177 of the
8,300 complaints filed about the Nissan Sentra
are about the body and structure —
2% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2012.
While driving on the highway the hood released on its own while driving around 55 to 60 mph. No interior lever was pulled, and the hood still managed to flap open on its own damaging the windshield and denting the exterior of the hood. This is a safety issue please look into this as this could have put my life and others at risk.
NHTSA complaint #11758121 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When I was driving through a residential neighborhood going about 30 mph the hood latch assembly snapped right there where it is bolted down to the frame which entailed smashed my windshield and dented my hood so therefore I don't feel I should be held responsible to replace them if it wasn't an act due cause of me. I feel that the hood latch assembly failed on your guys's end so it must be a faulty part on my car. I feel like then you should be responsible for not only replacing my whole life assembly but also fixing my windshield and my hood cuz this was not an issue caused on my behalf it was on you guys cuz how does a hood latch assembly break like that
NHTSA complaint #11739047 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am the owner of a 2025 Nissan Sentra with approximately 3,200 miles. The vehicle was purchased new from an authorized Nissan dealership in Columbia, South Carolina. The vehicle is subject to an open safety recall identified as the Door Striker Campaign. As of January 29th, the vehicle has been removed from commercial rental service due to the open safety recall. Nissan North America has confirmed: • No recall repair parts are currently available • No confirmed repair timeline exists • No definitive completion date has been provided On February 10, 2026, I was notified that recall parts were available and instructed to arrange service. Approximately six hours later, I was informed that the part identified was incorrect and repair could not be performed. As of today, the vehicle remains unrepaired and no repair date has been provided. I am requesting that NHTSA review whether Nissan North America is meeting its federal safety recall obligations under 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301 regarding timely recall remedy performance.
NHTSA complaint #11718420 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The driver side door lock is malfunctioning. Not unlocking or locking consistently from either the keyfob (Changed battery) or when in car. It is a safety issue that I can not lock doors with door lock when in car. Initially driver door effected and now both driver and passenger doors are effected. I am having difficult time getting it fixed. The mechanic is having difficulty fixing the safety problem. He believes its a nissan defect
NHTSA complaint #11698979 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The front splash guard on my vehicle detached twice under normal driving conditions due to a design flaw in the fasteners. The splash guard is secured with plastic push pins and a single screw, which are not strong enough to withstand common road conditions such as standing water or wind pressure. The first incident occurred when my wife drove through an unseen puddle during heavy rain, which immediately tore the entire splash guard off. The vehicle had to be towed to Victory Nissan for repair. The dealership reattached the splash guard using plastic fasteners and one screw, but did not replace the damaged part. The same issue occurred again because once the splash guard is cracked or weakened, it catches wind and detaches easily. When this happens, the large 4x5 ft. piece of plastic can fly off on the freeway, creating a serious danger to both the vehicle occupants and other drivers. Victory Nissan has been unresponsive in resolving this safety issue. Despite being told the service manager would follow up, I received no calls back after multiple attempts and long hold times. When I finally retrieved my vehicle, the issue had not been properly repaired—only more plastic fasteners were used. This is a significant safety hazard that should be investigated. A splash guard of this size detaching at highway speeds poses a serious risk of property damage or injury.
NHTSA complaint #11697978 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving, I noticed smoke coming from the front of the vehicle. Within moments, flames appeared in the engine area and spread quickly, causing severe damage to the front portion of the car including the engine, electrical system, and body. No warning lamps, error messages, or unusual behavior were observed prior to the incident. The fire started suddenly without any indication of mechanical or electrical issues. My safety and the safety of others nearby were put at risk as the fire escalated rapidly. The problem has not been reproduced or inspected by the manufacturer or dealer yet, but the vehicle was completely disabled and is no longer operable due to the fire damage. Cause of the fire is UNKNOWN at this time.
NHTSA complaint #11683904 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The rear window on the 2025 Nissan Sentra shattered for no known reason. The car was parked in my driveway, was OK when I locked it up a 3pm to go for a walk, and when I got home at 3:40, there was a big whole in my back window. None of our neighbors heard or saw anything, and there are no ring doorbells that could have a video of what happened. Police came and looked at it, there is no evidence of a rock or bird hitting it, and no sign of a BB or any other projectile. It appears to have spontaneously shattered. This is not covered under warranty, so I wanted to report this in case there are other reports that could trigger a recall.
NHTSA complaint #11660742 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact's son owns a 2022 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving at various speeds at night, the front headlights were independently turning off. The contact had to pull over and turn off and turn on the headlight switch several times before the lights turned on. Additionally, the contact stated that her son stated that the Forward Collision Avoidance, and the back-up sensors were also turning off independently. The contact stated that her son saw warning lights on the instrument cluster indicating that the systems were not activated. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring for several years. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who advised the contact to take the vehicle to a dealer for assistance. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V421000 (Structure); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,700.
NHTSA complaint #11659788 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Nissan has replaced the door actuators on the front left, front right, back left, and back right multiple times, but the issues persist. The malfunctioning door locks pose a serious safety risk, particularly for children who may open the doors while the vehicle is in motion. Additionally, there is the risk of doors failing to secure properly, leaving the vehicle vulnerable to vandalism or theft. This ongoing problem presents significant safety and security concerns that require immediate attention.
NHTSA complaint #11641475 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1) While driving at 35 MPH with cruise control on, upon approaching an intersection with a red traffic light on, pushing the brake did not affect the vehicle at all. After going through the red light (divided roadway at intersection) and making a fast-moving right turn, pressing the engine ON button had no effect. Hard depressing the emergency/parking brake pedal eventually stopped the vehicle. There was no floor mat interference (the mat was securely hooked onto the retaining hooks). 2) The driver's side door would not open when the mechanical lever was pulled; even mutiple times. The only way to exit the vehicle was by pushing the electronic door unlock button. Additional testing indicated that the driver's side door would never open using the mechanical opening handle when the vehicle doors had been electrically locked. In a panic situation, or if the electrical system had failed, this situation could trap a person inside the vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11621570 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This Vehicle was bought back in Jun of this year. Since purchasing the vehicle with only 49,933 miles this Sentra has broken down 4 times, been in the shop for 1Month 2weeks consecutively. The first incident was 4.5 hrs after purchase. The Passenger side Tide Rod snapped in half on the highway causing the jam and slow down along with leaving me in fear for my life. The passenger rim was inverted facing the driver. The second time happened to be the same issue but at a different dealership. The car went to Moss Bros San Bernardino where it was bought and was there for about 25days .Later it was sent to Nissan of San Bernardino and was there for 2weeks. The same day It got picked up from Nissan it was taken back the same day. Had same Bumpy and shaking throughout the car. When the tie rod snapped in half it had destroyed the durability of the belt and pulley systems as the vehicle weight was slammed abruptly onto the passenger side of the car leaving it slanted and slid for 2-3 mins on the freeway this caused the engine to become weak which led up to the defective parts breaking over time of driving regularly. The Alternator Pulley, Serpentine Belt, Axle, and balance to become uneven. So as of 09/10 this vehicle has broke down 4-5 times. Been in the shop since. The vehicle has Powertrain warranty but as usual they denied coverage. Total cost is around $2,700 in damages due to the original recall. This Tie rod recall has destroyed the vehicle. Congratulation to me cause I still owe 22K. This hazardous, and dangerous vehicle has also been deemed unsafe by CHP as of 06/11/2024. This particularly Sentra is a ticking time bomb waiting to explode on the freeway.
NHTSA complaint #11615120 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
There is a current open recall Campain ID R23B3 on the tie rods requiring replacement, however there is no current remedy per Nissan. This faulty tie rod can break and cause COMPLETE loss of steering, as there is a STOP SALE on this vehicle it is not safe to drive. Vaden Nissan has my vehicle every 5000 miles during each service/oil change from 2021 until 2024. I also notified the Vaden Nissan dealership again of this open recall issue during my last inspection, they rotated the new tires I had to purchase and sent me on my way. While driving my 2021 Nissan Sentra on [XXX] (a moderately busy highway), I experienced noticeable vibrations through the steering wheel, especially when accelerating and making turns. As I attempted to exit the highway, via a curved off-ramp, the steering wheel became extremely shaky and impossible to turn. I struggled to keep the car within the lane and then completely lost steering control. This caused me to veer off the road and nearly into the shoulder. I experienced such panic and fear as my [XXX] nephew was in the car seat in the back of my vehicle and was also extremely frightened. I am now extremely unsatisfied with Nissan and its lack of commitment to sell safe vehicles, I cannot legally resell this vehicle in the current condition and am left with no option but to drive an unsafe car, under the lemon law I have the right to sue. I pray that IF I absolutely have to drive this Nissan Sentra again there are no injuries, life-altering disabilities or possible death incurred to myself of my passengers. As I have followed all proper protocols and require a rental car that is at minimum safe for transportation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11595561 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V581000 (Structure) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed a cracking sound. The vehicle was driven to the residence and parked. The contact noticed that the passenger's side front tie rod was fractured, and the tire appeared to bulge away from the tie rod. The vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed it with a fractured tie rod. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle had not been drivable since February 2024 due to the failure and the parts not being available to repair the vehicle. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,047. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
NHTSA complaint #11580891 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The car began to jerk when driven. One day, it stopped working; the engine was still running but it wouldn't shift gears. The transmission was repaired, and several parts were replaced. However, the car still jerks when reaching 50 miles per hour, the horn doesn't sound, not even the alarm, and it makes a loud noise when making a tight turn.
NHTSA complaint #11579818 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Left side door trim keeps popping off Replaced driver front door handle, on 25 march 21 Same type defect reported for passenger side on 13 December 23 Local dealer refused and charge $520.41 estimated. Called Nissan headquarters in Tennessee on 18 December 23. Many calls to Nissan headquarters latest call on 24 January 24 received claim no. [XXX] . Nissan insists is warranty expired. I said it is not a warranty issue, it is a defect issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11573994 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
There is a recall on certain years of Nissan Altimas for a hood latch problem. My 2018 Nissan Sentra has the same hood latch problem that the 2018 Altima, i.e., when the hood is opened the primary hood latch does not reset, so when the hood is closed only the secondary latch is engaged and the hood remains slightly open. I have to use a screwdriver to reset the primary latch before I can fully close the hood.
NHTSA complaint #11557647 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.