FaultScore

Nissan Sentra electrical problems

847 of the 8,300 complaints filed about the Nissan Sentra are about the electrical system — 10% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2019.

847

Complaints

10%

Share of all complaints

18

Crashes

58

Fires

Electrical System complaints by model year

1984 Sentra 1 0.1%
1986 Sentra 1 0.1%
1987 Sentra 2 0.2%
1988 Sentra 2 0.2%
1989 Sentra 1 0.1%
1990 Sentra 3 0.4%
1991 Sentra 7 0.8%

Median failure at 286,320 miles

1992 Sentra 14 1.7%

Median failure at 100,500 miles

1993 Sentra 8 0.9%

Median failure at 110,439 miles

1994 Sentra 8 0.9%
1995 Sentra 9 1.1%

Median failure at 74,000 miles

1996 Sentra 12 1.4%

Median failure at 70,000 miles

1997 Sentra 11 1.3%

Median failure at 84,000 miles

1998 Sentra 3 0.4%

Median failure at 89,067 miles

1999 Sentra 14 1.7%

Median failure at 56,216 miles

2000 Sentra 30 3.5%

Median failure at 86,000 miles

2001 Sentra 48 5.7%

Median failure at 65,100 miles

2002 Sentra 54 6.4%

Median failure at 79,300 miles

2003 Sentra 37 4.4%

Median failure at 64,695 miles

2004 Sentra 28 3.3%

Median failure at 79,000 miles

2005 Sentra 18 2.1%

Median failure at 86,500 miles

2006 Sentra 11 1.3%

Median failure at 83,250 miles

2007 Sentra 11 1.3%

Median failure at 48,697 miles

2008 Sentra 11 1.3%

Median failure at 87,026 miles

2009 Sentra 6 0.7%

Median failure at 72,000 miles

2010 Sentra 50 5.9%

Median failure at 82,960 miles

2011 Sentra 34 4.0%

Median failure at 81,012 miles

2012 Sentra 13 1.5%

Median failure at 45,000 miles

2013 Sentra 44 5.2%

Median failure at 25,000 miles

2014 Sentra 32 3.8%

Median failure at 72,750 miles

2015 Sentra 25 3.0%

Median failure at 36,000 miles

2016 Sentra 44 5.2%

Median failure at 47,000 miles

2017 Sentra 33 3.9%

Median failure at 42,200 miles

2018 Sentra 32 3.8%

Median failure at 39,000 miles

2019 Sentra 65 7.7%

Median failure at 30,394 miles

2020 Sentra 44 5.2%

Median failure at 4,505 miles

2021 Sentra 38 4.5%

Median failure at 47,929 miles

2022 Sentra 24 2.8%

Median failure at 38,850 miles

2023 Sentra 8 0.9%

Median failure at 75,300 miles

2024 Sentra 7 0.8%

Median failure at 31,489 miles

2025 Sentra 4 0.5%

Median failure at 9,900 miles

What owners said

2025 Nissan Sentra at 9,900 miles Decatur, GA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2025 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds on several occasions, the messages "Engine Stall - Stop Safely", "Service Due in 0 Miles", and "System Malfunction Not Available" were displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle lost power and stalled. The contact stated that the brake warning light, check engine light, oil warning light, and an unknown warning light were illuminated. After approximately 10 minutes, the vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on two separate occasions; however, the failure could not be duplicated. On the third visit to the dealer, the dealer diagnosed a burned fuse box and wiring harness. The fuse box and wiring harness were replaced. Approximately one month after the repair, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was returned to the same dealer, but the failure could not be duplicated. The dealer suggested that the issue might be associated with outside or thermal interference that affected the wiring harness. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 9,900.

