2018 Nissan SENTRA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
185 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
40,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2018 model year. Data snapshot: . 97 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 46 of 185 complaints (24.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 59 | 31.9% |
| Transmission and shifting | 49 | 26.5% |
| Engine operation | 12 | 6.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 12 | 6.5% |
| Steering behavior | 8 | 4.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train | 46 |
| Service Brakes | 38 |
| Unknown Or Other | 38 |
| Electrical System | 32 |
| Engine | 22 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 19 |
| Exterior Lighting | 14 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | 13 |
Power Train: 46; Service Brakes: 38; Unknown Or Other: 38; Electrical System: 32; Engine: 22; Vehicle Speed Control: 19; Exterior Lighting: 14; Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking: 13
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 30 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 31 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 20 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 6 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 7 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 30; 25,000 to 49,999: 31; 50,000 to 74,999: 20; 75,000 to 99,999: 6; 100,000 to 149,999: 7; 150,000 and above: 3
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (31). 88 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 7 |
| 2019 | 24 |
| 2020 | 38 |
| 2021 | 24 |
| 2022 | 29 |
| 2023 | 20 |
| 2024 | 21 |
| 2025 | 17 |
| 2026 | 5 |
2018: 7; 2019: 24; 2020: 38; 2021: 24; 2022: 29; 2023: 20; 2024: 21; 2025: 17; 2026: 5
Pattern summary
Power Train leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 59 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 49 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 12 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11096875 · 2018-05-19 (May 19, 2018)
WITHIN ONE WEEK OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE IT STALLED AS I ENTER ONTO THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE ALSO FEELS AS IF IT'S OUT OF BALANCE AND SHAKES AT SPEED OF 65 TO 70 MPH. AND THE FORWARD EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT DISPLAY/ UNAVAILABLE FRONT RADAR OBSTRUCTION WARNING LIGHT ALSO DISPLAY AT ANY GIVEN TIME. AS YOU CAN SEE BY JUST A FEW OF THE MANY PHOTOS BELOW IT IS HAPPENING ANY GIVEN DAY AT ANY GIVEN TIME EVEN AT ZERO SPEED *TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11096875 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11162246 · 2018-12-18 (December 18, 2018)
FRONT RADAR SYSTEM TURNS OFF AND THEN RESETS FOR NO APPARENT REASON. DASH MESSAGE IS 'FRONT RADAR UNAVAILABLE DUE TO OBSTRUCTION'. IT IS TIED INTO THE AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM AND INTELLIGENT CRUISE CONTROL. HAPPENS WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MOTION ON VARIED ROADWAYS. THERE IS NO OBSTRUCTION. *DT CONSUMER STATED HE IS CANCELLING REQUEST.*JB
Owner-reported narrative. 650 miles reported. Look up ODI 11162246 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11286331 · 2019-12-02 (December 2, 2019)
TRANSMISSION OVER HEATS. TRANSMISSION HAS A LOUD NOISE AND DRAGS SINCE 60,000 MILES
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11286331 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11302489 · 2020-01-28 (January 28, 2020)
THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT I WAS ONLY ABLE TO USE REVERSE, MY CAR HAS 46000 MILES I HAVE NEVER BEEN LATE ON CHANGING MY OIL AND GETTING THE CAR SERVICED, WOULD NOT RECOMMEND BUYING A SENTRA
Owner-reported narrative. 46,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11302489 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11377601 · 2020-12-02 (December 2, 2020)
CVT FAILED AT 65000 MILES. EXTENDED WARRANTY REPLACED IT. VEHICLE WAS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AS IT WAS JERKING, SHUDDERING, REFUSING TO ACCELERATE, AND STALLED TWICE.
Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11377601 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11132356 · 2018-09-30 (September 30, 2018)
MY 2018 NISSAN SENTRA STARTED HAVING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM/WIRE PROBLEMS AFTER HITTING A SMALL PUDDLE GOING UP TO MY TIRES. DAYS LATER THE CAR GOT IT OIL CHANGE HAVE FAMILY OIL COMPANY ON RIDGE AVENUE IN NORRISTOWN PENNSYLVANIA VERY NEXT DAY HAVE TO WORK MY CAR STOP MOVING I JUST STILL RAN I TOOK IT TO NISSAN SO THAT THEY CAN SEE WHY THE CAR IS NOT RUNNING PROPERLY THEY TOLD ME IT WAS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE WIRES THEY STILL HAVE MY CAR THEY HAD IT FOR ALMOST 3 WEEKS I STILL HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX IT.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11132356 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11246156 · 2019-08-24 (August 24, 2019)
I PURCHASED MY 2018 NISSAN SENTRA WITH 5 MILES (BASICALLY BRAND NEW) THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS 10,000 MILES AND THE VEHICLE IS KEPT MAINTAINED. A FEW MONTHS AFTER I PURCHASED THE NISSAN SENTRA I BEGAN HAVING ISSUES WITH MY BACK UP CAMERA SCREEN IN WHICH IT BEGAN BLACKING OUT AND FLICKERING IN AND OFF. SINCE IT HAD BEEN RAINING IN MY TOWN I ASSUMED THERE WAS SOME SORT OF SHORT OR WATER MUST OF LEAKED INTO THE WIRING SYSTEM L, I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL NISSAN DEALER AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANY TYPE OF ISSUE WITH THE CAR SO I LEFT IT AT THAT I HAVEN'T HAD…
Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11246156 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11355109 · 2020-09-15 (September 15, 2020)
CAR PULLS TO RIGHT ON THE EXPRESS WAY MAKING VERY LOUD FUNNY NOISES , RPM SHOOTS TO 2 TO 5 AND THE STEERING WHEEL HAS LOCKED A FEW TIMES TAKING ME OFF OF THE ROAD BUT NOT CRASHING OR INTO A ACCIDENT , THE BRAKES ARE ALSO SOUNDING BAD. ON STREETS THE CARS STEERING DRIFTS LIKE THE CAR WANTS TO DO ITS OWN THING .
Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11355109 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11365612 · 2020-10-21 (October 21, 2020)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START WHEN HER DAUGHTER ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE AND THAT THE FAILURE WOULD OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. IN ADDITION, ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HER DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 45 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER DAUGHTER WAS DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BUT THE BRAKE WAS STOPPING THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THE BRAKE PAD FROM THE WHEEL WELL WAS SMOKING. THE CONTACT …
Owner-reported narrative. 58,972 miles reported. Look up ODI 11365612 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11363959 · 2020-10-12 (October 12, 2020)
AFTER 37,122 MILES THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 2018 NISSAN SENTRA WENT BAD ON ME. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP ALSO SAID THE FUEL PUMP AND CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I READ THAT THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS MADE ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM FOR THESE CARS, AND THERE SHOULD DEFINITELY BE A RECALL.
Owner-reported narrative. 37,122 miles reported. Look up ODI 11363959 at NHTSA ↗