Complaint volume
203 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2020 Nissan Sentra Complaints
203 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2020 Nissan Sentra, grouped by component category.
203 Total complaints
8 Crash reports
0 Fire reports
2 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are steering, unknown or other, electrical system. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 8 crash reports, 0 fire reports, 2 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 57 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 32,334 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to steering, unknown or other, electrical system?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2020 Nissan Sentra?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2020 Nissan Sentra
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2020 Nissan Sentra complaints?
8 Crash
0 Fire
2 Injury
0 Fatality
11 Towed
3 Medical attention
What are the most common 2020 Nissan Sentra complaint categories?
STEERING 42
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 31
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 28
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 23
SERVICE BRAKES 11
ENGINE 5
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING 5
SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 5
SUSPENSION 5
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 4
203 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Vehicle had AEB System malfunctioning. The brakes did NOT work. The emergency brake barely worked. We were driving on Fathers Day to a family gathering and the system and brakes malfunctioned, yes we collided with the Curb and debris on the side of the road cause curb rash to the rims. No major damage. This would be the 3rd this has happened to my vehicle in particular. Dealers say the manufacturer doesn’t cover brake line damage or issue even due to factory fault/ defect. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The AEB - Automatic Emergency Braking sensors are faulty. The system randomly brakes while I am driving with nothing in the cars path to set it off. It happens frequently and without any seemingly reason. It has become very nerve wracking and potentially dangerous. I brought this issue up to a mechanic at the Nissan repair shop and his response was that the car is no longer under warranty and that I am responsible for what would be a costly repair. He suggested taking the car through the car wash frequently. I constantly wipe the front window where the sensors are located, I find this solution to be unacceptable. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Sometimes the driver door doesn’t lock even after clicking the lock button either on the key fob or on the actual door. The car is five years old and has 60,000 miles on it. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | SERVICE BRAKES | On June 10 2025 the brake sensor malfunctioned for my 2020 Nissan Sentra This was the secound timeThe first time was about one week before..The brake peddle went down , car brakes ,brakes.I was driving speed limit of 20.There were no cars on the street or object.A yellow triangle appeared on the dash board..It scared me ,This is a safety hazard that can cause a accident.The next morning my car didn't start.There were a few symbols on the dashboard..I had it towed to the car dealer.They put a new battery.I just bought it May 04 2025.I was told no sensors were on, Mechanic didn't find anything. As of now I have bot picked up my car from the car dealer. 06/24/2025 | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS | Driving down the road and the camera above on windshield above rearview mirror went out as well as the forward collision braking. Both went out at the same time. The problem was inspected by a certified mechanic shop. It puts people’s lives at risk once each sensors go out limiting the safety features. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 99% of the time neither of my back doors will lock or unlock when I either push the key fob or press the door unlock button inside the car. And for the past few days my front driver side door is doing the same thing. It’s a big safety hazard because I have a [XXX] daughter and if we get in an accident or stuck somewhere and I can’t open her door then what? I’ve had to go from the front door and reach to the back to unlock it manually and that’s not always possible to do. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | back up camera not working | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The starter and electric problems. The vehicle has been serviced 5 or 6 times each with the problem the issues has not been resolved. Is there a recall in any of the said problems above. No, incident occurred, it is a repair failure. Problem has not been fixed and diver has been back and forth to the dealer over and over with same problem, the diver wants to know if there are recalls on ignition or starter problems and electrical problems. Said vehicle is not in running condition, it is at the dealers as now. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Rear drivers side door doesn't unlock. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | ENGINE | Tensioner pulley broke | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Front collision isn't working. Warning on dash | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The back up camera stops working for awhile. Sensors work but no rear camera pops up when in Reverse. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Every so often the vehicle’s AEB, FCW, LDW system malfunctions and causes the CEL( Check Engine Light ) to come on. The car also looses Traction Control and begins to sound like the tires are grinding on the pavement. This then puts the motor in a limp mode/ Safe Mode. During this time the vehicle DOES NOT Have power and reduces speed to 50MPH, the vehicle then revs at 2.5-5.5RPM trying to catch/ hold speed. The vehicle begins to shake when this happens. The power windows also don’t work after this happens. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Apr 2025 | SERVICE BRAKES | Brake caliper piston popped out of brake caliper | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2025 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | I was at a stop light in a busy area and I got a message saying critical engine malfunction warning, engine power reduced. I had to floor the car to get it to 5 mph, then when I got it in the only minimally safe area I could the emergency braking system was the only thing that stopped it. My brakes failed too. My car has only 71K miles and is not quite 5 years old. It's been meticulously maintained as well. This is NOT acceptable. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 6 months after purchasing my car off the show room floor the key fob stop locking my doors. