Total Complaints
141 filings
Nissan Altima · model year
1997 Nissan Altima
141 NHTSA complaints, 40 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
- Complaints
- 141
- Recalls
- 0
The verdict
The 1997 Nissan Altima posts below-average complaint volume among its own model-year siblings.
- Top 27%
- fewest complaints, own model years
- 0
- recall campaigns
The 1997NissanAltima carries 141 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 40 crashes, 7 fires, 31 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 Altima is air bags with 18 filings, followed by air bags:frontal (16) and unknown or other (9). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 5 investigation files overlapping the 1997 Altima. 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.
141
Complaints
40
Crashes
7
Fires
31
Injuries
0
Deaths
F
PlainCars Safety Score
0/100
1997 Nissan Altima
PlainCars' own composite of NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings and rollover-risk assessment, each dimension normalized against the federal scale or the full national model-year corpus. Not an official NHTSA figure, and not a substitute for a specific vehicle's VIN-level recall check.
NHTSA Overall Rating N/A
Not rated
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program overall crash-test rating.
Front Crash N/A
Not rated
Frontal barrier crash-test rating.
Side Crash N/A
Not rated
Side barrier and pole crash-test rating.
Rollover Resistance N/A
Not rated
Static stability factor + dynamic rollover test rating.
Rollover Risk N/A
Not reported
NHTSA single-vehicle rollover probability, dynamic test.
Crashes Reported
40 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 | 18 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 16 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 9 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 5 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 4 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | 3 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 3 |
| SUSPENSION | 3 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 3 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 3 |
| TIRES | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 3 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID | 2 |
Recent Complaints
20200124CrashAIR BAGS
I WAS HIT, REAR-ENDED, VERY HARD AND THE AIRBAG DEFINITELY SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN, STOPPED FOR AT LEAST 10 SECONDS WAITING FOR TRAFFIC TO CLEAR AND A CAR SLAMMED INTO THE BACK OF ME WITH NO ATTEMPT TO HIT THEIR BRAKES
Mileage: 96,000
20161220STRUCTURE:BODY
DUE TO CORROSION, BOTH REAR SUB MEMBER AND FRONT CRADLE ARE ROTTING OUT AND MUST BE REPLACED. VEHICLE IS UNSAFE. ONCE REPLACED, OTHER WORK MAY BE NEEDED
Mileage: 169,000
20161220SUSPENSION
DUE TO CORROSION, BOTH REAR SUB MEMBER AND FRONT CRADLE ARE ROTTING OUT AND MUST BE REPLACED. VEHICLE IS UNSAFE. ONCE REPLACED, OTHER WORK MAY BE NEEDED
Mileage: 169,000
20161220UNKNOWN OR OTHER
DUE TO CORROSION, BOTH REAR SUB MEMBER AND FRONT CRADLE ARE ROTTING OUT AND MUST BE REPLACED. VEHICLE IS UNSAFE. ONCE REPLACED, OTHER WORK MAY BE NEEDED
Mileage: 169,000
20161103ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
VEHICLE I MISSING AND I HAD TO FILE A POLICE REPORT FOR A STOLEN VEHICLE.
Mileage: 140,000
20161103VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE I MISSING AND I HAD TO FILE A POLICE REPORT FOR A STOLEN VEHICLE.
Mileage: 140,000
20161103UNKNOWN OR OTHER
VEHICLE I MISSING AND I HAD TO FILE A POLICE REPORT FOR A STOLEN VEHICLE.
Mileage: 140,000
20160824AIR BAGS
THE CAR DON'T START. MY SEATBELT SHREDDING AND I WORRY THAT MY AIR BAG WON'T WORK IF MY CHILDREN AND I GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT
20160824ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE CAR DON'T START. MY SEATBELT SHREDDING AND I WORRY THAT MY AIR BAG WON'T WORK IF MY CHILDREN AND I GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT
20160824SEAT BELTS
THE CAR DON'T START. MY SEATBELT SHREDDING AND I WORRY THAT MY AIR BAG WON'T WORK IF MY CHILDREN AND I GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT
20160212CrashSERVICE BRAKES
WHILE SLOWING DOWN & APPLIED BRAKES AT A STOP SIGN, THE CAR INSTEAD SUDDENLY ACCELERATED CROSSING FOUR LANES OF TRAFFIC AND ULTIMATELY SLAMMING INTO A TREE.
