Selling a junk or non-running Daewoo Nubira

The Nubira in brief

EPA lists the Nubira for the 1998 to 2003 model years, as a compact sedan and as a small station wagon. Wikipedia says it was built from 1997 to 2002 at Gunsan, South Korea, and styled by Justyn Norek and Francois Lampreia at the I.DE.A Institute. It followed the Daewoo Nexia and gave way to the Daewoo Lacetti.

Wikipedia lists four-cylinder gasoline engines from 1.3 to 1.8 liters across the Nubira's markets, with a 5-speed Daewoo D-20 manual or a 4-speed automatic from ZF (4HP14) or GM (4T40-E).

The Nubira outlasted its maker on paper. Wikipedia dates the bankrupt Daewoo group's end to 1 November 1999, yet EPA lists Nubiras through 2003. Over time, Chevrolet or Ravon took the Daewoo name's place.

Problems by model year

Wikipedia treats the Nubira as one production run, so we group the years below using NHTSA's file.

1998-1999: few complaints, and the camshaft sensor

The 1998 has only 7 complaints. The 1999 has 63, and 47 of them fall under engine and engine cooling.

Both recall campaigns on these years target one part, the camshaft position sensor. In NHTSA's notice for 04V357, the sensor can melt; an owner would notice smoke and a burning smell, and the damage could spread to the cam cover and the sensor's wiring. The fix was a new sensor and an extra fuse. Campaign 04V394 is the same defect, with owners sent to Daewoo Puerto Rico. Their counts, 11,576 and 4,305 vehicles, are for each full campaign and may take in other Daewoo models.

2000-2002: the peak, plus a brake hose recall

The 2000 holds 275 complaints, more than half the Nubira's total. Of those, 175 are engine and engine cooling and 49 are hydraulic service brakes. The 2001 follows with 122 (76 engine, 25 brakes), then the 2002 with 32 (18 engine, 10 brakes).

These three years add a third campaign, 02V257. NHTSA says the cars failed federal safety standard 106 for brake hoses: a crack can develop in the outer rubber layer of the front brake hoses. Dealers installed redesigned front hoses. That campaign counted 38,181 vehicles, which may include other models. Across all years, owners filed 48 Nubira complaints with NHTSA under the lines, piping and fittings category.

Wikipedia also records that on 18 June 2001 Daewoo recalled 3,000 Nubira CDXs for a fuel filter fault. That recall is not one of the three campaigns NHTSA lists for the Nubira.

2003

EPA lists a 2003 Nubira, but NHTSA's complaint file holds no complaints under that model year.

Nubira complaints and recalls by year

The Nubira complaint counts come from NHTSA records pulled October 10, 2026. A 2002 Nubira was on the road a bit less long than a 1998 before reporting ended, but over five model years that gap stays small. A recall campaign counts in every year it covers.

One complaint on the 2000 reports a death. Suspension is the next category after the brakes, with 30 complaints.

Repair it or sell it?

1. Check the Nubira VIN first. Look it up on NHTSA's recall lookup and confirm the camshaft sensor and brake hose campaigns show as completed.
2. Burning smell or smoke near the top of the engine? That is what the camshaft sensor recall describes. Don't keep driving it until someone has looked.
3. Engine gone? Get a written repair quote, then set it beside the price a running Nubira with similar miles brings. Our blown engine guide walks through that call, and repairs cost more than it is worth covers the math.
4. Brakes soft or leaking? A car you can't stop safely shouldn't be driven to a buyer. See bad or seized brakes.

Selling a Nubira whole

1. Gather the basics: the VIN, the mileage, whether it's the sedan or the wagon, and what's wrong.
2. Ask for an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
3. Tell us where the Nubira is parked and if the wheels turn, so our truck can pull it from a driveway, a street or a back lot.
4. Leave it in one piece. Sell the whole car as it sits, with the wheels and converter on the Nubira, and tell us about any part already pulled.
5. When the Nubira is collected, have the Nubira title and a photo ID ready to show. Missing the title? Start with selling with no title. Plates and insurance afterwards are covered in after you sell.

Have another Daewoo? See the Leganza and the Lanos, or every Daewoo we cover.