Common Nissan Fuel System Problems

  1. Inaccurate Fuel Gauge

    That's because a wide swath of Nissan vehicles have gas gauges that never read full even after filling up, stop working below 1/4 of a tank, or show a low fuel warning even when there's plenty of miles to go. In other words, they're complet…

    Continue reading article "Inaccurate Fuel Gauge" Fuel gauge with the arrow on empty

Where Fuel System Complaints Happen

Sometimes it helps just to tally up the complaints and see where the biggest stacks are. Use this information to learn about troublespots or to run for the hills.

Recent Fuel System News

There's a lot of news out there, but not all of it matters. We try to boil down it to the most important bits about things that actually help you with your car problem. Interested in getting these stories in an email? Signup for free email alerts over at CarComplaints.com.

  1. Nissan says error code P0087 could be a sign your Altima is about to go up in flames

    which is problematic. That's why they're recalling the 2019 model year to prevent possible fuel leaks and, subsequently, possible fires.

    The automaker learned that retainer clips meant to hold the low-pressure fuel lines onto the high-pressure fuel pumps weren’t locked into position during manufacturing. That’ll likely cause fuel to leak out and error code P0087 to trigger the check engine light. Of course, you might not notice the light since you’re too distracted by the wall of flames where your car once sat.

    keep reading article "Nissan Error Code P0087 Means Your Altima is About to Go Up in Flames"
  2. Have you ignored a dashboard warning light? I wouldn't blame you.

    I was once charged $100 to turn off a light because my stupid gas cap was loose. But Nissan is pleading – if you see a warning light in certain vehicles you need to park your car and walk away because of fire risks.

    "Nissan is recalling more than 120,000 cars and SUVs to repair brake fluid leaks that may cause circuit boards to catch on fire. Worldwide, the automaker says about 134,000 are recalled, including almost 11,000 in Canada."

    The recalled vehicles include:

    • 2016-2017 Maxima (w/ intelligent cruise control)
    • 2015-2017 Murano (w/ intelligent cruise control)
    • 2015-2016 Nissan Murano Hybrids
    keep reading article "Park Your Ride Because 120,000 Nissans Can Catch Fire"
  3. The 2014 Nissan Rogue has some fuel pump covers that just can't seem to keep it together.

    [Failure] occurs because of nickel plating material that can detach or flake from the fuel pump's inner or outer cover ... Nissan says there is a space between the impeller and the fuel pump cover, a vacant area that can hold detached plating particles and cause the impeller to stop rotating.

    If this sounds familiar, Nissan issued a recall for the same exact thing last year. They just forgot one teeny, tiny detail --- to recall all the affected vehicles. Hopefully this expansion fixes that.

    keep reading article "Rogue Fuel Pump Recall Expanded"
  4. Let's face it --- whether you're talking about a car or sitting at the dinner table, gas leaks are never a good thing.

    Nissan knew it had a problem back in August when they recalled 6,000 new Maximas because gas was getting out. Now they have a bigger problem. The O-ring seal that allowed the fuel to flow out of those Maximas was installed on thousands of other cars too ... maybe even yours. O-dear.

    The automaker is expanding the recall to include:

    • Any 2016 Maxima built between Februrary 10 and August 18, 2015.
    • Any 2013-16 Altima with a 3.5L V6 engine that was built between March 30, 2012 and August 18, 2015.

    Don't be surprised if they expand it again. In the meantime, keep open flames away from your car and check out the full story for more details.

    keep reading article "Altimas Recalled for Gas Leaks"
  5. Roughly a year after an investigation was opened into inaccurate fuel gauges

    Nissan has agreed conduct a "service campaign" for the 2007-2009 Quest. How does a service campaign differ from a recall? A recall is a fix related to a safety issue and some are federally mandated. A service campaign is issued by the automaker to upgrade or repair your vehicle for something that isn't necessarily safety-related. Now, this is where the line gets grayed because I would categorize running out of fuel on a crowded highway as a serious safety defect, but Nissan doesn't. You say tomato, I say car crash.

    In any event, the issue appears electrical in nature:

    "Nissan says the gas gauge can give inaccurate levels because of problems with resistors in a circuit in the sender unit. The automaker found one of two resistors could open and cause false gas gauge readings when the tank goes below one quarter of a tank. Gas would be used out of the tank all while the gas gauge said a quarter of a tank was available."

    To fix it, Nissan dealers will install an external amplifier box with jumper harnesses to bypass the resistor's electrical circuit.

    keep reading article "Nissan Agrees to Fix Quest Gas Gauges Following Investigation"
  6. Own a 2007 Nissan Quest? You might want to think twice about passing a gas station without filling up next time.

    That's because the Quest is currently under investigation for a gas gauge that can be off by as much as 60-80 miles. The inaccurate readings are leaving drivers stranded, sometimes in dangerous situations. One North Carolina driver said it's happened to her twice, once with her grandchildren in the van.

    "Driving along in peak traffic and suddenly vehicle shuts off. No power steering and almost involved in accidents both occasions the first time I was alone the second time I had my grand babies with me and that was terrifying for them as the other road users were whizzing past..."

    We've all probably been guilty of taking our cars to the last drop of gas after the fuel warning light comes on, but in the Quest's case there is no such warning. One minute you're rocking out to Hootie and the Blowfish -- or, you know, whatever the kids listen to these days -- next minute you're stranded on the side of the road.

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says they've received numerous complaints, all within the past 14 months. This is still just a preliminary investigation, but we will notify you if a defect is found.

    keep reading article "Nissan Quest Owners Get Investigation After Years of Gas Gauge Complaints"