10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
53,320 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1997 Nissan Altima miscellaneous problems

miscellaneous problem

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1997 Nissan Altima Owner Comments

problem #9

Dec 012016

Altima

  • 169,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Due to corrosion, both rear sub member and front cradle are rotting out and must be replaced. Vehicle is unsafe. Once replaced, other work may be needed

- Lynnfield, MA, USA

problem #8

Sep 102016

Altima

  • 140,000 miles
Vehicle I missing and I had to file a police report for a stolen vehicle.

- National City, CA, USA

problem #7

Feb 012008

Altima 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 106,000 miles
The contact owns a 1997 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that his vehicle is defective and has caused head on and side crashes. While driving 25 mph, the vehicle crashes into other vehicles head on. The cause of the crashes were unknown. The current and failure mileages were 106,000.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #6

Aug 152004

Altima

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Rear brake lights failure- both sides- first left then right- replaced went out again soon after. Lights on heater gauges failed. Cigarette lighter "female part" pulls out of dash when you take the lighter out. Passenger door panel came off-keeps the doors from unlocking- tried to fix it and ended up being locked in my car in the rain for an hour. Back passenger side seat belt was jammed. Also odometer is jammed-has never been tampered with. Was bringing my husband to work and I know that it is a 10 mile drive-none of the numbers rolled over. Works when it wants to.

- Cincinnati, OH, USA

problem #5

Sep 052003

Altima 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
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.

- Pinellas Park, FL, USA

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problem #4

Jul 092003

Altima 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 64,878 miles
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.

- Starke, FL, USA

problem #3

Jun 132003

Altima

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I would like to complain that car manufacturers are getting away with installing straight cam bolts on the new cars, which force you to purchase adjustable cam bolts when the car needs alignment. It has ruined two sets of tires before a mechanic finally told me what was needed and than it was over $300 for the cam bolts to be installed. This is an unfair parts practice by the manufacturers. No one was hurt but my tires were in danger of tread separation because of this.

- Palm Bay, FL, USA

problem #2

Feb 022000

Altima

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
I had a severe problem moving the transmission from park to drive. The shift box is positioned directly under the drink holder. The Nissan repair department looked at the soda residue and told me that I would have to replace the shift box for $350. I refused and they made an unauthorized charge to my credit card for $40. I sprayed a drop of cleaner and the shift has worked flawlessly ever since. Nissan stole the $40.

- Hicksville, NY, USA

problem #1

Feb 071998

Altima

  • miles
No summary listed for abov evehicle.

- New York, NY, USA

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