What breaks most · 1990 to 1997 model years
Nissan D21 problems by year
Owners have filed 386 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Nissan D21 across model years 1990 to 1997. One year stands out: 1995 for body and structure complaints. The quietest years are 1990, 1992 and 1991.
- Years to check closely: 1995
- Fewest complaints: 1990, 1992, 1991
- Complaints on file
- 3861990 to 1997, all trims
- Worst year
- 1995129 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 5513 fires · 50 injuries · 1 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 110kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 22Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 1 | Brakes (hydraulic) (1) | |
| 31 | 6 | 3 | Seat belts (10) | |
| 16 | 1 | 2 | Electrical system (3) | |
| 43 | 4 | 2 | Tires (7) | |
| 65 | 5 | 4 | Body and structure (23) | |
| 129 | 10 | 5 | Body and structure (31) | |
| 44 | 7 | 3 | Air bags (13) | |
| 57 | 22 | 2 | Air bags (21) |
What fails on the 1995 Nissan D21
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 24% |
31 | 0 | Shop all body and structure parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 13% |
17 | 0 | Shop all engine and cooling parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 12% |
16 | 4 | Shop all brakes (hydraulic) parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Exterior lightingHeadlights, tail lights and bulbs | 12% |
16 | 0 | Shop all exterior lighting parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 8% |
10 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 7% |
9 | 0 | Shop all fuel system parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| VisibilityMirrors and glass | 7% |
9 | 0 | Shop all visibility parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Tires | 7% |
9 | 1 | — |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
Frame of the truck is rusted out very badly. This is a known issue, vehicle unsafe to drive. No notifications of the common defect. Other owners and drivers of the vehicles of same make and model needs to made aware of the problem. Also, these trucks should be recalled.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Nissan D21 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 1995 carries the most filings on the Nissan D21. The 1995 alone has 129 complaints, led by body and structure.
What is the most common Nissan D21 problem?
On the 1995 model year, the most-reported component is body and structure with 31 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Nissan D21 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Nissan D21 complaints that include mileage is about 110,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.