IllustrationI OWN A 1997 NISSAN SENTRA THE MAIN SEAL AROUND THE HEAD GASKET LEAKS CAUSING OIL TO LEAK. PREVIOUS TO THIS I OWNED A NISSAN ALTIMA I THINK THE YEAR WAS 1993 THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. ALSO MY AIR BAG LIGHT CONSTANTLY BLINKS EVER SINCE I BOUGHT IT. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT
1997 Nissan Sentra
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Nissan Sentra do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 116.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sentra years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 24 of 108 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
26 crash reports1 fire reports17 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
6 reportsUPPER RADIATOR HOSE LEAKS AT EITHER POINT OF CONNECTION. COOLANT DRIPS DOWN DIRECTLY INTO ALTERNATOR SHORTING THE ALTERNATOR OUT. TRIED REPLACING OLD HOSE AND HOSE CLAMPS WITH A NEW HOSE AND NEW, HIGH QUALITY HOSE CLAMPS, BUT PROBLEM PERSISTED. SOLUTION: MADE OWN COVER TO PROTECT ALTERNATOR FROM COOLANT DRIPPING FROM LEAKY U…
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UPPER RADIATOR HOSE LEAKS AT EITHER POINT OF CONNECTION. COOLANT DRIPS DOWN DIRECTLY INTO ALTERNATOR SHORTING THE ALTERNATOR OUT. TRIED REPLACING OLD HOSE AND HOSE CLAMPS WITH A NEW HOSE AND NEW, HIGH QUALITY HOSE CLAMPS, BUT PROBLEM PERSISTED. SOLUTION: MADE OWN COVER TO PROTECT ALTERNATOR FROM COOLANT DRIPPING FROM LEAKY UPPER RADIATOR HOSE OUT OF SHEET METAL. BOLTED SHEET METAL COVER TO EXHAUST MANIFOLD. NOW IF THE UPPER RADIATOR HOSE LEAKS, THE COOLANT DRIPS ON SHEET METAL COVER AND RUNOFF GOES ELSEWHERE SAFELY. HAVEN'T HAD A PROBLEM SINCE. *LA
UPPER RADIATOR HOSE LEAKS AT EITHER CONNECTION. TRIED INSTALLING NEW RADIATOR HOSE AND BRAND NEW, HIGH QUALITY HOSE CLAMPS, BUT PROBLEM PERSISTED. COOLANT THEN DRIPS DOWN DIRECTLY INTO THE ALTERNATOR SHORTING THE ALTERNATOR OUT. SOLUTION: MAKE A COVER FOR ALTERNATOR OUT OF SHEET METAL, AND BOLT IT TO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD C…
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UPPER RADIATOR HOSE LEAKS AT EITHER CONNECTION. TRIED INSTALLING NEW RADIATOR HOSE AND BRAND NEW, HIGH QUALITY HOSE CLAMPS, BUT PROBLEM PERSISTED. COOLANT THEN DRIPS DOWN DIRECTLY INTO THE ALTERNATOR SHORTING THE ALTERNATOR OUT. SOLUTION: MAKE A COVER FOR ALTERNATOR OUT OF SHEET METAL, AND BOLT IT TO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD COVER. IF WATER DRIPS FROM THE ABOVE RADIATOR HOSE, THE COVER WILL PROTECT THE ALTERNATOR BY DIRECTING THE RUNOFF ELSEWHERE. *LA
CONTINUAL BRAKE FAILURE, DOOR LOCK MALFUNCTION, DEFOGGER, VISIBILITY WINDSHIELD WIPERS, ENGINE RELATED ISSUES, TIRES, GAS TANK. *NLM
POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE, CAUSED ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON. *YC
VEHICLE FAILS TO START ON OCCASIONS.
Official recalls
398V093000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:linkages
May 5, 1998
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN GRADUAL WEAR OVER A PERIOD OF TIME INSIDE THE JOINT THAT COULD LEAD TO THE SEPARATION OF THE WIPER LINKAGE ASSEMBLY FROM THE WIPER MOTOR LINKAGE AT THE BALL JOINT. A LOSS OF WINDSHIELD WIPER FUNCTION CAN RESULT IN THIS SEPARATION OCCURS.
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.
98V008000 · Exterior Lighting:tail Lights
Jan 21, 1998
THESE VEHICLES DO NOT MEET THE ILLUMINATION REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FOLLOWING VEHICLES MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT IS STOPPING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
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. IF AN OWNER SO DESIRES, A DEALERS CAN INSTALL THE LIGHT BULBS FOR THEM.
97V110000 · Structure:body:door
Jul 22, 1997
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, AN OCCUPANT WOULD NOT BE PROPERLY PROTECTED INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE MISSING PAD IN EACH REAR DOOR.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.