IllustrationCONSUMER STATED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKES FAILED, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE BRAKES WERE UNFIT FOR DRIVING AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE.*JB
1996 Nissan Sentra
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 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: 14 of 141 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.
- Air Bags. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
43 crash reports1 fire reports25 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
10 reportsAIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND OFF.WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THERE IS A GRINDING E AND SQUEAKING NOISE. BRAKE PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOORBOARD. ALSO, FUEL PUMP MAKES A LOUD NOISE. *AK
I PURCHASED MY CAR IN LATE AUGUST OF 1997. SINCE THEN I HAVE PUT 3 SETS OF NEW BRAKES ON MY CAR. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP TO HAVE ANOTHER SET OF NEW BRAKES. I JUST PUT BRAKES ON MY CAR ON OCTOBER 16, 1998, I PUT BRAKES ON MY CAR IN JUNE OF 1998, AND NOW I AM DOING IT AGAIN (NOVEMBER OF 1998.) THE REASON FOR MY CONCERN IS …
Read full complaint
I PURCHASED MY CAR IN LATE AUGUST OF 1997. SINCE THEN I HAVE PUT 3 SETS OF NEW BRAKES ON MY CAR. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP TO HAVE ANOTHER SET OF NEW BRAKES. I JUST PUT BRAKES ON MY CAR ON OCTOBER 16, 1998, I PUT BRAKES ON MY CAR IN JUNE OF 1998, AND NOW I AM DOING IT AGAIN (NOVEMBER OF 1998.) THE REASON FOR MY CONCERN IS BECAUSE MY BRAKES FAIL WITHOUT WARNING. I WILL BE STOPPING AND MY BRAKES WILL STARTING GRINDING. I TAKE IT TO THE SHOP AND THE BRAKE PADS ARE COMPLETELY GONE, AND SO I REPLACE MORE THAN JUST THE BRAKE PADS, I ALSO MUST REPLACE THE ROTORS. LAST NIGHT (NOVEMBER 23, 1998) I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET, BARELY MOVING, BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC. I STEPPED ON MY BRAKES THEY GRINDED BADLY, AND I ALMOST DIDN'T GET MY CAR STOPPED. THIS IS THE MOST UNSAFE THING I CAN THINK OF. WITHOUT WARNING MY BRAKES DON'T STOP. I AM SO UNHAPPY WITH THIS CAR CURRENTLY THAT I WISH I HAD NEVER BOUGHT THIS CAR. THE REPAIR SHOP WHO CURRENTLY HAS MY CAR HAS SPOKEN WITH SOMEONE WHO WORKS AT NISSAN. THIS GENTLEMEN HAS TOLD HIM THAT HE IS AWARE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS "DEVOURING" BRAKES IN THE MANNER MINE IS CURRENTLY DOING. IF NISSAN DOES NOT LOOK IN TO THIS PROBLEM AND CONTACT ME IN THE NEAR FUTURE, I WILL BE FORCED TO TAKE LEGAL ACTIONS AGAINST THEM, SINCE I FEEL THAT MY CAR IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. BRANDY CARPENTER
BRAKES HAVE FAILED EVERY DAY. CONSUMER HAS HAD NUMEROUS NEAR MISSES. CLAIMS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE AND NEEDS HELP TO GET RID OF IT. *AK
REAR BRAKE SHOES RUMBLE AND SHAKE WHILE BRAKING.
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE PEDAL PULSATES AND GRINDS AND TRAVELS TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK
CONSUMER STATES HE ATTEMPTED TO APPLY HIS BRAKES NOTICED THEY FELT SPONGY AND DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE WHICH CAUSED HIM TO RUN INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER AUTOMOBILE. *AK
CONSUMER STATES DUE TO THE DESIGN AND LOCATION OF THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE PEDAL IS TO CLOSE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL CONSUMER ACCIDENTLY DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT/INJURIES. *AK
CONSUMER COMPLAINT REGARDING POSITIONING OF BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS.
THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WERE DESIGNED TOO CLOSELY TOGETHER, WHEN BACKING OUT HIT A POLE, IMPACT 6:00 POSITION, SPEED 5MPH. *AK
Official recalls
300V063000 · Suspension:front:springs:coil Springs
Mar 2, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS MAY NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT CORROSION RESISTANCE IN AREAS OF THE COUNTRY WHERE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF DE-ICING SALTS ARE APPLIED TO ROADS IN THE WINTER.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF A BROKEN SPRING COMES OUT OF THE LOWER SEAT, IT COULD CONTACT AND PUNCTURE THE TIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT COIL SPRING.
98V093000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:linkages
May 5, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. WATER CAN ENTER AND DISPLACE THE GREASE IN THE WIPER ARM LINKAGE BALL JOINT WHERE THE WIPER LINKAGE ATTACHES TO THE WIPER MOTOR LINKAGE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN GRADUAL WEAR OVER A PERIOD OF TIME INSIDE THE JOINT THAT COULD LEAD TO THE SEPARATION OF THE WIPER LINKAGE ASSEMBLY FROM THE WIPER MOTOR LINKAGE AT THE BALL JOINT. A LOSS OF WINDSHIELD WIPER FUNCTION CAN RESULT IN THIS SEPARATION OCCURS.
Remedy: TO PREVENT GREASE FROM BEING WASHED OUT OF THE JOINT, THE DEALERS WILL MODIFY BY ADDING A WATER DIVERSION SEAL THAT WILL PREVENT WATER FROM ENTERING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE BALL JOINT AREA.
98V008000 · Exterior Lighting:tail Lights
Jan 21, 1998
THESE VEHICLES DO NOT MEET THE ILLUMINATION REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FOLLOWING VEHICLES MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT IS STOPPING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH TWO NEW LIGHT BULBS FOR THE STOP/TAIL LAMPS WHICH ARE BRIGHTER THAN THE ORIGINAL BULBS. A LABEL WITH THE NEW BULB NUMBER WILL ALSO BE PROVIDED FOR INSERTION INTO THE OWNER'S MANUAL. IF AN OWNER SO DESIRES, A DEALERS CAN INSTALL THE LIGHT BULBS FOR THEM.
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
1SQ99018 · Corrision Fatigue Of Front Coil Springs
Opened Jun 17, 1999 · No close date supplied
Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
NISSAN IS CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL IN CANADA OF 11,100 1994 THROUGH 1996 SENTRA 2 DOOR MODELS IN WHICH THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS ARE FRACTURING FROM CORROSION FATIGUE.NISSAN REPORTED THAT THE FAILURES OCCUR FROM A LOSS OF THE PROTECTIVE PAINT COATING ON THE SPRINGS AND EXPOSURE TO HEAVY ROAD SALT.CORROSION CAN CAUSE PITS TO FORM ON THE SPRING SURFACE, WHICH CAN RESULT IN FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE SPRING.A BROKEN SPRING COULDPUNCTURE THE AFFECTED TIRE, POSSIBLY CAUSING A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.THE CANADIAN RECALL NUMBER FOR THIS IS 99-069, DATED APRIL 28, 1999.THE PURPOSE OF THIS SQ IS TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE DEFECT IDENTIFIED IN THE CANADIAN SAFETY RECALL SHOULD BE CONDUCTED IN THE U.S. AS A SAFETY RECALL.