Most common 1997 Nissan Sentra problems
Share of the 108 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Nissan Sentra complaints by model year
Best Sentra years: 2023, 2024. Years to avoid: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2020, 2016. Compare all years →
1997 Nissan Sentra recalls (3)
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Linkages
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.
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.
Exterior lighting › Tail lights
These vehicles do not meet the illumination requirements of FMVSS no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
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.
Structure › Body › Door
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.
Remedy: Dealers will install the missing pad in each rear door.
What 1997 Nissan Sentra owners say
Air bags all 33 →
Was driving home from work on the freeway doing about 70 MPH when there was a wreck on the hwy, to avoid further collisions up to 5 cars in front of me locked up their brakes, the truck in front of me locked up his brakes, & I locked up my brakes, & my front end went down, my brakes locked up, my car slid under the truck in front of me, & neither air-bag deployed! My front end buckled up I count 3 failures, the brakes being 1st, 2nd, & 3rd being air bags. (drivers, & passenger. There has not yet been any action to correct the failure, this is the first thing my wife has done. I did have a passenger in my car, & being as I rear-ended the truck in front of me I am having to pay for damages. Minor compared to the damage to my car. No deaths but both were pretty banged up!
Have a 1997 Nissan Sentra 1.6 x e four-door sedan. This morning starting the vehicle I noticed the airbag light stayed on and begin to blank and would not shut off after further inspection I realize that no one had made any contact with my vehicle sitting in my driveway the vehicle is at 227xxx miles but I would never expect for a safety restraint system to expire or malfunction I really hope that Nissan takes this into consideration.
Windows, wipers & sunroof all 23 →
This complaint is regard to the voluntary recall on the '97 Nissan Sentra's wiper seal. When I contacted the dealer and then the 1-800 Nissan customer service line I was told that the recall didn't apply to my vehicle despite the fact that it falls within the range of numbers given on Nissan's own website (clipped from web page - [redacted]to [redacted] (Sentra) with a VIN#[redacted]. I purchased this as a used vehicle and so it is not unreasonable to expect that the wipers could have failed through normal wear and tear. However, I would like a better explanation as to why the recall doesn't apply when by all indications on Nissan's own web site it appears to apply. Updated 07/26/2012
(1) it was a light rain. The wiper is in the lowest setting. Both wipers stopped working. I can hear the wiper motor running but the wipers doesn't operate. (2) as it was no raining hard, I was still able to drive vehicle safely home. I found there is a recall for the windshield wiper/washer:linkages for 1997 Nissan Sentra. (3) contacted Nissan about the problem because I have never receive a recall notice but I am told the recall doesn't applied to my VIN number. I took the vehicle to a Nissan dealership repair shop. They replaced the wiper transmission which consists of the pivot-assy-wipe(r), and 2 link assy-conne(ctor). The old parts are unavailable.
Brakes
Was driving home from work on the freeway doing about 70 MPH when there was a wreck on the hwy, to avoid further collisions up to 5 cars in front of me locked up their brakes, the truck in front of me locked up his brakes, & I locked up my brakes, & my front end went down, my brakes locked up, my car slid under the truck in front of me, & neither air-bag deployed! My front end buckled up I count 3 failures, the brakes being 1st, 2nd, & 3rd being air bags. (drivers, & passenger. There has not yet been any action to correct the failure, this is the first thing my wife has done. I did have a passenger in my car, & being as I rear-ended the truck in front of me I am having to pay for damages. Minor compared to the damage to my car. No deaths but both were pretty banged up!
Going down hill at approx 15-30 miles per hour,brakes smoke/ overheat/ burn squeek. Have had to shop twice in last week. Just got car last week, no other problems. Would like to have them safety checked and replaced if needed. Have appointment again for next Monday, just hope all will work out. Wanted to know of others with same brake problem, and poor gas milage, that has to relate in some way to break system.
1997 Nissan Sentra engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 25 / 35 / 29 |
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 23 / 33 / 27 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 29 / 24 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 21 / 28 / 23 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Nissan Sentra a good car?
Based on 108 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Sentra rates average: 26% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Sentra 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 Sentra?
The air bags — 33 complaints, 31% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the windows, wipers & sunroof (23) and brakes (15).
How many recalls does the 1997 Nissan Sentra have?
There are 3 recalls for the 1997 Nissan Sentra, the most recent from May 5, 1998 (linkages). 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 Sentra?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2023 and 2024. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2020 and 2016. See the full Nissan Sentra years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Nissan Sentra problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 110,000 miles; 25% 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.