18 of the 240 complaints about the 2003 Nissan Sentra are about the fuel system — 8% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 43,653 miles.
18
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
The car quits as I’m driving it , The headlights and the dome lights go dim and radio light flickers then it goes completely out and when I’m driving the car it has a rough idle and in order to keep the car running when I get to a stop light or stop sign is to put the car in park .
NHTSA complaint #11474518 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
FLOOR MAT HOLDER BROKE, FLOOR MAT SLIDES UP UNDER GAS PEDAL, CAUSING U.N. CONTROLLED ACCELERATION MULTIPLE TIMES
NHTSA complaint #11299233 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
CAR WAS PARKED REFUELING . WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PUT GAS IN THE CAR AND IT KEPT SHUTTING PUMP OFF AND WAS LEAKING OUT UNDER THE CAR . ENGINE LIGHT IS CURRENTLY STAYING ON
NHTSA complaint #11180571 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
VENT CONTROL VALVE/EVAP CANISTER I CAN NOT PUT GAS IN MY 2003 NISSAN SENTRA WHEN I TRY IT POURS OUT ON THE GROUND AND TAKES 15-20 MINUTES TO PUT MABE 50 CENTS OF GAS IN CAR . MY ENGINE LIGHT IS ALSO ON
NHTSA complaint #11180562 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
CAR WON'T START DRIVE IT ALL DAY FRIDAY AND IT WAS FINE WENT TO START IT ON SATURDAY WOULDN'T START
NHTSA complaint #11091018 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
PCM ECM ECU ENGINEERING FLAW. ENGINE KICKS INTO SAFE MODE WHILE IN OPERATION OR COMPLETELY STALLS, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, WHEN RESTARTS WILL MISFIRE. DIAGNOSED WITH FAULTY CONTROL MODULE (THE SECOND ONE IN THIS VEHICLE SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT)
NHTSA complaint #11053772 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
WE BOUGHT THIS LOW MILEAGE CAR FROM A FAMILY MEMBER BUT AFTER BUYING THIS CAR IT STARTED GETTING PLAGUED WITH THE CAR SUDDENLY AND MYSTERIOUSLY SHUTTING OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. ENGINE DIED UNANNOUNCED CAR CUTS OFF AND THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES STOP WORKING. IT WOULD HAPPEN UP TO 5 TO 7 TIMES A WEEK INTERMITTENTLY. WE HAD TAKEN IT NISSAN TWO DIFFERENT TIMES IN APRIL TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE SITUATION THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR SOLVE THE PROBLEM FOR US OR REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM DURING TEST DRIVES. IN AUGUST TOOK THIS CAR BACK IN AFTER IT WOULDN'T RUN AT ALL AND THEY FINALLY TOLD ME IT WAS A CAMSHAFT POSITIONING SENSOR. AFTER REPLACING THIS PART IT RUNS FINE NOW. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE IT SEEMS THIS PART IS PART OF A RECALL FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL YEAR HOWEVER I WAS TOLD IT DIDN'T APPLY TO MY VIN. I SPOKE TO NISSAN HEADQUARTERS AND THEY AGAIN TOLD ME THEY WOULDN'T COVER THIS AS IT IS NOT PART OF A RECALL. THIS PART LOOKS LIKE IT IS PROBLEMATIC IN THIS MODEL YEAR AND MAKE AND ALSO FOR OTHER CARS ACROSS THE NISSAN LINEUP. I EXPLAINED THAT THIS WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND IT RESULTED IN SOME SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUES. EACH TIME I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BUT IF IT STALLED AND I WASN'T ABLE TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY, OR IT STALLED AT AN INTERSECTION OR PULLING INTO TRAFFIC SAY THE CONSEQUENCES COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY. I WAS ALSO LUCKY THAT THE STEERING WHEEL DIDN'T LOCK UP TURNING THE WHEEL WITH THE CAR OFF. OUR SYMPTOMS WITH THIS CAR WERE CLASSIC. I WAS VERY SURPRISED THAT THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THIS PROBLEM IN APRIL AS THE SYMPTOMS MATCH THEY HAVE FOR KNOWN RECALLS ON THIS AND OTHER CARS. I WOULD LIKE IT COVERED BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY I THINK THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO OTHER VEHICLES AND VINS TO SAVE LIVES.
NHTSA complaint #10630028 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THE ENGINE STOPS RUNNING WITHOUT WARNING WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
NHTSA complaint #10321718 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
MY CAR STARTED TO HAVE A VERY LONG CRANKING PERIOD WHEN STARTING THE BACK IN 6/2007, TOOK THE CAR TO DEALERSHIP THEY NOTHING WAS WRONG. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP THREE TIME BETWEEN 6/2007 AND 10/2007 AND EVERYTIME THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. IN 11/2007 I TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP, THEY REPLACED IT UNDER WARRANTY. A YEAR LATER IN 11/2008 THE STARTED HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AND ONCE AGAIN THEY FIXED THE ISSUE, NOW IN 3/2009 THE CAR IS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AGAIN. WITH ALL THE PROBLEMS YOU WOULD THINK NISSAN WOULD DO SOMETHING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS GETTING VERY OLD BECAUSE NOW THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY.
NHTSA complaint #10262205 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
THERE APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM RELATED TO THE FUEL PUMP. CAUSING LONG CRANK TIME AND CODE P0300 CYLINDER MISFIRES. THIS CAUSE DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITION. A BULLETIN WAS RELEASED #NTB05-052A.
NHTSA complaint #10260704 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
I HAVE A 2003 NISSAN SENTRA GXE 1.8 L. MY CAR HAS CUT OFF OR WILL NOT STOP PROPERLY SINCE THE INCIDENT DATE. I TOOK THE CAR TO AUTOZONE AND THE ERROR THAT CAME UP WHERE P0462 AND P0335. I CHECKED THE WITH THE HAYNES BOOK AND TO CORRECT THE P0462 PROBLEM I HAVE TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP AND P0335 IS THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. I HAVE NOTICED THAT MANY OF THE COMPLAINTS OF THE WEBSITE ARE THE FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS I AM HAVING. I ALSO CALLED NISSAN CONSUMER HOTLINE WAS TOLD MY VIN DOES NOT FALL WITHIN THE RECALL AND I HAVE SAME SIZE ENGINE FOR THE RECALL. I FEEL BECAUSE MY SENTRA IS CHEAPEST MODEL OF THE SENTRA'S THAT IS REASON IT IS NOT APART OF THE RECALL.
NHTSA complaint #10259358 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
CAR BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH, HAD TROUBLE STARTING, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON. DIDN'T DRIVE MUCH AFTER PROBLEM. TOOK TO DEALER (LEITZINGER IMPORTS) WHERE I ATTEND COLLEGE, PENN STATE UNIVERSITY. PROBLEM DIAGNOSED AS P0462 - FUEL/SENSOR CIRCUIT, AS PER TSB. ENGINE CONTROL UNIT NEEDS REPROGRAMMED WHICH WAS DONE. MY FATHER PICKED UP AFTER FIXED & SERVICE PERSONNEL MENTIONED IT WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. NISSAN NORTH AMERICA WAS CONTACTED & MY FATHER SPOKE WITH A HELPFUL REP SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR WORK. FILE NUMBER WITH NISSAN IS 5463960. NO KNOWN RECALLS, REIMBURSEMENT DENIED BUT MIGHT HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT IF WE OWNED MORE NISSANS. WAS MENTIONED TO REP THAT NO PARTS WERE REPLACED WHICH INDICATES IT WAS A COMPUTER/PROGRAM MALFUNCTION & NOT FAULT OF OWNER.
NHTSA complaint #10169745 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
THIS IS A 2003 NISSAN SENTRA GXE, LESS THAN 2 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY AND UNDER 300 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY. THE FIRST SERVICE DATE AFTER THE END OF WARRANTY, THE DEALER RECOMMENDED A NEW FUEL PUMP FOR THE NON-STARTING PROBLEM. THE DATES BELOW SHOW THIS PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL LINE WAS WELL-DOCUMENTED LONG BEFORE THE WARRANTY WENT OUT. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER 6 TIMES IN THE PAST 18 MONTHS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. 06/11/04-- CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, DEALER REPLACED SPARK PLUGS 08/09/04-- CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, DEALER REPLACED COIL ASSY-- IGNITION 06/25/05-- CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, NO ACTION BY DEALER-- BUT DEALER SAID NEXT TIME THE LIGHT CAME ON, A NEW FUEL PUMP WOULD BE REQUIRED. THIS HAPPENED OUT OF TOWN, SO I ONLY WENT TO THIS DEALER ONCE. 07/26/05-- CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, NO ACTION BY DEALER BECAUSE PREVIOUS DEALER DID NOT RECORD HIS DIAGNOSIS IN FILE. 08/19/05-- CAR TURNING OVER BUT NOT STARTING. AAA CHECKED BATTERY AND SAID THE BATTERY WAS FINE. TOWED CAR TO DEALER. DEALER SAID CAR WAS FLOODED, CLEANED OUT SPARK PLUG TUBES, BUT DID NOT FIX CAUSE OF THE NON-STARTING. 