1997 Nissan Maxima Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Maxima years
- About as many complaints as other years 18th of 29 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 102 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Nissan Maxima. That ranks 18th out of 29 Maxima model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (39 complaints, 38%), typically at around 94,000 miles. Complaints mention 7 crashes, 16 fires, 7 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 102owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 7complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Nissan Maxima problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 39 | 38% | 94,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 12 | 12% | 84,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 10 | 10% | 64,139 | — | — |
| Structure | 7 | 7% | 99,250 | — | — |
| Suspension | 7 | 7% | 32,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 6 | 6% | 75,673 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 5 | 5% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 4% | 81,500 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 4 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 4 | 4% | 110,446 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 3% | 85,892 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 2% | 138,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 2% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 1% | 98,750 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 138,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Nissan Maxima recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system:alternator/generator/regulator
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, one of the diodes used in the alternator may have been damaged when built. This can eventually result in failure of the diode and an electrical short which could melt the plastic housing.
Risk: If the combustible gas emitted by the melting plastic does not disperse due to air flow through the engine compartment, it could ignite and in turn ignite the fan guide in the alternator.
Fix: Dealers will replace the alternator. Owner notification began july 29, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261 or infiniti at 1-800-662-6200.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Alternator fires (PE02034) — opened Mar 15, 2002, closed Jul 22, 2002, led to recall 02V171000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Abs lights flashed on and off several times. Then solid brake light came on. Car gave off a strange smell. Turned off car. Parked car in the street. 2 hours later the police alerted us that the car was on fire. The engine bay was completely engulfed in flames. Fire department was called and they…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 nissan maxima. The contact stated that smoke was emitting from the engine compartment on several occasions. The contact indicated the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician indicated that the alternator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not…
1997 nissan maxima. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle electrical system recall *tgw the consumer stated his vehicle should have been included in the recall, because he experienced the same problem as other nissan's that were recalled. *jb
In the beginning i noticed it took me a couple times to start vehicle and it would loose power at certain stops or when i slowed down or came to a stop. And as time i felt it jerk and pull at times when i was not driving too fast this continued and then it was one day that it does not want to start…
The lower radiator support for the 1995-1999 nissan maxima. The lower radiator support supports the radiator, condenser, and the engine support beam. The lower radiator support starts to rust from the inside of the beam and eventually rusts all the way out causing the radiator and the condenser to…
Other Nissan Maxima years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 Maxima | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 Maxima | 5 | 0 |
| 2021 Maxima | 3 | 0 |
| 2020 Maxima | 22 | 1 |
| 2019 Maxima | 18 | 1 |
| 2018 Maxima | 36 | 2 |
| 2017 Maxima | 106 | 4 |
| 2016 Maxima | 142 | 8 |
| 2015 Maxima | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 Maxima | 96 | 0 |
| 2013 Maxima | 62 | 0 |
| 2012 Maxima | 107 | 0 |
| 2011 Maxima | 106 | 0 |
| 2010 Maxima | 275 | 1 |
| 2009 Maxima | 339 | 1 |
| 2008 Maxima | 79 | 0 |
| 2007 Maxima | 129 | 1 |
| 2006 Maxima | 576 | 2 |
| 2005 Maxima | 948 | 2 |
| 2004 Maxima | 1,426 | 2 |
| 2003 Maxima | 206 | 3 |
| 2002 Maxima | 205 | 6 |
| 2001 Maxima | 172 | 3 |
| 2000 Maxima | 360 | 0 |
| 1999 Maxima | 165 | 0 |
| 1998 Maxima | 113 | 1 |
| 1997 | 102 | 1 |
| 1996 Maxima | 96 | 0 |
| 1995 Maxima | 152 | 0 |
See all Nissan Maxima problems by year, every Nissan model, or the Nissan VIN decoder.
Similar Nissan models
Embed this 1997 Nissan Maxima badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Nissan Maxima?
Owners most often report electrical system, engine and engine cooling, air bags problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 39 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Nissan Maxima?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 Nissan Maxima a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Maxima model years, the 1997 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.