IllustrationAIRBAG LIGHT FLASHING, THEN HORN DIDN'T WORK; NOW THE CRUISE CONTROL IS NOT WORKING. I SEE SEVERAL SIMILAR PROBLEMS NOTED IN THE DATABASE. SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS WITHOUT THE HORN.
2008 Nissan Sentra
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2008 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
350–25K
1425–50K
2450–75K
1975–100K
20100–150K
13150K+
125 reports with mileage · 42 unknown
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 →
- Power Train. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
20 crash reports3 fire reports11 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
53 reportsMY SRS INDICATOR LIGHT STAYS ON IN MY CAR WHEN I'M DRIVING IT, OR IT COULD BE SITTING RUNNING.CAR WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION WITHOUT REPAIRS
THE AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS FLASHING. MY GRANDMOTHER TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT NEEDED TO BE RESET, SHE DROVE OFF AND A MILE LATER THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. I HAVE NOT TAKEN IT BACK TO THE DEALER YET, BUT I SEE OTHER DRIVERS ARE REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. I GOOGLED HOW TO RESET IT, DID IT MYSELF, BUT AS S…
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THE AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS FLASHING. MY GRANDMOTHER TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT NEEDED TO BE RESET, SHE DROVE OFF AND A MILE LATER THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. I HAVE NOT TAKEN IT BACK TO THE DEALER YET, BUT I SEE OTHER DRIVERS ARE REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. I GOOGLED HOW TO RESET IT, DID IT MYSELF, BUT AS SOON AS YOU START DRIVING IT COMES BACK ON.
AIRBAG LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY BLINKS ON AN OFF.
AIR BAG STARTED FLASHING AND HAS NOT STOPPED. I NOTICED THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE AIRBAGS IN THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE AND I AM WAITING TO SEE THAT THIS IS INVESTIGATED AND HELP WITH A RECALL DUE TO THE COST OF ATTEMPTING TO FIX THIS WHEN IT COULD WELL BE A FACTORY DEFECT. I ALSO HAD TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION A YE…
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AIR BAG STARTED FLASHING AND HAS NOT STOPPED. I NOTICED THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE AIRBAGS IN THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE AND I AM WAITING TO SEE THAT THIS IS INVESTIGATED AND HELP WITH A RECALL DUE TO THE COST OF ATTEMPTING TO FIX THIS WHEN IT COULD WELL BE A FACTORY DEFECT. I ALSO HAD TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION A YEAR AND A HALF AGO WHEN WHILE ON THE FREEWAY STARTED HAVING ISSUES ENDING IN THE NISSAN DEALER IN UTAH SHORT OF $3500 LATER AFTER THEY DETERMINED IT HAS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF A MALFUNCTION DUE TO A COOLING SYSTEM PROBLEM, WHICH NEEDED A COOLING DEVICE OF SOME SORT IN ORDER TO PREVENT IT FROM OVERHEATING, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR.
THE DRIVER AIR BAG FLASHING RED LIGHT WHEN I WAS DRIVING AND NEVER GOING OFF ALSO THE HORN DOESN'T WORK.ALSO THE ENGINE BURN A LOT OIL AND I DON'T SEE ANY LEAKS
AIRBAG LIGHTS FLASHING SO AIRBAG WONT WORK IF THERE IS AN ACCEDENT NEED TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL ANYTIME
HAVING ISSUES WITH MY PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR. THE ONLY CORRECTION THE DEALER ISSUED WAS TO REPLACE THE SEAT WITH A NEW OR USED SEAT. A NEW SEAT WOULD BE OVER $3,000 AND A USED ONE WELL OVER $700 PLUS LABOR TO CHANGE SEAT COVERS. ERROR CODE B1018. THE VEHICLE IS BEYOND WARRANTY HOWEVER, BECAUSE THIS IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY …
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HAVING ISSUES WITH MY PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR. THE ONLY CORRECTION THE DEALER ISSUED WAS TO REPLACE THE SEAT WITH A NEW OR USED SEAT. A NEW SEAT WOULD BE OVER $3,000 AND A USED ONE WELL OVER $700 PLUS LABOR TO CHANGE SEAT COVERS. ERROR CODE B1018. THE VEHICLE IS BEYOND WARRANTY HOWEVER, BECAUSE THIS IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE REGARDING FAULTY HARDWARE, I FEEL NISSAN SHOULD GRACIOUSLY ADDRESS THIS WITHOUT CHARGE. THERE ARE AIRBAG RECALL CAMPAIGNS OPEN FOR OTHER NISSAN MODELS REGARDING THIS VERY ISSUE BUT IT UNFORTUNATELY DOES NOT INCLUDE MY 2008 NISSAN SENTRA. THE RECALL OBVIOUSLY NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED! AT THIS POINT I MAY BE FORCED TO ACQUIRE A USED SEAT AT A LOCAL JUNK YARD, BUT IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO VERIFY THE SENSOR IS WORKING IN THE USED SEAT PRIOR TO INSTALLATION. AGAIN, THIS IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED PROMPTLY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME!
