31 of the
8,300 complaints filed about the Nissan Sentra
are about the doors, latches and locks —
0% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1994.
The rear driver side door does not lock/unlock when pressing the lock/unlock buttons on the key fob nor the buttons on either of the front seat door panels. It is only able to be locked/unlocked by manually flipping the lock/unlock switch on the (rear driver side) door. No other doors have this issue. I believe either the door switch actuator or faulty wiring is the cause of the issue. I believe it is available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of my passengers is put at risk because of the additional step of ensuring the door is locked when departing from the vehicle, creating a more dangerous situation in the event of needing to quickly exit the vehicle, and an increased chance of car hijacking. I have seen reports saying there are 141 similar cases where certain years and models of Nissan vehicles (≈2013-2025 Altima, Rouge, and Sentra) have a similar issue, sometimes with the door not being able to be opened even with manually switching the door lock switch. The problem has been widely reported and confirmed by dealerships. The vehicle and the component have not been inspected by anyone. There were no warning signs or messages. The first sign of failure was April 4, 2026.
NHTSA complaint #11741828 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The door swung open while in drive, once was able to pull over and close it never opened back up due to a faulty door actuator. This was the third time the door had been “fixed”.
NHTSA complaint #11737180 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2019 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the passenger’s side door failed to lock securely. The contact was concerned that the door would open while driving. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 39,000.
NHTSA complaint #11568062 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated all four door locks would unlatch independently and the door ajar chime would be activated. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.
NHTSA complaint #11510976 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that after opening the hood and filling the windshield washer fluid bottle, the hood failed to close securely. The contact that the hood release failed to retract into place causing the hood to remain unlatched. The contact was notified by a friend of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V315000 (latches/Locks/Linkages) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 83,000.
NHTSA complaint #11459754 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving at speeds above 15 mph the rear passenger side child safety lock did not activate and the 9-year-old grandchild was able to open the rear passenger side door. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The contact indicated that the rear driver-side door was serviced previously for the same failure. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 39,800.
NHTSA complaint #11449922 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while leaving the ignition on and exiting the vehicle, the doors would lock independently after closing the door. The contact stated she had to leave a window down to be able to manually open the door from the inside. The contact stated she had experienced the failure on multiple occasions. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The dealer turned off the safety feature that would lock the doors independently within 10 seconds. The contact stated she continued to experience the failure. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
NHTSA complaint #11443889 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while his wife was driving 30 MPH, the driver’s side door inadvertently opened. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact's wife veered to the side of the road, locked the driver's side door, and continued to drive the vehicle. The contact also stated that the driver’s side door would not totally latch upon closing. Additionally, the door handles were fractured, preventing them from easily accessing the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the door handles needed to be replaced. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V453000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages). The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance because the vehicle was not included in the recall. The manufacturer opened a case. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 42,000.
NHTSA complaint #11437550 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the hood latch independently released without warning and failed to close. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where the mechanic diagnosed that the hood lever needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, Green Nissan (4801 Wabash Ave, Springfield, IL 62711) where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the hood release system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 52,388. The vin was not available.
NHTSA complaint #11425700 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY VEHICLE INTERIOR LATCH HANDLES ON EACH DOOR ARE DEFECTIVE AND HAS STOP WORKING. WE HAVE TO LET DOWN THE WINDOW TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE TO GET OUT. THIS HAPPENED LAST YEAR. I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE IN 2017. FIRST IT. WAS THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR THAT BECAME INOPERABLE THEN THE THREE PASSENGER SIDE DOORS DID THE SAME. THEY ALL STOP WORKING.
NHTSA complaint #11165234 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOCK MECHANISM FAILED TO WORK IN ALL FOUR DOORS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE KEY FOB WAS REPLACED TWICE. THE DOORS WOULD NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD TO ENTER THE VEHICLE MANUALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE LOCK MECHANISM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10683891 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCKS DO NOT WORK WITH CAR REMOTE. BATTERY WAS CHANGED IN REMOTES AND STILL DOES NOT WORK. KEY TO OVERRIDE DOOR LOCKS DOES NOT WORK. AFTER HITTING THE OPEN LOCK BUTTON ON KEY REMOTE FOR 5 MIN NON STOP IT FINALLY OPENED ALL DOORS. EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD. I REFUSE TO LOCK CAR ANYMORE UNTIL I CAN GET TO DEALER TO REPAIR THE LOCKS AND REMOTE LOCK SENSORS.
