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Engine coolingPart report

1997 Nissan Maxima Engine cooling Problems

Complaints
12about this part
Share
12%of 102 total for the year
Median mileage
84,000miles
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 12 complaints about the engine cooling of the 1997 Nissan Maxima, 12% of the 102 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 84,000 miles. 1 a fire, according to the filers.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“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 up, new starter, new battery, tune up and it just wont start. I am just waiting to see if they find out what the problem is.”

NHTSA complaint #10426551, filed 2011-09, 20,000 miles

“I needed to replace a muffler on my 1997 Nissan Maxima. On 092209 I took my Maxima to a muffler shop, the mechanic noticed a very strong rawfuel smell. He said he could not use a flame torch due to a possible explosion. He replaced the muffler by hand and told me to have the fuel system inspected because this could be a dangerous situation. On 092609 I had the fuel system inspected by an independent mechanic, he discovered that fumes and possibly gas were escaping from the fuel filler neck and tube because of corrosion within the wheel base. …”

NHTSA complaint #10285327, filed 2009-09, 93,000 miles

“It all started with the noises from the exhaust. So I fixed the flex pipe and no more noise, the mechanic said it's a common Maxima problem. Then the check engine light came on. So I fixed the o2 sensor and the knock sensor, the mechanic said it's a common Maxima problem. I drove the car to the inspection station a few days later and the light came on. The knock sensor code came on, the o2 sensor, the vehicle speed sensor, there was an EGR malfunction, a serial a/t link communication malfunction and possibly other codes I cannot recall right now. …”

NHTSA complaint #10237567, filed 2008-08, 135,000 miles

“The contact owns a 1997 Nissan Maxima. The vehicle shuts off while driving and fails to restart in a timely fashion. The failure occurs without warning. The dealer was contacted and replaced the alternator, starter, and sensors. However, the failure persists. The current mileage is 134,000 and failure mileage was 75,000.”

NHTSA complaint #10192403, filed 2007-06, 75,000 miles

“The contact stated while driving various speeds, the vehicle stalled however it would restart. This had occurred since the vehicle was purchased. It was taken to a dealer who could not determine the cause of the problem. There have been several repairs to the vehicle including the replacement of three oxygen sensors, the alternator and starter. There was a recall #02v171000 pertaining to the electrical system. The vehicle was not included in the recall due to the VIN. Updated 12/15/06.”

NHTSA complaint #10170633, filed 2006-10, 94,000 miles

Engine cooling: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
201813%
201621%
201222%
201122%
201031%
200941%
200823%
200765%
2006244%
2005404%
2004705%
20035426%
20023015%
20012816%
20007220%
19993823%
199854%
19971212%
19961718%
19952214%
19941820%
19931013%
19922220%
1991811%
199077%
198923%
19881220%
19872112%
1986915%
19851324%
1984310%
1983240%

Other parts of the 1997 Nissan Maxima

Electrical system
39 complaints
Air bags
10 complaints
Brakes
7 complaints
Body and structure
7 complaints
Suspension
7 complaints
Steering
6 complaints
Fuel system
4 complaints
Latches, locks and linkages
4 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
4 complaints
Vehicle speed control
3 complaints
Engine
2 complaints
Equipment
2 complaints

← All problems reported for the 1997 Nissan Maxima

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology