IllustrationMICHELIN HYDOEDGE P215/60R15 TIRE HAD A BLOWOUT WHILE DRIVING ON I75 NEAAR FORT MYERS. INSIDE SIDEWALL BLEW ON REAR DRIVER'S SIDE.*AK
1997 Nissan Altima
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Fewer warning signs than most model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Nissan Altima are lower than the model-year median of 231.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Altima years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 20 of 108 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
31 crash reports5 fire reports18 injury reports
Tires complaints
5 reportsI PURCHASED A 1997 NISSAN ALTIMA USED WITH 15K MILES IN 1998, IT NOW HAS ABOUT 47K MILES, THE OTHER MORNING WHEN I WENT TO MY CAR THE PAINT WAS COMING OFF, I THOUGHT THAT SOMEONE HAD SCRAPED THE PAINT OFF THE HOOD OF MY CAR, I CALLED MY INS. CO AND THE REFERRED ME TO A DEALER. HE TOOK ONE LOOK AND SAID THAT THE TOP COAT WAS PEE…
Read full complaint
I PURCHASED A 1997 NISSAN ALTIMA USED WITH 15K MILES IN 1998, IT NOW HAS ABOUT 47K MILES, THE OTHER MORNING WHEN I WENT TO MY CAR THE PAINT WAS COMING OFF, I THOUGHT THAT SOMEONE HAD SCRAPED THE PAINT OFF THE HOOD OF MY CAR, I CALLED MY INS. CO AND THE REFERRED ME TO A DEALER. HE TOOK ONE LOOK AND SAID THAT THE TOP COAT WAS PEELING OFF THE PAINT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE SANDING AND IT WAS NOT COVERED BY MY INS. I HAVE HAD CAR MUCH OLDER THEN THIS ONE AND THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE, THEIR MUST BE A DEFECT IN THIS PAINT, IT IS COMPLETELY PEELING OFF AND IT HAPPENED ALMOST OVERNIGHT. I HAVE TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF THIS CAR, GETTING IT WASHED, WAXED & POLISHED. I WOULD APPRECIATE SOME TYPE OF COMPENSATION ON THIS PROBLEM AND A RESPONSE FROM NISSAN MFG.
TOYO VEHICLE TIRE FAILED AT 15,000 MILES. STEEL BELTING BROKE OR SEPARATED, CAUSING A DANGEROUS BULGE IN SIDEWALL. THIS WAS A PREMIUM TIRE RATED FOR A 100,000 MILES. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING,HAD BLOWN OUT AND THE DUAL AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE CROSSED THE CONCRETE MEDIAN, AND HIT AN 18 WHEELER HEAD ON, THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. TS SCC
HOT DAY. TIRE SEPARATED. NOT BECAUSE OF HIGH PRESURE. NO NAILS. ORIGINAL TIRE. *AK (DOT NUMBER: 156 TIRESIZE: P205/60R15)
Official recalls
196V185000 · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
Oct 10, 1996
CERTAIN BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES WERE PRODUCED WITH A "BUCKLE BASE" THAT WAS IMPROPERLY HEAT TREATED. THIS CAN CAUSE THE "BUCKLE BASE" TO BE BRITTLE FAILING TO COMPLY TO FMVSS NO. 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION, THESE SEAT BELTS MAY NOT RESTRAIN AN OCCUPANT INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES AND REPLACE THEM IF NECESSARY.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.