I PURCHASED THE CAR DROVE IT HOME WITH NO PROBLEM. 2 DAYS AFTER MY PURCHASE IT DRIVES VERY SLOW AND WON'T PICK UP SPEED.
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
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.
Vehicle Speed Control complaints
13 reportsTHERE THE CODE OF P1778 THAT KEEPS COMING UP ON ABOUT A CVT AND IFS AFFECTING THE DRIVE AND STRAIN THE TRANSMISSION I DONT UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE IS RECURRING.AND THIS HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. YOU CAN FEEL THE CAR HESITANT
DRIVING OVER AN HOUR AND THE CAR STARTS TO STRUGGLE, I CAN FEEL IT LOOSING POWER, IN ORDER TO NOT PRESS DOWN ALL THE WAY, I'M DOING A GIVE N GO PRAYING I DONT STOP ON THE FREEWAY. I WOULD SOMETIMES FEEL JUMPING AND THAT I'M NOT IN FULL CONTROL AND IT HAS STOPPED ON ME IN A 15MINUTE DRIVE. I HAVE GOTTEN, A DIAGNOSTIC, 1TIME IT HA…
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DRIVING OVER AN HOUR AND THE CAR STARTS TO STRUGGLE, I CAN FEEL IT LOOSING POWER, IN ORDER TO NOT PRESS DOWN ALL THE WAY, I'M DOING A GIVE N GO PRAYING I DONT STOP ON THE FREEWAY. I WOULD SOMETIMES FEEL JUMPING AND THAT I'M NOT IN FULL CONTROL AND IT HAS STOPPED ON ME IN A 15MINUTE DRIVE. I HAVE GOTTEN, A DIAGNOSTIC, 1TIME IT HAD 4DIFFERENT TRANSMISSION CODES AND ANOTHER A FUEL CODE. NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING ON, THIS STARTED AROUND THE 60,000 MILE I'M AT 90,000 NOW, SO YA, IT'S BEEN ROUGH.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING STARTED, THE RPM REVVED UP WITH AN ABNORMAL SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO NISSAN INFINITI OF SAN FRANCISCO LOCATED AT 1395 VAN NESS AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109, TO BE DI…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING STARTED, THE RPM REVVED UP WITH AN ABNORMAL SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO NISSAN INFINITI OF SAN FRANCISCO LOCATED AT 1395 VAN NESS AVE, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109, TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FUEL INJECTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO NISSAN SERRAMONTE LOCATED AT 1500 COLLINS AVE #A, COLMA, CA 94014, FOR A SECOND DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
AIRBAG 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. S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING-LETTER TO THE SECRETARY FROM REGARDING TOYOTA BRAKING PROBLEMS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES FAILED ON HIS FAILED. WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THE NEXT THE DAY, THE CONSUMER WENT TO THE DEALER AND HAD THE FRONT PADS REPLACED AND T…
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2008 NISSAN SENTRA. S10 APPROPRIATE HANDLING-LETTER TO THE SECRETARY FROM REGARDING TOYOTA BRAKING PROBLEMS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES FAILED ON HIS FAILED. WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THE NEXT THE DAY, THE CONSUMER WENT TO THE DEALER AND HAD THE FRONT PADS REPLACED AND THE REAR PADS CLEANED. THE CONSUMER HAS NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE SINCE. *JB
I WAS PARKING MY 2008 NISSAN SENTRA. I HAD ALREADY PULLED INTO THE PARKING SPACE AND SUDDENLY THE CAR ACCELERATED (MUCH FASTER THAN IT NORMALLY ACCELERATES AT SUCH A SLOW SPEED). PRIOR TO THE ACCELERATION, I COULD NOT HAVE BEEN DRIVING MORE THAN FIVE MILES AN HOUR. I RAN INTO THE CEMENT WALL AT THE END OF THE PARKING LOT. THE …
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I WAS PARKING MY 2008 NISSAN SENTRA. I HAD ALREADY PULLED INTO THE PARKING SPACE AND SUDDENLY THE CAR ACCELERATED (MUCH FASTER THAN IT NORMALLY ACCELERATES AT SUCH A SLOW SPEED). PRIOR TO THE ACCELERATION, I COULD NOT HAVE BEEN DRIVING MORE THAN FIVE MILES AN HOUR. I RAN INTO THE CEMENT WALL AT THE END OF THE PARKING LOT. THE CAR ACCELERATED SO FAST THAT IT LEFT SKID MARKS. THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE WITH MY CAR. I BOUGHT IT NEW AND IT HAS APPROXIMATELY 21,000 MILES. ALSO, I DID CHECK THE FLOOR MAT. IT WAS NOT IN ANY WAY INTERFERING WITH THE GAS OR BRAKE PEDAL. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE WHEN APPLIED SO THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A WALL. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A BODY SHOP FOR REPAIR. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED BUT THE POLICE S…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT ENGAGE WHEN APPLIED SO THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A WALL. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A BODY SHOP FOR REPAIR. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED BUT THE POLICE STATED THAT THE CONTACT MUST HAVE DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED FOR THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 22,500. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 24,000.
