U.S. public vehicle records

1997 Nissan MAXIMA problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

87 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

85,696 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 30 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator is the most frequently named component, appearing in 26 of 87 complaints (29.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Electrical and battery issues	12	13.8%
Braking behavior	7	8.0%
Engine operation	6	6.9%
Transmission and shifting	3	3.4%
Steering behavior	2	2.3%
Fuel system concerns	2	2.3%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator

Electrical System

Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood

Air Bags

Engine And Engine Cooling

Air Bags:Frontal

Fuel System, Gasoline

Engine

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator	26
Electrical System	5
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood	5
Air Bags	4
Engine And Engine Cooling	4
Air Bags:Frontal	3
Fuel System, Gasoline	3
Engine	2

Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator: 26; Electrical System: 5; Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood: 5; Air Bags: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling: 4; Air Bags:Frontal: 3; Fuel System, Gasoline: 3; Engine: 2

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 2; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 6; 75,000 to 99,999: 11; 100,000 to 149,999: 10; 150,000 and above: 0

75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (11). 57 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2014

2018

2000: 8; 2001: 11; 2002: 16; 2003: 15; 2004: 13; 2005: 8; 2006: 2; 2007: 1; 2008: 3; 2009: 2; 2010: 2; 2011: 3; 2012: 1; 2014: 1; 2018: 1

Pattern summary

Electrical System:Alternator/Generator/Regulator leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 12 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 7 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 6 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10001272 · 2002-12-20 (December 20, 2002)

FOG LIGHTS, BELTS, TRUNK RELEASE, ALTERNATOR, ELECTRICAL WIRING, AND BATTERY. THE CONSUMER HAD TO HAVE NEW FOG LIGHT INSTALLED BECAUSE THE OLD ONES HAD BROWN MOISTURE IN THE LIGHT. THE TRUNK RELEASE STOPPED WORKING AND AS A RESULT THE TRUNK COULD ONLY BE OPENED WITH THE KEY. THE VEHICLE'S ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD ELECTRICAL WIRING PROBLEMS. AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE MADE THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE REGARDING THE ALTERNATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AGAIN BUT REFUSED TO …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001272 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10003872 · 2003-01-23 (January 23, 2003)

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL UNDERHOOD/ENGINE/ALTERNATOR PROBLEMS. RECALL# 02V171000 SCC

Owner-reported narrative. 63,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003872 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10030942 · 2003-08-06 (August 6, 2003)

REAR BRAKES/CALIPERS AND DISCS OVERHEATED, HAD BEEN SERVICED 3 TIMES IN 1 MONTH FOR NEW BRAKES TWICE. BRAKES HAVE BURNED UP WITH CALIPERS WHICH LOCKED, AND HAVE ALMOST GONE ON FIRE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 52,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10030942 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10072953 · 2004-05-21 (May 21, 2004)

I HAVE ALWAYS KEPT THE MAINTENANCE CURRENT ON MY CAR ON A REGULAR BASIS. OVER THE PAST MONTH I HAVE STARTED HEARING A NOISE FROM THE REAR OF MY CAR. AFTER HAVING IT LOOKED AT BY THE LOCAL DEALER I WAS INFORMED THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE PARKING BRAKE NOT RELEASING AND ALLOWING THE TIRE TO TURN FREELY. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT A MEMO FROM NISSAN WAS RECENTLY RECEIVED STATING THIS HAS BECOME A KNOWN PROBLEM. NOW I AM BEING TOLD MY CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND I WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 98,750 miles reported. Look up ODI 10072953 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10069220 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)

THE CAR STALLS OUT AND PROBLEMS WITH RESTARTING THE ENGINE. THE NISSAN DEALER SAID IT IS DUE TO A WIRING HARNESS PROBLEM AND WOULD COST $1600.00 FOR THE HARNESS AND $700.00 FOR INSTALLATION. I BELIEVE THAT A WIRING HARNESS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED UNLESS THERE WERE AN INHERENT PROBLEM WITH THE HARNESS. PLEASE ADVISE. THANK YOU.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10069220 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10103436 · 2004-12-09 (December 9, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONSUMER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE ALTERNATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10103436 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10030231 · 2003-07-28 (July 28, 2003)

CLICKING NOISE FROM MY 1997 NISSAN MAXIMA 5 - SPEED ODOMETER. SHIFTING PROBLEMS, NO CRUISE CONTROL AND NO MPH READING OR ODOMETER READING AFTER CLICKING STOPPED. SHIFTING COMPLETELY FAILED AFTER ABOUT A MONTH. MECHANIC THAT FIXED THE PROBLEM SAID THAT THE ODOMETER BOX LOCATED NEAR THE GEARS FELL APART AND THE PIECES OF THE ODOMETER COMPONENTS FELL INTO MY GEARS DAMAGING THEM AND ULTIMATELY PREVENTING THE USE OF MY VEHICLE. MECHANIC ALSO TOLD ME IT WAS NOTHING I HAD DONE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS FAILURE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 85,892 miles reported. Look up ODI 10030231 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10109208 · 2005-01-28 (January 28, 2005)

WHILE SHIFTING GEARS THE VEHICLE STALLED. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE, AND IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ELECTRONIC FUEL INJECTION HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10109208 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10120317 · 2005-06-24 (June 24, 2005)

CONSUMER STATES: DEALER SAYS NEED A POWER STEERING RACK. DEALER REPLACED LIGHT ON THE DASH BOARD FOR THE SEAT BELT AND HAD THEM CHECK IT THEN THEY CAME BACK TOLD US WE NEEDED POWER STEERING RACK. *AK *TT *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 75,673 miles reported. Look up ODI 10120317 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 8005617 · 2002-03-13 (March 13, 2002)

AT 45 THOUSAND MILES, THE RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK *YD

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8005617 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10008978 · 2003-02-21 (February 21, 2003)

THERE WAS A STRONG FUEL SMELL THAT ENTERED THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE VENTS. *JB THE HEAVY GAS SMELL WOULD FILL THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING, AND WITHOUT A/C ON. THE REPAIR SHOP COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *SCC

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10008978 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 8004716 · 2002-02-28 (February 28, 2002)

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED. SOMETIMES THERE WAS A GAS SMELL INSIDE CAB. DRIVER TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, AND HE STATED THAT EVAPORATIVE SYSTEM WAS BAD. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 8004716 at NHTSA ↗