Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1984 Maxima.
The 1984 Nissan Maxima, equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission and an engine requiring 4.1 quarts of 20W-40, 20W-50, or 5W-30 oil, returns EPA fuel economy of 18 city, 24 highway, and 21 combined mpg. Across 40 total owner complaints and zero recalls, the gasoline fuel system emerges as the top trouble area, indicating a narrow and well-documented set of issues. When measured against the model's complaint history spanning 1990 through 2023—where the peak year of 2004 generated 1,425 complaints and the best year of 2015 produced just one—this early Maxima sits comfortably near the low-complaint end of the spectrum, signaling strong relative reliability for its vintage.
Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd |
| EPA city / highway / combined | 18 / 24 / 21 mpg |
| Passenger volume | 82 cu ft |
| Cargo volume | 10 cu ft |
| Recommended fuel | Regular Gasoline |
0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.
Independent road tests for the Maxima of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.
| Year | Trim / engine | 0–60 | ¼ mile | HP | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | SE 3.0L V6 | 9.80 sec | 17.50 sec | 157 hp | FWD |
Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.
This engine holds 4.1 qt of 20W-40 / 20W-50 / 5W-30 engine oil, GL-5 · 80W-90 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.
| Brake Fluid | DOT 3 |
| Differential Gear Oil | GL-5 · 80W-90 |
| Differential Gear Oil Capacity | 2.1 Pints |
| Engine Coolant | ETHYLENE GLYCOL |
| Engine Oil | 20W-40 · 20W-50 · 5W-30 · 10W-30 · 10W-40 |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 4.1 qt |
| Power Steering Fluid | ATF |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
The 1984 Nissan Maxima exhibits a highly concentrated issue profile, with the Fuel System, Gasoline category accounting for 29 of its top complaints, alongside 4 fire complaints and zero crash complaints. Because the provided federal record begins in 1990, it is impossible to compare 1984 to the years immediately before or after it, or to map it onto the generational complaint and recall trend that begins six years later. The generational arc visible in the data from 1990 onward shows fluctuating complaint volumes and recalls, but 1984 falls entirely outside this documented timeline, implying a severe lack of longitudinal context for this specific model year. Additionally, the data does not specify the root cause of the prominent fuel system failures or the associated fire incidents. Consequently, the 1984 model is a difficult purchase to recommend; without surrounding context and with a stark fuel-related fire risk, buyers should avoid this year unless those specific systems have been thoroughly inspected and resolved.
All 40 complaints on record, top 8 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.
Showing 3 of 3 bulletins on record with NHTSA.
| Bulletin | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| NTB-09-101 | 2010-09-30 | Tires | NISSAN: TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS) WARNING LIGHT ON/FLASHING. NO MODELS OR… |
| NTB-09-129 | 2010-09-13 | Equipment | NISSAN: VENT CONTROL VALVE REPLACEMENT. WHEN REPLACING THE EVAP CANISTER VENT CONTROL… |
| NTB-09-030 | 2009-04-06 | Electrical System | NISSAN: THE 12 VOLT BATTERY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND IS… |
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
4.1 qt of ABOVE 50 degrees F: 20W-40 OR 20W-50, BELOW 60 degrees F: 5W-30 OR 10W-30, ABOVE 0 degrees F: 10W-30 OR 10W-40, per the factory manual.
NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.
EPA figures are 18 city / 24 highway / 21 combined mpg.