IllustrationWHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT WILL FLASH ON AND OFF. *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
What owners actually said
108 reportsI WOULD LIKE TO COMPLAIN THAT CAR MANUFACTURERS ARE GETTING AWAY WITH INSTALLING STRAIGHT CAM BOLTS ON THE NEW CARS, WHICH FORCE YOU TO PURCHASE ADJUSTABLE CAM BOLTS WHEN THE CAR NEEDS ALIGNMENT. IT HAS RUINED TWO SETS OF TIRES BEFORE A MECHANIC FINALLY TOLD ME WHAT WAS NEEDED AND THAN IT WAS OVER $300 FOR THE CAM BOLTS TO BE …
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I WOULD LIKE TO COMPLAIN THAT CAR MANUFACTURERS ARE GETTING AWAY WITH INSTALLING STRAIGHT CAM BOLTS ON THE NEW CARS, WHICH FORCE YOU TO PURCHASE ADJUSTABLE CAM BOLTS WHEN THE CAR NEEDS ALIGNMENT. IT HAS RUINED TWO SETS OF TIRES BEFORE A MECHANIC FINALLY TOLD ME WHAT WAS NEEDED AND THAN IT WAS OVER $300 FOR THE CAM BOLTS TO BE INSTALLED. THIS IS AN UNFAIR PARTS PRACTICE BY THE MANUFACTURERS. NO ONE WAS HURT BUT MY TIRES WERE IN DANGER OF TREAD SEPARATION BECAUSE OF THIS. *JB
WHILE DRIVING, THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHTS STARTED FLICKERING. THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT IS WAS RELATED TO A PART IN THE COMPUTER, THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (PART UNKNOWN). TS THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHTS REMAIN TO FLICKERING. SCC
CONSUMER STATES THAT ALTERNATOR IS DEFECTIVE AND CONSTANTLY DRAINING VEHICLE'S BATTERY. DEALER INSPECTED AND DIAGNOSED THAT ALTERNATOR WAS ASSEMBLED INCORRECTLY AT TIME OF VEHICLE MANUFACTURE. TS
WHILE TRAVELING AT 60 MPH, CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION WITH AN 18 WHEELER. CONSUMER STATES NONE OF THE FOUR AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. ALL FOUR PASSENGERS WERE INJURED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
OWNER WAS DRIVIMG HIS 1997 NISSAN ALTIMA SE ON THE CENTER LANE ALONG MEADOWBROOK PARKWAY, LONG ISLAND, NY. THE BMW 7.4 ON THE RIGHT SIDE (FIRST LANE) MERGED INTO THE CENTER LANE AND MADE A SUDDEN BRAKE. OWNER OF THE NISSAN ALTIMA APPLIED A SUDDEN BRAKE BUT BECAUSE OF THE SHORT DISTANCE IN BETWEEN TWO CARS, THE ALTIMA HIT THE BMW…
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OWNER WAS DRIVIMG HIS 1997 NISSAN ALTIMA SE ON THE CENTER LANE ALONG MEADOWBROOK PARKWAY, LONG ISLAND, NY. THE BMW 7.4 ON THE RIGHT SIDE (FIRST LANE) MERGED INTO THE CENTER LANE AND MADE A SUDDEN BRAKE. OWNER OF THE NISSAN ALTIMA APPLIED A SUDDEN BRAKE BUT BECAUSE OF THE SHORT DISTANCE IN BETWEEN TWO CARS, THE ALTIMA HIT THE BMW ON THE REAR. BOTH CARS WERE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 40-45 MILES PER HOUR. BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAGS WERE NOT DEPLOY. THE PASSENGER, WHO IS 8 MONTH PREAGNANT, REQUIRED TO BE HOSPITALIZED FOR TWO DAYS. I WOULD LIKE TO NISSAN COMPANY TO CAREFULLY INVESTIGATE ON WHAT HAPPENED WHY THE AIRBAGS WERE NOT DEPLOYED DURING THE COLLISION.
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
WHILE TAKING A RIGHT TURN FROM A STOP, THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILED TO ACTUATE. LUCKILY I WAS ONLY A FEW MILES FROM MY HOME AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE STILL WORKED IN THE HEAVY RAIN. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION I FOUND THE LINK ASSEMBLY THAT CONNECTS THE LEFT WIPER TO THE RIGHT ONE WAS DISLODGED. THE PLASTIC "SNAP" KNUCKLE…
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WHILE TAKING A RIGHT TURN FROM A STOP, THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILED TO ACTUATE. LUCKILY I WAS ONLY A FEW MILES FROM MY HOME AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE STILL WORKED IN THE HEAVY RAIN. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION I FOUND THE LINK ASSEMBLY THAT CONNECTS THE LEFT WIPER TO THE RIGHT ONE WAS DISLODGED. THE PLASTIC "SNAP" KNUCKLE AND METAL BALL JOINT WERE WORN AND CAME APART THUS CAUSING THE RIGHT WIPER TO NOT MOVE. I REPLACED THE WIPER ACTUATING LINKAGES AND MOTOR ASSEMBLY. WHILE AT THE PARTS COUNTER AT DECORMIER NISSAN, I NOTICED TWO OTHER MECHANICS OBTAINING THE SAME PARTS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM ON CARS IN THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THE PARTS ATTENDANT SAYS THEY KEEP THESE ITEMS IN STOCK BECAUSE OF THEIR HIGH DEMAND. I AM SENDING THIS TO YOU BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL DANGERS INVOLVED IF THIS FAILURE HAD OCCURRED ON THE HIGHWAY AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. DT
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT BEEN INVOLVED ON A COLISION AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO CALL HIM BACK NEVER DID. TS
THE VEHICLES DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT GUIDE RAILS LOCKED UP INTERMITTENTLY WHICH CAUSES THE SEAT BELT WARNING SYSTEM TO ACTIVATE. DEALERSHIP REPLACED GUIDE RAIL ONCE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND ONCE ON THE DRIVER SIDE. *MR *NLM
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.