Nissan Sentra Complaints

5,975 consumer complaints on file.

#11714143January 29, 2026
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
I am submitting a vehicle defect complaint pursuant to 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301 regarding a potential safety related defect involving engine, electrical, and powertrain systems. The vehicle experienced early engine and electrical malfunction at relatively low mileage, requiring replacement of the engine wiring harness and removal and reinstallation of the engine and transaxle assembly. These are major powertrain and electrical repairs not reasonably expected on a nearly new vehicle and raise concerns regarding vehicle reliability and safe operation. The vehicle displayed a Malfunction Indicator Light warning indicating an engine and emissions system malfunction, with warnings that continued operation could cause additional damage. Such warnings and failures create a risk of reduced power, drivability issues, or further system failure while operating the vehicle. Insurance repair documentation reflects the selection of a recycled LKQ drivetrain related component, including a recycled engine, transaxle, or CVT related component, which raises additional concerns about durability and safety when installed in a nearly new vehicle. Early powertrain and electrical failures involving engine management and emissions systems may implicate compliance with federal motor vehicle safety standards and warrant review under NHTSA defect monitoring authority. I am requesting that NHTSA log, track, and evaluate this complaint for defect trend analysis, potential noncompliance, or further investigation under 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301 to determine whether similar failures are occurring in other vehicles of the same make and model.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11714056January 28, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Nissan Sentra. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was approximately 93,000. It was later discovered that the title mileage was 119,200. The contact called the dealer and requested the odometer be updated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer. The dealer called the contact to pick up the vehicle, that the vehicle would not be repaired, and that the vehicle had too many failures.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11713433January 26, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Recently, purchased this vehicle for my daughter & on her 2nd day driving it, a warning indicator light with a yellow triangle around an exclamation symbol & malfunction, see owner's manual message. We hade it checked by the purchased dealer who stated that it was probably a faulty sensor that the rain/moisture may be the problem. The owner's manual said this could be a braking/traction warning issue. This warning has happen a few times when it rains & we are concern it may effect steering or stopping during a emergency. Has there been any other complaints or alerts on this issue?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11713456January 26, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that upon depressing the brake pedal to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that the brake pedal was stiff. The contact stated that the message "Put Foot on Brake Pedal" was displayed. While standing on the brake pedal, the vehicle started. The failure recurred while attempting to start the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that there would be a charge for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that after investigating the failure online, the contact learned that the failure was a common failure and could be related to a sensor malfunction. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed; however, the contact was later referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 44,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11712851January 23, 2026
POWER TRAIN
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The transmission failed to operate properly. The component is still installed in the vehicle and is available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The vehicle jerks when shifting gears and upshifts on its own, causing unpredictable changes in speed and loss of smooth acceleration. This creates a risk of sudden acceleration or hesitation, especially in traffic, increasing the potential for a collision. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? No, the problem has not yet been formally confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others? No, the vehicle and transmission have not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Prior to the failure, the vehicle began jerking during gear shifts. The transmission does not properly shift gears in relation to engine upshifting and will upshift by itself. These symptoms appeared before the failure and have continued since.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11711433January 16, 2026
STEERING
This is the second time in the last 45 day that we have had a report of the front end "popping". We took 1 vehicle to Nissan of Murfeesboro and they replaced both front shaft assemblys. This vehicle was taken to Newton Nissan and they had to do the same repair on this vehicle. I have 12 of the year, make model in our fleet and have serious concerns
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11711196January 15, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER
Odometer Fraud. The contact was attempting to purchase a 2019 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that the vehicle was advertised for sale by a local dealer on Facebook Marketplace with a photo of the odometer reading of 72,000 miles. After obtaining a Carfax report for the vehicle, the contact discovered that the mileage was 196,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11710130January 10, 2026
ENGINE, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Rattling noise coming from the belt assembly. Tensioner pulley is shaky and alternator had a piece brake off causing metal shavings to fly around.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11709350January 7, 2026
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a mass air flow sensor failure under DTC: P0101. The contact was informed that the mass air flow sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle hesitated, and the RPM became elevated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the ECM software needed to be recalibrated. The contact was advised to contact the dealer for assistance. The dealer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11709207January 6, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that when the vehicle was purchased, the odometer indicated that the mileage was 92,000. The vehicle was a private sale. The contact's wife purchased the Carfax report and stated that the odometer reading was 179,070 on April 22, 2025.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11708671January 4, 2026
AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS, SEATS