AIR BAG LIGHT HAS COME ON FOR NO APPARENT REASON. STEERING WHEEL CONTROLS, INCLUDING RADIO AND CRUISE CONTROL NO LONGER WORK AND HAVEN'T FOR SOME TIME NOW. THE "WHEELS" OR "HUBCAPS" PEELED OFF AND LOOK TERRIBLE. WHEN DRIVING OVER 60 MPH THE CAR SHAKES. ONE OWNER - 142,000 MILES
TRANSMITION IS NOT RESPONDING. WHEN IS HOT LOSES ALL THE POWER TO 30MPH. A WHYING NOISE
Official recalls
310V401000 · Equipment:electrical:navigational System(global Positioning System)
Sep 10, 2010
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES THAT WERE EQUIPPED WITH A GARMIN NUVI MODEL 750 NAVIGATION SYSTEM. THE BATTERIES CONTAINED IN THE AFFECTED GPS UNITS CAN OVERHEAT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: OVERHEATED BATTERIES COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY GARMIN TECHNICIANS BY REPLACING THE BATTERY AND INSERTING A SPACER ON TOP OF THE BATTERY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GARMIN DIRECTLY AT 1-866-957-1981 OR NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
09V431000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder
Nov 3, 2009
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 SENTRA PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH BOSCH MASTER CYLINDERS. BRAKE FLUID MAY LEAK FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER. IF THE AMOUNT OF BRAKE FLUID IN THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR DECREASES TO BELOW THE MINIMUM LEVEL, THE BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING INDICATOR WILL ILLUMINATE AS DESIGNED AND THE BRAKES WILL NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE WARNING LAMP IS CONTINUOUSLY IGNORED, ONE OF THE BRAKE CIRCUITS ON THE VEHICLE MAY FAIL INCREASING STOPPING DISTANCES AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE MASTER CYLINDER BRAKE BOOSTER ASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 14, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
08V311000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder
Jul 11, 2008
NISSAN IS RECALLING 169,202 MY 2007-2008 SENTRA PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED ROBERT BOSCH MASTER CYLINDER. DUE TO THE MACHINING IRREGULARITY BY THE SUPPLIER, THE INTERNAL SEAL GROOVE IN THE BODY OF SOME BRAKE MASTER CYLINDERS MAY ALLOW FOR A GAP IN THE GROOVE CONTACT AREA OF THE SEAL. THIS MAY RESULT IN BRAKE FLUID SLOWLY LEAKING FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER INTO THE BRAKE BOOSTER ASSEMBLY, CAUSING THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE WARNING LAMP IS IGNORED, ONE OF THE BRAKE CIRCUITS ON THE VEHICLE MAY NOT OPERATE AS DESIGNED INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE MASTER CYLINDER/BRAKE BOOSTER ASSEMBLY AND IF BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE IS DETECTED, THE MASTER CYLINDER WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 20, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
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
1DP16002 · Scope Of Recalls 08V311 And 09V431
Opened Dec 20, 2016 · Closed Oct 2, 2017
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder
Nissan conducted safety recalls 08V-311 and 09V-431 to remedy leaking master cylinders on certain MY 2007 and 2008 Nissan Sentra vehicles.The recall populations were determined based on production changes to the master cylinder which were fully implemented into production on April 18, 2008.NHTSA utilized vehicle owner questionnaire (VOQ) reports and did not request field information from Nissan.ODI identified two MY 2008 Nissan Sentra VOQs including the petitioner?s vehicle, which were not covered by the recalls and reported a leaking master cylinder.Both of these incidents occurred 6 or more years into the service life of the vehicle.ODI also identified three VOQs which reported a leaking master cylinder after receiving the recall remedy.While one of these failures occurred within 36 months of the recall remedy, the other two occurred at a later time.ODI notes that the original recall addressed failures which occurred early in the life of the vehicle, typically during the first 36 months of service.Master cylinders are generally expected to experience wear and thus will display a finite service life.After a thorough review of the available data in NHTSA's VOQ database, the agency has not identified a trend that would call into question the scope or adequacy of Nissan's recalls.Accordingly, and in view of the need to allocate and prioritize NHTSA's limited resources to best accomplish the agency's safety mission, ODI is denying the petition.A detailed summary of ODI's analysis of this petition is available in the investigative file for this action, and will be published in the Federal Register also.The agency reserves the right to revise this assessment should future circumstances warrant.The VOQs cited above can be viewed at NHTSA.gov under the following reference numbers: 10299791 10330891 10449038 10567372 10638813 10805749 10839357
