Nissan Sentra Reliability
8,183 NHTSA complaints (1982–2026). Complaint rate: 79.3 per 1,000 vehicles.
Nissan Sentra Generations
Manufacturer redesigns the car every few years (a “generation”). Each generation has different engineering and common issues. Click a generation to see year-by-year breakdown.
| Generation | Years | Complaints | Crashes | Volume | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 1 | 1982–1986 | 19 | 1 | Show years | |||
| Gen 2 | 1987–1990 | 180 | 20 | Show years | |||
| Gen 3 | 1991–1994 | 377 | 60 | Show years | |||
| Gen 4 | 1995–1999 | 623 | 159 | Show years | |||
| Gen 5 | 2000–2006 | 1,785 | 178 | Show years | |||
| Gen 6 | 2007–2012 | 1,199 | 147 | Show years | |||
| Gen 7 | 2013–2019 | 3,245 | 228 | Hide years | |||
| 2013 | 866 | 35 | View 2013View→ | ||||
| 2014 | 523 | 33 | View 2014View→ | ||||
| 2015 | 494 | 34 | View 2015View→ | ||||
| 2016 | 398 | 29 | View 2016View→ | ||||
| 2017 | 334 | 41 | View 2017View→ | ||||
| 2018 | 283 | 29 | View 2018View→ | ||||
| 2019 | 347 | 27 | View 2019View→ | ||||
| Gen 8 | 2020–2025 | 751 | 67 | Show years | |||
| Gen 9 | 2026–present | 2 | 0 | Show years |
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 2013–2017 Nissan Sentra (172 crash-related complaints). The 2023 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: POWER TRAIN.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
Too New
Need 3+ years on the road for reliable complaint data.
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Nissan Sentra Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 1,134 | 1.6% |
| ENGINE | 671 | 2.4% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 647 | 2.0% |
| AIR BAGS | 628 | 32.2% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 575 | 5.0% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 391 | 9.2% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 366 | 15.6% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 290 | 2.1% |
| STEERING | 285 | 12.3% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 184 | 3.8% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984GOOD | Gen 1 | 4 | 1 | — | View → |
| 1985GOOD | Gen 1 | 6 | 0 | — | View → |
| 1986GOOD | Gen 1 | 9 | 0 | — | View → |
| 1987GOOD | Gen 2 | 46 | 2 | 4 | View → |
| 1988GOOD | Gen 2 | 40 | 4 | 4 | View → |
| 1989GOOD | Gen 2 | 49 | 6 | 1 | View → |
| 1990GOOD | Gen 2 | 45 | 8 | 3 | View → |
| 1991GOOD | Gen 3 | 77 | 10 | 11 | View → |
| 1992GOOD | Gen 3 | 81 | 10 | 17 | View → |
| 1993GOOD | Gen 3 | 89 | 11 | 2 | View → |
| 1994 | Gen 3 | 130 | 29 | 6 | View → |
| 1995 | Gen 4 | 158 | 38 | 3 | View → |
| 1996 | Gen 4 | 177 | 47 | 1 | View → |
| 1997 | Gen 4 | 138 | 34 | 2 | View → |
| 1998GOOD | Gen 4 | 76 | 21 | 3 | View → |
| 1999GOOD | Gen 4 | 74 | 19 | — | View → |
| 2000 | Gen 5 | 236 | 27 | 5 | View → |
| 2001AVOID | Gen 5 | 307 | 38 | 3 | View → |
| 2002AVOID | Gen 5 | 388 | 24 | 9 | View → |
| 2003 | Gen 5 | 240 | 17 | 1 | View → |
| 2004 | Gen 5 | 235 | 27 | — | View → |
| 2005 | Gen 5 | 224 | 16 | 4 | View → |
| 2006 | Gen 5 | 155 | 29 | 1 | View → |
| 2007 | Gen 6 | 214 | 32 | 18 | View → |
| 2008 | Gen 6 | 233 | 31 | 7 | View → |
| 2009GOOD | Gen 6 | 81 | 18 | — | View → |
| 2010 | Gen 6 | 212 | 18 | 4 | View → |
| 2011 | Gen 6 | 199 | 26 | 8 | View → |
| 2012 | Gen 6 | 260 | 22 | 4 | View → |
| 2013AVOID | Gen 7 | 866 | 35 | 6 | View → |
| 2014AVOID | Gen 7 | 523 | 33 | 11 | View → |
| 2015AVOID | Gen 7 | 494 | 34 | 8 | View → |
| 2016AVOID | Gen 7 | 398 | 29 | 4 | View → |
| 2017AVOID | Gen 7 | 334 | 41 | 10 | View → |
| 2018 | Gen 7 | 283 | 29 | 4 | View → |
| 2019AVOID | Gen 7 | 347 | 27 | 2 | View → |
| 2020AVOID | Gen 8 | 307 | 17 | — | View → |
| 2021 | Gen 8 | 201 | 27 | 3 | View → |
| 2022 | Gen 8 | 129 | 3 | — | View → |
| 2023GOOD | Gen 8 | 31 | 1 | — | View → |
| 2024TOO NEW | Gen 8 | 49 | 11 | — | View → |
| 2025TOO NEW | Gen 8 | 34 | 8 | — | View → |
| 2026TOO NEW | Gen 9 | 2 | 0 | — | View → |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
Tap any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
See also: Nissan Sentraaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
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