NHTSA complaint #11755497 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Nissan Sentra Norfolk, VA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

3/4 doors will not lock/unlock using fob, or the door controllers. This increases risk of theft, car jacking, and safety as the locks do not engage while driving. Very dangerous. Windows do not roll up/down, which when paired with the doors needing to be locked/unlocked manually can cause one to become trapped, especially with passengers. Dealership charged me $200 to tell me that the locks is were broken wanted to charge me $1200 to fix only two.

NHTSA complaint #11752295 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2011 Nissan Sentra at 107,000 miles Raytown, MO

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH, the vehicle stalled, and the engine seized. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact stated that several days later, while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle started as needed. The vehicle was taken to an independent shop where it was diagnosed with ECM failure. The contact was informed that a heavy voltage overload had caused a hole in the ECM. The contact was informed that the ECM needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that an unknown recall with a similar failure was performed in 2012. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.

NHTSA complaint #11749986 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2019 Nissan Sentra Heflin, AL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Collision warning sound happens randomly for no reason

NHTSA complaint #11749705 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Nissan Sentra Quincy, IL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The power unlock on all four doors of my car doors will no longer operate via key fob, outside lock button or interior power unlock buttons, although the doors can all be locked using those same processes. In addition, the doors have all randomly locked while being inside the car with no key, locking me inside the car and requiring someone getting a key to manually unlock the car to allow me to exit. The doors have also randomly locked with the key inside the car making it unable to access the car without a spare key being manually used to unlock the car. This has caused several very scary incidents including having to nearly break a window to get out of the car on a day when temperatures were over 100 degrees.

NHTSA complaint #11749096 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Nissan Sentra Lincoln Park, MI

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

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.

2016 Nissan Sentra at 149,244 miles Hollywood, FL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Niss. The contact stated that they discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale/dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 107,242. It was later discovered upon checking Carfax, that the mileage was 149,244.

NHTSA complaint #11741557 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2022 Nissan Sentra at 47,000 miles Levittown, NY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2022 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the forward collision assistance sensor independently deactivated and the warning light illuminated. The contact stated electrical failures with the sunroof, radio, the heating and air conditioning. The contact stated that the failures occurred intermittently. In addition, the battery drained unusually faster. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by a independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000.

NHTSA complaint #11741517 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Nissan Sentra Richmond, VA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

my vehicle backup camera has been turning blue i didn't know why because the first couple of months i've had it, it's been fine i found out it was a recall on it

NHTSA complaint #11740142 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2022 Nissan Sentra Waterford, MI

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

While driving in rush hour traffic, I heard an intermittent vibration/noise that seemed to come and go and became louder when I stopped. As I put my car in park when I got home, I heard a loud clunk and the battery light came on. When I popped the hood, we saw metal shavings flying around. The dealer diagnosed the alternator and provided a quote for replacement. I am concerned the failure could have caused a loss of power while driving and caused an accident in heavy traffic. The vehicle and component are currently at the dealership. I have a video of the metal shavings that I can provide if needed, but I am unable to upload to the website.

NHTSA complaint #11740084 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2019 Nissan Sentra at 256,545 miles Laredo, TX

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Transmission Failure of drive train Acknowledged by Dealer Inspection by Dealer No warning signs prior to failure

NHTSA complaint #11738925 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2019 Nissan Sentra at 46,000 miles Anderson, SC

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2019 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while his daughter attempted to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start immediately. The contact's daughter pressed the engine Auto Start/Stop button again, the vehicle restarted. The contact had AAA test that the battery, which had no failure, and it was determined that the brake light switch had failed. The cruise control later failed to operate as needed, and the message "Automatic Emergency Braking Malfunction" was displayed. The contact stated that the failure occurred intermittently. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle had previously been repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V135000 (Exterior Lighting). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000.

