Most common 1996 Nissan D21 problems
Share of the 44 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Nissan D21 complaints by model year
Best D21 years: 1996, 1997. Years to avoid: 1995. Compare all years →
1996 Nissan D21 recalls (1)
Exterior lighting › Tail lights
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks. A rear lamp will not illuminate because the metal barrel in the light bulb socket moves or separates from the plastic socket housing due to inadequate heat resistance of the plastic at the lamp operating temperature.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the bulb sockets in the rear combination lamps.
What 1996 Nissan D21 owners say
Air bags
Tl contact owns a 1996 Nissan pickup. When the contact started the vehicle and began to accelerate, the driver's side air bag deployed. There were no injuries. The manufacturer stated that an engineer would come out and inspect the vehicle. Two weeks after the inspection, the manufacturer called the contact and stated that no compensation would be provided due to the high mileage on the vehicle. The contact called the Nissan dealer and received an estimate of $2,000 for the repair. The vehicle has not been repaired. The failure and current mileages were 205,000.
While driving 55 MPH, fell asleep and ran off the road hitting 5 trees frontal impact and side which didnot trigger the airbag sensor and the driver airbagd did not deploy causing injuries to the occupant in this accident.
Suspension
While driving the vehicle about 40 MPH noticed sudden vibration. Consumer then stated that driving the vehicle about 65 MPH the vibration is very noticeable. Took vehicle to a dealer, and they said it's normal for a small truck to do that, and it was nothing they could do about it. Consumer also stated that the manufacturer is aware of the problem.
The front end malfunctioned, causing vehicle to vibrate badly, resulting in loss of control. Been to dealer. Dealer cannot determine problem. Please provide further information and VIN#.
Wheels & tires
Firestone said 6 year old tire not covered in recall. Had good tread and not low on air pressure. Blew out sidewalls and belts without any warning that tires were losing air. ***dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12-12-02 cut over to artemis***762204
I check my tire pressure regularly since I bought this truck used with 15,000 miles on it I had the tires rotated a month ago or so.I have 40,000 on the truck now.the left rear Firestone tire shredded like a potato peel .it damged my rear fender when it peeled back.I recently had helped a motorist with a flat tire on the highway.the vehicle was a Ford ranger with Firestone tires.the tire damge looked identicle to my tire damage.I believe Firestone has more bad tires out there than their saying.are my tires recalled I don't believe this is a coincidence.I want my tires replaced and my truck fixed. (dot number: w2hyfrn206 tiresize: p215-70r-1)
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1996 Nissan D21 a good car?
Based on 44 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1996 D21 rates better than average: 45% fewer complaints than a typical year of the D21 at the same age. It is one of the best D21 years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1996 Nissan D21?
The air bags — 13 complaints, 30% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the suspension (6) and wheels & tires (6).
How many recalls does the 1996 Nissan D21 have?
There is 1 recall for the 1996 Nissan D21, the most recent from September 21, 1998 (tail lights). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Nissan D21?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 1996 and 1997. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1995. See the full Nissan D21 years comparison.
At what mileage do 1996 Nissan D21 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 75,000 miles; 14% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.