Complaint volume
126 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
2021 Nissan Sentra Complaints
126 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2021 Nissan Sentra, grouped by component category.
126 Total complaints
14 Crash reports
1 Fire reports
8 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, electrical system, forward collision avoidance. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 14 crash reports, 1 fire report, 8 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 21 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 31,151 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to steering, electrical system, forward collision avoidance?
- 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 2021 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.
2021 Nissan Sentra
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2021 Nissan Sentra complaints?
14 Crash
1 Fire
8 Injury
0 Fatality
13 Towed
6 Medical attention
What are the most common 2021 Nissan Sentra complaint categories?
STEERING 22
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 17
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 9
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 6
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 5
SERVICE BRAKES 4
SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 4
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 3
ENGINE 3
POWER TRAIN 3
126 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING | The air conditioning turns off by itself and the high beams don't work | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2022 | SUSPENSION | The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving in a parking lot and turning the steering wheel, there was a popping sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the tie rod had fractured. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who stated that the failure was due to off-road driving. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The insurance company adjuster stated there was no damage to the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V461000 (Steering). The manufacturer was contacted but provided no additional assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 23,000. | Crash: No Fire: No Towed | 23,000 |
| Aug 2022 | STEERING | The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while turning the steering wheel in either direction, a crackling type noise was present coming from the steering column and the wheel would not immediately turn. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the steering box needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 33,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 33,000 |
| Jul 2022 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Intermittently the Automatic emergency braking system randomly engaging with no obstructions present. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2022 | STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES | On 2 July 2022, I was traveling southbound on Interstate 95 in a rented 2021 Nissan Sentra. While DRIVING the brakes unexpectedly LOCKED and did NOT release, affecting the steering, and causing the vehicle to spin out in a circle across major highway lanes crashing head on into a guardrail on the left side of the interstate. This is a MAJOR SAFETY concern as when an individual is DRIVING a vehicle, they need to be able to control NOT ONLY the direction of the vehicle, but when that vehicle brakes. When the brakes LOCKED while DRIVING, so did the steering, causing there to be NO CONTROL of a vehicle traveling down a major Florida interstate. Had there been impact by another vehicle while the 2021 NissanSentra brake malfunction caused it to spin out across major highway lanes, such would have been fatal to both me & the unexpected driver also traveling southbound on I95. If this malfunction exists in other 2021 Nissan Sentras, a MAJOR motor vehicle safety risk also exists for both drivers & riders of the 2021 Nissan Sentra, as well as any other motorist driver traveling with passengers in the same direction. This vehicle was a rental car through Budget and is NOT personally owned.Rental company was informed of mechanical malfunction & also aware that the brakes LOCKED while driving the 2021 Nissan Sentra. Service history/ maintenance of rental vehicle is personally unknown. It is also unknown if the problem / component has been inspected by dealer or independent service center. If the same malfunction exists in a group of vehicles used commercially for one time rentals by rental companies, the posed safety risk for motor vehicle safety SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES. Drivers are unknowingly renting dangerous vehicles posing a major risk for personal safety of themselves & their families, but also to other motorists around them. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Towed | Unknown |
| Mar 2022 | STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Steer rod recall effective as of 6/17/21 yet ignored by enterprise rental car company. Lost control, car hit guard rails. No cooperation from insurance nor rental company. Police got it Towed on 1/26/2022 to alpine automotive, lake Zurich illinois, enterprise holdings picked it up on 1/28/2022. No other information provided by any party on estimate of damages, nor medical coverage due to “insurance policies” | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed | Unknown |
| Mar 2022 | SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the instrument panel went black. An unknown warning light then displayed and the vehicle abruptly stopped in the middle of the road. Immediately after the failure, the vehicle started driving as intended. During the failure there were no other vehicles or objects nearby. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who replaced the distance sensor however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer. No further information was available. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 5,800. | Crash: No Fire: No | 5,800 |