10/21/05-- CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, NO ACTION BY DEALER 12/23/05-- WARRANTY RUNS OUT ONCE IN JAN. AND ONCE IN FEB. 2006, THE CAR DID NOT TURN OVER. WHEN I TOOK CAR IN FOR ROUTINE OIL CHANGE ON FEBRUARY 16, 2006, ADVISOR RECOMMENDED A NEW FUEL PUMP AT COST OF $695. THE DEALER CALLED AND ASKED NISSAN USA FOR A GOODWILL CLAIM WHICH WAS DENIED. ON MONDAY, FEB. 20, 2006, I CALLED NISSAN USA TO FILE A REQUEST FOR THIS TO BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, CONSIDERING THE LONG RECORD OF THIS PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY. I WAS TO HEAR BACK IN 24 HOURS. I MADE MULTIPLE CALLS THROUGH THE WEEK AND RECEIVED NO ANSWERS AND ONLY ONE PHONE CALL BACK-- ON THURSDAY-- TO TELL ME THAT THE FILE HAD BEEN MISDIRECTED AND THAT I SHOULD HEAR LATER. ON FRIDAY, FEB. 24, 2006, I CALLED AGAIN AND WAS TOLD THE CLAIM WAS DENIED. THE SERVICE REP. COULD NOT TELL ME WHY AND THE ADVISOR WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10151190 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
PURCHASED A NEW NISSAN SENTRA IN JAN. 03'. STARTED NOTICING LONG ENGINE CRANK BEFORE START BY MAR. 04'. DEALER VISIT IN MAR. 04' FOUND NO PROBLEM. PROBLEM PERSISTED UNTIL SEP. 04'. TOOK VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER, PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FUEL PUMP ISSUE. FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED AT THAT TIME UNDER WARRANTY. A NISSAN TECHNICAL BULLETIN/SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED IN JUN. 05' DETAILING THE SPECIFIC ISSUE. IN SEP. 05' LONG CRANK PROBLEM RETURNED. MY VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER GENERAL WARRANTY AND THE FUEL PUMP IS NO LONGER UNDER PARTS WARRANTY AND NISSAN IS REFUSING TO HELP. THE REPLACEMENT FUEL PUMP HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE ORIGINAL AND NOW NISSAN EXPECTS ME TO PAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM, ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THE ISSUE VIA THEIR OWN TECHNICAL BULLETIN/SERVICE BULLETIN. THIS MAKES NO LOGICAL SENSE.
NHTSA complaint #10138675 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
DT: AT 32,000 MILES THE CONSUMER HAD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 15 TIMES FOR REPAIRS. THE MAIN ISSUE WAS AT 15,000 MILES. THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. AFTER THAT, THE CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS WHEN TURNING, WHEN HE TOOK HIS FOOT OFF THE GAS THE VEHICLE SPUTERED. THE SERVICE MANAGER TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND SAID IT WAS NORMAL. THE CONSUMER NEVER EXPERIENCED ANY PROBLEMS UNTIL THE FULE PUMP WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD OTHER PROBLEMS SUCH AS 2 NEW FAN BELTS, TRUNK FLOODED ONCE. THE HEATER CONTROL WAS REPLACED 4 TIMES. THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH.
NHTSA complaint #10127891 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP
WHILE REFUELING THE VEHICLE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE FUEL FILLER NECK. PREVIOUSLY CONSUMER NOTICED THAT FUEL SEEMED TO BE EVAPORATING FROM THE FUEL TANK.
NHTSA complaint #10059586 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM
I PURCHASED MY 2003 NISSAN SENTRA GXE ON JUNE 10, 2003. SINCE THAT TIME, I HAVE 7 WORK ORDERS ON MY VEHICLE AND THAT DOESN'T COUNT EACH TIME I HAD TO GO TO THE DEALERSHIP TO SHOW THE PROBLEM AND THEN MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AND WINDOW, A DING THEY PUT IN THE HOOD, NOT EVEN CLOSE TO STICKER GAS MILEAGE AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON FOR NO REASON FOUND AND NOW THERE'S A RECALL ON THAT I HAVEN'T BEEN NOTIFIED OF YET.
NHTSA complaint #10052321 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
ONCE APPROACHING A STOP (CROSSWALK), THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT TOUCHING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE ALMOST HIT A PEDESTRIAN. ANOTHER TIME, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MOVE OUT OF PARKING SPACE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS THE VEHICLE AS OF 01-28-2003 WITH CAUSE NOT IDENTIFIED YET. THE OWNER IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE AND REPAIR OF VEHICLE AND THE SAFETY OF THOSE AROUND IF FAILURE OCCURS AGAIN. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TS
NHTSA complaint #10004838 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.