Nissan Sentra: which model years draw the most owner complaints?
5,029 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Nissan Sentra, model years 2000 to 2026. 15 model years stand out for the engine or transmission: 2013 (transmission 31×); 2014 (transmission 18×); 2015 (transmission 17×); 2002 (engine 7.1×). Quietest mature years by complaint count: 2009, 2006, 2011. Counts of unverified owner reports, compared only with other years of the same model; not failure rates.
Complaints by model year
| MODEL YEAR | COMPLAINTS | VS OTHER YEARS | STANDS OUT | RECALLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 Sentra | 171 | engine 3.4× | 7 | |
| 2001 Sentra | 236 | engine 5× | 8 | |
| 2002 Sentra | 304 | engine 7.1× | 14 | |
| 2003 Sentra | 179 | engine 4.8× | 10 | |
| 2004 Sentra | 197 | engine 4× | 5 | |
| 2005 Sentra | 170 | engine 3.9× | 6 | |
| 2006 SentraFEW REPORTS | 116 | quiet: 2 of 20 | 6 | |
| 2007 Sentra | 154 | quiet: 5 of 20 | 1 | |
| 2008 Sentra | 167 | quiet: 6 of 20 | 3 | |
| 2009 SentraFEW REPORTS | 55 | quiet: 1 of 20 | 1 | |
| 2010 SentraFEW REPORTS | 144 | engine 2.1× | 3 | |
| 2011 SentraFEW REPORTS | 142 | quiet: 3 of 20 | 2 | |
| 2012 Sentra | 180 | engine 2×, transmission 6.8× | 0 | |
| 2013 Sentra | 638 | transmission 31× | 6 | |
| 2014 Sentra | 381 | transmission 18× | 5 | |
| 2015 Sentra | 352 | transmission 17× | 3 | |
| 2016 Sentra | 270 | transmission 13× | 6 | |
| 2017 Sentra | 231 | transmission 7.6× | 3 | |
| 2018 Sentra | 185 | transmission 4.6× | 2 | |
| 2019 Sentra | 223 | transmission 5.4× | 2 | |
| 2020 Sentra | 208 | — | 4 | |
| 2021 SentraFEW REPORTS | 133 | — | 3 | |
| 2022 SentraFEW REPORTS | 81 | — | 2 | |
| 2023 SentraFEW REPORTS | 20 | — | 1 | |
| 2024 SentraFEW REPORTS | 41 | — | 3 | |
| 2025 SentraFEW REPORTS | 32 | — | 4 | |
| 2026 SentraFEW REPORTS | 19 | — | 1 |
"Stands out" = 40 or more complaints naming that system and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share seen across every vehicle of that model year. Newer years have had less time on the road. "Quiet" ranks only years with 7+ years on the road and 20+ complaints. NHTSA data through November 2026.
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Source: NHTSA public complaints, recalls, service bulletin and investigation databases, data received through November 2026. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not failure rates: sales volumes are unknown, so a model year is only compared with other years of the same model. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Year pages: 20002001200220032004200520072008201220132014201520162017201820192020