I am reporting a failed remedy for Recall R1608 (Occupant Classification System). My 2013 Nissan Sentra was serviced at Nissan of Van Nuys for this recall. Despite the dealership marking the recall as completed, the safety defect persists. Specifically, the passenger seatbelt warning light remains illuminated when the passenger seat is empty, indicating the OCS sensor is incorrectly classifying seat occupancy. This malfunction directly impacts the vehicle's ability to correctly deploy or withhold airbags in a collision. The dealership refused to re-evaluate the failed repair without legal representation. Furthermore, the Multi-Point Inspection provided during this safety recall visit was falsified; a technician hand-wrote a failing brake measurement of '3mm,' yet the Service Advisor marked the system as 'Green/Safe' on the final document. This documentation fraud makes their certification of the recall repair unreliable. They have since refused to re-inspect the safety defect.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11708564January 3, 2026
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
As I was driving on the freeway 65 mph my car completely lost all Speed and the more I accelerated the more my car decreased speed and eventually it shut itself off as i stopped the car as I pulled over there was no time to make it to a safe area for a safe pull over i was on a bridge calling for help from my insurance. The car did not want to start at first about 45 minutes later my car started again and was able to drive away. I had no idea what happened. Then I was driving almost to 3 months down the road it does it again on the freeway i was in slow lane driving 65 was able to exit quickly so there was no accident as I pulled over it did the same exact thing to me again and I waited till it was able to go again. for the third time it did it in parking lot as I was driving about 3 to 5mph when it happened last and it did not start again and i had to get it towed it's been needing a new computer module ecu. Because the computer when plugging in to obd2 diagnostic monitors it does not read or communicate with my car to diagnose any issues so monitor does engage
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11708284January 2, 2026
AIR BAGS
When a passenger sits in the passenger seat it doesn't register them in the seat and doesn't turn passenger airbag on. It always stays off and my air bag light on the dash never turns off. It's been like that since I bought the car in May of 2025. So any additional details are unknown.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11707770December 30, 2025
BACK OVER PREVENTION
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while in reverse(R), the rearview camera image failed to display. No warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was repaired under warranty; however, the failure reoccurred. The same local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not repaired because there was no recall associated with the VIN. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 32,440.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11707238December 27, 2025
SEAT BELTS
The fabric drivers side seat belt is frayed. At least 1/2 of the width of the fabric is not intact. The warranty on the seat belt is 120 months and the dealer said it is not covered by the warranty. No incident has occurred yet, but I am concerned for my safety in the event of an accident. The car has 32,073 miles on it so it is obviously a defect. The belt is available for inspection. Yes the Dealer was notified and did inspect the belt. There were no warning lamps.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11706984December 24, 2025
ENGINE
Car just lost power in highway. Car starts but will barely move as pushing down on gas.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11706628December 22, 2025
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while attempting to refuel the vehicle, fuel started spewing out of the fuel filler neck. The contact waited until the fuel level was almost empty and slowly pumped gasoline into the fuel tank. The vehicle was taken to three separate mechanics and was informed that the issue was related to the oxygen sensor; however, two mechanics also stated that the issue could be related to a defect with the EVAP system. The contact then stated that while driving at highway speeds, the vehicle began to lose power while depressing the accelerator pedal, as the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate above 40 MPH and pulled over. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle several times but was unsuccessful. The contact called the mechanic, who advised the contact to restart the vehicle in neutral(N). Once the vehicle was in neutral(N), the contact was able to restart the vehicle and resume normal operation. Upon investigation, the contact discovered that there was a Nissan recall for the rear O2 sensor under NISSAN ID: P1A25. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for service; however, the dealer refused to service the vehicle due to the check engine warning light and other issues that the dealer claimed would affect the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 173,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11706519December 22, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The problem with my 2013 Nissan Sentra relates to the transmission which was serviced April 22, 2024 at Passport Nissan in Suitland, M D. Two months later, June 12, 2024 my car was serviced again for transmission problelms. The CVT transmission unit was replaced because of internal malfunction on the transmission assembly. My car is currently unsafe 1 year and six months later with transmission problems. The recent diagnosis requires removing the existing transmission assembly and installing a new one to ensure proper functioning of the drivetrain. The cost is $7,509.41. My contention is that the transmission is still faulty and unsafe after multiple paid service attempts. Nissan service management informs that service is outside of the warranty by one month because of their recent policy change. Please assist with transmission repairs at no cost to me since it has not been serviced properly and is unsafe to me and my family. I would appreciate knowing what if anything can be done to help with transmission repair at no additional cost to me. Thank you.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11705583December 17, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Hard shifting and occasional uncertainty in gear selected.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11705725December 17, 2025
AIR BAGS
While reverse parking into a single parking space at my apartment complex, the driver-side airbag deployed unexpectedly without any collision or impact. At the time of the incident, the vehicle was moving at a low speed and there were no warning lights, messages, or alerts prior to the airbag deployment. The airbag deployment struck me in the face and right arm, creating an immediate risk of injury. Following the deployment, the vehicle became non-drivable. The vehicle would not accelerate and would not move forward or in reverse when the accelerator pedal was pressed, indicating a possible electronic or powertrain safety system failure. There were no prior incidents, accidents, or modifications to the vehicle before this event. The vehicle was operating normally immediately prior to the airbag deployment. The failure occurred suddenly and without warning. The vehicle and deployed airbag are available for inspection upon request. At the time of this report, the vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer. Inspection by insurance and/or authorized service personnel is pending. This unexpected airbag deployment and subsequent loss of vehicle control posed a serious safety risk, both due to the physical injury caused by the airbag and the sudden inability to operate the vehicle.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0

← Back to Nissan Sentra