IllustrationCAR DIES AT STOPS.EASILY STARTS UP AGAIN. OXYGEN SENSOR HAS BEEN CHANGED BUT DID NOT MAKE A CHANGE. THIS IS A REAL HAZARD AS TRAFFIC IS HEAVY. MECHANIC HAS CLEANED AND CHECKED BUT CAN NOT FIND PROBLEM. THIS STARTED ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO.*AK
1989 Nissan Sentra
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1989 Nissan Sentra do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 116.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sentra years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 0 of 41 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Seat Belts. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports1 fire reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
41 reportsWHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WOULD DRIFT TO THE RIGHT. TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP,AND MECHANIC INDICATED BUSHINGS HAD WORN OUT EXCESSIVELY. ALSO, WELDS HAD SEPARATED AND CAUSED T FRAME TO CRACK ON PASSENGER'S SIDE. MECHANIC GAVE NO GUARANTEE PRBLEM WILL REMAIN FIXED.*AK
AUTOMOBILE JUMPED FORWARD IN LOWER GEARS. CONSUMER HAD AN ACCIDENT, BUT DID NOT KNOW WHETHER THE JUMPING WAS THE CAUSE. TOOK AUTOMOBILE TO DEALER, AND THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH THE AUTOMOBILE. *AK
WAS GOING 30MPH WHEN ACCELERATOR WENT TO THE FLOOR. THROTTLE STUCK. HAD BOTH FEET ON BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN. STEERED VEHICLE TO PARKING LOT. TURNED VEHICLE OFF. PUSHED INTO PARKING SPACE. HAVE NOT BEEN TO DEALER, BUT WILL BE GOING. *AK*ADJ
WHENEVER VEHICLE MADE A STOP OR WAS WAITING AT A RED LIGHT THE VEHICLE WOULD CUT OFF. VEHICLE HAD TO BE PUT IN PARK IN ORDER TO START BACK UP. DRIVER WAS KILLED IN ACCIDENT BECAUSE VEHICLE STALLED COMING OUT OF DRIVEWAY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK
DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE STRUTS REAR TIRES GOT BALD 3 TIMES. DEALER REPLACED THE STRUTS. PRESENTLY THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES THE SAME PROBLEM. CAUSE UNKNOWN PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK
BRAKE SEALS FAILED.
VEHICLE BODY CONTAINS STRESS FRACTURES.
THE REAR DOORS WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK
SEAT BELT FAILED IN ACCIDENT.
Official recalls
195V103002 · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
May 24, 1995
THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE SAFETY BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO AN OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CHECK THE CONDITION AND OPERATION OF BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES AND CAREFULLY INSPECT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON FOR ANY BREAKS OR CRACKS. THEY SHOULD ENSURE THAT BOTH BUCKLES ARE OPERATING PROPERLY BY INSERTING EACH LATCH PLATE INTO ITS BUCKLE, TUGGING ON THE BELT TO MAKE SURE THE LATCH IS SECURELY LOCKED, AND THEN PRESSING THE RELEASE BUTTON. THE LATCH PLATE SHOULD POP OUT OF THE BUCKLE WHEN THE BUTTON IS PRESSED. IF EITHER RELEASE BUTTON SHOWS A SIGN OF BREAKING OR CRACKING OR IF EITHER BUCKLE FAILS TO OPERATE PROPERLY, OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CONTACT THEIR AUTHORIZED DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE BUCKLE REPLACED OR REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1EA95007 · Takata Seat Belt Buckle Failure
Opened Mar 10, 1995 · Closed Aug 2, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
There is no summary currently available