IllustrationCONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE WILL STALL AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. MR
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 reportsNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 55MPH HIT CAR FROM BEHIND AND AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING INJURIES.*AK
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH THEN ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN INTO THE CONSUMER HEAD ON AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. CONTACTED DEALER. NLM
VEHICLE HAD FAILED TO START. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO GARAGE. WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC, FUEL PLATE HAD SHORTED OUT WIRES' CONNECTION. WIRES WERE BURNED, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
IGNITION SWITCH WILL NOT TURN WITHOUT SHAKING THE KEY IN THE SWITCH, THE HORN DOES NOT WORK.*AK
THE AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY DURING ACCIDENT CAUSING THE DRIVER TO SUSTAIN HEAD INJURY BY KNOCKING THE FRONT MIRROR OFF, APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT THE AIR BAG SENSOR WAS REPLACED. *YH
WHEN TRAVELING AT 40 OR MORE VEHICLE WOULD DOWNSHIFT UNEXPECTEDLY. VEHICLE BEEN IN DEALER SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
I HAD A SEVERE PROBLEM MOVING THE TRANSMISSION FROM PARK TO DRIVE. THE SHIFT BOX IS POSITIONED DIRECTLY UNDER THE DRINK HOLDER. THE NISSAN REPAIR DEPARTMENT LOOKED AT THE SODA RESIDUE AND TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE SHIFT BOX FOR $350. I REFUSED AND THEY MADE AN UNAUTHORIZED CHARGE TO MY CREDIT CARD FOR $40. I SPR…
Read full complaint
I HAD A SEVERE PROBLEM MOVING THE TRANSMISSION FROM PARK TO DRIVE. THE SHIFT BOX IS POSITIONED DIRECTLY UNDER THE DRINK HOLDER. THE NISSAN REPAIR DEPARTMENT LOOKED AT THE SODA RESIDUE AND TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE SHIFT BOX FOR $350. I REFUSED AND THEY MADE AN UNAUTHORIZED CHARGE TO MY CREDIT CARD FOR $40. I SPRAYED A DROP OF CLEANER AND THE SHIFT HAS WORKED FLAWLESSLY EVER SINCE. NISSAN STOLE THE $40. *AK
AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN BLINKING FOR A YEAR OR MORE. DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE AIR BAG SYSTEM AT THEIR COST. ONLY SOLUTION IS A TOTAL REPLACEMENT. WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. THERE WAS NO EXPLANATION WHAT CAUSED LIGHT TO BLINK.*AK
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.