| Feb 2022 | LANE DEPARTURE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Deadly | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | STEERING | bent tie rod condition impaired the driver's ability to steer the vehicle | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES,LANE DEPARTURE | Out of control | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES | Ended up in a crash (steering issue, not recalled but rented)!!! | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | I have 2021 Nissan Sentra SR. The automatic engine start does not work all of the time. Contact my dealer and they said there have been a lot of complains about this, did contact Nissan corporation they said brig it to the dealer. I did they do not know what it is? May be the frost on the windshield where the electronics are? Who knows? There is a bulletin about this on 2020 Sentra with same issue. It seems to happen with frost on the windshield. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Feb 2022 | STEERING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES | My accident was with Nissan Sentra veering out of control. I was lucky, see others who weren’t in past few weeks: https://kfoxtv.com/amp/news/local/deadly-accident-in-collision-on-i-10-at-lee-trevino https://www.wvlt.tv/2022/02/03/maryville-man-dies-after-car-lands-little-river/ https://www.thedailytimes.com/news/maryville-man-killed-in-single-vehicle-crash/article_aa06d64b-879e-5544-b0f0-4146ff9fc63b.html https://www.mymoinfo.com/arnold-woman-seriously-injured-in-141-accident/ https://www.13newsnow.com/amp/article/news/local/peninsulanow/deadly-vehicle-crash-fire-york-county-virginia/291-4ec8fe5a-fd6d-4058-ac6a-cbb007c04f76 https://www.kwch.com/2022/02/02/accidents-reported-across-state/ https://www.wibw.com/2022/02/03/vehicle-hits-wichita-police-car-that-stopped-assist-motorist/ https://www.tribstar.com/news/local_news/train-video-car-went-around-crossing-arms-in-fatal-crash/article_6c7ceb71-c21a-514b-9cd1-9b775fe8a010.html https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/berks/ny-man-taken-to-hospital-with-life-threatening-injures-following-crash-on-i-78-in/article_799d04b4-7c52-11ec-a7c7-5fe7f2b50ccf.html https://kfoxtv.com/amp/news/local/deadly-accident-in-collision-on-i-10-at-lee-trevino https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/richmond/victims-of-deadly-i-95-crash-identified/amp/ https://www.myleaderpaper.com/news/accidents/arnold-woman-seriously-hurt-in-crash-near-fenton/article_7c734224-8464-11ec-a207-73e06d9d32ee.html https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2022/01/27/crash-shuts-down-hawaii-islands-highway-11-keeau/ Nissan Sentra’s have lost control resulting in fatal crashes against guardrail, train, snowbank, tree (fire), garbage truck, patrol car(s), highway wall, jeep, pedestrian, & some drove into a ditch, little river, river bank, heavy duty truck, injured police officer. Humble Request to investigate please: Nissan recalls + reported accident’s in past month (+ unreported\private), only NHTSA can identify a pattern | Crash: Yes Fire: Yes Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | Unknown |
| Dec 2021 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | My car has been hacked. I know the hacker was able to get my VIN number bec he hacked my computer also (and I had to enter the information to setup autopay etc through my finance company). The hacker has been messing with the brakes which makes me afraid that it will force me into an accident. He is also messing with my RPM (I believe): there's resistance when I'm accelerating. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2021 | STEERING | While driving in the center lane at approximately 40 mph, I heard a loud snap, and immediately lost the ability to steer the vehicle. The vehicle went hard right into the outside lane, I started applying the brakes and brought the vehicle to a stop against the outside curb. The front wheel on the right passenger side had moved forward about 8 inches and pushed the front bumper forward, which had locked up that wheel. The tie rod broke, had I been driving faster or had there been a vehicle beside me, there would have been a major crash. Had this happened at highway speed it could have been fatal. The car had never encountered a pothole, a speed bump or anything else that could have contributed to this. Clearly a manufacturing defect. Any defect that causes a complete loss of the ability to steer has to be the most dangerous defects. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 10/5/21-FIRST NOTICED SOMETHING WAS WRONG WHILE BACKING UP VEH. WARNING SIGNAL GOING OFF SHOWING DRIVER SIDE REAR NOTHING BEHIND ME AT THE TIME ALL CLEAR FIGURED IT WAS JUST ? I REVERSED ANYWAY AND TOOK OFF TO STORE WHILE ON MY WAY HOME AROUND 2:30ISH WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 30-40MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACTIVATED THE AUTOMATICE EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM RED LIGHTS ON DASH INDICATING IT WAS ACTIVATED AT THE TIME THERE WAS NO VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME! I WAS APPROACHING A RAILROAD CROSSING AT THE TIME I HAD MY SON IN THE FRONT SEAT AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE VEHICLE RELEASED THE BRAKES AND I PROCEEDED HOME OF COURSE I WAS SHAKEN UP AND HAD QUESTIONS AS TO WHAT WAS GOING ON? TOOK TO DEALER 2 DAYS LATER DEALER KEPT THERE FOR OVER 5 HOURS AND DURING VEH. UPDATES VIA TEXT FROM DEALER WAS TOLD THEY WERE GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH NISSAN CORP. VIA EMAIL ON TRYING TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE AS TO HOW TO GO ABOUT REPAIRING THE ISSUE, WAS ALSO TOLD TO PICK UP VEH. DRIVE FOR A WEEK AND RETURN TO CHECK IF OTHER CODES WERE NOTED? SO THEY ADMIT THERE WERE CODES INDICATING THERE WAS A PROBLEM. NOT A WEEK YET TO RETURN TO DEALER UNTIL NEXT WEEK HOWEVER I DRIVE OVER 50MILES A DAY COMMUTE TO WORK AND I AM VERY SCARED THESE DAYS TO DRIVE I ALSO HAVE CLIENTS I MUST TRANSPORT IN MY PERSONAL VEH. FOR WORK PURPOSES WHAT IF SOMEONE GETS HURT? ITS SO STRESSFUL. IM WORRIED!ANY SUGGESTIONS? ALSO, ON NHTSA WEBSITE I FOUND BY VIN NUMBER THE VEH. MADE 2ND,4TH AND 6TH IN ORDER AFTER MINE WHICH IS 0 THIS IS SUSPICIOUS AND TROUBLING. