1997 Nissan Altima Wipers & Visibility Problems

Your driver's side sun visor won't stay in the up position and keeps falling down into your line of sight while driving. This appears to be a common issue with this model year. Fixing it typically requires replacing the entire sun visor assembly.

I WAS DRIVING MY 1997 NISSIAN SENTRA TO WORK IN THE MORNING AND WAS APPOARCHING THE GUARD GATE. PUSHED THE SWITCH TO ROLLED DOWN THE PASSENGER AND DRIVE SIDE AUTOMATIC WINDOWS. SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE SWITCH ASSEMBLY. PULL OVER ON THE SIDE THE ROAD AND TURNED OFF THE CAR. RAN UP TO THE GUARD GATE AND OBTAINED A FIRE EXTERISHER. TURNED TO THE CAR AND SAW A TWO TO FOUR INCH FLAME COMING OUT OF THE SWITCH ASSEMBLY. I PUT OUT THE FIRE. CHECKED THE FUSE BLOCK FOR A BLOWN FUSE AND THERE WAS NONE. THE FUSE DID NOT BLOW FOR THE AUTOMATIC WINDOW CIRCUIT. PULLED SWITCH ASSEMBLY AND DISCONNECTED THE WIRE HARNESS CONNECTOR. PLANNING ON REPLACING THE SWITCH ASSEMBLY AND SIDE PANEL.

WHILE TAKING A RIGHT TURN FROM A STOP, THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILED TO ACTUATE. LUCKILY I WAS ONLY A FEW MILES FROM MY HOME AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE STILL WORKED IN THE HEAVY RAIN. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION I FOUND THE LINK ASSEMBLY THAT CONNECTS THE LEFT WIPER TO THE RIGHT ONE WAS DISLODGED. THE PLASTIC "SNAP" KNUCKLE AND METAL BALL JOINT WERE WORN AND CAME APART THUS CAUSING THE RIGHT WIPER TO NOT MOVE. I REPLACED THE WIPER ACTUATING LINKAGES AND MOTOR ASSEMBLY. WHILE AT THE PARTS COUNTER AT DECORMIER NISSAN, I NOTICED TWO OTHER MECHANICS OBTAINING THE SAME PARTS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM ON CARS IN THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THE PARTS ATTENDANT SAYS THEY KEEP THESE ITEMS IN STOCK BECAUSE OF THEIR HIGH DEMAND. I AM SENDING THIS TO YOU BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL DANGERS INVOLVED IF THIS FAILURE HAD OCCURRED ON THE HIGHWAY AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. DT

5 WEEKS NO REPLACEMENT PART AT DEALERSHIP. MANUFATCURER CONTACTED. 1 WEEK NO FEEDBACK OR PART. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF WINDSHIELDWIPER SYSTEM, RESULTING IN HAZARDOUS DRIVING SITUATIONS. REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR BY DEALER HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. *AK

THE PASSENGER'S SIDE EXTERIOR POWER MIRROR IS A SWING-AWAY OR BREAK AWAY MIRROR THAT SHBOULD ROTATE ON AHINGE OR FLANGE WHEN APPLYING PRESSURE TO OUTSIDE EDGE OF MIRROR. WHEN MIRROR HOUSING CAME INTO CONTACT WITH ANOTHER OBJECT AT IDLE SPEED IN DRIVE, IT BROKE OFF AT FLANE/HINGE RATHER THAN ROTATE TOWARDS THE VEHICLE.

POOR VISIBILITY THROUGH WINDSHIELD GLASS DURING RAIN, PATTERN APPEARS.