Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1997 Nissan Maxima, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system39
- Engine and engine cooling12
- Air bags10
- Suspension7
- Structure7
- Steering6
- Service brakes, hydraulic5
- Power train4
- Latches/locks/linkages4
- Fuel system, gasoline4
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 7 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 16 1997 Maxima vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 12 people died inside them, and 3 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 Maxima failed the safety check 1.58% of the time — 2% less often than the average 1997 passenger car (1.60%). Median odometer at inspection: 136,834 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the United Kingdom
4 cars built in 1997 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 13 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In Finland
18 of these cars first registered in 1997 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 305,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
121 1997 cars are on the New Zealand register.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 11.2 L/100 km (about 21 mpg US), CO₂ 258 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maxima · Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 12.9 | 9.3 | 11.2 |
| Maxima · Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 12.3 | 9.7 | 11.2 |
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 Maxima.
| 2002117 24 Jun 2002 | Electrical On certain vehicles one of the diodes used in the alternator may have been damaged when built. This can eventually result in failure of the diode and an electri… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, ONE OF THE DIODES USED IN THE ALTERNATOR MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED WHEN BUILT. THIS CAN EVENTUALLY RESULT IN FAILURE OF THE DIODE AND AN ELECTRICAL SHORT WHICH COULD MELT THE PLASTIC HOUSING.
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 Maxima: 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 |
| 631760 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISED MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES. *SLC |
| 629210 | SEAT BELT LATCH PLATE RETAINING BUTTON MISSING. *TT |
| 624064 | SUBJECT PERTAINING TO REVISED MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES.*JB |
| 624020 | INFORMATION ON VALVE SHIM LIFTER SET.*JB |
| 623162 | SERVICE INFORMATION REGARDING INNER TIE ROD WRENCHES. *SB |
| 614901 | ON APPLIED VEHICLES, THE POWER AUDIO ANTENNA IS INOPERATIVE, THE ANTENNA ASSEMBLY CIRCUIT BOARD MAY BE CORRODED DUE TO IMPROPER WATER DRAINAGE. *TT |
| 613977 | VEHICLES BUILT BEFORE JN1CA31D1YT746029 MAY EXHIBIT A ENGINE TIMING CHAIN NOISE. *TT |
| 613476 | SOME VEHICLE MAY EXHIBIT A GROAN OR HUMMING NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AFTER RELEASING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND MOVING FORWARD SLOWLY AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH (8 MPH). *TT |
| 610986 | CONCERNS WITH THE TRUCK LID POPPING OPEN. *TT |
| 610985 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY INDICATE THAT A LIGHT TICKING OR HUMMING NOISE CAN BE HEARD COMING FROM THE BLOWER MOTOR OF AN APPLIED VEHICLE WHEN THE MOTOR IS RUN AT LOW FAN SPEEDS. *TT |
| 610036 | SUBJECT REGARDING EGI HARNESS WIRE BREAKAGE DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR PROCEDURE. *TT |
| 609965 | NISSAN INTEGRATED HOMELINK TRANSMITTER SYSTEM USED TO ACTIVATE MOST ELECTRONIC GARAGE DOORS AND SECURTY GATES. *TT |
| 609961 | THIS BULLETINS STATES THAT THE SECOND SASH GUIDE WAS DELETED FROM THE SERVICE PART SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY, HOWEVER; DELETION OF THE SECOND SASH GUIDE DOES NOT AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY. *TT |
| 609956 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT SUNROOF BINDS; SUNROOF MOTOR RUNS BUT THE SUNROOF WILL NOT OPEN OR CLOSE; SUNROOF LEAKS. *TT |
| 607626 | CONCERNS WITH THE FRONT SEAT BELT LATCH PLATE STOPPER BUTTON MISSING. *TT |
| 606720 | INFORMATION REGARDING AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE OUTPUT GEAR WHINE (60 - 70 MPH). *TT |
| 606570 | VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A GROAN OR HUMMING NOISE FROM REAR AFTER RELEASING BRAKE PEDAL. *TT |
| 606182 | KEY VALUE BRAKE PAD SERVICE INFORMATION. *TT |
| 605012 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A WHINE NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN BETWEEN 60 AND 70 MPH, IN THIRD AND FOURTH GEAR. *TT |
| 604997 | EXHIBITING REAR BRAKE GROAN / HUMMING NOISE AFTER RELEASING BRAKE PEDAL. *TT |
| 604794 | REPAIR PROCEDURES FOR VEHICLES EXHIBITNG WIND NOISE. *TT |
| 604775 | SUBJECT REGARDING MISSING FRONT SEAT BELT LATCH PLATE RETAINING BUTTON. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
ALTERNATOR FIRES
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation