AI Damage1997 Nissan 240SX: common problems
Owners of the 1997 Nissan 240SX filed 6 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and equipment. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 6
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 50% of all complaints
- 2 Equipment 17% of all complaints
- 3 Exterior lighting 17% of all complaints
- 4 Fuel system 17% of all complaints
- 5 Tires 17% of all complaints
- Air bags: 3 complaints (50% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Equipment: 1 complaints (17% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Exterior lighting: 1 complaints (17% of all).
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (17% of all).
- Tires: 1 complaints (17% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.4 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 6 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
None of the airbags deployed but yet the light came on saying they did. If they had my son may not have suffered from a serious concussion which we're about to go to the hospital the 2nd time for nor the neck sprain that he did.
Consumer stated that when hit at 45mph in the front center of the vehicle the air bag did not deploy causing minor injuries to the consumer. Dealer notified. Ts
There is a leak from the top of my 1997 nissan 240sx's fuel tank that seemed to spring up for no apparent reason. From what I've researched, this is not an uncommon problem for owners of this vehicle and is not easily fixed.
Dt: toyo proxy 4, tires are having knots coming out on the sidewall, and the owner has had already 1 blowout on these tires. The one that blew was less than 6 months old, and the others are less than 1 year old. This iwasthe first time that the owner has owned this brand of tire.
While making a left turn into a driveway both driver's and passenger's side airbags deployed for no reason. Cause unknown.
Signal switch on & steering wheel locked up. Engine light came on. There was rattling noise when driving. Took to dealer for engine light & shift lever. Mechanic could not find problem. Said rattling comes from hub cap & changed those.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 13,278 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 36% most complained about).
On average one model year of the 240SX has 17 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 6, below average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Nissan 240SX?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, equipment, exterior lighting. Total complaints: 6. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbags did not deploy (33%), warning lights, check engine (33%), knocking, grinding or other noise (17%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1997 Nissan 240SX?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1997 Nissan 240SX from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1997 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.