IllustrationWHILE DRIVING IN RAINY CONDITIONS CONSUMER USED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WAS UNABLE TO TURN THEM OFF. CONSUMER HAD TO PULL THE FUSE. *AK
1997 Nissan Sentra
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Nissan Sentra do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 116.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sentra 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: 24 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 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
26 crash reports1 fire reports17 injury reports
What owners actually said
108 reportsVEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, AND NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. CONSUMER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED RESULTING IN ACCICENT IN WHICH NEITHER DRIVER NOR PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *YH
GAS PEDAL CAME OFF FROM THE FIREWALL DUE TO 4 DEFECTIVE WELDS.*AK
DEALER REFUSED TO HONOR RECALL. INFORMED THAT WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR PART WAS MISSING, AND CAUSING A MALFUNCTION. COST OF PART WOULD BE AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. *AK
RECALL 98V093000/NISSAN WINDSHEILD WIPER: RECALLS REPAIRS WERE DONE BY DEALER. BUT CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT WIPER MOTOR MALFUNCTIONED, AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT WHICH WOULD BE DONE AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. WOULD LIKE NHTSA TO SHARE SOME LIGHT ON THIS MATTER. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ACROSS A ROAD ANOTHER DRIVER HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AT ABOUT 60 MPH. UPON IMPACT, SIDE/FRONT AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. HAD CAR TOWED TO A MECHANIC. WHEN CONSUMER PICKED UP THE CAR AIRBAG LIGHT WAS FLASHING. *AK
ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. CONSUMER SHUT DOOR WHEN DUAL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING,OR ANY IMPACT. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO ASSIST CONSUMER. *AK
WHILE WIFE WAS DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH HIT ROAD DIVIDER AND LOST CONTROL. VEHICLE ROLLED OVER A COUPLE TIMES. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
AIR BAG SENSOR FAILED CAUSING LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. MJS
BRAKES HAVE TO BE REPLACED EVERY YEAR. *AK
Official recalls
398V093000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:linkages
May 5, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. WATER CAN ENTER AND DISPLACE THE GREASE IN THE WIPER ARM LINKAGE BALL JOINT WHERE THE WIPER LINKAGE ATTACHES TO THE WIPER MOTOR LINKAGE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN GRADUAL WEAR OVER A PERIOD OF TIME INSIDE THE JOINT THAT COULD LEAD TO THE SEPARATION OF THE WIPER LINKAGE ASSEMBLY FROM THE WIPER MOTOR LINKAGE AT THE BALL JOINT. A LOSS OF WINDSHIELD WIPER FUNCTION CAN RESULT IN THIS SEPARATION OCCURS.
Remedy: TO PREVENT GREASE FROM BEING WASHED OUT OF THE JOINT, THE DEALERS WILL MODIFY BY ADDING A WATER DIVERSION SEAL THAT WILL PREVENT WATER FROM ENTERING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE BALL JOINT AREA.
98V008000 · Exterior Lighting:tail Lights
Jan 21, 1998
THESE VEHICLES DO NOT MEET THE ILLUMINATION REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FOLLOWING VEHICLES MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT IS STOPPING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH TWO NEW LIGHT BULBS FOR THE STOP/TAIL LAMPS WHICH ARE BRIGHTER THAN THE ORIGINAL BULBS. A LABEL WITH THE NEW BULB NUMBER WILL ALSO BE PROVIDED FOR INSERTION INTO THE OWNER'S MANUAL. IF AN OWNER SO DESIRES, A DEALERS CAN INSTALL THE LIGHT BULBS FOR THEM.
97V110000 · Structure:body:door
Jul 22, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. ONE OF THREE STYROFOAM PADS LOCATED IN EACH REAR DOOR AS PART OF THE DESIGN FOR ENSURING COMPLIANCE WITH FMVSS NO. 214, "SIDE DOOR STRENGTH," WAS NOT INSTALLED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, AN OCCUPANT WOULD NOT BE PROPERLY PROTECTED INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE MISSING PAD IN EACH REAR DOOR.
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.