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.
Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.
About this comparison →57Owner complaints
Model-year median: 23.5
0Recall campaignsView recall details →
0InvestigationsView investigation details →
Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Inspection summary
1997 Nissan D21
NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 57 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.
Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.
Top reported categories (up to 5)
- Air Bags: 21 reports
- Power Train: 7 reports
- Electrical System: 6 reports
- Engine And Engine Cooling: 5 reports
- Tires: 5 reports
Full reported-category list and vehicle report
Recall links
No recall campaigns in this snapshot.
Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.
How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all D21 years →Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure 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
Recall campaigns
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 ↗
Defect investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.