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2021 | STEERING | The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, the contact heard a noise coming from underneath the steering wheel. The contact then lost control of the vehicle momentarily during a rainstorm. The contact was able to regain control of the vehicle. The contact stated that the AEB warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed but was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and told the contact that they were unable to assist. The failure mileage was approximately 4,000. The VIN was not available. | Crash: No Fire: No | 4,000 |
| Sep 2021 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | Headlights turn off at night while driving and in most cases will still not work after moving the headlight switch or power cycling the switch. Have to shut down and restart multiple times for headlights to work. This problem affects the low beam lights and not the high beams or parking lights as they continue to work and function with the switch. Has happened 3 nights in a row returning from work in the dark. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2021 | STEERING | The contact owned a 2021 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated their daughter was driving at 30 mph, when the driver was merging into a lane when the driver heard an unidentified noise and lost control of the vehicle, and crashed into a telephone pole. The air bags did deploy. The driver had a laceration and bruise and swelling in the left knee. The driver declined medical treatment at the scene. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard where it was later deemed as a totaled loss. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. | Crash: Yes Fire: No Injuries: 1 Towed Medical attention | Unknown |
| Aug 2021 | STEERING | The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, she heard an abnormal bumping sound coming from underneath the vehicle and the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver, causing the contact to almost lose control of the vehicle. The contact did not recall whether there were any warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road and replaced the flat tire with the assistance of the towing company. Then, the contact drove to her residence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the passenger’s side front tire and the passenger’s side rear tire needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the tires were replaced. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V461000 (Steering) and the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 474. | Crash: No Fire: No | 474 |
| Aug 2021 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | I was driving at 55 mph this morning while taking my child to the bus stop when the emergency braking system kicked on out of nowhere almost causing me to lose control of the car. There were no vehicles in front of me or any obstruction that would have caused this to occur. The recall for the blind spot sensors has already occurred on this vehicle as well. It is a danger to not only myself but potentially other vehicles that could have been following me to have a vehicle abruptly stop like it did which in then endangered myself and my children. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | Car battery has died 3 times since purchase. Dealership says battery is fine. Have only owned the brand new vehicle about 8 weeks! | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | The vehicle inexplicably drained the battery again. Monday July 12, 2021, the vehicle does not start. I take it to the dealer's service center and they tell me there is no problem with the car or the charging system. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2021 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | Suddenly the battery ran out on Tuesday, July 6, 2021, 18 days after I bought the car. The car did not want to start from the beeper. When I got into the car to start it, my battery was completely drained. A roadside service technician starts the car with a battery booster. On the way to the auto dealership shop, the vehicle would not accept cruise control. I arrive at the auto dealership workshop and they verify the unit. And according to them it did not duplicate any of the problems that the vehicle presented. Claiming that the charging system was fine and the battery was fine. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2021 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING | Only happens when driving at night. When driving and keeping your foot on the gas pedal the lights go dim and when you remove your foot of the gas pedal the lights go back to bright. Also the engine is making a rattling noise. Was seen a couple times at the dealership for the lights but was told nothing wrong with it. Its not normal for lights to do that whole driving on the road. Especially for a brand new car that has only gotten 15,000 miles | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |