1988 Nissan Maxima

Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.

74/100

Worth a look

AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.

What owners actually report

Owners have filed 68 complaints with NHTSA about the 1988 Nissan Maxima, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.

Complaints by area, from NHTSA records for this model-year
Area	Complaints	Share
Fuel system	30	44%
Engine and engine cooling	11	16%
Seat belts	9	13%
Electrical system	6	9%
Steering	2	3%
Structure	2	3%
Tires	1	1%
Engine and engine cooling	1	1%
Visibility	1	1%
Exterior lighting	1	1%

In owners' own words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.

TIRE IN FRONT BLEW OUT ON SIDE WALL BIGO TIRES SAID GOOD LUCK GETTING FALKEN TO HONOR THE TIRE WARRANTY AND A DAY LATER MY REAR TIRE HAS NOW A BUBBLE ON THE SIDE WALL THAT WILL BE RESULTING IN THE SAME BLOW OUT SOONER OR
NHTSA complaint: Tires

CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE'S STABLIZER WHEEL BROKE INTO CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
NHTSA complaint: Steering

THERE IS A FUEL LEAKAGE IN VEHICLE DUE TO FUEL INJECTION. VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL. 95I006000. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK
NHTSA complaint: Fuel system

GAS FUMES SMELL FROM ENGINE, SOUNDS OF AIR BLOWING FROM ENGINE, TRY TO ACCELLERATE AND THERE IS HESITATION DURING TAKE OFF. GAS FUMES COMING THRU FLOOR VENTS WHEN HEAT IS ON.R. *AK
NHTSA complaint: Fuel system

THERE WAS A VERY BAD GAS SMELL IN CAR, TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC AND THEY SAID GAS WAS POURING OUT OF INJECTORS. CONSUMER STATED THAT DEALER CORRECTED INJECTOR RECALL, AND THAT RECALL CAUSED A PROBLEM WITH MASS AIR FLO
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling

ALL 6 FUEL INJECTORS FAILED CAUSING GAS LEAKAGE AND GAS FUMES. NLM
NHTSA complaint: Fuel system

TURNED OFF VEHICLE AND THEN WENT INSIDE OF STORE. THEN, SAW SMOKE AND FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER GLOVE COMPARTMENT. TRIED TO OPEN HOOD, AND FIRE WAS COMING FROM HOOD. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system

CLOSED SUN ROOF BLEW OFF WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH. *AK
NHTSA complaint: Visibility

Recalls on record

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 1988 Nissan Maxima. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.

Fuel system 95I006000

THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL REGULATION 573. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. THE CAMPAIGN WILL REPLACE THE FUEL INJECTORS AND RELATED HOSES OF AFFECTED VEHICLES WHICH COULD LEAK.

Risk: FUEL LEAKS IN THE ENGINE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Fix: NISSAN DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL INJECTORS AND RELATED HOSES ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES.

The seven scores

Reliability raw	89	excellent
Longevity est.	81	excellent
Maintenance	77	good
Depreciation	76	good
Performance	54	average
Efficiency	35	below average

How it compares in its class

Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.

Reliability: better than 61% of compact cars
Longevity: better than 69% of compact cars
Running costs: better than 51% of compact cars
Value retention: better than 78% of compact cars

Which of these numbers are measured

What stands behind each score for this car:

Reliability 89: from NHTSA recalls and complaints. This one is a raw count: we do not have a sales figure for this model, so a high-volume car looks worse here than it should.
Longevity 81: an estimate from powertrain and brand record. No 200,000-mile population exists for a 1988 car yet, so this is a prior, not evidence.
Maintenance 77: repair-cost data where we have it for this model, otherwise a mechanical-complexity estimate from engine size, cylinder count and drivetrain.
Safety: no score. NHTSA crash testing thins out for older vehicles and we would rather show nothing than guess.

Common questions

What goes wrong with the 1988 Nissan Maxima?

Owners have filed 68 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and fuel system is the most reported area with 30 of them (44%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.

Is the 1988 Nissan Maxima reliable?

AVOIR scores its reliability 89/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.

How long will a 1988 Nissan Maxima last?

AVOIR scores its longevity 81/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 1988 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.

Should I buy a 1988 Nissan Maxima?

AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 74/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.

Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.