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2016 Nissan Sentra

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Sentra years

Owner complaints for the 2016 Nissan Sentra are substantially higher than the model-year median of 116.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

146 reports with mileage · 124 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 127 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 48 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 45 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

18 crash reports2 fire reports10 injury reports

What owners actually said

270 reports
Mileage unknown · Sep 27, 2021
Structure

I have replaced bumper clips twice. They continue to break off. Please advise whey these plastic clips break off. I'm afraid bumper can break off in highway and cause an accident.

NHTSA ODI #11434511

Mileage unknown · Jul 28, 2021
Exterior Lighting

I took my vehicle for the recall and it has not been fixed and it has been a long time. I was told that it has not yet been shipped yet but order placed.

NHTSA ODI #11426751

Mileage unknown · Jul 5, 2021
Electrical SystemPower TrainVehicle Speed Control

My car is having transmission issues I’ll be driving and it will lose power or the speed limit will decrease makes it very unsafe to drive it will do this out of no where will be on the freeway and it will go from 60 to 15

NHTSA ODI #11423461

Mileage unknown · Jul 3, 2021
Fuel/propulsion SystemService Brakes

my fuel pump went out

NHTSA ODI #11423341

Mileage unknown · Jul 1, 2021
Power Train

The vehicle loses power and sometimes shakes when trying to accelerate

NHTSA ODI #11423141

Mileage unknown · Jun 30, 2021
Power Train

I was driving onto the highway trying to accelerate past 40mph and the car started jerking really bad. I almost rear ended another vehicle luckily I was able to just avoid them . I quickly pulled over and cut the car off when I cut it back on the check engine light came on. it was around 2am so I drove it home the best That I c…

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I was driving onto the highway trying to accelerate past 40mph and the car started jerking really bad. I almost rear ended another vehicle luckily I was able to just avoid them . I quickly pulled over and cut the car off when I cut it back on the check engine light came on. it was around 2am so I drove it home the best That I could and took it to get diagnosed the next morning. I was told the transmission had sent about 4 failure codes and that I would need a new one. The need of a new transmission was confirmed for my the Nissan dealership themselves. My car has never done anything remotely like that before hand. I felt my life was put at grave risk and others around me. Knowing my car had began to had a jerking motion of which is almost very uncontrollable.

NHTSA ODI #11423028

Mileage unknown · May 7, 2021
Air BagsUnknown Or Other

THE LIGHT FOR PASSENGER AIRBAG WENT ON AND DOESN'T GO OFF

NHTSA ODI #11415492

10 miles · Apr 29, 2021
Electrical SystemEngineSteering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DAY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT BLANK AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START-UP AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY STARTED AND THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO FIVE STAR NISSAN OF WARNER ROBINS (839 WARREN DR, WARNER ROBI…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DAY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT BLANK AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START-UP AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY STARTED AND THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO FIVE STAR NISSAN OF WARNER ROBINS (839 WARREN DR, WARNER ROBINS, GA 31088) WHERE THE VEHICLE REMAINED IN DEALER POSSESSION FOR TWO WEEKS. THE CONTACT THEN STATED THAT UPON RETURN OF THE VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY FAILED TO OPERATE AS NEEDED, WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10. Consumer stated the following needs to be replaced wiring harness, steering wheel, door handles which are coming off, rear wheel hun, cabin air filter, lube oil and filter service, ABS actuator, front tire wear, key error light, at times vehicle will not start, seat belt light stays on, door rattles on driver's side, transmission replacement, air flow sensor lost calibration, and paint is flaking on rear bumpers.

NHTSA ODI #11414495

59,000 miles · Apr 28, 2021
EngineVehicle Speed Control

VEHICLE RPMS INCREASE DURING HIGHWAY SPEEDS- DEALERSHIP DETERMINED IT WAS A KNOWN CVT

NHTSA ODI #11414365

113,000 miles · Apr 21, 2021
Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 113,000.

NHTSA ODI #11413191

Official recalls

6

21V135000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch

Mar 3, 2021

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Nissan Sentra vehicles. The brake light switch may become contaminated, preventing the circuit from closing and the brake lights from illuminating.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: The brake lights may not illuminate, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the brake light switch and install a protective grommet, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 1, 2022. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800867-7769. Nissan's number for this recall is PM971.

17V253000 · Air Bags

Apr 13, 2017

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 LEAF and 2014, 2016 and 2017 Sentra vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error within the air bag inflators, the passenger frontal air bag may not properly deploy in the event of a crash.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: In the event of a crash, if the front passenger air bag doesn't deploy properly, it can increase the risk of injury to passengers.

Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 7, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

16V485000 · Electrical System:wiring

Jun 29, 2016

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016 Sentra vehicles manufactured April 11, 2016, through April 26, 2016. The engine room harness may have a terminal pin too large to maintain a connection with the Engine Control Unit (ECU).

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the engine room harness loses connection to the ECU, the vehicle may not start or the engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the terminal pin on the engine room harness, free of charge. The recall began on August 15, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

16V436000 · Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module; Electrical System:wiring

Jun 15, 2016

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016 LEAF vehicles manufactured February 24, 2016, to March 23, 2016, and Sentra vehicles manufactured February 9, 2016, to March 4, 2016. The wiring harness connector may disconnect from the dual-stage passenger air bag.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the wiring harness disconnects, the passenger air bag may not to deploy during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the wiring harness connector for proper engagement and, if necessary, replace the passenger air bag module and main body harness, free of charge. The recall began on August 9, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Air Bags:frontal:passenger Side:inflator Module

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016 LEAF vehicles manufactured February 24, 2016, to March 23, 2016, and Sentra vehicles manufactured February 9, 2016, to March 4, 2016. The wiring harness connector may disconnect from the dual-stage passenger air bag.

Consequence: If the wiring harness disconnects, the passenger air bag may not to deploy during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the wiring harness connector for proper engagement and, if necessary, replace the passenger air bag module and main body harness, free of charge. The recall began on August 9, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

Electrical System:wiring

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016 LEAF vehicles manufactured February 24, 2016, to March 23, 2016, and Sentra vehicles manufactured February 9, 2016, to March 4, 2016. The wiring harness connector may disconnect from the dual-stage passenger air bag.

Consequence: If the wiring harness disconnects, the passenger air bag may not to deploy during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the wiring harness connector for proper engagement and, if necessary, replace the passenger air bag module and main body harness, free of charge. The recall began on August 9, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

16V242000 · Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification

Apr 26, 2016

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Sentra vehicles manufactured June 4, 2012, to April 9, 2016. The front passenger seat belt bracket may become deformed if it is used to secure a Child Restraint System (CRS). The deformed seat bracket may cause the Occupant Classification System (OCS) to incorrectly classify the installed CRS, resulting in the front passenger air bag to not be turned off as designed when a CRS is in the seat.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the frontal passenger air bag deploys in the event of a crash when a child seat is installed in the front passenger seat, there will be an increased risk of injury to the child in the CRS.

Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will reinforce the seat belt bracket as well as reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU), free of charge. The recall began on June 13, 2016. Owners are warned not to install a CRS in the front seat. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669.

16V244000 · Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification

Apr 26, 2016

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.

Remedy: Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669, Infiniti customer service at 1-888-833-3216 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.

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.