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 extinguished the fire. Police report was filed. Video of the fire was captured on my ring doorbell.
1997 Nissan Maxima engine problems
14 complaints (14% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 93,000.
- owner complaints
- 14
- of this car's complaints
- 14%
- typical mileage
- 93,000
- crashes
- 0
- recalls
- 0
Which part fails
- Exhaust system: emission control2
- Engine: gasoline2
- Engine2
- Exhaust system: manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe1
- Exhaust system1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
Nissan Maxima engine problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 1997 Nissan Maxima engine
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
What 1997 Nissan Maxima owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
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 repaired. The failure was reported to the manufacturer. The approximate failure mileage was not available.
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.
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 hang lower and the engine to hang with limited support. Without the lower radiator support, the engine support beam hits off the ground during normal driving.
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. I have tried to locate replacement parts from 3 salvaged vehicles and each were also corroded. New parts have been hard to located and remain uncertain as to whether they will fit.
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. The mechanic said it's all common maxima problems. I've spent so far at least $800 and the car is still not working properly, and I cannot pass inspection.
Tl*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.
Dt*: 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.
The check engine light was illuminated, and there was a noise coming from the suspension.*jb ph
Failure of rear o2 sensor three times over the past 5 years
Questions about the 1997 Nissan Maxima engine
Does the 1997 Nissan Maxima have engine problems?
Owners have filed 14 complaints about the engine of the 1997 Nissan Maxima, 14% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 1997 Nissan Maxima engine problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 93,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Nissan Maxima engine?
There is no recall for this problem on this model year.
What year does the Nissan Maxima have bad engine?
The Nissan Maxima model years with the most engine complaints are 2004 (121 complaints), 2005 (101 complaints) and 2003 (96 complaints).
Other 1997 Nissan Maxima problems
Electrical 39Airbags 10Body 7Brakes 7Suspension 7Steering 6Fuel system 4Locks 4Transmission 4Acceleration 3Tires 2Visibility 2Lights 1Seat belts 1Seats 1
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