2013 Nissan Sentra Reliability
The 2013 Nissan Sentra has 638 owner complaints and 6 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about powertrain / transmission and service brakes. Compared with other Sentra model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Sentra's typical year, while the 2011 has a cleaner record.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
638
NHTSA owner complaints
6
Recall campaigns
24
Complaints citing a crash
4
Complaints citing a fire
2013 Nissan Sentra complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 model year, filed between 2012 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Powertrain / transmission | 311 | 49% |
| Service brakes | 97 | 15% |
| Air bags | 96 | 15% |
| Engine | 87 | 14% |
| Unknown or other | 64 | 10% |
| Speed control / throttle | 51 | 8% |
| Electrical system | 43 | 7% |
| Fuel / propulsion system | 33 | 5% |
2013 Nissan Sentra recalls
6 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2013 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13V069000 | Mar 1, 2013 | Air bags | Nissan is recalling certain model year 2013 Altima, LEAF, Pathfinder, Sentra, and Infiniti JX35 vehicles. Sensors within the passenger Occupant Detection System (ODS) may have been manufactured out of specification. This may cause the system to malfunction… |
| 13V068000 | Mar 1, 2013 | Fuel system — storage / tank assembly | Nissan is recalling certain model year 2013 Sentra vehicles manufactured from September 11, 2012, through October 4, 2012. Some fuel tank assemblies were not properly sealed during the manufacturing process. As a result, a small amount of gasoline may leak… |
| 14V138000 | Mar 25, 2014 | Electrical system — software | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Altima, LEAF, Pathfinder, and Sentra, model year 2013 NV200 (aka Taxi) and Infiniti JX35 and model year 2014 Infiniti Q50 and QX60 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the occupant… |
| 15V681000 | Oct 20, 2015 | Air bags — frontal | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima and Pathfinder vehicles, 2013-2014 Nissan Sentra vehicles, 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles, 2014-2015 Infiniti QX60 vehicles and 2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid vehicles. The affected… |
| 16V242000 | Apr 26, 2016 | Air bags — sensor / occupant classification | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Sentra vehicles manufactured June 4, 2012, to April 9, 2016. The front passenger seat belt bracket may become deformed if it is used to secure a Child Restraint System (CRS). The… |
| 16V244000 | Apr 26, 2016 | Air bags — sensor / occupant classification | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and… |
How the 2013 compares with nearby Sentra years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year Sentra analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 142 | 2 | Electrical system | Solid |
| 2012 | 180 | 0 | Powertrain / transmission | Better year |
| 2013 (this page) | 638 | 6 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2014 | 381 | 5 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
| 2015 | 352 | 3 | Powertrain / transmission | Avoid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
What to check on a used 2013 Nissan Sentra
- Transmission: test-drive from cold through every gear, feel for slipping, harsh or delayed shifts and shudder, and ask whether the fluid has been serviced.
- Brakes: check pedal feel, pulling and grinding, and look at rotor and pad wear; ask when the brake fluid was last changed.
- Air bags: make sure the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and that any air bag recall was completed on this VIN.
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 6 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2013 Nissan Sentra can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2013 Nissan Sentra reliability FAQ
Is the 2013 Nissan Sentra reliable?
The 2013 Nissan Sentra has 638 owner complaints and 6 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about powertrain / transmission and service brakes. Compared with other Sentra model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Sentra's typical year, while the 2011 has a cleaner record.
What are the most common 2013 Nissan Sentra problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2013 Nissan Sentra are powertrain / transmission (311), service brakes (97), air bags (96), engine (87). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2013 Nissan Sentra have recalls?
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2013 Nissan Sentra, including 13V069000 (air bags) and 13V068000 (fuel system — storage / tank assembly). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2013 Nissan Sentra compare with the 2012 and 2014 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2012 has 180 complaints and 0 recalls (better year); the 2014 has 381 complaints and 5 recalls (avoid). The 2013 has 638 complaints and 6 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2013 Nissan Sentra?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Nissan Sentra research
Other Nissan Sentra model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2013 Sentra, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.