Nissan Sentra 2020–2025 problems by year and mileage
8th generation (B18)
NHTSA data through 24 September 2026507 complaints, 101 with mileageMethod
Which year is yours? Tap it to see what breaks on it.
The 2020 Nissan Sentra
Close- Median failure report
- 29,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 205
- Recalls naming this year
- 4
Most reported on the 2020
- Forward collision avoidance60 reports
- Steering55 reports
- Problems owners could not categorise47 reports
4 recall campaigns name the 2020: Back over prevention — sensing system; Steering — linkages; Exterior lighting — headlights. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2021 Nissan Sentra
Close- Median failure report
- too few reports to time
- Complaints filed
- 131
- Recalls naming this year
- 3
Most reported on the 2021
- Steering40 reports
- Electrical system38 reports
- Forward collision avoidance38 reports
3 recall campaigns name the 2021: Back over prevention — sensing system; Steering — linkages. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2022 Nissan Sentra
Close- Median failure report
- too few reports to time
- Complaints filed
- 81
- Recalls naming this year
- 2
Most reported on the 2022
- Steering31 reports
- Electrical system24 reports
- Problems owners could not categorise16 reports
2 recall campaigns name the 2022: Steering — linkages; Structure — body. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2023 Nissan Sentra
Close- Median failure report
- too few reports to time
- Complaints filed
- 20
- Recalls naming this year
- 1
Most reported on the 2023
- Electrical system8 reports
- Forward collision avoidance5 reports
- Problems owners could not categorise5 reports
1 recall campaign names the 2023: Air bags — frontal. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2024 Nissan Sentra
Close- Median failure report
- too few reports to time
- Complaints filed
- 40
- Recalls naming this year
- 3
Most reported on the 2024
- Electrical system10 reports
- Steering10 reports
- Transmission and driveline9 reports
3 recall campaigns name the 2024: Visibility — windshield; Power train — driveline; Air bags — frontal. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2025 Nissan Sentra
Close- Median failure report
- too few reports to time
- Complaints filed
- 30
- Recalls naming this year
- 4
Most reported on the 2025
- Problems owners could not categorise6 reports
- Electrical system4 reports
- Engine4 reports
4 recall campaigns name the 2025: Power train — driveline; Latches/locks/linkages — doors; Visibility — windshield. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
Each tile shows the median mileage at which that model year’s failures were reported. 5 of these years carry fewer than 30 reports with an odometer reading and show no median at all, rather than one computed from a handful.
The short answer
“Is the 2020–2025 Nissan Sentra reliable?”
- Median of reported failures
- 26,000 mi
- 90% of reports came by
- 75,000 mi
- Reports with mileage
- 101
- Recalls
- 12
At least 40% of this generation’s complaints were filed after 2020, and most complaints filed since then carry no odometer reading, so the median likely understates the mileage these failures happen at.
Most reported
- Steering28.0% of complaints · median 40,000 mi
- Electrical system25.4% of complaints · median 28,000 mi
- Forward collision avoidance23.5% of complaints · median 7,500 mi
Owners filed 507 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020–2025 Nissan Sentra; the steering leads with 28% of them, and half of the 101 that record an odometer reading came by 26,000 miles. A count like this can’t rate reliability on its own: NHTSA records what owners chose to report, not how many of each car were sold.
31% of complaints that record mileage fall within the first 12,000 miles, against 0.8 reports per 1,000 miles between 20,000 and 80,000. On a generation this new that is expected: few examples have been driven further yet, so the timing says little about design or wear so far.
Before-you-buy checklist ↓At your mileage ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
How many miles does a 2020–2025 Nissan Sentra last?
The newest model years (2024–2025) are too young to have reached high mileage; most reports with an odometer reading come from the earlier years of the generation.
Complaint records can’t measure how long a car lasts; they show when reported failures happened. On the 2020–2025 Nissan Sentra, half of the 101 complaints that record an odometer reading were filed by 26,000 miles and 90% by 75,000 miles.
