2018 Nissan SENTRA: complaints, problems and recalls
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.
Examples from the source records
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 11114723 · 2018-07-31 (July 31, 2018)
THE FRONT SENSOR KEEP SHOWING THE "FRONT SENSOR UNAVAILABLE" FOLLOWED BY THE CRASH ICON AT ALL TIMES OF THE DAY, AND ALL SPEEDS INCLUDING IN THE STOPPED POSITION. THE SENSOR GOES OUT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE OTHER VEHICLES NEAR THE CAR.
Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11114723 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11120373 · 2018-08-16 (August 16, 2018)
WHILE DRIVING SLIGHTLY OVER 80 MPH IN UTAH WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT IS 80 MPH, THE GASKET HOLDING DOWN THE WINDSHIELD STARTED TO COME OFF AND HAD TO BE HELD IN PLACE BY CLOSING THE WINDOW ON IT. THIS HAPPENED TO THE GASKET ON BOTH SIDES OF THE WINDSHIELD. THIS WAS A RENTAL CAR. FOR FUTURE DRIVING I WAS ABLE TO HOLD IT DOWN IN PLACE WITH DUCT TAPE WHICH I HAPPENED TO HAVE.
Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11120373 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11121973 · 2018-08-23 (August 23, 2018)
I WORK IN A SHOP AND OVER THE LAST MONTH, WE'VE SEEN 10 SENTRAS UNDER 15000MILES COME IN WITH SNAPPED DRIVE BELTS. ALL OF THEM HAVE PULLEYS THAT SPIN FREELY SO THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE. THE BELTS SEEM TO BE COMING APART AT THE SEAMS
Owner-reported narrative. 9,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11121973 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11123272 · 2018-08-29 (August 29, 2018)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2018 NISSAN SENTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, A SECOND VEHICLE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH CRASHED INTO THE FRONT OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. ALL THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED EXCEPT THE DRIVER SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELTS DID NOT RESTRAIN PROPERLY AND CAUSED THE FRONT PASSENGER TO STRIKE THE WINDSHIELD. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED AN INJURED TORSO AND RIBS, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL TREATMENT. THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED A FRACTURED NECK AND LACERATIONS TO THE LEFT ARM, WH…
Owner-reported narrative. 13,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11123272 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 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 11175769 · 2019-02-08 (February 8, 2019)
JUST BEFORE I HIT 1000 MILES, THE FRONT COLLISION SENSOR STARTED BEEPING AT RANDOM TIMES WHETHER THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED OR IN MOTION AND ULTIMATELY, IT HAD TO BE REPLACED. DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THEY HAVE SEEN THIS HAPPEN A LOT ON THE 2018 MODEL SENTRAS. ALSO, THE GUARD IN THE INSIDE TRACK OF THE DRIVER DOOR CAME OFF TWICE AND I HAD TO FASTEN IT BACK ON. I DID BUY IT OFF THE SALES FLOOR SO A LOT MORE PEOPLE WERE IN AND OUT OF IT BUT I STILL DO NOT FEEL LIKE THAT SHOULD HAPPEN ON A BRAND NEW CAR. LAST, MY 2017 NISSAN NEVER HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE BLU…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11175769 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
19V654000 · Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera
Reported: 2019-09-12 (September 12, 2019)
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.
NHTSA campaign record ↗21V135000 · Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights:Switch
Reported: 2021-03-03 (March 3, 2021)
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Nissan Sentra vehicles. The brake light switch may become contaminated, preventing the circuit from closing and the brake lights from illuminating.
Consequence: The brake lights may not illuminate, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the brake light switch and install a protective grommet, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 1, 2022. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800867-7769. Nissan's number for this recall is PM971.
NHTSA campaign record ↗