Two problems related to front suspension wheel bearing have been reported for the 1997 Nissan Maxima. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
I had my 1997 Nissan Maxima repaired because of a defective axle from the factory. There were several bearings missing and it looked like what appeared to be washers loose. According to the service center where I had my car repaired, their opinion was that it was a manufacturer defect (they had never seen anything like it) and felt that we were fortunate to have "caught" it in time. I saw the defective part myself and still have it for inspection.
The left and right wheel bearings are defective.