Nissan Sentra Years to Avoid
Avoid: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 · Best: 2009, 2012, 2023 — based on 3,432 NHTSA complaints across 18 model years (2008–2025), severity-weighted and adjusted for time on the road; 2015–2022 average: 1.24 complaints per 1,000 sold.
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 3,432 NHTSA complaints, the Nissan Sentra years to avoid are 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 — the worst logged up to 3.4× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by transmission failures. Updated November 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of November 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict | Problems & recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 167 | 97 | 3 | SOLID | — |
| 2009 | 55 | 34 | 1 | BEST | — |
| 2010 | 144 | 77 | 3 | SOLID | — |
| 2011 | 141 | 82 | 2 | SOLID | — |
| 2012 | 180 | 122 | 0 | BEST | — |
| 2013 | 638 | 499 | 6 | AVOID | — |
| 2014 | 380 | 287 | 5 | AVOID | — |
| 2015 | 347 | 256 | 3 | AVOID | 2015 Sentra problems → |
| 2016 | 266 | 189 | 6 | AVOID | 2016 Sentra problems → |
| 2017 | 228 | 164 | 3 | AVOID | 2017 Sentra problems → |
| 2018 | 183 | 120 | 2 | SOLID | 2018 Sentra problems → |
| 2019 | 219 | 120 | 2 | CAUTION | 2019 Sentra problems → |
| 2020 | 203 | 97 | 4 | CAUTION | 2020 Sentra problems → |
| 2021 | 127 | 67 | 3 | CAUTION | 2021 Sentra problems → |
| 2022 | 80 | 45 | 2 | SOLID | 2022 Sentra problems → |
| 2023 | 18 | 10 | 1 | BEST | 2023 Sentra problems → |
| 2024 | 31 | 19 | 3 | SOLID | 2024 Sentra problems → |
| 2025 | 25 | 12 | 4 | SOLID | — |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Nissan Sentra. Full methodology.
Sentra problems by model year
Each year has its own page with the complaint components, NHTSA recall campaigns, service-bulletin count, a comparison with the year before and after, and what to check on a used one.
Common Nissan Sentra problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Nissan Sentra are transmission, electrical, engine. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
CVT transmission shudder and hesitation on acceleration
· Nissan Sentra 2008–2018Corroborated by 9 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 455 transmission complaints across 2008–2018, typically 60,000–90,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $1,200.
Stop lamp switch contamination and malfunction
· Nissan Sentra 2016–2019Corroborated by 2 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 172 electrical complaints across 2016–2019.
Engine stall during driving
· Nissan Sentra 2015–2017Corroborated by 6 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 165 engine complaints across 2015–2017.
Why these years stand out
2013 Nissan Sentra: 638 owner complaints on federal record, 499 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Nissan Sentra.
2014 Nissan Sentra: 380 owner complaints on federal record, 287 of them severe, plus 5 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Nissan Sentra.
2015 Nissan Sentra: 347 owner complaints on federal record, 256 of them severe, plus 3 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Nissan Sentra.
2016 Nissan Sentra: 266 owner complaints on federal record, 189 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Nissan Sentra.
2017 Nissan Sentra: 228 owner complaints on federal record, 164 of them severe, plus 3 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Nissan Sentra.
Know what to pay for the right Nissan Sentra — then negotiate it
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FAQ
What years of the Nissan Sentra should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Nissan Sentra years to avoid are 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by transmission issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture.
What are the best years for the Nissan Sentra?
The 2009, 2012 and 2023 Nissan Sentra show the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Nissan Sentra verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Nissan Sentra's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Nissan Sentra before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Nissan Sentra reliable?
The Nissan Sentra's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 3,432 NHTSA owner complaints, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 rate "avoid", while 2009, 2012 and 2023 show the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above.
What are the most common problems with the Nissan Sentra?
The most-reported problem area for the Nissan Sentra is transmission, followed by electrical and engine. Confirmed failures include cvt transmission shudder and hesitation on acceleration, stop lamp switch contamination and malfunction, engine stall during driving. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Nissan Sentra across every model year on record. Retrieved November 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered (the per-1,000-sold figure above divides 2015–2022 complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales); a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Nissan Sentra, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.