Figure 1 · Nissan Sentra 2020–2025 · 101 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 20,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 42 complaints.
- First 12,000 miles — 31% of all failures
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 10%
- 1,600
- 25%
- 9,000
- Median
- 26,000
- 75%
- 50,000
- 90%
- 75,300
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–20,000 | 42 | 41.6% |
| 20,000–40,000 | 25 | 24.8% |
| 40,000–60,000 | 17 | 16.8% |
| 60,000–80,000 | 8 | 7.9% |
| 80,000–100,000 | 5 | 5.0% |
| 100,000–120,000 | 3 | 3.0% |
| 140,000–160,000 | 1 | 1.0% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
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.
Common Sentra problems, and when they happen
Figure 2 · Nissan Sentra 2020–2025
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Brakes61 reports6,0003,000–21,000Brakes: 61 reports, median 6,000 miles, middle half 3,000 to 21,000 miles.
- Forward collision avoidance119 reports7,5001,500–25,000Forward collision avoidance: 119 reports, median 7,500 miles, middle half 1,500 to 25,000 miles.
- Electrical system129 reports28,0005,000–47,000Electrical system: 129 reports, median 28,000 miles, middle half 5,000 to 47,000 miles.
- Steering142 reports40,00025,000–57,000Steering: 142 reports, median 40,000 miles, middle half 25,000 to 57,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
All systems in a table
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 142 | 28.0% | 40,000 | 25,000–57,000 |
| Electrical system | 129 | 25.4% | 28,000 | 5,000–47,000 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 119 | 23.5% | 7,500 | 1,500–25,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 99 | 19.5% | — | — |
| Brakes | 61 | 12.0% | 6,000 | 3,000–21,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 34 | 6.7% | — | — |
| Engine | 33 | 6.5% | — | — |
| Suspension | 30 | 5.9% | — | — |
| Wheels | 25 | 4.9% | — | — |
| Reversing camera and sensors | 24 | 4.7% | — | — |
System by system, in words
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 26,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The steering accounts for 28.0% of complaints (142 reports, 39 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 40,000 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 25,000 and 57,000 miles.
A single system taking 28.0% 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 electrical system accounts for 25.4% of complaints (129 reports, 14 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 28,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 5,000 and 47,000 miles.
Forward collision avoidance accounts for 23.5% of complaints (119 reports, 16 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 7,500 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 1,500 and 25,000 miles.
The brakes account for 12.0% of complaints (61 reports, 13 of them with a mileage figure), and they fail early — a median of 6,000 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 3,000 and 21,000 miles.
Known problems with the 2020–2025 Sentra
General 2020–2025
No widely documented systemic powertrain defect as of MY2025; the CVT and engine complaint rates fall sharply relative to the B17, and this generation is a deliberate reset of the Sentra's CVT reputation.
Before you buy a 2020–2025 Sentra: the 3-minute check
Generated from 101 mileage-tagged complaints, 12 recall campaigns, 1 documented problem area. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 12 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Ask for forward collision avoidance repair records. Reports on this area come at a median of 7,500 miles — a newer example may not have reached that mileage yet, so ask what was repaired under warranty and what the warranty still covers.
- Ask for brakes repair records. Reports on this area come at a median of 6,000 miles — a newer example may not have reached that mileage yet, so ask what was repaired under warranty and what the warranty still covers.
- Check general on 2020–2025 cars. No widely documented systemic powertrain defect as of MY2025; the CVT and engine complaint rates fall sharply relative to the B17, and this generation is a deliberate reset of the Sentra's CVT reputation.
- Complaint reports are not spread evenly across model years here — see the by-model-year table below before you settle on a year.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer of a newer example: 31% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, and many of these cars have not covered that yet. The early window may still be ahead, so check what the factory warranty still covers and whether any recall on the VIN is open.
On inspection, the steering and the electrical system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The electrical system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 28,000, 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.
