NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
108 reports58,000 miles · Jan 7, 2004
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury
MY SON WAS IN A HEAD ON CRASH IN MY VEHICLE. HE WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN HE HIT THE BACK OF ANOTHER CAR. HIS AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY NOR DID HIS SEATBELT LOCK. HIS CHIN HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. HIS HEAD AND HAND BOTH WENT INTO THE WINDSHIELD WHICH IS CRACKED. HE WAS DRIVING A 1997 NISSAN ALTIMA. I ALSO HAVE PHOTOS …
Read full complaint
MY SON WAS IN A HEAD ON CRASH IN MY VEHICLE. HE WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN HE HIT THE BACK OF ANOTHER CAR. HIS AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY NOR DID HIS SEATBELT LOCK. HIS CHIN HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. HIS HEAD AND HAND BOTH WENT INTO THE WINDSHIELD WHICH IS CRACKED. HE WAS DRIVING A 1997 NISSAN ALTIMA. I ALSO HAVE PHOTOS OF THE CAR AND THE WINDSHIELD.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10052605
80,000 miles · Dec 22, 2003
Exterior Lighting
HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY HAS BECOMES CLOUDY AND MAKES THE LIGHTS VERY DIM AND HARD TO SEE WITH AT NIGHT.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10050955
50,000 miles · Dec 4, 2003
Air BagsCrash
WHILE WAITING FOR A RED LIGHT TO CHANGE TO A GREEN LIGHT, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END AND SIDE IMPACT ACCIDENT. BOTH IMPACTS WERE ABOUT 35 TO 45 MPH, AND NEITHER OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS ISSUED. *PH *MR
NHTSA ODI #10050087
120,000 miles · Oct 30, 2003
Fuel System, GasolineFire
A MALFUNCTION WITHIN FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM CAUSED VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10046090
88,839 miles · Oct 23, 2003
Vehicle Speed ControlCrash
WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE, I HAD MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND WAS GETTING READY TO BRAKE, THE CAR ACCELERATED, JUMPED A CURB AND HIT A CONCRETE POST. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY EITHER.
NHTSA ODI #10043486
Mileage unknown · Sep 25, 2003
TiresUnknown Or Other
I PURCHASED A 1997 NISSAN ALTIMA USED WITH 15K MILES IN 1998, IT NOW HAS ABOUT 47K MILES, THE OTHER MORNING WHEN I WENT TO MY CAR THE PAINT WAS COMING OFF, I THOUGHT THAT SOMEONE HAD SCRAPED THE PAINT OFF THE HOOD OF MY CAR, I CALLED MY INS. CO AND THE REFERRED ME TO A DEALER. HE TOOK ONE LOOK AND SAID THAT THE TOP COAT WAS PEE…
Read full complaint
I PURCHASED A 1997 NISSAN ALTIMA USED WITH 15K MILES IN 1998, IT NOW HAS ABOUT 47K MILES, THE OTHER MORNING WHEN I WENT TO MY CAR THE PAINT WAS COMING OFF, I THOUGHT THAT SOMEONE HAD SCRAPED THE PAINT OFF THE HOOD OF MY CAR, I CALLED MY INS. CO AND THE REFERRED ME TO A DEALER. HE TOOK ONE LOOK AND SAID THAT THE TOP COAT WAS PEELING OFF THE PAINT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE SANDING AND IT WAS NOT COVERED BY MY INS. I HAVE HAD CAR MUCH OLDER THEN THIS ONE AND THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE, THEIR MUST BE A DEFECT IN THIS PAINT, IT IS COMPLETELY PEELING OFF AND IT HAPPENED ALMOST OVERNIGHT. I HAVE TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF THIS CAR, GETTING IT WASHED, WAXED & POLISHED. I WOULD APPRECIATE SOME TYPE OF COMPENSATION ON THIS PROBLEM AND A RESPONSE FROM NISSAN MFG.
