Nissan Sentra 2013–2019
7th generation (B17)
NHTSA data through 12 August 20263,285 complaints, 1,952 with mileageMethod
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 15,500 and 81,361 miles.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 13 complaints (0.7%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 1,116
- 25%
- 15,500
- Median
- 50,000
- 75%
- 81,361
- 90%
- 107,895
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 305 | 15.6% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 78 | 4.0% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 95 | 4.9% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 55 | 2.8% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 65 | 3.3% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 53 | 2.7% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 62 | 3.2% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 61 | 3.1% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 97 | 5.0% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 84 | 4.3% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 69 | 3.5% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 64 | 3.3% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 94 | 4.8% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 76 | 3.9% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 83 | 4.3% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 81 | 4.1% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 75 | 3.8% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 57 | 2.9% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 67 | 3.4% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 54 | 2.8% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 52 | 2.7% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 45 | 2.3% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 45 | 2.3% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 24 | 1.2% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 19 | 1.0% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 12 | 0.6% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 12 | 0.6% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 13 | 0.7% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 4 | 0.2% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 7 | 0.4% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 9 | 0.5% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 4 | 0.2% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 4 | 0.2% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 6 | 0.3% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 4 | 0.2% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 185,000–190,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 1 | 0.1% |
| 200,000+ | 13 | 0.7% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 3,285 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013–2019 Nissan Sentra, and 1,952 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 15,500 and 81,361 miles. The median is 50,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the transmission and driveline (29.5% of complaints, typically around 77,000 miles), the engine (10.8% of complaints, typically around 54,000 miles), problems owners could not categorise (10.3% of complaints, typically around 46,000 miles).
13 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Transmission and driveline77,000median 77,000 miles, middle half 51,000 to 99,000
- Engine54,000median 53,750 miles, middle half 18,000 to 82,000
- Problems owners could not categorise46,000median 46,000 miles, middle half 12,000 to 71,000
- Electrical system41,000median 41,332 miles, middle half 15,000 to 70,000
- Airbag system22,000median 22,000 miles, middle half 5,000 to 53,000
- Brakes24,000median 24,000 miles, middle half 5,000 to 48,000
- Throttle and speed control47,000median 47,125 miles, middle half 19,000 to 77,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and driveline | 968 | 29.5% | 77,000 | 51,000–99,000 |
| Engine | 354 | 10.8% | 54,000 | 18,000–82,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 338 | 10.3% | 46,000 | 12,000–71,000 |
| Electrical system | 275 | 8.4% | 41,000 | 15,000–70,000 |
| Airbag system | 265 | 8.1% | 22,000 | 5,000–53,000 |
| Brakes | 259 | 7.9% | 24,000 | 5,000–48,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 220 | 6.7% | 47,000 | 19,000–77,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 92 | 2.8% | 45,000 | 27,000–77,000 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 86 | 2.6% | 38,000 | 8,000–59,000 |
| Exterior lighting | 77 | 2.3% | 51,000 | 27,000–79,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 50,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 29.5% of complaints (968 reports, 623 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 77,000 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 51,000 and 99,000 miles.
A single system taking 29.5% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
The engine accounts for 10.8% of complaints (354 reports, 202 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 53,750 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 17,836 and 82,424 miles.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 10.3% of complaints (338 reports, 157 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 46,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 12,000 and 71,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 8.4% of complaints (275 reports, 148 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 41,332 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 15,000 and 70,000 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 8.1% of complaints (265 reports, 161 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 22,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 5,000 and 53,006 miles.
The brakes account for 7.9% of complaints (259 reports, 190 of them with a mileage figure), and they fail early — a median of 24,000 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 5,000 and 47,500 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2013 model year drew the most — 871 complaints — while 2018 drew the fewest at 286. The median year sits at 401.
That makes 2013 an outlier: roughly 2.2 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 13 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the airbag system (6), the electrical system (3), the exterior lighting (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
Of the 3,285 complaints filed against this generation, 230 reported a crash; 45 reported a fire; 191 reported an injury; 3 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 7.0% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 15,500 and 81,361 miles, with a median of 50,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the transmission and driveline and the engine are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The engine in particular shows a median failure mileage of 53,750, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Transmission (cvt) 2013–2018
JATCO RE0F11A judder, shudder at light throttle, hesitation and premature failure. Valve-body bore wear causes line-pressure leakage and sticking solenoids; P0741 torque-converter-lockup and related judder codes are the signature. Nissan extended the original 5-year / 60,000-mile CVT warranty to 7 years / 84,000 miles for many of these cars.
Engine (1.8l Mra8de) 2013–2019
Elevated oil consumption and timing-chain noise complaints at higher mileage.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 871 | 656 |
| 2014 | 526 | 350 |
| 2015 | 500 | 298 |
| 2016 | 401 | 216 |
| 2017 | 341 | 154 |
| 2018 | 286 | 146 |
| 2019 | 360 | 132 |
Recalls (13)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 21V135000 | 2022-07-01 | Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch |
| 19V654000 | 2019-11-11 | Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera |
| 18V551000 | 2018-10-01 | Electrical System:ignition |
| 17V253000 | 2017-06-07 | Air Bags |
| 16V485000 | 2016-08-15 | Electrical System:wiring |
| 16V436000 | 2016-08-09 | Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module |
| 16V242000 | 2016-06-13 | Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification |
| 16V244000 | 2016-06-10 | Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification |
| 15V681000 | 2015-11-30 | Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification |
| 15V453000 | 2015-08-31 | Latches/Locks/Linkages |
| 14V138000 | 2014-04-14 | Electrical System:software |
| 13V069000 | 2013-05-06 | Air Bags |
| 13V068000 | 2013-04-01 | Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly |
What owners reported
When driving my vehicle it starts over revving when changing speeds on local roads. I also had a few instances where the vehicle would randomly not go over 40 MPH on the highway (possibly the vehicle is going into some kind of fail safe mode) and would rev heavily. I reached out to Nissan and they advised it sounds…
2013 · 2 miles · Transmission and driveline
Ive been having issues with my 2013 Sentra sr sputtering randomly and out of nowhere shakes and completly shuts off no matter the speed im doing. Which has me concerned as this is becoming a big safety issue now thru out the years its gotten proggresivly worse without any dealership being able to fix this issue cause…
2013 · 5 miles · Electronic stability control (esc)
While driving, my car continues to jerk and jerk as i tried to give the car gas. It would sputter and then all of a sudden jump really quick. It finally got to the point where i got stuck at two lights! I finally got my destination and got stuck on the hill. My foot was all the way on the gas pedal and some kind…
2013 · 5 miles · Brakes
Built from 1,952 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page