Sentra problems by mileage: where your car sits
Type your odometer reading, or read the common mileages in the table. Your marker lands on the timing chart above and on the curve below.
| System | Middle half of reports, mi | At 60k mi83% below | At 90k mi95% below | At 120k mi99% below | At 150k mi100% below | At 200k mi100% below |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 25,000–57,000 | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Electrical system | 5,000–47,000 | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Forward collision avoidance | 1,500–25,000 | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Brakes | 3,000–21,000 | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
Figure 3 · Nissan Sentra 2020–2025 · 101 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 83% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 99% of reports below
- 200,000 mi — 100% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it above
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
2020–2025 Nissan Sentra recalls (12)
NHTSA records 12 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 transmission and driveline (2), visibility equipment (2), the steering (2). Several campaigns against one area can mean a remedy that did not hold, or separate defects in parts filed under the same heading; the summaries below name each defect.
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.
Jun 2026 · 2025 · Power TrainAn unexpected loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
The defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Nissan Sentra vehicles. The front left-side driveshaft may not be fully seated in the continuously variable transmission (CVT) assembly, which can cause a transmission fluid leak and loss of drive…
What can happen. An unexpected loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash. In addition, a driveshaft that is not fully engaged can result in a vehicle rollaway if the parking brake is not applied…
The free fix. Dealers will inspect the front left driveshaft, and if necessary, replace the driveshaft and CVT assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 12, 2026. Owners may contact…
Jan 2026 · 2025 · Latches/Locks/LinkagesA door that opens unexpectedly while the vehicle is in motion increases the risk of injury or a crash.
The defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Altima, Sentra, 2025-2026 Frontier, and 2026 Kicks vehicles. The door strikers may have been improperly welded and break, allowing the door to open while moving. As such, these vehicles fail to…
What can happen. A door that opens unexpectedly while the vehicle is in motion increases the risk of injury or a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the door strikers, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261. Nissan's numbers for this…
Nov 2025 · 2025 · VisibilityReduced visibility while driving can increase the risk of a crash.
The defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Sentra vehicles. The windshield glass may have visible air bubbles, which can obscure the driver's visibility. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
What can happen. Reduced visibility while driving can increase the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect and replace the windshield as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 21, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669.…
Mar 2025 · 2025 · SeatsAn unsecured driver's seat may not adequately restrain the driver during a crash, increasing the risk of…
The defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Sentra vehicles. The driver's seat frame may not be fully secured to the outer side of the seat track. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety…
What can happen. An unsecured driver's seat may not adequately restrain the driver during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect and replace the driver's side lower seat frame assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 1, 2025. Owners may contact Nissan's customer…
Jul 2024 · 2024 · VisibilityAn owner who cannot see their VIN clearly may not recognize their vehicle is involved in a safety recall, and…
The defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2024 Nissan Sentra vehicles. The windshield may have air bubbles on the front lower driver's side, which can obscure the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). As such, these vehicles fail to comply with…
What can happen. An owner who cannot see their VIN clearly may not recognize their vehicle is involved in a safety recall, and may not have the recall remedy performed, which could increase the risk of injury, fire…
The free fix. Dealers will inspect and replace the windshield as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 29, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669.…
Apr 2024 · 2024 · Power TrainAn unexpected loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
The defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2024 Sentra vehicles. The front left-side driveshaft may not be fully seated in the continuously variable transmission (CVT) assembly, or may have a loose or missing retaining clip, which can cause a…
What can happen. An unexpected loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect the front left driveshaft, and if necessary, replace the driveshaft and CVT assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 26, 2024. Owners may contact…
Feb 2024 · 2023–2024 · Air BagsAn air bag that deploys improperly may not protect the driver as intended during a crash, increasing the risk…
The defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2024 Titan, Frontier, Infiniti QX60, Pathfinder, 2023-2024 Sentra, Versa, Kicks, Infiniti QX50, and 2023 Rogue vehicles. Due to a manufacturing issue, the driver's air bag inflator may absorb moisture…
What can happen. An air bag that deploys improperly may not protect the driver as intended during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the front driver's air bag assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's…
Sep 2023 · 2020–2021 · Back Over PreventionA rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the…
The defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Altima and 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. Damage to the camera harness can cause distortion or loss of the rearview camera display image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the…
What can happen. A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and harness for damage and replace them as necessary. If no damage is found, the dealer will apply protective tape and reroute the rearview camera harness.…
Aug 2023 · 2020–2022 · SteeringA bent tie rod can break and cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Sentra vehicles. The left and/or right tie rod may bend.