20130703ENGINE
THIS CAR HAD BEEN REPAIRED ALMOST EVERY YEAR SINCE I OWNED THIS CAR IN SEPTEMBER 2004. HAD A SUDDEN OVERHEAT PROBLEM RECENTLY. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS DAMAGED OR WORE OUT. DID NOT REPAIR THE CAR. THE CAR HAS 131,000 MILES. *TR
Mileage: 131,000
20130703POWER TRAIN
THIS CAR HAD BEEN REPAIRED ALMOST EVERY YEAR SINCE I OWNED THIS CAR IN SEPTEMBER 2004. HAD A SUDDEN OVERHEAT PROBLEM RECENTLY. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME ENGINE HEAD GASKET WAS DAMAGED OR WORE OUT. DID NOT REPAIR THE CAR. THE CAR HAS 131,000 MILES. *TR
Mileage: 131,000
20100211VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE GAS PEDAL STIFF AND NEED TO BE PRESSED HARD WHEN STARTING THE CAR AND BEFORE 200 YARDS OF DRIVING. *TR
Mileage: 198,200
20100211FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THE GAS PEDAL STIFF AND NEED TO BE PRESSED HARD WHEN STARTING THE CAR AND BEFORE 200 YARDS OF DRIVING. *TR
Mileage: 198,200
20090804VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
SUN VISOR - IT KEEPS FALLING DOWN IN MY LINE OF VISION. (WON'T STAY UP AT ALL). ON DRIVERS SIDE. NUMEROUS OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND IT COSTS ABOUT $400 TO REPLACE! I THINK IT'S A MANUFACTURERS PROBLEM. *TR
20090616EXTERIOR LIGHTING
I OWN A 1997 NISSAN ALTIMA. I HAVE PUT IN NEW HEADLIGHTS BUT THEY ARE STILL VERY VERY DIM.. I HAD MY LENS CLEANED PROFESSIONALLY AND STILL THEY ARE DIM. I SEE THERE IS A ISSUE WITH THE AMBER THING IN THE HEADLIGHTS. IS THIS A FACTORY RECALL? I AM UNEMPLOYED AND ON DISABILITY, SO MY INCOME IS VERY VERY LOW. THIS IS EXTREMELY! *TR
20090430CrashAIR BAGS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE AT A RED LIGHT ON NOVEMBER 5, 2008, THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE TRAVELED DOWN AN EMBANKMENT AND ROLLED OVER. SHE SUSTAINED INJURIES AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE NISSAN MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THEY HAVE NOT RESPONDED IN OVER FOUR MONTHS. THE CONTACT WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT IN THE VEHICLE AND SHE WAS WEARING HER SEAT BELT AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000. UPDATED 05/20/09.*JB
Mileage: 140,000
20080327CrashUNKNOWN OR OTHER
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE AND HAS CAUSED HEAD ON AND SIDE CRASHES. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE CRASHES INTO OTHER VEHICLES HEAD ON. THE CAUSE OF THE CRASHES WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 106,000.
Mileage: 106,000
20060811SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING FRACTURED AND PENETRATED THE INNER SIDEWALL OF THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE EXTREMELY CORRODED. THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS EXPOSED TO EXCESSIVE ROAD SALTS AND EXTREME WINTER WEATHER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED.
Mileage: 66,122
Compare 1997NissanAltima to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
PE07026Preliminary EvaluationClosed
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE
RQ06001Recall QueryClosed
ENGINE STALL - CRANK POSITION SENSOR
PE02078Preliminary EvaluationClosed
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
EA02020Engineering AnalysisClosed
DRIVER'S AIR BAG SYSTEM FAILURE
EA01015Engineering AnalysisClosed
PASSENGER AIR BAG-RELATED FACIAL/EYE INJ
Vehicle Safety Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 Nissan Altima have?▼
The 1997 Nissan Altima has 141 NHTSA complaints, 40 crashes, 7 fires, 31 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Nissan Altima?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 Nissan Altima is AIR BAGS with 18 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS:FRONTAL and UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
Is the 1997 Nissan Altima 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.
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 Altima; 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.