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#BS-1997-NISALT-73F9

1997 Nissan Altima

Based on reports from 141 owners and 3 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
141
Crashes
40
Fires
7
Recalls
3
TSBs
53
🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 141 complaints, 40 crashes, 7 fires, and 3 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

shakes at idle

2 complaints • Severity 6/10

$X,XXX
2

door will not open

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
3

gas pedal stops working car dies

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the AirbagsHIGH

18 owners reported airbags issues — failures commonly reported around 120K miles.

!Inspect the Air Bags:frontalMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

1
0–30K
4
30–60K
6
60–90K
2
90–120K
8
120–150K
6
150K+

Peak failure range: 120–150K miles (8 reports) • Median: 120K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Airbags (18 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Airbags18 (13%)
Air Bags:frontal16 (11%)
Other9 (6%)
Power Train:automatic Transmission5 (4%)
Speed Control4 (3%)
Electrical System:wiring:fuses And Circuit Breakers3 (2%)
Structure:body:door3 (2%)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip3 (2%)

1997 Nissan Altima: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Airbags Issues

Airbags complaints account for 13% of all reports filed for the 1997 Nissan Altima, with 18 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 120,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 120K-mile mark.

Air Bags:frontal Issues

Air Bags:frontal complaints account for 11% of all reports filed for the 1997 Nissan Altima, with 16 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to air bags:frontal-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Power Train:automatic Transmission Issues

Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints account for 4% of all reports filed for the 1997 Nissan Altima, with 5 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to power train:automatic transmission-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Speed Control Issues

Speed Control complaints account for 3% of all reports filed for the 1997 Nissan Altima, with 4 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to speed control-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

18
00
8
01
15
02
14
03
9
04
4
05
2
06
1
08
3
09
2
10
2
13
10
16
1
20

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1997 Nissan Altima. Recent trend: decreasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (3 recalls)

06E026000Apr 2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

10E002000Mar 2010

SUSPENSION

RIDE CONTROL IS RECALLING CERTAIN FRONT STRUT MOUNTS BRANDED AS GABRIEL RIDE CONTROL OR ARVINMERITOR, P/NOS. 142435, 142193, 142305, 142303, SOLD AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE AFFECTED FRONT STRUT MOUNTS DID NOT CONTAIN A WELD JOINT BETWEEN THE BEARING HOUSING AND THE RATE PLATE.

96V185000Oct 1996

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

CERTAIN BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES WERE PRODUCED WITH A "BUCKLE BASE" THAT WAS IMPROPERLY HEAT TREATED. THIS CAN CAUSE THE "BUCKLE BASE" TO BE BRITTLE FAILING TO COMPLY TO FMVSS NO. 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES."

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

Unlock

The worst model year for the Nissan Altima is the 2013 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 141 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 3 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Nissan Altima Model Years

202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993
View all Nissan Altima years →

1997 Nissan Altima: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1997 Nissan Altima?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1997 Nissan Altima is related to the airbags, with 18 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1997 Nissan Altima reliable?
The 1997 Nissan Altima has 141 complaints, 40 crash reports, and 7 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.
How much does it cost to fix 1997 Nissan Altima problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 1997 Nissan Altima have any recalls?
Yes, the 1997 Nissan Altima has 3 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Nissan Altima problems start?
Based on 27 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 120,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 120–150K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 141 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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