Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1997 Nissan Altima, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags35
- Electrical system14
- Unknown or other9
- Structure8
- Service brakes, hydraulic8
- Power train8
- Seat belts8
- Engine and engine cooling7
- Suspension7
- Visibility6
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 24 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 8 1997 Altima vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 6 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1997 Nissan Altima failed the safety check 1.69% of the time — 6% more often than the average 1997 passenger car (1.60%). Median odometer at inspection: 118,943 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 10.0–11.0 L/100 km (about 21–24 mpg US), CO₂ 230–253 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altima · Compact · Regular gasoline | 11.3 | 8.5 | 10.0 |
| Altima · Compact · Regular gasoline | 12.7 | 8.9 | 11.0 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 1997 Nissan Altima.
| 1996157 3 Oct 1996 | Seats And Restraints THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S. 209 - SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES. THE BUCKLE BASE IN THE REAR SEAT ASSEMBLY DOES NOT MEET THE STRENGTH REQUIREMENTS OF T… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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."
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Nissan told its dealers about the 1997 Nissan Altima: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 632164 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISED THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR (TPS) ADJUSTMENT PROCEDURE. *TT |
| 631971 | INFORMATION ON NISSAN REVISED TPS ADJUSTMENT PROCDURE. *SLC |
| 631766 | INFORMATION REGARDING ESSENTIAL TOOL: THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR TEST CONNECTOR. *SLC |
| 629210 | SEAT BELT LATCH PLATE RETAINING BUTTON MISSING. *TT |
| 607626 | CONCERNS WITH THE FRONT SEAT BELT LATCH PLATE STOPPER BUTTON MISSING. *TT |
| 606182 | KEY VALUE BRAKE PAD SERVICE INFORMATION. *TT |
| 605769 | INFORMATION REGARDING VEHICLES WITH MIL 'ON'; DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0100 (MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR) STORED IN ECM. *TT |
| 605768 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT MIL 'ON'; DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE (DTC) P0130 AND / OR P0136. *TT |
| 604411 | VEHICLE WITHIN VARIOUS VIN RANGES MAY EXHIBIT MISFIRE OR RUNNING ROUGHLY DUE TO SPARK PLUG WIRE(S). *TT |
| 604302 | EXPERIENCING COOLANT LEAKAGE FROM INTAKE COLLECTOR HOSE FITTING. *TT |
| 604301 | SERVICE INFORMATION ON KEY VALUE BRAKE PADS. *TT |
| 603261 | INFORMATION ON F04 AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE SOLENOID VALVE ASSEMBLY. *YC |
| 603251 | SOME VEHICLES BUILT BEFORE 1N4DL01D0WC150648 MAY EXHIBIT EXCESSIVE TIMING CHAIN NOISE. *YC |
| 602818 | VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT ON WITH DTCS P0120, P0510, P0731, P0732 OR P0733 WITH NO DRIVEABILITY INCIDENTS. *YC |
| 601863 | HVAC BLOWER MOTOR NOISE. *YC |
| 601731 | INFORMATION ON MIL 'ON' DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0100 STORED IN ECM. *YC |
| 601722 | VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN ON AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE SOLENOID VALVE ASSEMBLY. *YC |
| 600972 | EXPERIENCING A OIL LEAK AT FRONT OF ENGINE. *YC |
| 600624 | VEHICLES BUILT BEFORE 1N4BU31D - VC138483 MAY EXPERIENCE POOR AIR CONDITIONING (A/C) PERFORMANCE. *YC |
| 600364 | VEHICLE EXPERIENCING EXHAUST ODOR. *YC |
| 54362 | VEHICLE SECURITY SYSTEM (VSS) REMOTE CONTROLLER IS DIFFICULT TO PROGRAM. *YC |
| 54361 | BRIEF INFORMATION ON A/T COOLER HOSE. *YC |
| 54272 | SERVICE INFORMATION REGARDING REAR WHEEL ARCH CORROSION REPAIR. *YC |
| 53573 | INFORMATION ON ALTIMA SERVICE MANUAL SUPPLEMENT. *YC |
| 52171 | DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURE FOR P0731, P0732 & P0733 (A/T SIGNALS) WITH NO DRIVEABILITY INCIDENTS. *JD |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)