FaultScore

1999 Nissan Sentra electrical problems

14 of the 74 complaints about the 1999 Nissan Sentra are about the electrical system — 19% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 56,216 miles.

F

14

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

2

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Ignition 9 64.3%
Electrical System 4 28.6%
Horn 1 7.1%

Electrical System across every Nissan Sentra year

1992 14 1.8%
1996 12 1.5%
1997 11 1.4%
1999 14 1.8%
2000 30 3.9%
2001 48 6.2%
2002 54 6.9%
2003 37 4.8%
2004 28 3.6%
2005 18 2.3%
2006 11 1.4%
2007 11 1.4%
2008 11 1.4%
2010 50 6.4%
2011 34 4.4%
2012 13 1.7%
2013 44 5.7%
2014 32 4.1%
2015 25 3.2%
2016 44 5.7%
2017 33 4.2%
2018 32 4.1%
2019 65 8.4%
2020 44 5.7%
2021 38 4.9%
2022 24 3.1%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Charleston, SC

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHO WAS NOT ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 03V477000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), 03V455000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), AND 01V357000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA complaint #10702896 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Philadelphia, PA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THERE IS A RECALL ON 2002, 2005-2006 NISSAN SENTRAS & ALTIMAS WITH THE SENSOR. THE CAR CAN SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING AND ENGINE STALL. MY CAR IS A 1999 NISSAN SENTRA WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY WON'T FIX IT BECAUSE OF THE WRONG YEAR. REGARDLESS OF THE YEAR IT SHOULD BE FIXED OR I SHOULD RECEIVE SOME KIND OF COMPENSATION. LUCKILY WHEN I WAS DRIVING AND MY CAR SHUT DOWN I WASN'T HIT FROM THE BACK. I AM LOOKING TO FILE A LAW SUIT OVER THIS MATTER BECAUSE I SPENT MY MONEY ON THIS CAR BUYING IT BRAND NEW AND THIS ORGANIZATION JUST SHOVED ME OFF LIKE MY PROBLEM DOESN'T MATTER. I USE MY CAR AND NOW I AM WITHOUT A CAR AND CATCHING THE BUS. IT'S NOT FAIR! IT'S THEIR CAR!

NHTSA complaint #10213485 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 78,987 miles Pasadena, MD 1 injured

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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?

NHTSA complaint #10060669 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 78,987 miles Pasadena, MD 1 injured

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN

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?

NHTSA complaint #10060669 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Romulus, MI

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

SINCE SOON AFTER THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE IF YOU START THE VEHICLE AND THEN MOVE IT A SHORT DISTANCE AND TURN IT OFF, YOU CAN NOT RESTART IT, YOU HAVE TO HOLD DOWN THE GAS PEDAL AND CRANK IT UNTIL IT STARTS, OR WAIT TILL LATER TO START IT. SISTER HAD SAME MODEL AND YEAR NISSAN EXACT SAME PROBLEM. DEALER SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO, BUT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM. NOW AT 98K MILES YOU TURN OFF THE CAR AND THE FAN CONTINUES TO RUN MUST DISCONNECT THE BATTERY TO STOP IT. MANY ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS.

NHTSA complaint #10059941 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 47,000 miles Columbus, OH

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

DISTRIBUTOR CAP FAILED. WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE DISTRIBUTOR, WIRES, AND PLUGS. HOWEVER, PROBLEM RECURRED.

NHTSA complaint #10052062 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 53,000 miles Towson, MD

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

CAR STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING IN HIGHWAY WHILE BEING DRIVEN IN TRAFFIC.

NHTSA complaint #10020739 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 56,216 miles Bristol, RI

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

VEHICLE WILL NOT START WHEN TEMPRATURES GO FROM COLD TO WARM WITHOUT DEPRESSING GAS PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND HOLDING THERE WHILE CRANKING ENGINE OVER.

NHTSA complaint #10007937 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Albany, OR

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOST POWER ON HIGHWAY AND FAILED TO RESTART. MECHANIC INDICATED FAILURE WITH DISTRIBUTOR. NOTED THAT HE FELT IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH LATE MODEL NISSANS. MR

NHTSA complaint #768182 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lake City, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

DISTRIBUTOR HAS FAILED AT 108,000 MILES AND IS REOCCURRING AS A TYPICAL PROBLEM ON 1.6 LITER ENGINE.

NHTSA complaint #881125 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Garden Grove, CA Crash

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

WHILE DRIVEING 25 MPH ENGINE STALLED, AND REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. AMOUNT OF DAMAGE UNKNOWN.

NHTSA complaint #879115 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Carson, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

VEHICLE IGNITION KEY FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #784640 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Carson, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

VEHICLE IGNITION KEY FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #784640 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Carson, CA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

OVER HALF OF THE IGNITION KEY BROKE OFF AND REMAINS IN THE IGNITION. NLM

NHTSA complaint #784641 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

← Full 1999 Nissan Sentra report