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2012 Nissan Sentra

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2012 Nissan Sentra do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 116.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

129 reports with mileage · 51 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.

  • Power Train. Review the 68 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 39 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

10 crash reports4 fire reports7 injury reports

What owners actually said

180 reports
100,220 miles · Mar 1, 2021
Power Train

WAS DRIVING ON SNOW WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, UPON RUNNING A CODE SCAN IT SHOWED TCM LOST COMMUNICATION. WHEN DEALER CHECKED THEY SAID THEY DETECTED A SHUTTER IN THE CVT.

NHTSA ODI #11398331

40,000 miles · Sep 15, 2020
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO MOVE FORWARD WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT AND HER DAUGHTER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO ROCKING NISSAN OF STAFFORD (1 COACHMAN CIR, STAFFORD, VA 2…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO MOVE FORWARD WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT AND HER DAUGHTER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO ROCKING NISSAN OF STAFFORD (1 COACHMAN CIR, STAFFORD, VA 22554) AND NISSAN OF ORANGEBURG (2827 ST MATTHEWS RD, ORANGEBURG, SC 29118) ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND BOTH DEALERS WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE HE DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE WITH A TRANSMISSION ISSUE LINKED TO THE RPM'S. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED HER THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000.

NHTSA ODI #11355244

95,000 miles · Aug 24, 2020
EnginePower TrainSteering

DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR LOST 90% OF POWER AND COULD ONLY GO ABOUT 25MPH. THERE WAS NO WARNING. CAR JERKS VIOLENTLY STEERING BECOMES HARDER. YOU TRY TO PUNCH DOWN ON THE GAS AND NOTHING HAPPENS. ALSO WAS FORCED TO TAKE CITY STREETS DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO GO A SAFE SPEED TO STAY ON FREEWAY/HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ODI #11351048

155,400 miles · Jul 12, 2020
EngineUnknown Or Other

WHEN APPROACHING A RED LIGHT AND STOPPING QUICKLY, THE CAR COMPLETELY STOPPED EVEN THOUGH I WAS GOING 10 MILES PER HOUR AT 1000 RPM, TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT, OIL LIGHT, BATTERY LIGHT AND SEAT BELT LIGHT ALL TURNED ON. THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE CAR TO MOVE WAS TO TURN IT OFF AND TURN IT BACK ON. THIS HAPPENED A SECOND TIME WHILE RET…

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WHEN APPROACHING A RED LIGHT AND STOPPING QUICKLY, THE CAR COMPLETELY STOPPED EVEN THOUGH I WAS GOING 10 MILES PER HOUR AT 1000 RPM, TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT, OIL LIGHT, BATTERY LIGHT AND SEAT BELT LIGHT ALL TURNED ON. THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE CAR TO MOVE WAS TO TURN IT OFF AND TURN IT BACK ON. THIS HAPPENED A SECOND TIME WHILE RETURNING TO OUR HOME. AS I WAS GETTING OFF THE INTERSTATE AND STOPPING FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. IT SEEMS TO DO THIS WITH A HARD STOP AT 1000 RMP OR 10-20 MPH.

NHTSA ODI #11338877

103,000 miles · May 20, 2020
Fuel/propulsion SystemPower Train

WHILE DRIVING FROM AZ TO CA ON THE HIGHWAY, MY VEHICLE LOST THE ABILITY TO SPEED UP WHILE PUSHING THE PEDAL. IT HAPPENED A TOTAL OF THREE TIMES ON 2 DIFFERENT DAYS.THE FIRST TWO TIMES I COULDN'T GET ABOVE 60 HOWEVER ON ONE OCCASION, IT DROPPED DOWN TO 3-5 MILES PER HOUR AND THE PEDAL WAS TO THE FLOOR. I WAS ON A 2 LANE HIGHWAY W…

