1996 NISSAN 200SX Recalls, Complaints & Safety

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 NISSAN 200SX. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS OR EXCEED 20 MPH. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 92,000.

WIPER ARM LINKAGE POPS OFF AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL SECTION, BOTH WIPERS BECOME NON-FUNCTIONAL. LOCAL NISSAN DEALER WILL NOT HONOR THE RECALL, STATING THAT MY CAR DOES NOT HAVE THE DEFECTIVE PART - NO RECORD OF THIS RECALL BEING PERFORMED LINKED TO THIS VIN. *TR

ENTERING A RIGHT TURN ON A CLOVER LEAF THE CAR MADE A SUDDEN SIDEWAYS MOVEMENT. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 20 MPH AND WAS FORCED TO THE SHOULDER. INITIAL ROADSIDE INSPECTION FOUND LEFT REAR TIRE TOUCHING LEFT REAR FENDER WELL. CAR WAS TAKEN BY FLATBED CARRIER FROM ROADSIDE. UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION FOUND THAT THE BRACKET THAT CONNECTS THE REAR LEFT TRAILING-LINK ARM TO THE REAR AXLE HAD SEPARATED FROM THE CHASSIS. NISSAN DEALERSHIP INSPECTED CAR AND BRACKET AND FOUND THAT THE BRACKET WAS NOT WELDED TO THE CHASSIS WITH THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF SPOT WELDS. IN FACT, SIX TO SEVEN SPOT WELDS WERE MISSED COMPARED TO THE RIGHT SIDE. NISSAN HAS REFUSED TO REPAIR THIS QUITE OBVIOUS MANUFACTURERS DEFECT ACCOUNT HIGH MILEAGE AND UNKNOWN MAINTENANCE RECORDS ON CAR. I WONDER IF ROBOT MISSED OTHER WELDS ON OTHER CARS? *TR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE WIPER ARM LINKAGE DISENGAGED WITHOUT WARNING, WHILE THE WINDSHIELD WASHER/WIPERS WERE ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 98V093000, REGARDING THE WINDSHIELD WASHER/WIPER ARM LINKAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED.

I OWN A 1996 NISSAN 200SX WITH . I PURCHASED THE CAR IN LATE SUMMER OF 2005. ON JULY 5 2006 MY SON WAS DRIVING THE CAR IN A RAIN STORM AND THE WIPERS STOPPED FUNCTIONING. THE NEXT DAY HE ASKED ME TO LOOK AT THE CAR AND I DISCOVERED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE HAD FAILED AT THE BALL JOINT WHERE THE CONNECTING ROD FROM THE MOTOR JOINS THE PIVOT ROD FOR THE WIPER BLADES. I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH AND DISCOVERED THIS PROBLEM WAS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED IN NHTSA RECALL 98V093000. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALER AND I WAS TOLD MY VIN HAD NO OUTSTANDING RECALLS. I CALLED NISSAN CORP. AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. HOWEVER, NISSAN IS GOING TO PULL THE ARCHIVES ON MY VEHICLE TO SEE IF IT HAS BEEN SERVICED FOR THIS RECALL. THIS PROCESS WILL TAKE SEVERAL DAYS. EVEN IF THIS CAR WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICED FOR RECALL 98V093000, WHATEVER FIX WAS DONE OBVIOUSLY WASN'T SUFFICIENT BECAUSE THE PROBLEM RECURRED. I CONSIDER THIS A SERIOUS PROBLEM BECAUSE IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT. IF MY VIN NUMBER TURNS OUT NOT TO BE PART OF THE ORIGINAL RECALL GROUP THEN I BELIEVE NISSAN SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO EXPAND THE LIST OF VEHICLES COVERED BY THIS RECALL. *JB

