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1999 Nissan Sentra

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1999 Nissan Sentra do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 116.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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: 13 of 59 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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. 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.

14 crash reports0 fire reports8 injury reports

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

6 reports
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101,108 miles · Feb 12, 2007
Air BagsService Brakes, HydraulicCrash

BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED TO FULLY FUNCTION. WHEN I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN, THE VEHICLE SLOWED. HOWEVER, AS I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL HARDER TO COME TO A FULL STOP, THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND. A TWO VEHICLE CAR CRASH RESULTED, AND THE SENTRA IS A TOTAL LOSS. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE BRAKES WERE LAST SERVICED O…

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BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED TO FULLY FUNCTION. WHEN I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW DOWN, THE VEHICLE SLOWED. HOWEVER, AS I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL HARDER TO COME TO A FULL STOP, THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND. A TWO VEHICLE CAR CRASH RESULTED, AND THE SENTRA IS A TOTAL LOSS. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE BRAKES WERE LAST SERVICED ON 10-23-06. I DO NOT TRUST THE DEALERSHIP, SINCE I HAVE HAD PREVIOUS PROBLEMS. I HAD THE SAME SUPSPENSION PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE - TIRES WEARING PREMATURELY ON THE INSIDE. IN ONE INSTANCE, NISSAN OF HICKORY TOLD ME THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH MY VEHICLE. AFTER TWO HOURS, THE SERVICE MANAGER WALKED ME INTO THE GARAGE, WHERE HE TRIED TO PROVE THE PROBLEM WAS MY TIRES. I POINTED TO A LEAKING SHOCK ON MY VEHICLE, AND HE WAS SUPRISED AND UPSET THAT I NOTICED IT. HE THEN TOLD ME THEY DID NOT TAKE THE TIRES OFF MY VEHICLE IN THE TWO HOURS I WAS WAITING. I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN NISSAN OF HICKORY TO EXAMINE MY VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THAT INCIDENT. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10182329

78,987 miles · Mar 8, 2004
Electrical SystemExterior LightingService Brakes, HydraulicInjury

I HAD JUST ENTERED A 3-LANE HIGHWAY AND WAS DRIVING 25-30 MPH IN THE RAIN AT NIGHT, WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY JUST STOPPED! I HAD NO LIGHTS, NO BRAKES, NO HORN, NO STEERING. BY SOME SMALL MIRACLE, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE STOPPED THE CAR,AND I HAD A CELL PHONE. THE POLICE GOT THERE BEFORE ANYONE HIT ME. SHEEHY NISSAN SERVICE DEPT. SA…

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I HAD JUST ENTERED A 3-LANE HIGHWAY AND WAS DRIVING 25-30 MPH IN THE RAIN AT NIGHT, WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY JUST STOPPED! I HAD NO LIGHTS, NO BRAKES, NO HORN, NO STEERING. BY SOME SMALL MIRACLE, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE STOPPED THE CAR,AND I HAD A CELL PHONE. THE POLICE GOT THERE BEFORE ANYONE HIT ME. SHEEHY NISSAN SERVICE DEPT. SAID THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURANCE WITH SENTRAS, AND SEVERAL YEARS WERE RECALLED FOR DEFECTIVE COMPONENTS FOR THE SAME KIND OF PROBLEMS, BUT 1999 WAS NOT INCLUDED. THEREFORE, THE REPAIRS AS ESTIMATED WOULD COST ME ROUGHLY ONE GRAND. FORGOT TO MENTION THAT MY SON AND BABY GIRL WERE WITH ME WHEN THE CAR FAILED ON THE HIGHWAY. AREN'T THE DEALERS REQUIRED TO REPORT THIS SORT OF THING TO THE MANUFACTURER?*AK

NHTSA ODI #10060669

Mileage unknown · Oct 17, 2002
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

CONSUMER STATE THAT WHILE DRIVING AND NO WARNING THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER IS LINKING FLUID CAUSE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED TS

NHTSA ODI #8021050

Mileage unknown · May 21, 2001
Exterior LightingService Brakes, HydraulicStructureCrashInjury

TRAVELING ON FREEWAY AT APPROX. 20-25 MPH. IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, APPROX. 4PM. THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED SUDDENLY, I ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE HARD, BUT THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND. I THEN ATTEMPTED TO STEER TO THE SIDE BUT I COULD ONLY GO SO FAR. I HAD THE FEELING THAT I LOST POWER. I COULD NOT GET OUT OF THE CAR AFTER IMPACT…

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TRAVELING ON FREEWAY AT APPROX. 20-25 MPH. IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, APPROX. 4PM. THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED SUDDENLY, I ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE HARD, BUT THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND. I THEN ATTEMPTED TO STEER TO THE SIDE BUT I COULD ONLY GO SO FAR. I HAD THE FEELING THAT I LOST POWER. I COULD NOT GET OUT OF THE CAR AFTER IMPACT BECAUSE THE POWER LOCKS DID NOT WORK. I WAS TOLD THAT THE HEAD LAMP WAS EMBEDDED INTO THE BATTERY.*AK

NHTSA ODI #745594

Mileage unknown · Jan 8, 2001
Air BagsService Brakes, HydraulicCrash

WHILE TRAVELING ON FREEWAY AT 50 MPH CONSUMER WAS EXITING RAMP WHEN BRAKES STOPPED WORKING, CONSUMER HAD TO SWERVE AND HIT A BRICK BUILDING AT 30 TO 40 MPH. BRAKES FINALLY DID KICK IN, AND IT DID SLOW VEHICLE DOWN A LITTLE BEFORE HITTING A BRICK WALL. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY, CONSUMER STATES THAT IT FELT AS IF T…

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WHILE TRAVELING ON FREEWAY AT 50 MPH CONSUMER WAS EXITING RAMP WHEN BRAKES STOPPED WORKING, CONSUMER HAD TO SWERVE AND HIT A BRICK BUILDING AT 30 TO 40 MPH. BRAKES FINALLY DID KICK IN, AND IT DID SLOW VEHICLE DOWN A LITTLE BEFORE HITTING A BRICK WALL. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY, CONSUMER STATES THAT IT FELT AS IF THE BRAKES CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ODI #877616

Mileage unknown · Jun 26, 2000
Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash

THE STOPPING DISTANCE FOR THIS SUB-COMPACT AT 30 MPH IS EXORBITANT. MY ACCIDENT WAS THE RESULT OF RUNNING OUT OF BRAKING SPACE ON A DAMP ROAD. EVERYONE WITH ABS EQUIPPED VEHICLES WERE ABLE TO SWERVE OUT OF THE ROAD TO AVOID ACCIDENT HOWEVER MY STANDARD BRAKES COULDN'T COMPETE WITH THEIR MANUEVERABILITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE BRAK…

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THE STOPPING DISTANCE FOR THIS SUB-COMPACT AT 30 MPH IS EXORBITANT. MY ACCIDENT WAS THE RESULT OF RUNNING OUT OF BRAKING SPACE ON A DAMP ROAD. EVERYONE WITH ABS EQUIPPED VEHICLES WERE ABLE TO SWERVE OUT OF THE ROAD TO AVOID ACCIDENT HOWEVER MY STANDARD BRAKES COULDN'T COMPETE WITH THEIR MANUEVERABILITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE BRAKES WORK LIKE I HAVE 50K MILES W/O SERVICING. *AK

NHTSA ODI #724586

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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.