Injectors | 616.7% | 1227.9%ODI 10052863 · 78,155 mi3 OF 4 FUEL INJECTORS LEAKING AND FUEL REGULATORS NEEDS REPLACEMENT. *AK | 111.1%ODI 704893NEED ALL INJECTORS TO BE REPLACED...WAS INFORMED THAT LEAKY INJECTORS MAY CAUSE FIRE. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection System | 38.3%ODI 701143ALL FUEL INJECTERS KEPT LEAKING AND SPILLING GAS,THE DEALERSHIP FAILED TO FIX IT RIGHT CAUSING FIRE | 818.6%ODI 700609THE 1989 NISSAN 300ZX WAS RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM THAT I AS WELL AS MANY OTHER CAR OWNERS WITH A 89-90 240SX ARE HAVING (ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON PROBLEMS, AND USUALLY PEOPLE REPLACE ALL FOUR AT ONCE, WHICH NORMALLY WOULD BE EXTREMELY RARE, BUT ON A 240 SX IS VERY COMMON.) I WAS WANTING TO KNOW WHY THE 89-90 240SX WAS NOT RECALLED TO FIX THIS VERY COMMON PROBLEM | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 110.0% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 38.3%ODI 836909WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE IS STALLS AND DIES DUE TO THE TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. *AK | 49.3%ODI 544117THE TIMING CHAIN ADJUSTMENT GUIDES FAILED, RECALL ON 1989 MODELS AND A TECHNICAL BULLETIN ON THE 1990, HOWEVER VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER). | 111.1%ODI 488841WARPED FLYWHEEL CAUSED RELEASE BEARINGS/CLUTCH TO FAIL PREMATURELY. *DSH | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 110.0% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 112.5%ODI 10015816 · 45,000 miIF THE AIR CONDITION WAS ON WHEN THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE ENGINE SURGED AND THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD. *JB | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 813.3%ODI 10329966 · 165,392 miTHE GAS TANK ON THE 1995-1998 NISSAN 240SX IS MADE OF A COMPOSITE MATERIAL. BETWEEN FRIDAY MAY 7, AND SATURDAY MAY 8, 2010 A STRESS FRACTURE IN THE FUEL TANK FORMED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, ADJACENT TO THE STRAP WHICH HOLDS THE TANK TO THE CAR. THE FRACTURE IN THE TANK RESULTED IN A LARGE QUANTITY OF FUEL LEAKING OVER THE GARAGE FLOOR. THIS WAS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM AS IT COULD HAVE LED TO A SEVERE VEHICLE AND HOUSE FIRE. THE FAILURE HAS NOT YET BEEN CORRECTED. TO PREVENT MORE FUEL FROM LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE, AND TO REDUCE THE … | 112.5%ODI 10386511I WAS DRIVING NORMALLY TO SCHOOL ALONG WITH MY BROTHER AND I NOTICED THAT THERE'S A VERY STRONG SMELL OF GAS INSIDE THE CAR DURING DRIVING. I STOPPED AT A SAFE PLACE TO CHECK AND I NOTICE THAT THERE'S GAS DRIPPING SLOWLY UNDER THE GAS TANK. IT STILL LEAKS AND IT SEEMS TO BE CONTINUING TO LEAK A LITTLE MORE. PARTS FOR THIS REPAIR ARE ESTIMATE TO $400+ EXCLUDING LABOR, AS THE GAS TANK IS ALSO LOCATED QUITE BEHIND LOADS OF SUSPENSION PARTS FOR THE REAR. *TR | 116.7%ODI 10435317 · 103,000 miTHERE IS A LEAK FROM THE TOP OF MY 1997 NISSAN 240SX'S FUEL TANK THAT SEEMED TO SPRING UP FOR NO APPARENT REASON. FROM WHAT I'VE RESEARCHED, THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM FOR OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE AND IS NOT EASILY FIXED. I AM PETITIONING FOR THIS TO BE A MANDATORY REPAIR FOR NISSAN, AS THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO FAULTY CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Seat Belts | 38.3%ODI 10285093 · 205,000 miAUTOMATIC SEAT BELT DOESN'T MOVE WHEN DOOR IS OPENED OR CLOSED. *TR | 24.7%ODI 10904813TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 NISSAN 240SX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 95V103002 (SEAT BELTS). THE CONTACT WAS EXPERIENCING A FAILURE; HOWEVER, THE DEALER WOULD NOT HONOR THE RECALL AND WANTED TO CHARGE THE CONTACT FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. | 222.2%ODI 10373175 · 190,000 miTL* THE CONTACT OWNS 1991 NISSAN 240 SX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS INOPERABLE. HE CONTACTED A LOCAL DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY BOTH DIAGNOSED THAT THE CONTROL MODULE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 190,000. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 220.0%ODI 10335307 · 140,000 miTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 NISSAN 240 SX. THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN AROUND THE CHEST AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DIAGNOSTIC LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE SIGNAL SENDING UNIT. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT WAS ONLY WARRANTED FOR THREE YEARS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 146,000. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 11.7%ODI 966412FRONT/BACK SEAT BELT DEFECTIVE,FRONT LOCKS, WIRES ARE EXPOSED IN THE DOOR, BACK SEAT BELT(RT.) LOCKS WHEN BUCKLED, ALSO EXPERIENCES BRAKE PROBLEMS. TT | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Air Bags | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 610.0%ODI 10205277 · 20,000 miTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 NISSAN 240SX. THE AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING A FEW YEARS AGO. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE LIGHT DID NOT AFFECT THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE AIR BAGS. RECENTLY, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC AND HE STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS WOULD NOT WORK IN A CRASH BECAUSE THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE ENGINE SIZE AND NUMBER OF CYLINDERS WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. UPDATED 10/23/07 *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 233.3%ODI 10004528CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN HIT AT 45MPH IN THE FRONT CENTER OF THE VEHICLE THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING MINOR INJURIES TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 711.7%ODI 721979THE AIRBAG SYSTEM OF MY CAR IS INOPERABLE BECAUSE OF A MALFUNCTIONING AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT. THE VEHICLE HAS AN ACCELENT MAINTENANCE HISTORY, IS ONLY A FEW YEARS OLD, AND THE AIRBAGS HAVE NEVER EVEN BEEN DEPLOYED. THIS MALFUNCTION IS UNREASONABLE AND I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT IT IS RATHER COMMON ON THIS CAR. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 116.7%ODI 825035WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN INTO A DRIVEWAY BOTH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 813.3%ODI 10473117 · 86,555 miSMELLED GAS WHEN GETTING IN CAR. LOOKED UNDER CAR TO FIND GAS TANK LEAKING. *TR | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts | Too few reports for a range | 140,000 mi | 1 (sparse) | ODI 10335307 · 140,000 miTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 NISSAN 240 SX. THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN AROUND THE CHEST AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DIAGNOSTIC LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE SIGNAL SENDING UNIT. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT WAS ONLY WARRANTED FOR THREE YEARS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 146,000. |
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
1997: 2 complaints · 1998: 1 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 1998 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Seat Belts | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc | Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar | Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery | Electrical System:Horn | Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | Electrical System:Starter Assembly | Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 1 | 1ODI 723953ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THE STEERING WHEEL HAS LOCKED UP, AND THE IGNITION KEY WILL NOT TURN. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH THE IGNITION AND THE STARTER, AND STILL THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. *AK | 1ODI 723953ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THE STEERING WHEEL HAS LOCKED UP, AND THE IGNITION KEY WILL NOT TURN. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH THE IGNITION AND THE STARTER, AND STILL THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. *AK | 1 |
| Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System:Horn | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | 0 | 0 | 1ODI 723953ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THE STEERING WHEEL HAS LOCKED UP, AND THE IGNITION KEY WILL NOT TURN. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH THE IGNITION AND THE STARTER, AND STILL THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. *AK | 0 | 0 | — | 1ODI 723953ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THE STEERING WHEEL HAS LOCKED UP, AND THE IGNITION KEY WILL NOT TURN. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH THE IGNITION AND THE STARTER, AND STILL THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. *AK | 0 |
| Electrical System:Starter Assembly | 0 | 0 | 1ODI 723953ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THE STEERING WHEEL HAS LOCKED UP, AND THE IGNITION KEY WILL NOT TURN. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH THE IGNITION AND THE STARTER, AND STILL THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. *AK | 0 | 0 | 1ODI 723953ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS THE STEERING WHEEL HAS LOCKED UP, AND THE IGNITION KEY WILL NOT TURN. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH THE IGNITION AND THE STARTER, AND STILL THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. *AK | — | 0 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
0 patterns with matching reports.
No narratives match the published patterns.