NHTSA complaint #10659094 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AT FIRST THE REAR DOORS STARTED NOT TO UNLOCK, NOW ALL THE DOORS EXCEPT FOR THE DRIVERS WILL NOT UNLOCK WITH THE POWER LOCKS. YOU MUST MANUALLY FLIP EACH LOCK TO OPEN THE DOORS.
NHTSA complaint #10548583 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2011 NISSAN SENTRA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DOORS LOCKED ON WHILE RUNNING *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE LEFT THE VEHICLE RUNNING FOR A MINUTE ONLY TO COME BACK AND DISCOVER THE DOORS WERE LOCKED.
NHTSA complaint #10440794 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY CAR IS A 2005 NISSAN SENTRA LIMITED EDITION THE DRIVERS DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. THE ONLY WAY I CAN OPEN IT IS IF I ROLL MY WINDOW DOWN AND REACH MY HAND OUT THE DOOR TO THE HANDLE THIS IA A SAFETY ISSUE I CONTACTED COAST NISSAN I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT 9-22-10 THEY SAID I HAVE TO PAY IT APROX COST 200.00 ,IT SHOULD BE PAID BY NISSAN NOT THE CONSUMER MY APPOINTMENT IS AT 8AM I AM HOPING THAT I CAN BE REIMBURSE FOR THE SAFETY ISSUE .I HOPE YOU STAND BEHIND YOUR PRODUCT.
NHTSA complaint #10356901 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PASSENGER REAR DOOR ACTUATORS DOESN'T WORK AND NOT ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR. THE DOOR HAS POWER LOCK/UNLOCK SYSTEMS. IT IS A 2004 NISSAN SENTRA 2.5S. IT IS HIGH SECURITY ISSUE. THE PASSENGER IS STUCK INSIDE, IN CASE OF EMERGENCY THE DOOR CAN'T OPENED. BECAUSE IT IS IN THE LOCK POSITION AT ALL THE TIME.
NHTSA complaint #10243399 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2000 NISSAN SENTRA WITH MULTIPLE PROBLEMS. CONSUMER STATES THAT SHE WOULD LIKE COMPENSATION FOR ALL THE MONEY SHE HAS HAD TO PUT OUT FOR REPAIRS. SUCH AS NEW AF METER, REPLACED MASS AIR FLOW, REPLACED BATTERY, REPLACED CLUTCH TWICE DUE TO AN OIL LEAK/FLYWHEEL AND MORE. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED, A NEW TRUNK LOCK WAS NEEDED, THE REAR ENGINE SEAL WAS LEAKING OIL ON THE CLUTCH. THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW WAS INOPERATIVE. THE REGULATOR AND RADIATOR WERE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10217157 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY AUTO SLIPPED FROM PARK TO DRIVE SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 16, 2007 WITH NO WARNING. WE HAD A TERRIBLE SNOW STORM AND I HAD MY CAR IN PARK WHILE CLEARING THE WINDSHIELD AND IT SLIPPED FROM PARK TO DRIVE. THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE WHILE DRIVING WHERE IT WILL SLIP FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL. MY LOCKS ALSO LOCKED AS SOON AS I SHUT MY DOORS AFTER STARTED MY AUTO. I HAVE POWER LOCKS AND THE DOORS SHOULD NOT HAVE LOCKED WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. I WAS LOCKED OUT OF MY CAR FOR OVER AN HOUR UNTIL I COULD GET A TOW TRUCK TO MY HOME TO OPEN MY CAR.
NHTSA complaint #10212094 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THIS CAR HAS BEEN A LEMON SINCE PURCHASED. THE DRIVERS DOOR HANDLE QUIT WORKING, THE TRANSMISSION CHIRPS WHEN SHIFTING, IT IDLES ROUGH, AND IT TURNS OVER PROBABLY 40 TIMES BEFORE STARTING. DEALERSHIP STATES SINCE IT HAS 36,000 MILES ON IT THAT IT WILL COST AN ESTIMATED $1700.00 TO FIX. THIS CAR HAD PROBLEMS FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE. BEWARE OF THE SENTRA.
NHTSA complaint #10167023 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.