Additional source detail variants (2)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder
Nissan conducted safety recalls 08V-311 and 09V-431 to remedy leaking master cylinders on certain MY 2007 and 2008 Nissan Sentra vehicles.The recall populations were determined based on production changes to the master cylinder which were fully implemented into production on April 18, 2008.NHTSA utilized vehicle owner questionnaire (VOQ) reports and did not request field information from Nissan.ODI identified two MY 2008 Nissan Sentra VOQs including the petitioner?s vehicle, which were not covered by the recalls and reported a leaking master cylinder.Both of these incidents occurred 6 or more years into the service life of the vehicle.ODI also identified three VOQs which reported a leaking master cylinder after receiving the recall remedy.While one of these failures occurred within 36 months of the recall remedy, the other two occurred at a later time.ODI notes that the original recall addressed failures which occurred early in the life of the vehicle, typically during the first 36 months of service.Master cylinders are generally expected to experience wear and thus will display a finite service life.After a thorough review of the available data in NHTSA's VOQ database, the agency has not identified a trend that would call into question the scope or adequacy of Nissan's recalls.Accordingly, and in view of the need to allocate and prioritize NHTSA's limited resources to best accomplish the agency's safety mission, ODI is denying the petition.A detailed summary of ODI's analysis of this petition is available in the investigative file for this action, and will be published in the Federal Register also.The agency reserves the right to revise this assessment should future circumstances warrant.The VOQs cited above can be viewed at NHTSA.gov under the following reference numbers: 10299791 10330891 10449038 10567372 10638813 10805749 10839357
Service Brakes
Nissan conducted safety recalls 08V-311 and 09V-431 to remedy leaking master cylinders on certain MY 2007 and 2008 Nissan Sentra vehicles.The recall populations were determined based on production changes to the master cylinder which were fully implemented into production on April 18, 2008.NHTSA utilized vehicle owner questionnaire (VOQ) reports and did not request field information from Nissan.ODI identified two MY 2008 Nissan Sentra VOQs including the petitioner?s vehicle, which were not covered by the recalls and reported a leaking master cylinder.Both of these incidents occurred 6 or more years into the service life of the vehicle.ODI also identified three VOQs which reported a leaking master cylinder after receiving the recall remedy.While one of these failures occurred within 36 months of the recall remedy, the other two occurred at a later time.ODI notes that the original recall addressed failures which occurred early in the life of the vehicle, typically during the first 36 months of service.Master cylinders are generally expected to experience wear and thus will display a finite service life.After a thorough review of the available data in NHTSA's VOQ database, the agency has not identified a trend that would call into question the scope or adequacy of Nissan's recalls.Accordingly, and in view of the need to allocate and prioritize NHTSA's limited resources to best accomplish the agency's safety mission, ODI is denying the petition.A detailed summary of ODI's analysis of this petition is available in the investigative file for this action, and will be published in the Federal Register also.The agency reserves the right to revise this assessment should future circumstances warrant.The VOQs cited above can be viewed at NHTSA.gov under the following reference numbers: 10299791 10330891 10449038 10567372 10638813 10805749 10839357