NHTSA complaint #11738494 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2022 Nissan Sentra Royal Oak, MI

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1) within three months of vehicle purchase (and in perpetuity to-date ever since), the infotainment system intermittently causes static/crackling when connected to CarPlay. 2) within six months of initial purchase (and in perpetuity to-date ever since), also between each subsequent biannual oil change, electronic system would randomly notify that there was a malfunction with rear collision sensors or front collision sensors. Diagnostics being ran each time found no issues. Dealership workers suggested that it may have to do with the sensors being blocked by light, and that diagnostics found no resolve. 3) May 15, 2026, 3 years and 3 months after purchase, the vehicle suddenly wouldn’t start. I was able to drive home from work, and two hours later when I went to start the vehicle, it would click as if the electrical system was connecting online, but not detecting that I was pressing the brake pedal to turn the vehicle on. All interior lights were operational and stayed lit, suggesting that it likely wasn’t an issue with the battery itself or the starter itself… But potentially a connection issue between the starter and the mechanism that turns the engine. If this issue is also electrical, it suggests that the other intermittent issues may be related - warning signs that it would eventually cause the vehicle to be non-starting. As far as safety concerns with the issue, as it presented itself, not being able to detect vehicles with electronic malfunctions periodically can cause issues while driving; infotainment system failure can make any emergency calls requires a non-starter; and lastly, not being able to start the vehicle could lead to being stranded. 70+ complaints have already been issued regarding electronics specifically. It is noteworthy that I’ve also experienced issues with the CVT as it’s been described by other drivers, namely, that from what I’ve noticed, RPMs fluctuate widely when trying to accelerate between 30-40 and 50+ mph.

NHTSA complaint #11738541 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2024 Nissan Sentra at 36,979 miles Las Vegas, NV

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2024 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the charging port, bluetooth feature, and the navigation system was inoperative. The low tire pressure, air bag and another unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to get a diagnosis however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact did research and was made aware of an unknown NHTSA Campaign Number however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 36,979.

NHTSA complaint #11737554 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2023 Nissan Sentra Prosperity, SC

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The camera views are all pink or turning pink. Also when getting to 70mph on the interstate, the car begins to shudder. The vehicle has 52,000 miles on it.

NHTSA complaint #11736970 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2021 Nissan Sentra Covington, LA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The infotainment/radio system in my 2021 Nissan Sentra intermittently reboots and produces static. When this happens, the backup camera freezes or shuts off completely. This has occurred while I was actively reversing, causing a sudden loss of rear visibility. The screen either goes black or restarts, making the backup camera unavailable. This is a safety concern because the backup camera is required for safe reversing, and the failure happens without warning. The issue occurs repeatedly and is not driver-related. The problem appears to be related to the head unit malfunctioning, which disables the backup camera system.

NHTSA complaint #11733950 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2019 Nissan Sentra at 86,239 miles Ogden, UT

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2019 Nissan Sentra. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 78,129. It was later discovered from a Carfax Report that the mileage was 86,239.

NHTSA complaint #11731291 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2020 Nissan Sentra Adamsville, AL

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I purchased my car with 7 miles in it. Within 3 months of having it the key fog stopped locking the doors. Went to the dealership and they did nothing but told me it would be $174 a door to fix. With a car on the show room floor you shouldn't be having issues that soon

NHTSA complaint #11729280 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2015 Nissan Sentra Ville Platte, LA Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

My car would we still in the middle of the road and one day I was turning to go home and it cut off with everything on the dashboard was still on and the power steering went out and I tried to turn real fast to get my driveway and next thing I know my Cortizone fire meanwhile every now and then I would see a light blinking my dashboard fast and then go away. It was the battery light barely show up.

NHTSA complaint #11727684 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2023 Nissan Sentra at 75,300 miles California Valley, CA 1 injured

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2023 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the driveway and shifted to park(P), the vehicle started to slowly roll backwards unexpectedly. While attempting to re-enter the vehicle to stop the vehicle, the contact was knocked to the floor by the driver’s side door. The contact sustained injuries to the knees, back, thighs, and a concussion. The contact received medical treatment and an appointment for an MRI was scheduled. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 75,300.

NHTSA complaint #11725886 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Nissan Sentra problems