I WAS STOPPED AT A REDLIGHT BEHIND ABOUT 3 OTHER CARDS. WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED TO GREEN I BEGAN TO REMOVE MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY JOLTED FORWARD AT A HIGH SPEED. I HAD THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR BUT THE CAR DID NOT STOP. I MANEUVERED MYSELF ALL OVER THE ROAD TO AVOID PEDESTRIANS AND ONCOMING TRAFFIC AT THE…
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I WAS STOPPED AT A REDLIGHT BEHIND ABOUT 3 OTHER CARDS. WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED TO GREEN I BEGAN TO REMOVE MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY JOLTED FORWARD AT A HIGH SPEED. I HAD THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR BUT THE CAR DID NOT STOP. I MANEUVERED MYSELF ALL OVER THE ROAD TO AVOID PEDESTRIANS AND ONCOMING TRAFFIC AT THE INTERSECTION. I WAS ABLE TO AVOID ONE HEAD-ON COLLISION THAT ONLY DAMAGED THE MIRRORS AS WE PASSED BY EACH OTHER. I WENT ONTO THE SIDEWALK TAKING OUT SEVERAL FEET OF CYCLONE FENCE. THE FENCE POST NEARLY PUNCTURED THE FRONT WINDSHIELD (LUCKY) AND DAMAGED THE HOOD AND OTHER PARTS OF THE VEHICLE AS IT BOUNCED OFF. THE CAR CAME TO A STOP AS QUICKLY AS IT BEGAN. THE NISSAN "ENGINEER" COULD FIND NO CAUSE THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. I TRAVEL THIS ROAD EVERYDAY.THIS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. I WAS NOT CHARGED BY THE POLICE WHO SAID," I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU PULLED THIS OFF". I SENT A COMPLAINT TO NISSAN AND TO CONSUMER PRODUCTS SAFETY BUT I DID NOT HEAR ABOUT FHSA UNTIL TOYOTA BEGAN HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR, NISSAN DENIED IT. BASED ON AN INTERVIEW WITH AN ELECTRONICS ENGINEER THAT I HEARD ON NPR, ISN'T IS POSSIBLE THESE ACCELERATIONS ARE EXTRANEOUS? THIS PERSON CLAIMS CELLS PHONES AND OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES CAN CAUSE THIS. I WAS LESS THAN 1 MILE FROM A VERIZON CELLPHONE TOWER. WHO KNOWS? MAYBE HE IS RIGHT AND THE LOCATION OF THE INITIAL UNINTENDED ACCELERATION MAY BE WORK INVESTIGATING. *TR
A LEASED 2008 NISSAN SENTRA HAS GOTTEN STUCK IN ACCELERATION GEAR WHILE I AM ATTEMPTING TO SLOW TO A STOP. I HAVE TO PRESS HARD ON THE BRAKES AND SHIFT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL TO STOP THE ENGINE FROM RACING. THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE AROUND 18,000 MILES AND I NOW HAVE 23,000 MILES ON THE CAR. BRAKES ALSO EMIT A LOW WHISTLING NOISE…
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A LEASED 2008 NISSAN SENTRA HAS GOTTEN STUCK IN ACCELERATION GEAR WHILE I AM ATTEMPTING TO SLOW TO A STOP. I HAVE TO PRESS HARD ON THE BRAKES AND SHIFT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL TO STOP THE ENGINE FROM RACING. THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE AROUND 18,000 MILES AND I NOW HAVE 23,000 MILES ON THE CAR. BRAKES ALSO EMIT A LOW WHISTLING NOISE WHILE SLOWING DOWN TO STOP OR TURN. HAVE COMPLAINED TO DEALER ON MAINTENANCE VISITS BUT TOLD THEY CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH BRAKES; "COULD BE DUST ON PADS OR MOISTURE." *TR
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
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