1992 Nissan Maxima Engine
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
ENGINE SHUTS OF INTERMITTENTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING FOR BRIEF MOMENTS (5-10 SEC.) SOMETIMES IN ISOLATED SINGLE EVENTS, SOMETIMES IN CLUSTERS. ENGINE COMPLETELY LOSES POWER THEN RETURNS. DASHBOARD AND RADIO CONTINUE TO WORK AS IF IT IS NOT ELECTRICAL. FEELS LIKE A FUEL DELIVERY PROBLEM. IT'S VERY SCARY WHEN IT HAPPENS ON THE FREEWAY OR WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC! NO CODES SHOW ON COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS. REPLACED FUEL FILTER AND COMPUTER. WHILE SEARCHING THE NET I HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE A RECURRENT PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. NO KNOWN FIXES. *TR
TL* - THE CONTACT SPENT OVER $3000.00 ON THE 1992 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE VEHICLE HAD A VARIETY OF FAILURES FOR THE PAST YEAR. THE CONTACT TOOK THE CAR TO BE REPAIRED ,BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED PROPERLY. ON 1/2/07 THE REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED, AND THAT HE NEEDED TO GET A TOW TRUCK AND COME BACK TO THE REPAIR SHOP TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE. THE REPAIR SHOP PUT A NEW ENGINE IN THE VEHICLE, AND IT FELT AS IF THE ENGINE HAS BEEN IN THE CAR OVER 10 YEARS NOW. *AK
I HAD BOUGHT A CAR FROM A DEALERSHIP IN SAN DIEGO AND IT WAS DEFECTIVE FROM DAY ONE. THE DEALERSHIP SELLS ALL CARS AS IS SO I TOOK IT BACK TO HIM THE NEXT DAY TO HAVE HIM REPAIR IT. WE WENT BACK AND FORTH FOR ABOUT ONE YEAR AND HE ALWAYS SAID HE NEVER FOUND A PROBLEM WITH IT BUT YET, HE SEEMED TO ALWAYS BE DOING SOME KIND OF REPAIR. FINALLY, THE ENGINE BLEW AND I HAD IT TOWED BACK TO HIM. HE HAD IT FOR ONE MONTH AND SAID HE CAN'T FIX IT. HE SAID HE WOULD SELL ME ANOTHER ONE AND TAKE $1000 OFF THE OTHER ONE IF I COME UP WITH $700 TO PUT DOWN ON ANOTHER. I DID, HE SAID THIS CAR HAD A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. THIS CAR'S RPM'S KEEP ON GOING UP TO ABOUT 5000-6000 UNTIL IT FINALLY KICKS INTO GEAR. NOW HE SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS ONE TOO. WHAT CAN I DO? *NM
I HAVE TALKED TO 100S OF MAXIMA OWNERS ON MAXIMA.ORG AND MOST OF THE WITH A 92-92 MAXIMA SE WITH THE VE30DE ENGINE HAVE HAD OR ARE HAVEING A VTC FAILURE WHICH NISSAN KNOWS ABOUT. THIS FIX FOR MOST OF US IS OVER $1000 AND IT EVENTUAL WILL FAIL AGAIN LIKE MINE ARE AGAIN!
IT CAUSES A LOUD RATTLING NOISE IN THE ENGINE, AND A MECHANIC REFUSED TO SERVICE THE CAR BECAUSE HE SAID THE ENGINE WAS GOING TO "BLOW UP!" THERE IS A TSB ON THIS PROBLEM, AND IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN TO ALL 1992 MAXIMAS.*AK
LIFTER NOISE AT TIMES ON IDLE IS VERY LOUD. *AK
AFTER TAKING VEHICLE TO MIDAS FOR REPAIR THEY FOUND OUT THE PIPE WAS NOT WORKING, AND AT SAME TIME WAS MAKING A LOT OF NOISE. BUT CONSUMER DECIDED TO TAKE VEHICLE TO ORIGINAL DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIRS. *AK
ENGINE FAILED. NLM
TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR ROUTINE SERVICE. MECHANIC HAD NOTICED PROBLEM WITH MANIFOLD. INDICATED STUDS ON ENGINE MONIFOLD WERE CRACKED & DEFECTIVE. THIS COULD CAUSE A LEAKING PROBLEM LATER. THEY WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
ENGINE CAMSHAFT BRACKET WHICH HOLDS TIMING CHAIN IN PLACE FAILED, CAUSING TIMING CHAIN TO FALL OUT. MAY CAUSE DAMAGES TO T VEHICLE, AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. NISSAN HAS MADE AN IMPROVED BRACKETS AFTER 1994. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
ENGINE SOPS WHILE IN MOTION AND PARKING.
VALVE TIMING SPROCKES MALFUNCTION DUE TO DESIGN FAILURE, RESULTIN GIN ENGINE FAILURE.
ENGINE MAKES NOISE, EITHER PULLIES FOR TIMING BELT OR VALVE. YH
VEHICLE CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. TOOK IN FOR REPAIRS,. TOOK DEALER APPROXIMATELY 4MONTHS TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM AND TO FIND THAT THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE. REPAIRS MADE AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. *AK.
VARIABLE TIMING CONTROL SPRING ASSEMBLY REPLACED.
NOISY ENGINE, RESULTING FROM A VARIABLE TIMING CONTROL REPAIR.
VEHICLE FIRE.
THE ENGINE MAKES NOISE, TOOK TO DEALER IT WAS THE VCT SPROCKET . PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
FRONT AND BACK EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS ARE CRACKING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LEAK EXHAUST FUMES. *AK
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 1992 Nissan Maxima has 19 Engine complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.