One problem related to starter has been reported for the 1997 Nissan Sentra. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
My starter in my 1997 Nissan Sentra is always messing up!! I have had to replace it four times within one year. I thought it was the battery, so I even replaced that. But at the end, it is always the starter that fails. I put the key in, turn it to start, and the car just hisses. This is the fourth time this has happened. I am severly convinced that there is somewort of starter/electrical defect that no one (Nissan authorities) have reported. Even my mechanic thinks it's odd that he has had to replace it 4 times. I put 20 failures because it been around 20 times when it would not start, then it would, id get it towed, and get a new starter eventually.