Nissan240SX1998Overview/nissan/240sx/1998/base/

1998 Nissan 240SX

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1998 240SX.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1998 Nissan 240SX arrives equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission and EPA fuel economy ratings of 19/24/21 mpg, requiring 4 quarts of 5W-30 API oil for routine service. Reliability data places this model year at the favorable end of the 1990–1998 spectrum, recording only one owner complaint and zero recalls compared to the 76 logged for 1995. As the year with the lowest documented complaint volume in that nine-year range—limited to a single service brakes, hydraulic entry—the 1998 240SX represents the most statistically stable point in the model’s tracked reliability history.

Model year199819971996199519941993199219911990

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque72-87 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy19/24/21 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 25 · 360 CCA battery, OE oil filter 1520855Y0A. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 25 · 360 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP195-60HR15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter1520855Y0A
Engine air filter16546V0100
Fuel filter1640041B1A
Spark plug224011P116 alt 2240197E67
Front wiper bladesB889070F70 alt B889M52540
Serpentine beltA195053F10 alt A172026E0B
Thermostat212000C82A

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length179.9 in
Overall width68.1 in
Overall height50.8 in
Wheelbase99.6 in
Curb weight2800 lb
Track (front / rear)57.9 / 57.9 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)55/45

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined19 / 24 / 21 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the 240SX of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.1–8.3 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.10 sec — 1996 SE Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1996SE Coupe 2.4L I-48.10 sec16.10 sec155 hpRWD
1995SE Coupe 2.4L I-48.30 sec16.10 sec155 hpRWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 72-87 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 22.0-29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2.7 Pints
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts105-112 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts105-110 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts12-14 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts28-35 ft-lbs
Main Bearings34-41 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug22.0-29.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/StudsBolts: 8-11 ft-lbs, Screws: 4-7 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts72-87 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance1.0 approx. ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance26,000 approx. ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerNGK
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque14-22 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.32-1.55 lbs
Oil TypeNISSAN A/C System Oil Type S or equivalent
Oil Capacity8.50 oz
Standard BCI Group Number25
Standard BCI Cranking Performance360 cca
Optional BCI Group Number24
Optional BCI Cranking Performance415 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test23 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief11-14 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature170 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)43.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)34.0 psi
Injector Primary Resistance10-14 ohms
Injector Primary Resistance10-14 ohms
Engine Compression179-151 PSI. 14 Maximum variation PSI.

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket16-23 ft-lbs / 62 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle33 ft-lbs / 72-87 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.079; Rear: 0.079 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0008 in / 0.0004 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0028 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.35 in / 0.866 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.35 in / 0.866 in
Rotor Minimum Machining0.31 in / 0.787 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs — tightening sequence 1 stages
17-9
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
110-12 ft. lbs., Step 2: 60-6510–12 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages
122 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
259 ft. lbs.59 ft. lbs
3Loosen all bolts completely.
418-25 ft. lbs.18–25 ft. lbs
586-91 degrees.86–91 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Transmission Assembly (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1998 Nissan 240SX sits at the tail end of a generation that saw its federal complaint activity peak dramatically with the 1995 model year redesign—76 complaints and one recall that year—before settling into a steady decline through 1996 and 1997, each recording 14 complaints with zero recalls. By 1998, complaints drop to a generation-low single complaint (related to Service Brakes, Hydraulic), with no crashes or fires reported, though one open investigation persists. TSBs also fell from their 1997 peak of 50 down to 33, suggesting Nissan had resolved many of the technical service issues that accumulated mid-generation. This downward arc in complaints, recalls, and TSBs is consistent with a platform reaching maturity in its final market year, though the extremely low complaint volume also likely reflects very low sales volume for a model being phased out. From a federal-record standpoint, the 1998 model year is the cleanest in the entire 1990–1998 run, making it a structurally sound choice—provided the usual caveats about age, mileage, and modification history that the data cannot capture.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
33
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
1
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 1 complaints on record, top 1 components.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 33 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
NTB08-097L2023-09-21SteeringDIAGNOSIS OF VEHICLE PULL (DRIFT) AND/OR STEERING WHEEL OFF-CENTER This bulletin has been…
NTB23-0492023-06-16Electrical System12 VOLT BATTERY TESTING FOR IN-SERVICE VEHICLES SERVICE INFORMATION The following Service…
NTB23-0532023-06-16Electrical SystemSILICONE-BASED LUBRICANT OR GREASE CAN DAMAGE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SERVICE INFORMATION…
NTB13-107F2023-04-27Electrical SystemVEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been…
NTB16-003C2023-04-17Electrical SystemINTELLIGENT KEY REPLACEMENT OR SWAPPING BETWEEN VEHICLES This bulletin has been amended…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific 240SX. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
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Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1998 240SX take?

4 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1998 240SX have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 240SX get?

EPA figures are 19 city / 24 highway / 21 combined mpg.