IllustrationWHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK
1997 Nissan D21
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Nissan D21 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 23.5.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all D21 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: 7 of 57 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 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
22 crash reports0 fire reports9 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
21 reportsFRONTAL CRASH WITH LIVESTOCK - AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. ALSO THE PASSENGER SEATBELT DID NOT LOCK INTO PLACE PREVENTING PASSENGER FROM GOING FORWARD INTO DASH AND WINDSHIELD. TS
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, WHICH FORCED THE VEHICLE INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND INTO A RETAINING WALL. UPON IMPACT, THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES THEAT THE VEHICLE HAD THREE MAJOR IMPACTS AND WAS CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS. *SCC
DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOTDEPLOY IN A SIDE IMPACT COLLISION. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
WHILE TRAVERLING AT 40-45 MPH CONSUMER REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK ONE PERSON WAS INJURED IN ACCIDENT. *SLC
CONSUME RWAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40MPH ON HIGHWAY AND A ANIMAL RAN ACROSS THE STREET. CONSUMER WAS TRYING TO AVOID THE ANIMAL AND SWERVED INTO A TREE. UPON IMPACT, FRONTAL AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY AT ALL.*AK
AIRBAG CONTROL MODULE FAILED AFTER 3 YEARS, HAD NEVER DEPLOYED
WHILE TRAVELING 45 MPH AND AS A RESULT OF TRYING NOT TO HIT A DOG, CONSUMER RAN INTO POLES. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY . PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
CONSUMER INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 40 MPH IMPACT ON THE RIGHT FRONT BUMPER, TAKING OUT HEADLIGHTS, AND THEN RAN INTO A TREE HEAD-ON, AND DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING NECK AND SHOULDER INJURIES. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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.