NHTSA ODI #10039546
Mileage unknown · Aug 18, 2003
Tires
TOYO VEHICLE TIRE FAILED AT 15,000 MILES. STEEL BELTING BROKE OR SEPARATED, CAUSING A DANGEROUS BULGE IN SIDEWALL. THIS WAS A PREMIUM TIRE RATED FOR A 100,000 MILES. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10033079
Mileage unknown · Aug 11, 2003
Air Bags
FOIA FWD FM WEBMASTER REQUEST COPY OF ALL INFORMATION, DOCUMENTS, PHOTOS, DIAGRAMS, NOTES, CONSUMER COMPLAINTS TEST RESULTS, NHTSA FINDINGS FOR THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG ON THE 1997 NISSAN ALTIMA.*MR *CB *JB
NHTSA ODI #10033729
64,878 miles · Aug 8, 2003
Unknown Or Other
CAR CAM SHAFT BROKE TOOK IT TO DEALER TO BE REPAIRED THEY SAID THAT ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I ASKED WHAT CAUSED THE CAM SHAFT TO BREAK THEY SAID I HAVENT BEEN GETTING OIL CHANGES AND DID NOT TAKE CARE OF THE CAR. WHICH IS NOT THE CASE. I CALLED DEALERSHIP AND SPOKE WITH SERVICE MANAGER AND EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT I HAD ALL …
Read full complaint
CAR CAM SHAFT BROKE TOOK IT TO DEALER TO BE REPAIRED THEY SAID THAT ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I ASKED WHAT CAUSED THE CAM SHAFT TO BREAK THEY SAID I HAVENT BEEN GETTING OIL CHANGES AND DID NOT TAKE CARE OF THE CAR. WHICH IS NOT THE CASE. I CALLED DEALERSHIP AND SPOKE WITH SERVICE MANAGER AND EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT I HAD ALL MY SERVICES DONE WITH THEM HE LOOKED UP INFORMATION AND AGREED THAT I DID HAVE ALL SERVICE MAINTENCE DONE AT THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I HAVE ALL OF THE INVOICES TO PROVE THIS. I FEEL THAT DUE TO IMPROPER MAINTENANCE NEGLECT ON THEIR BEHALF IS THE REASON THIS HAPPENED. THEY REPLACED THE ENGINE WITH A USED ENGINE WHICH HAS 74,OOO MILES WHICH MEANS THIS ENGINE HAS MORE MILES THAN THE ORIGINAL ENGINE. THE TOTAL COST AT MY EXPENSE IS 2739.84. THIS USED ENGINE CARRIES A 90 DAYS WARRANTY ON PARTS ONLY. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT I PURCHASED THIS 1997 NISSAN ALTIMA GXE WHICH ONLY HAD 39513 MILES. THE CURRENT MILEAGE ON THIS VEHICLE IS 64,878. I FEEL I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY THE REPAIRS DUE TO THEIR IMPROPER MAINTENANCE.
NHTSA ODI #10031123
64,149 miles · Jul 26, 2003
THE LEFT REAR TAIL LIGHTS ARE LEAKING I HAD THE REPAIRED AT THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP, 2 WEEKS LATER THEY STARTED TO LEAK AGAIN. THE TRUNK IS RUSTED AT THE BOTTOM AND THE DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO GUARANTEE ON THE WORK, BUT AFTER LOOKING ON THE INTERNET AND TALKING TO OTHER PEOPLE I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM FOR 97 NISSAN …
Read full complaint
THE LEFT REAR TAIL LIGHTS ARE LEAKING I HAD THE REPAIRED AT THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP, 2 WEEKS LATER THEY STARTED TO LEAK AGAIN. THE TRUNK IS RUSTED AT THE BOTTOM AND THE DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO GUARANTEE ON THE WORK, BUT AFTER LOOKING ON THE INTERNET AND TALKING TO OTHER PEOPLE I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM FOR 97 NISSAN ALTIMAS.
NHTSA ODI #10029227
Illustration