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WHILE DRIVING FROM AZ TO CA ON THE HIGHWAY, MY VEHICLE LOST THE ABILITY TO SPEED UP WHILE PUSHING THE PEDAL. IT HAPPENED A TOTAL OF THREE TIMES ON 2 DIFFERENT DAYS.THE FIRST TWO TIMES I COULDN'T GET ABOVE 60 HOWEVER ON ONE OCCASION, IT DROPPED DOWN TO 3-5 MILES PER HOUR AND THE PEDAL WAS TO THE FLOOR. I WAS ON A 2 LANE HIGHWAY WITH SEMI TRUCKS HAVING TO PASS ME ON THE LEFT. I WAS TERRIFIED, HAD NO CELL SERVICE AND HAD TO DRIVE ON THE SHOULDER WITH MY HAZARDS ON UNTIL THE SHOULDER DISAPPEARED. EVENTUALLY IT RETURNED TO NORMAL, BUT IT WAS A VERY SCARY EXPERIENCE. I SEE NOW THAT NISSAN HAS HAD A MULTITUDE OF COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. SHAME ON YOU FOR NOT RECALLING THE TRANSMISSION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #11325325

Mileage unknown · Feb 10, 2020
Air Bags

AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON ALL THE TIME AND THE HORN DON'T WORK

NHTSA ODI #11308165

4,444 miles · Jan 23, 2020
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK AS THE BRAKE PEDAL SHAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER PREMIER NISSAN OF SAN JOSE 1120 W CAPITOL EXPY, SAN JOSE, CA 95136 (408) 978-1234 TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLIC…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK AS THE BRAKE PEDAL SHAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER PREMIER NISSAN OF SAN JOSE 1120 W CAPITOL EXPY, SAN JOSE, CA 95136 (408) 978-1234 TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE OR RETRIEVE ANY DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE THEN WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATE 4,444.

NHTSA ODI #11301392

118,000 miles · Jan 14, 2020
Power Train

RIGHT AFTER PURCHASING OUR NISSAN SENTRA, MY DAUGHTER WENT ON A ROAD TRIP TO SOUTH CAROLINA AND THE CAR LOST POWER AND STARTED STUTTERING. AS IT TURNS OUT THE CVT TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. WE HAD TO PURCHASE A USED TRANSMISSION TO GET THE CAR RUNNING. THE CAR ONLY HAD 118,000 MILES WHEN THIS OCCURRED WHICH IS RIDUCLOUS.

NHTSA ODI #11299374

Mileage unknown · Dec 29, 2019
EnginePower TrainUnknown Or OtherCrashInjury

2012 NISSAN SENTRA WAS BOUGHT 3 WEEKS PRIOR WITH NO PROBLEMS. WHILE TRAVELING 60 - 70 MPH ON A HIGHWAY THE CAR SUDDENLY STOP RUNNING AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO STEER OUT OF THE TROUBLED AREA ON THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE BROKE DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF A HIGHWAY. AFTER RESEARCH IT SEEM TO BE THE …

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2012 NISSAN SENTRA WAS BOUGHT 3 WEEKS PRIOR WITH NO PROBLEMS. WHILE TRAVELING 60 - 70 MPH ON A HIGHWAY THE CAR SUDDENLY STOP RUNNING AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO STEER OUT OF THE TROUBLED AREA ON THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE BROKE DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF A HIGHWAY. AFTER RESEARCH IT SEEM TO BE THE SAME ACTIONS THAT HAS HAPPENED TO THOUSANDS OF OTHER NISSAN SENTRAS. THE DEFECTED CVT TRANSMISSION CAUSES THIS TO HAPPEN. LUCKILY MY SON WAS NOT KILLED DURING A ACCIDENT THAT WAS CAUSED AFTER HE WAS REAR ENDED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.

NHTSA ODI #11291934

74,000 miles · Nov 27, 2019
Power Train

WHEN TAKING OFF FROM ANY LOCATION ENGINE REVS TO 4000 RPM UNTIL UP TO SPEED , NEED TO BE VERY EASY ON GAS TO GET GOING UP TO SPEED , CAN BE DANGEROUS AT INTERSECTIONS TO GET MOVING QUICKLY IF NEEDED

NHTSA ODI #11282626

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.