Total Complaints
7 filings
NISSAN 240SX · model year
1997 NISSAN 240SX
7 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997NISSAN240SX carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1997 240SX is air bags with 2 filings, followed by exterior lighting:turn signal:switch (1) and air bags:frontal (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 55 investigation files overlapping the 1997 240SX, and 6 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
7
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
3 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 2 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| TIRES:SIDEWALL | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20130729CrashAIR BAGS
MY CAR (1997 NISSAN 240 SX) BEING DRIVEN BY MY SON WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE CAR WAS TOTALED BY IMPACT. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED BUT YET THE LIGHT CAME ON SAYING THEY DID. IF THEY HAD MY SON MAY NOT HAVE SUFFERED FROM A SERIOUS CONCUSSION WHICH WE'RE ABOUT TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL THE 2ND TIME FOR NOR THE NECK SPRAIN THAT HE DID. I'VE E-MAILED NISSAN TO SEE IF I CAN GET AN ANSWER AS TO WHY THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN THE LIGHT INDICATES THEY DID BUT I'VE NOT HEARD BACK FROM THEM YET. *TR
20130729CrashEQUIPMENT
MY CAR (1997 NISSAN 240 SX) BEING DRIVEN BY MY SON WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE CAR WAS TOTALED BY IMPACT. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED BUT YET THE LIGHT CAME ON SAYING THEY DID. IF THEY HAD MY SON MAY NOT HAVE SUFFERED FROM A SERIOUS CONCUSSION WHICH WE'RE ABOUT TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL THE 2ND TIME FOR NOR THE NECK SPRAIN THAT HE DID. I'VE E-MAILED NISSAN TO SEE IF I CAN GET AN ANSWER AS TO WHY THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN THE LIGHT INDICATES THEY DID BUT I'VE NOT HEARD BACK FROM THEM YET. *TR
20111112FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THERE IS A LEAK FROM THE TOP OF MY 1997 NISSAN 240SX'S FUEL TANK THAT SEEMED TO SPRING UP FOR NO APPARENT REASON. FROM WHAT I'VE RESEARCHED, THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM FOR OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE AND IS NOT EASILY FIXED. I AM PETITIONING FOR THIS TO BE A MANDATORY REPAIR FOR NISSAN, AS THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO FAULTY CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS. *TR
Mileage: 103,000
20050620TIRES:SIDEWALL
DT: TOYO PROXY 4, TIRES ARE HAVING KNOTS COMING OUT ON THE SIDEWALL, AND THE OWNER HAS HAD ALREADY 1 BLOWOUT ON THESE TIRES. THE ONE THAT BLEW WAS LESS THAN 6 MONTHS OLD, AND THE OTHERS ARE LESS THAN 1 YEAR OLD. THIS IWASTHE FIRST TIME THAT THE OWNER HAS OWNED THIS BRAND OF TIRE. THE OWNER HAS CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP THAT SOLD THE TIRES TO THE OWNER, BUT THEY WOULD NOT HELP. THE OWNER HAS ALSO CONTACTED TOYO MANUFACTURER AND THEY REFERRED HER TO A DIFFERENT TIRE DEALERSHIP. THE OWNER IS PLANNING TO DO THAT ON 6-21-2005.*AK
Mileage: 10,000
20030123CrashAIR BAGS
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN HIT AT 45MPH IN THE FRONT CENTER OF THE VEHICLE THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING MINOR INJURIES TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS
19980729AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN INTO A DRIVEWAY BOTH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK
19980408EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH
PARKED VEHICLE, SHIFT LEVER POPPED OUT OF GEAR/SOCKET. SIGNAL SWITCH ON & STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THERE WAS RATTLING NOISE WHEN DRIVING. TOOK TO DEALER FOR ENGINE LIGHT & SHIFT LEVER. MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM. SAID RATTLING COMES FROM HUB CAP & CHANGED THOSE. *AK
Compare 1997NISSAN240SX to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 6 Open
DP26003Defect PetitionOpen
Fuel smell and loss of motive power
PE25005Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Driver Airbag Inflator Rupture
PE24020Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Inner Tie Rod Failures
PE24017Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Side curtain air bags may deploy inadvertently
PE24007Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Reduced Power After Engine Stall
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 NISSAN 240SX have?▼
The 1997 NISSAN 240SX has 7 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 NISSAN 240SX?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 NISSAN 240SX is AIR BAGS with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH and AIR BAGS:FRONTAL.
Is the 1997 NISSAN 240SX safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1997 NISSAN 240SX; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.