1997 Nissan Sentra Service and Repair Manual
This 1997 Nissan Sentra factory service and repair manual is built around this exact model year and its 1.6L GA16DE engine, so the torque values, wiring diagrams, and diagnostic steps inside match what Nissan published for this car rather than a generalized Sentra-era approximation.
Engines covered
- 2.0L inline-four (122 cu in) — DOHC, naturally aspirated, gasoline
- 1.6L inline-four (97 cu in) — DOHC, naturally aspirated, gasoline
Body styles covered
- 4-door sedan
Trims covered
- Base
- GLE
- GSS
- GST
- GSX
- GXE
- XE
Known issues on the 1997 Sentra. Seven recalls are on federal record for this model year. Four cover aftermarket replacement headlamp and corner/bumper lamp assemblies sold for this vehicle that lack the required amber side reflectors, which can leave the car poorly illuminated and raise crash risk. One covers a missing styrofoam pad in the rear door structure that was left out of the side-impact design, reducing occupant protection in a crash. One covers the windshield wiper linkage ball joint, where water intrusion can displace the grease and eventually wear the joint until the linkage separates from the wiper motor, causing a loss of wiper function. One covers tail lights that fail to meet federal illumination standards, making it harder for following traffic to see the car stopping. Owners have filed 121 complaints for the year, and no technical service bulletins are logged. The factory diagnostic and repair procedures behind each of those systems are here.
From tracing a wiper linkage failure to verifying lamp and tail light compliance or a routine service interval, it keeps you on the OEM procedure and the correct specification for your specific 1997 Sentra.
DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE S
DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE S
DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CON
WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VE
WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. ONE OF THREE STYROFOAM PADS LOCATED IN EACH REAR DOOR AS PART OF THE DESIGN FOR ENSURING COMPLIANCE WITH FMVSS NO. 214, "SIDE DOOR STRENGTH," WAS NOT INSTALLED.
IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, AN OCCUPANT WOULD NOT BE PROPERLY PROTECTED INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
DEALERS WILL INSTALL THE MISSING PAD IN EACH REAR DOOR.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. WATER CAN ENTER AND DISPLACE THE GREASE IN THE WIPER ARM LINKAGE BALL JOINT WHERE THE WIPER LINKAGE ATTACHES TO THE WIPER MOTOR LINKAGE.
THIS CAN RESULT IN GRADUAL WEAR OVER A PERIOD OF TIME INSIDE THE JOINT THAT COULD LEAD TO THE SEPARATION OF THE WIPER LINKAGE ASSEMBLY FROM THE WIPER MOTOR LINKAGE AT THE BALL JOINT. A LOSS OF WINDSH
TO PREVENT GREASE FROM BEING WASHED OUT OF THE JOINT, THE DEALERS WILL MODIFY BY ADDING A WATER DIVERSION SEAL THAT WILL PREVENT WATER FROM ENTERING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE BALL JOINT AREA.
THESE VEHICLES DO NOT MEET THE ILLUMINATION REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
FOLLOWING VEHICLES MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT IS STOPPING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH TWO NEW LIGHT BULBS FOR THE STOP/TAIL LAMPS WHICH ARE BRIGHTER THAN THE ORIGINAL BULBS. A LABEL WITH THE NEW BULB NUMBER WILL ALSO BE PROVIDED FOR INSERTION INTO THE OWNE
DIAGNOSIS OF VEHICLE PULL (DRIFT) AND/OR STEERING WHEEL OFF-CENTER This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
SILICONE-BASED LUBRICANT OR GREASE CAN DAMAGE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SERVICE INFORMATION Do not apply Silicone-based lubricants or grease to, or around, any interior electrical components. To avoid the risk of death or severe personal injury
12 VOLT BATTERY TESTING FOR IN-SERVICE VEHICLES SERVICE INFORMATION The following Service Information lists NNA procedural recommendations for establishing good connections while performing 12V battery testing. These recommendations are exp
RADIO INTERMITTENTLY REBOOTS DURING AUDIO PLAYBACK VIA BLUETOOTH CONNECTED IPHONE This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
INTELLIGENT KEY REPLACEMENT OR SWAPPING BETWEEN VEHICLES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Discard all previous versions of this bulletin.
VEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
REMOVING FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM THE WINDOW GLASS This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
WINDSHIELD CRACKING This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
Showing the 8 most recent of 46 technical service bulletins on file with NHTSA.
WHILE WIFE WAS DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH HIT ROAD DIVIDER AND LOST CONTROL. VEHICLE ROLLED OVER A COUPLE TIMES. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, AND NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. CONSUMER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED RESULTING IN ACCICENT IN WHICH NEITH
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE, AFFECTING VISIBILITY AND CAUSING A FRONTAL ACCIDENT. THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, WHICH DID NOT PROTECT THE OC
WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON THE FREEWAY DOING ABOUT 70 MPH WHEN THERE WAS A WRECK ON THE HWY, TO AVOID FURTHER COLLISIONS UP TO 5 CARS IN FRONT OF ME LOCKED UP THEIR BRAKES, THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME
MY FATHER WAS INVLOVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN MY CAR A 97 NISSAN SENTRA ON SEPTEMBER 18,2003 HE WAS GOING ABOUT 10 MPH. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED BUT NOT AS THEY SHOULD THEY EXPLODED THERE ARE HOLES IN THEM W
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 50 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTING IN 2 INJURIES. *AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR IMPACT ACCIDENT. THE DRIVER HURT HEAD/ CHIN AND CHEST BECAUSE THE HEADREST DID NOT PROPERLY FUNCTION. DEALER NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
CONSUMER WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT WAS REAR ENDED, PUSHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND BOTH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK
Showing the 8 most serious of 121 complaints filed with NHTSA.
