IllustrationPASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG WENT OFF INADVERTENTLY WHILE TRAVELING 20 MPH. CONSUMER WAS NOT INJURED, AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME. CONSUMER WILL CONTACT THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY. *AK
1997 Nissan Maxima
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Nissan Maxima do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 99.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Maxima 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
20–25K
125–50K
650–75K
1175–100K
10100–150K
0150K+
30 reports with mileage · 72 unknown
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.
- Electrical System. Review the 39 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
7 crash reports16 fire reports6 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
10 reportsWITH EXTENSIVE FRONT-END DAMAGE THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *BF WHILE DRIVING OUR VEHICLE ON THE INTERSTATE, MY SON REAR-ENDED A FORD WINSTAR VAN. HE BELIEVES THAT HE WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH AND WAS ABLE TO BRAKE TO SOME EXTENT BEFORE HITTING HER REAR BUMPER. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS INJURED. HOWEVER THERE WAS E…
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WITH EXTENSIVE FRONT-END DAMAGE THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *BF WHILE DRIVING OUR VEHICLE ON THE INTERSTATE, MY SON REAR-ENDED A FORD WINSTAR VAN. HE BELIEVES THAT HE WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH AND WAS ABLE TO BRAKE TO SOME EXTENT BEFORE HITTING HER REAR BUMPER. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS INJURED. HOWEVER THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE MAXIMA. THIS INCLUDED THE FRONT BUMPER, GRILL, RADIATOR, HOOD AND OTHER COMPONENTS THAT I WAS UNABLE TO ASSESS. HOWEVER OUR BODY SHOP AND INSURANCE COMPANY FELT THAT THE COST OF REPAIRS EXCEEDED THE VALUE OF THE VEHICHLE SUCH THAT THEY "TOTALED" THE CAR. MY CONCERN WAS THAT WITH SUCH EXTENSIVE FRONT-END DAMAGE THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NISSAN SEEMS TO THINK THAT THIS WAS APPROPRIATE. HOW CAN WE DETERMINE IF THIS IS CORRECT. PLEASE ADVISE. THANK YOU. *AK FOLLOW UP LETTER FROM 10078979 *TC
WHILE DRIVING OUR VEHICLE ON THE INTERSTATE, MY SON REAR-ENDED A FORD WINSTAR VAN. HE BELIEVES THAT HE WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH AND WAS ABLE TO BRAKE TO SOME EXTENT BEFORE HITTING HER REAR BUMPER. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS INJURED. HOWEVER THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE MAXIMA. THIS INCLUDED THE FRONT BUM…
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WHILE DRIVING OUR VEHICLE ON THE INTERSTATE, MY SON REAR-ENDED A FORD WINSTAR VAN. HE BELIEVES THAT HE WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH AND WAS ABLE TO BRAKE TO SOME EXTENT BEFORE HITTING HER REAR BUMPER. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS INJURED. HOWEVER THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE MAXIMA. THIS INCLUDED THE FRONT BUMPER, GRILL, RADIATOR, HOOD AND OTHER COMPONENTS THAT I WAS UNABLE TO ASSESS. HOWEVER OUR BODY SHOP AND INSURANCE COMPANY FELT THAT THE COST OF REPAIRS EXCEEDED THE VALUE OF THE VEHICHLE SUCH THAT THEY "TOTALED" THE CAR. MY CONCERN WAS THAT WITH SUCH EXTENSIVE FRONT-END DAMAGE THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NISSAN SEEMS TO THINK THAT THIS WAS APPROPRIATE. HOW CAN WE DETERMINE IF THIS IS CORRECT. PLEASE ADVISE. THANK YOU. *AK
THE VEHICLE WAS HIT AT 25 MPH IN THE FRONT CENTER BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHICH CAUSED MINOR INJURIES TO THE CONSUMER. *NLM
WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN CONSUMER WAS HIT IN FRONT OF VEHICLE, AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
ON TWO OCCASIONS THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS FLASHING FOR NO APPARENT REASON, THE DEALER CLEARDED THE MEMORY AND RESET THE SYSTEM, THE PROBLEM REOCCURED AND THE DEALER PERFORMED THE SAME REPAIR EXCEPT THIS TIME THE CONSUMER WAS CHARGED, THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS SAFETY ISSUE SHOULD HAD BEEN COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. NLM
VEHICLE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC. I WAS HIT IN THE REAR BY A 2000 FORD F150 TRUCK. I WAS PROPELLED FORWARD, THEN BACK INTO THE SEAT, THE SEAT BACK COLLAPSED. I SUSTAINED NECK, SHOULDER, BACK, HIP AND KNEE INJURIES. MY CAR WAS PUSHED INTO ANOTHER CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE AIRBAGS IN MY CAR DID NOT DEPLOY!
I WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP AT THE INTERSECTION FEDERAL AND 33RD STREET AND WHEN PROCEEDED TO TURN RIGHT VERY SLOWLY, APPROXIMATELY 02 -05 MILES P/H BOTH OF FRONT AIR BAGS INFALTED ON ME. MY NECK HAS BEEN HURTING SINCE. THERE WAS NO COLLISION. I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING. THERE IS NO DAMADGE TO VEHICLE. AT THIS POINT I REPORTED TOP …
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I WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP AT THE INTERSECTION FEDERAL AND 33RD STREET AND WHEN PROCEEDED TO TURN RIGHT VERY SLOWLY, APPROXIMATELY 02 -05 MILES P/H BOTH OF FRONT AIR BAGS INFALTED ON ME. MY NECK HAS BEEN HURTING SINCE. THERE WAS NO COLLISION. I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING. THERE IS NO DAMADGE TO VEHICLE. AT THIS POINT I REPORTED TOP NISSAN CORPORATION THEY SEND AN INVESTIGATOR AND AFTER THREE DAYS OF INSPECTION THEY SAID THEY WILL NOTIFY ME IN 4 TO 6 WEEKS. THE VEHICLE IS COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WAREENTY. AT THIS POINT THEY REFUSE TO REPAIR MY VEHICLE.*AK
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH, IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER NOTED THAT AIR BAG MODULA NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
TRAVRELING 45MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS MAKING A TURN IN FRONT, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE SWERVED TO AVOID HITTING THE OTHER VEHICLE. INSTEAD, HIT VEHICLE ON DRIVER'S SIDE THEN ON PASSENGER'S SIDE. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS BEPLOYED BUT MUST HAVE POPPED OR FIZZLED OUT. DRIVER'S HEAD MADE CONTACT WITH THE FRONT WINDSHILD AND THER…
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TRAVRELING 45MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS MAKING A TURN IN FRONT, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE SWERVED TO AVOID HITTING THE OTHER VEHICLE. INSTEAD, HIT VEHICLE ON DRIVER'S SIDE THEN ON PASSENGER'S SIDE. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS BEPLOYED BUT MUST HAVE POPPED OR FIZZLED OUT. DRIVER'S HEAD MADE CONTACT WITH THE FRONT WINDSHILD AND THERE WAS SMOKE INSIDE OF VEHICLE. *AK
Official recalls
102V171000 · Electrical System:alternator/generator/regulator
Jun 24, 2002
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, ONE OF THE DIODES USED IN THE ALTERNATOR MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED WHEN BUILT. THIS CAN EVENTUALLY RESULT IN FAILURE OF THE DIODE AND AN ELECTRICAL SHORT WHICH COULD MELT THE PLASTIC HOUSING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE COMBUSTIBLE GAS EMITTED BY THE MELTING PLASTIC DOES NOT DISPERSE DUE TO AIR FLOW THROUGH THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, IT COULD IGNITE AND IN TURN IGNITE THE FAN GUIDE IN THE ALTERNATOR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JULY 29, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261 OR INFINITI AT 1-800-662-6200.
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
1PE02034 · Alternator Fires
Opened Mar 15, 2002 · Closed Jul 22, 2002
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
No summary supplied.