IllustrationREAR LAP AND SHOULDER BELTS LOCKED UP AND WOULD NOT RELEASE, NEARLY STRANGLING THE CHILD. CONSUMER CUT THE SEAT BELT TO RELEASE THE CHILD FROM THE SEAT, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *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 reportsNO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
5 WEEKS NO REPLACEMENT PART AT DEALERSHIP. MANUFATCURER CONTACTED. 1 WEEK NO FEEDBACK OR PART. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK
EXCESSIVE WEAR OF REAR TIRES CAUSED POOR VEHICLE CONTROL, AND RESULTED IN A NEAR ACCIDENT. ALSO, TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WHEN THE TEMPETURE IS BELOW 35 DEGREES ENGINE WON'T START. AND DEALER IS UNABLE TO FIX VEHICLE. *AK
CAR WILL NOT START WHEN THE TEMPERATURE FALLS BELOW FREEZING. THE DEALER HAS TRIED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND ON TWO OCCASIONS HAS REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THE DISTRIBUTOR. BOTH DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM LINES WITH THE FUEL LINE. THE DEALER CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG. THE SECOND FAILURE ARE THE T…
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CAR WILL NOT START WHEN THE TEMPERATURE FALLS BELOW FREEZING. THE DEALER HAS TRIED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND ON TWO OCCASIONS HAS REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THE DISTRIBUTOR. BOTH DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM LINES WITH THE FUEL LINE. THE DEALER CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG. THE SECOND FAILURE ARE THE TWO SEALS ON THE REAR TAILIGHTS WHICH HAVE RESULTED IN WATER DAMAGE TO THE TRUNK.
AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT IS ON AND WON'T GO OFF. CONSUMER THINKS THE AIR BAGS MIGHT DEPLOY WHILE DRIVING. *AK
WHEN CELLURAL TELEPHONE IS WITHDRAWN, THE JACK ASSEMBLE COMES OUT OF THE RECEPTACLE.
ON JULY 07 1999, I WAS PULLING OUT FROM A SIDE STREET ONTO A TWO LANE ROAD. AS I WAS COMPLETING MY TURN, AN SUV HAD CROSSED THE SOLID YELLOW LINE IN ATTEMPT TO GO AROUND ME IN THE WRONG LANE. AS A RESULT, MY 1997 NISSAN ALTIMA WAS HIT IN THE FRONT LEFT (NEARLY HEAD ON) AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. ESTIMATED AT 40-50 MPH. THE VEHICLE…
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ON JULY 07 1999, I WAS PULLING OUT FROM A SIDE STREET ONTO A TWO LANE ROAD. AS I WAS COMPLETING MY TURN, AN SUV HAD CROSSED THE SOLID YELLOW LINE IN ATTEMPT TO GO AROUND ME IN THE WRONG LANE. AS A RESULT, MY 1997 NISSAN ALTIMA WAS HIT IN THE FRONT LEFT (NEARLY HEAD ON) AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. ESTIMATED AT 40-50 MPH. THE VEHICLE HAD APPROXIMATELY $9,000 DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END. NEITHER DRIVER SIDE OR PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. I SUSTAINED A CERVICAL MYOFASCIAL (WHIPLASH) INJURY THAT STILL HAS NOT RESOLVED, AND THANK GOD MY CHILDREN WERE NOT INJURED BADLY. THE AUTO BODY TECHNICIAN AND INSURANCE ADJUSTER (USAA) STATED THAT WITHOUT A DOUBT, THE AIRBAGS WERE DEFECTIVE AND ABSOLUTELY SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. ANEVALUATION OF THE AIRBAGS IS PENDING.
DEFECT IN ENGINE CAUSED FIRE AND DESTROYED THE CAR. (INSURANCE AGENT REPRESENTING CLIENT) YH
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.