Most common 1997 Nissan Altima problems
Share of the 108 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Nissan Altima complaints by model year
Best Altima years: 2022, 2025, 2023. Years to avoid: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2009, 2002. Compare all years →
1997 Nissan Altima recalls (1)
Seat belts › Front › Buckle assembly
Certain buckle assemblies were produced with a "buckle base" that was improperly heat treated. This can cause the "buckle base" to be brittle failing to comply to FMVSS no. 209, "seat belt assemblies."
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the buckle assemblies and replace them if necessary.
What 1997 Nissan Altima owners say
Air bags all 35 →
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
Tl 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.
Electrical system
Rear brake lights failure- both sides- first left then right- replaced went out again soon after. Lights on heater gauges failed. Cigarette lighter "female part" pulls out of dash when you take the lighter out. Passenger door panel came off-keeps the doors from unlocking- tried to fix it and ended up being locked in my car in the rain for an hour. Back passenger side seat belt was jammed. Also odometer is jammed-has never been tampered with. Was bringing my husband to work and I know that it is a 10 mile drive-none of the numbers rolled over. Works when it wants to.
Car will not start when the temperature falls below freezing. The dealer has tried to correct the problem and on two occasions has replaced the battery and the distributor. Both did not solve the problem. I believe the problem lines with the fuel line. The dealer cannot figure out what is wrong. The second failure are the two seals on the rear tailights which have resulted in water damage to the trunk.
Brakes
My 97 Nissan Altima(milelage: 66K) runs perfectly expect that occasionally once I press the brake tightly and the car stop totally, the car accelerates suddently and rush forward, I have to repress the brake very quickly to stop it again. Since this January it happened twice. First time I almost hit the car in front of me and I thought the reason is that I didn't press the brake tightly. For the second time, I was quite sure I pressed the brake firmly and stop at a stop line, but suddently the car rushed out and crashed in another car. I've already had a brake system check and couldn't find any problem. I paid more than $2,000 for the car I crashed but I feel very underserved, and I don't know where to complain. And also I hope my case could supply some useful information for your database, that's the reason I write to you. Thank you so much! Sincerely, li qiang .
Airbag - driver's side airbag did not deploy in 35mph head-on crash. Driver was severely injured. Brakes - brakes did not adequately stop the vehicle in 35mph head-on crash. Driver was severely injured. Transmission - transmission constantly slips, takes few minutes to engage from reverse to drive. Engine - engine won't start at random. Dealer findds no problems. Has happened 3 times since purchased vehicle.
1997 Nissan Altima engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 28 / 24 |
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Nissan Altima a good car?
Based on 108 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Altima rates better than average: 74% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Altima at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Nissan Altima?
The air bags — 35 complaints, 32% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the electrical system (14) and brakes (9).
How many recalls does the 1997 Nissan Altima have?
There is 1 recall for the 1997 Nissan Altima, the most recent from October 10, 1996 (buckle assembly). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Nissan Altima?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2022, 2025 and 2023. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2009 and 2002. See the full Nissan Altima years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Nissan Altima problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 96,000 miles; 10% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.