MY WITNESS WHO DROVE WITH ME CHECKED THE TIRE PRESSURE BEFORE WE LEFT BECAUSE WE WERE DRIVING OVER 150 MILES. WE WERE DRIVING FROM ALMOST APACHE JUNCTION,AZ TO SIERRA VISTA AZ. TO PICK MY 7 YEAR OLD SON FROM HIS MOTHERS. WE GOT OUTSIDE OF CASA GRANDE GOING THE SPEED LIMIT, WE HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND FELT SOMETHING HIT THE SIDE OF THE CAR. COME TO FIND OUT THE TREAD COMPLETELY PEELED OFF AND WHEN IT PEELED OFF IT DID $2000 OF DAMAGED TO MY PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. EVEN THOUGH THE TREAD PEELED OFF THERE WAS STILL AIR IN THE TIRE, SO WE DROVE TO A TIRE PLACE AND GOT A SPARE TIRE IN ELOY, AZ. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH COOPER TIRES AND THEY DENIED ME SAYING THAT THE TREAD CAME OFF DO TO UNDER INFLATION AND TO REPAIR PLUGS. THIS IS FALSE MY WITNESS CHECKED MY INFLATION IN THE TIRES BEFORE WE LEFT AND HE USE TO WORK AT A AT GOODYEAR TIRES. UNTIL THIS DAY THEY STILL DENY ME. I AM NOT GIVING UP BECAUSE THE GAVE ME A DEFECTED TIRE. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER DOES NOT WORK. THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER WILL WORK INTERMITTENTLY. THERE WAS NO FOREWARNING PRIOR TO THE WIPERS NOT WORKING. THERE WAS RECALL 98V093000. HE CONTACTED THE DEALER, THEY STATED IT WAS TOO OLD OF A RECALL IN THEIR DATABASE. *AK

MANUAL TRANSMISSION CLUTCH CABLE FAILED, UNABLE TO CHANGE GEARS WHILE DRIVING. THIS CONDITION WAS INTERMITTENT AND HAPPENED THREE TIMES BEFORE DEALER WAS ABLE TO DIAGNOSE AND REPAIR. AS A RESULT OF FAILURE, CAR WAS UNABLE TO DOWNSHIFT WHICH LED TO VEHICULAR LACK OF CONTROL. LOCAL NISSAN DEALER FINALLY WAS ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND REPLACE THE ENTIRE CLUTCH CABLE ASSEMBLY. UNKOWN OF OLD PART IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION.

DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM BALL JOINT FAILED RESULTING IN THE INOPERABILITY OF THE DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER. ACCORDING TO THE NHTSA WEBSITE, THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM. NISSAN SAYS THIS PROBLEM IS VIN NUMBER SPECIFIC AND MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. MY CAR HAS THIS VERY SPECIFIC PROBLEM AND WE BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. THE RECALL COVERS SEVERAL YEARS (1995 TO 1998) OF THE MANUFACTURE OF THE CAR AND MINE IS A 1996. ABOUT 500,000 OF THESE CARS WERE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL, WHY NOT MINE? WE ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR IN A RAINSTORM WHICH COULD HAVE KILLED US AT THE LEGAL SPEED OF 65 MPH AT THE TIME OF FAILURE.

VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR 4 OR 5 HOURS. OWNER HEARD A LOUD POP BUT IGNORED IT BECAUSE HE RESIDED CLOSE TO THE INTERSTATE. MINUTES LATER, THE OWNER HEARD ANOTHER POP SOUND AND WENT TO INVESTIGATE. OWNER FOUND THE VEHICLE ENGULFED IN FLAMES . THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THE FIRE STARTED UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. *AK *TT *NM

Fire

WIPERS STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE IN THE FIRST DAY OF SNOW DURING VERY BAD WHETHER CONDITIONS. TOOK THE CAR TO NISSAN, A 49.99 FEE JUST TO LOOK AT THE CAR. LEFT AND WENT SOMEWHERE ELSE WERE THEY MADE ME AWARE OF A RECALL ON THE PROBLEM AND TO GO BACK TO NISSAN FOR THE REPAIR WHICH SHOULD BE FREE OF CHARGE. AFTER I RETURNED TO NISSAN THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE MADE ME AWARE THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER ONLY FOR CERTAIN CARS OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL BUT WITHIN A CERTAIN VIN NUMBER RANGE BASED ON THE MANUFACTURER. IN SHORT, EVEN THOUGHT IT IS THE SAME PROBLEM ON THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL CAR IT WAS NOT COVER. FURTHERMORE, THE SALE REPRESENTATIVE MADE A PHONE CALL TO NISSAN TO CHECK AND THEY WOULD NO SOMETHING ON FRIDAY NOVEMBER 26, 2004. I IN DANGEROUS AND UNSAFE CONDITIONS WAS LEFT TO TRY TO DRIVE THE CAR HOME. AFTER I RETURNED HOME, I CALLED THE NISSAN NUMBER LISTED ON THE RECALL (1-800-647-7261) AND SPOKE WITH ERICA. ERICA CREATED A FILE ON THIS COMPLAINT AND ALSO INFORMED ME THAT MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED EVEN THOUGH A RECALL WAS ISSUED ON THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL CAR BUT NOT THE VIN NUMBER. AT THIS POINT I INFORMED HER THAT I WOULD BE CONTACTING THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AS INSTRUCTED IN THE RECALL ANYWAY, SHE STATED THAT THIS WAS NO SOMETHING THAT SHE WANTED ME TO DO THAT IN SHORT, THAT I COULD JUST WAIT UNTIL THE WHETHER WAS DRY AND CLEAR AND GO AND PAY FOR THE REPAIRS NEEDED FOR MY CAR. *NM

AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES CONSTANTLY. DLR SAYS SRS COMPUTER HAS FAILED AND WILL COST $600.00 TO REPAIR. DLR SHOULD PAY FOR THIS ITEM AS IT IS SAFETY AND HAS BEEN REPORTED SEVERAL TIMES BY DIFFERENT OWNERS. ON SOME THE AIRBAG HAS DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. *JB

CONSUMER NOTICED THAT WHILE USING WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION WIPERS WOULD PAUSE INTERMITTENTLY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO WORK. THERE WAS A RECALL CAMPAIGN, BUT THE CONSUMER VEHICLE WAS NOT ON RECALL. HOWEVER, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING AN EXPLANATION AND REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *YH

REAREND COLLISION WITH 2000 DODGE P/U. INJURIES INCLUDE CONCUSSION, FACIAL AND CHEST BRUISES, THREE BROKEN BONES ON RIGHT FOOT. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

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CONSUMER PURCHASED A NEW UNIROYAL P175/65R14 WW UNIR AS TIRE ON 10-13-2001 AND STATES THAT THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE WITH A DAMAGED BELT, CONSUMER IS EXPECTING A FULL REFUND. *SLC

THIS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A DIASTER FOR US SINCE WE DROVE IT OFF THE LOT ON MARCH 18, 1996. WITHIN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF OWNING THE CAR THE WATER PUMP BLEW UP WHILE WE WERE DRIVING IT, THEN THE CAR KEPT LOCKING UP WHILE DRIVING IT ABOUT FOUR TIMES AND ALL TIMES WE KEPT BRINGING IT BACK TO THE NISSAN DEALER. WE ASKED TO GIVE THE CAR BACK CAUSE IT WAS A LEMON TO US BUT THEY DID NOT ACCEPT AND WE HAVE HAD MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR EVER SINCE. THIS CAR IS A PIECE OF JUNK, IT IS IN GOOD CONDITION BY LOOKING AT IT YOU WOULD THINK IT WAS NEW. TO MANY MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. I WILL NEVER IN MY LIFE BY ANOTHER NISSAN. WE STILL OWN IT AND WOULD LIKE TO GET RID OF IT. WE HAD TO REFINACE IT CAUSE THE PAYMENTS FOR IT WAS TOOOO HIGH. I WISH WE COULD BE REIMBURSED. EVERYONE WE KNOW EVEN KNOWS THE TROUBLE WE HAVE HAD WITH THIS CAR. I TRIED CALLING THE ORIGINAL PLACE WHERE WE BOUGHT IT TO TELL THEM ALL THE PROBLEMS AND NO ONE NEVER CALLED ME BACK. IT HAS BEEN HECTIC WITH THIS CAR. IT HAS BEEN SITTING INOUR DRIVEWAY FOR THE PAST SEVEN MONTHS. IS THERE ANYWAY YOU CAN HELP US??? THE ENGINE WENT OUT ONE DAY WHEN MY HUSBAND WENT OUT TO GO TO WORK ONE DAY. WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE WATERPUMP THREE TIMES, THE AC COMPRESSOR WENT OUT TOO EARLY AND HAD TO GET DISCONNECTED CAUSE IT COST TOO MUCH TO GET FIXED. THIS CAR IS A HEART ACHE AND WE CAN'T AFFORD TO GET ANYMORE WORK DONE TO IT. NOW IT NEEDS SHOCKS. IT IS ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER. I CAN GET PROOF FROM FRIENDS AND FAMILY STATING THAT WE HAVE SPENT MOST OF OUR TIME GETTING THIS CAR FIXED THAN DRIVING IT. WE HAVE HAD TO GET LOANS TO GET IT FIXED AND CAN'T AFFORD IT NO MORE.

AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES. DEALER SAYS AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY AND COMPUTER MODULE IS BAD WITH A REPLACEMENT COST TO US (THE OWNER) OF $600. THERE IS NO EXPLANATION WHY THIS WOULD GO BAD. DEALER SAYS THEY SOMETIMES GO BAD. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND WE BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD BE REPAIRED AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER.*AK

CONSUMER PURCHASED A NEW UNIROYAL P175/65R14 WW UNIR AS TIRE ON 10-13-2001 AND STATES THAT THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE WITH A DAMAGED BELT, CONSUMER IS EXPECTING A FULL REFUND. *SLC

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH ON HIGHWAY AND NOTICED THAT BRAKES WERE GRINDING. ALSO, WHEN SHE PUT VEHICLE IN REVERSE VEHICLE WOULD JERK AND MAKE A ROARING NOISE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK *JB

SET OF 4 TIRES WERE BOUGHT AS REPLACEMENT TO VEHICLE, AFTER 13500 MILES OF USE A LARGE BULDGE WAS OBSERVED ON RIGHT FRONT TIRE SIDEWALL, DEALER REPLACED TIRE AT NO COST(FIRESTONE FT70C SIZE P175/65R14 8/S M+S). NLM

WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 45MPH, BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT REASON OR WARNING. DRIVER SUFFERED INJURIES. DLR HAS NOT SEEN. *AK

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE WOULD FREEZE UP WHEN ENGAGED AT 33 DEGREE OR LOWER. UNABLE TO MOVE UNTIL WEATHER GET WARMER. DEALER NOTIFIED AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK

SRS CONTROL UNIT FAILED WITHOUT ANY REASON. CAR WAS NOT IN MOTION, AND HAD NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY ACCIDENT OF ANY KIND AT ANY TIME. AFTER VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE RED AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. DEALER REPLACE THE SRS CONTROL UNIT FOR $595 (INSTALLED.) HOW RELIABLE ARE THESE UNITS? CAN IT BE DEPENDED UPON IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT?O

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ACCELERATES UNEXPECTEDLY AND IDLES HIGH. OCCUPANT HAS TO PRESS THE BRAKES HARD IN ORDER TO STOP VEHICLE. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM, UNABLE TO DUPLICATE IT. *AK *ML

WHILE DRIVING 30MPH SUDDENLY AIR BAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. PRIOR TO DEPLOYMENT, AIR BAG LIGHT WAS FLICKERING ON/OFF. *AK

ENGINE SPARK PLUG FAILED.

SUNROOF FAILED.

WHILE MAKING A TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 5-10 MP THE REAR WHEEL ROLLED OVER THE CURVE WHICH CAUSED BOTH AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT WAS NORMAL CONDITION. *AK

DESIGN OF THE HEADLIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHTING SYSTEM CAUSING CONFUSION DUE TO INTERIOR DASHBOARD LIGHTS ILLUMINATING WHEN PARKING LIGHTS ARE ACTIVATED CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO ASSUME THAT THE HEADLIGHT WERE ENGAGED, HOWEVER THET WERE NOT.

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 5-10MPH, THE BACK TIRE HIT THE CURB, RESULTING IN THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAGS . THE DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

CLUTCH MAKES GRINDING/CHATTERING NOISE WHEN FULLY DEPRESSED. DEALER REPLACED THROWOUT BEARING AND ADJUSTED LINKAGE, BUT PROBLEM REMAINS UNSOLVED.

WHILE AT A STOP VEHICLE WAS HIT IN THE REAR BY A DODGE VAN. THIS CAUSED VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO THE REAR OF VEHICLE IN FRONT, WHICH WAS ALSO STOPPED. THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. *AK CONSUMER ALSO STRUCK A DEER RESULTING IN $3900 IN DAMAGE YET NEITHER FRONTAL AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *NLM

Crash

MAP SENSOR FAILED.

ALL SHOULDER SEAT BELT RETRACTORS EXCEPT ON DRIVER'S SIDE LOCKED UP WHEN MAKING ANY KNID OF MOVEMENT AND SOMETIMES WHEN THERE IS NO MOVEMENT . *AK

PARKING BRAKES : WHEN TEMPERATURE DROPS BELOW 35 THE EMERGENCY BRAKES FREEZE AND WILL NOT RELEASE. CAUSE OF PROBLEM IS UNKNOWN. *AK

DRIVING ABOUT 25MPH WHEN SUDDENLY AIR BAGS ON DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDES DEPLOYED FOR UNKNOWN REASON. *AK

ON FIVE OCCASIONS THE ENGINE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT KEPT COMING ON . *AK

DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON FRONTAL IMPACT, VEHICLE REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLING OUT OF WHERE PARKED WITH NO LIGHTS ON. *AK

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