What can happen. A bent tie rod can break and cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Owners are advised to contact their dealer for transport assistance if they are experiencing an off-center steering wheel or vibration. As an interim repair, dealers will inspect and replace any bent…
Jun 2023 · 2022 · StructureCorrosion of the electrical components could result in failure of various electrical systems, such as loss of…
The defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2022 Sentra vehicles. The driver's side cowl area may have a missing or improper seal, which can allow water to leak inside the vehicle and corrode electrical components.
What can happen. Corrosion of the electrical components could result in failure of various electrical systems, such as loss of wiper motor function or exterior lighting, inoperative air bags, or the ability to shift…
The free fix. Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, reseal the driver's side cowl. If moisture or corrosion is found, the main harness and engine room harness will be replaced. Repairs will be performed free of…
Apr 2022 · 2020 · Exterior LightingAn improperly aimed headlight may reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020 Sentra vehicles, equipped with LED headlights. The right-hand headlight aim may be misaligned. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard…
What can happen. An improperly aimed headlight may reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will replace the right-hand headlight, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 10, 2022. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for…
Jun 2021 · 2020–2021 · SteeringA bent tie rod can break, causing a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash.
The defect. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. The left and/or right tie rod may be bent.
What can happen. A bent tie rod can break, causing a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will inspect and replace the left and/or right tie rods as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 5, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at…
Crashes, fires and injuries owners reported
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 507 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 36 (7.1%)
- Fires
- 1
- Injury reports
- 21
- Fatality reports
- 0
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Sentra problems by model year
The 2020 drew the most complaints of this generation, 205, most of them about forward collision avoidance, and the 2023 the fewest, 20. A typical year drew about 60.
That makes the 2020 stand out at roughly 3.4 times a typical year. A count like this follows how many cars of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as how often they failed, so it is not by itself evidence of a worse year; what each year's reports name, in its card and row, is the useful part.
| Year | Complaints | With mileage | Median miles | Most reported | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 205 | 57 | 29,000 | Forward collision avoidance (60) | 4 |
| 2021 | 131 | 21 | under 30 reports | Steering (40) | 3 |
| 2022 | 81 | 11 | under 30 reports | Steering (31) | 2 |
| 2023 | 20 | 3 | under 30 reports | Electrical system (8) | 1 |
| 2024 | 40 | 5 | under 30 reports | Electrical system (10) | 3 |
| 2025 | 30 | 4 | under 30 reports | Problems owners could not categorise (6) | 4 |
What Sentra owners reported
The contact owns a 2025 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds on several occasions, the messages "Engine Stall - Stop Safely", "Service Due in 0 Miles", and "System Malfunction Not Available" were displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle lost power and stalled. The contact stated…
2025 · 10,000 miles · Electrical system
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel was off centered and the vehicle vibrated. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle vibrated while making a turn. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a…
2020 · 140,000 miles · Steering
The contact owns a 2022 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the forward collision assistance sensor independently deactivated and the warning light illuminated. The contact stated electrical failures with the sunroof, radio, the heating and air conditioning. The contact stated that…
2022 · 47,000 miles · Electrical system
The contact owns a 2022 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the steering was difficult to maintain as the vehicle drifted and the steering wheel was stiff. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the front end needed to be…
2022 · 36,000 miles · Transmission and driveline
Built from 101 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-09-26 · open data · how it is built
Other Sentra generations
- Sentra 2000–2006 898 reports with mileage, most about the engine and its cooling system
- Sentra 2007–2012 641 reports with mileage, most about the airbag system
- Sentra 2013–2019 1,396 reports with mileage, most about the transmission and driveline