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1998 Nissan Sentra

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Fewer warning signs than most model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 Nissan Sentra are lower than the model-year median of 116.

About this comparison →
58Owner complaints

Model-year median: 116

1Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
117
1995141
1996108
199758
199859
1999171
2000236
2001
Compare all Sentra years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Air Bags
15Visibility
13Service Brakes, Hydraulic
6Vehicle Speed Control
6Engine And Engine Cooling
4
All reported categories
Suspension
4Electrical System
3Structure
3Tires
3Equipment
2Fuel System, Gasoline
2Fuel/propulsion System
2Seat Belts
2Unknown Or Other
2Exterior Lighting
1Seats
1Service Brakes
1Visibility/wiper
1

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: 18 of 58 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 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

17 crash reports2 fire reports10 injury reports

Service Brakes complaints

1 reports
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255,000 miles · Feb 4, 2019
Fuel/propulsion SystemService Brakes

COMING TO A STOP IN A L TURN LANE, WITH FOOT DEFINITELY ONLY ON BRAKE, AT UNDER 3 MPH. JUST AS I STOPPED, BRAKE FADED, ENGINE RACED, AND CAR SURGED VIOLENTLY FORWARD, SIMULTANEOUSLY. I BARELY CONTROLLED THIS SURGE WITH EXTREME BRAKE PRESSURE. EVENT LASTED APPROXIMATELY 5 SECONDS. IT DID NOT TRIP A TROUBLE CODE, OR REC…

Read full complaint

COMING TO A STOP IN A L TURN LANE, WITH FOOT DEFINITELY ONLY ON BRAKE, AT UNDER 3 MPH. JUST AS I STOPPED, BRAKE FADED, ENGINE RACED, AND CAR SURGED VIOLENTLY FORWARD, SIMULTANEOUSLY. I BARELY CONTROLLED THIS SURGE WITH EXTREME BRAKE PRESSURE. EVENT LASTED APPROXIMATELY 5 SECONDS. IT DID NOT TRIP A TROUBLE CODE, OR RECUR. APPROXIMATELY 255,000 MILES ON CHASSIS. NO DAMAGE, BUT RISK OF IT VERY HIGH. MCGREGOR, TEXAS, TURNING L OFF OF US 84 EASTBOUND ONTO TX 317 NORTHBOUND. DRIVER IS RETIRED BUT VERY ACCOMPLISHED ENGINEER, WITH 3 ENGINEERING DEGREES, AND DECADES OF WIDE-RANGING EXPERIENCE. THIS HAD ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH PUSHING THE WRONG PEDAL. I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE MY FOOT WAS.

NHTSA ODI #11174303

Official recalls

1

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.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.