IllustrationI WAS DRIVING MY 1997 NISSAN SENTRA XE HIT A SMALL BUMP GOING AT A LOW SPEED AND MY DUAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED BUSTING MY WINDSHIELD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND ON THE DRIVERS SIDE IT HIT ME IN THE FACE WHILE I WAS DRIVING CAUSING BRUISING AROUND MY RIGHT EYE. *TR
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
What owners actually said
108 reportsTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 NISSAN SENTRA. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING DIFFERENTLY. WHEN HE EXAMINED THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE WAS FLAT. THE TIRE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS THE VALVE STEM. THE TIRE WAS REPLAC…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 NISSAN SENTRA. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING DIFFERENTLY. WHEN HE EXAMINED THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE WAS FLAT. THE TIRE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS THE VALVE STEM. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 73,943.
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 FRON…
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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!*JB
MY WIFE WAS DRIVING A 1997 NISSAN SENTRA. AND SHE HAD A FRONTAL ACCIDENT GOING ABOUT 35/40 MPH AND THE FRONT AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CAR IS NOW TOTALED AND SHE HAS A WHIPLASH BECAUSE OF THE DEFECT. *JB
DT: THE VEHICLE'S WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE. WHEN THE WIPERS WERE IN USE THEY WOULD STOP CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. *NM
NHTSA RECALL 98V093000. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE WIPER MOTOR RECALL DUE TO VIN ALTHOUGH IT EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT WERE MENTIONED IN THE RECALL. *AK WHILE DRIVING IN SNOW/SLEET THE WIPER STOPPED FUNCTIONING WHICH CAUSED REDUCED VISIBILITY. *NM
THERE'S A GAP ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BUMPER WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. THE GAP PROGRESSED AND BECAME WIDER. THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES AND IN SOME CASES THE BUMPER SEPARATED AND FELL OFF THE VEHICLE. *AK *NM *TC UPDATED 04/19/06
WHILE DRIVING AND TURNING, THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. IT VIBRATED SEVERELY. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND REPLACED IT. HOWEVE…
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WHILE DRIVING AND TURNING, THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. IT VIBRATED SEVERELY. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE RACK AND PINION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND REPLACED IT. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK *SC
WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO ENGAGE. HUSBAND DIAGNOSED WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEM, POWER TO WIPER MOTOR WAS OKAY, CONTINUED TO TROUBLESHOOT, FOUND WIPER ARM CONTROL SEPERATED FROM WIPER MOTOR. SEEMS LIKE THE SAME ISSUE THE RECALL 98V093000 PERTAINED TO. HUSBAND LUBRICATED BALL JOINT, AND SQUEEZED SOCKET TO BALL BACK TOGETHER. N…
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WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO ENGAGE. HUSBAND DIAGNOSED WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEM, POWER TO WIPER MOTOR WAS OKAY, CONTINUED TO TROUBLESHOOT, FOUND WIPER ARM CONTROL SEPERATED FROM WIPER MOTOR. SEEMS LIKE THE SAME ISSUE THE RECALL 98V093000 PERTAINED TO. HUSBAND LUBRICATED BALL JOINT, AND SQUEEZED SOCKET TO BALL BACK TOGETHER. NO PROBLEMS SINCE REPAIR.*AK
I 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
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.