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jan 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | My cars door locks are failing prematurely. The front drivers door stopped work entirely even with a key and when I looked the issue up online I found that a number of other people are having the same issue with their 2020 Sentras as well. The door locks started failing within 2 years of owning the car. This car hasn't even hit 100,000 miles yet. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Dec 2024 | STEERING | The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to function as intended. The contact stated when the vehicle was driven over a pothole and the steering wheel shook erratically. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the failure was not duplicated. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was advised to schedule an appointment for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by the independent mechanic. In addition, the contact stated that upon an inconclusive diagnostic test, all four tires were replaced and balanced, and the tie rod was replaced however, the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact referenced Voluntary recall PM985; however, the vehicle was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was 50,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 50,000 |
| Nov 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Rear door no longer wants to lock automatically | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2024 | STEERING | I have been having several issues with this vehicle since I bought it. I’ve had the vehicle break down on me about 3 times and need repairs or adjustments to previous repairs. The main issue right now is that the car has been in the shop for about 50 days or so for repairs on the suspension or tie rods, inner/outer. I’ve had the same issue with vibrations and shaking coming from the front end when going about 60MPH. This has been going on for about 4-5 months now since I bought the car back in June. The car has been repaired about 6 times already and still no resolution to the problem. The technician at the dealership said there isn’t anything else they can do as all the work they’ve done has been by the manufacturer’s recommendation and book. My other main concern is the car tends to pull or JOLT when driving sometimes. The car has also been needing an alignment every so often. I’m not sure if it’s because the rack and pinion is broken or needs to be replaced. The boots around them keep tearing or coming off. This is my 2nd time hearing a technician tell me about them.The motor has been replaced already at 32K miles, 2 weeks before I bought it. Lately the car also been tugging and or shifting hard. My other issue is the back up camera and the windows, along with the outside button not working to keyless entry feature. I’ve been having several issues with the back up camera lately. It’s always DULL and DIM when switching from P to R, the screen turns dark and black. The other side issues are the Button for the Windows not rolling up or down. They seem to be getting stuck. This makes it hard sometimes as my kids don’t like the A/C on as much. It gives them horse cough. When it’s hot the car has no circulation or ventilation besides turning the A/C or FAN on. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Nov 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | every since i got this $22,000 car, my backup camera has not worked. when i back up, the screen turns blue. first time i went to the nissan dealership they said there was a recall on the camera but because the one time it works, its at the dealership so they didn’t fix it. i bring it back a few months later to get the suspension recalled fix and tell them my back up camera doesn’t work. i have photo evidence showing everytime it doesn’t work and now they said there’s no recall it’ll cost $300 to replace. i’ve had this car for 3 months. i wouldn’t recommend anyone buy a car from nissan. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2024 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Issues with the door.. My key can’t open the driver door with the unlock button.. Also back door has same issue .. Had it fixed on passenger door when I have warranty but issue keeps happening .. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2024 | STEERING | The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, the steering wheel had an excessive amount of play. While driving over a pothole, the vehicle shook abnormally. While reversing, there was an abnormal thumping sound while turning the steering wheel. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the vehicle should not be driven. The mechanic determined that the steering rack was badly worn, and the tie rod needed to be replaced. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who informed the contact about NHTSA Campaign Number 23V581000 (Steering). The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the steering rack and tie rod needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a claim. The failure mileage was approximately 32,000. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 32,000 |
| Oct 2024 | VISIBILITY/WIPER | [XXX] 06/29 637 1). A feature of the Auto Intelligent Headlight feature is not working on 2020 Sentras, all trims. During the daytime (rain or snow) when the windshield wipers are turned on and swish back and forth 4 times, it’s supposed to automatically turn on headlights (which also turns on tail lights so you’re not rear ended). 2). Additionally, when the headlights are in “Headlight” mode (not automatic mode), the owners manual states when the engine is turned off and the door is opened you will get both an alarm chime and a visual warning on the drivers display that lights are on and to turn them off. Just like any normal car going back for 20 years. Well it doesn’t work in 2020 Sentra. Only way I can get feature to chime or show the display warning is to toggle the headlight control switch to “Parking Lights” and back to “Headlights”!. Of course, if I can remember to do that I could remember to turn off the headlights! Auto Intelligent Headlights is explained on the Nissan website, and the 2020 Sentra Brochure States it as a standard feature on all trims. I also have a personal letter from Nissan stating 2020 Sentras have all of this feature. [XXX] Intelligent Auto Headlights | Innovation | Nissan’s Intelligent Auto Headlights: Nissan’s various technologies, including electrification, autonomous drive, connected car & service, mobility service, and energy management, are introduced. [XXX] [XXX] It doesn’t work. I contacted Nissan Consumer Affairs, after 2 months and being handed off to 2 customer service reps they finally sent a Corp DTS Rep to look at car. After 4 hrs examining it, he contacted the internal only “Nissan Tech Talk”, only for Nissan mechanics and you must have a dealer code to access, not for the public. Turns out, they knew that due to a new wiring system in the 2020 Sentra’s those features and a fog light auto feature don’t work! Apparently it’s a defect, I was never notified they INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |