Is the 2013 Nissan Sentra a bad year?
638 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 311, 31× a quiet Sentra year.
Consider selling
Half of all transmission complaints about the 2013 Nissan Sentra were filed between 64k and 96k miles. You're at 77,000 miles.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2013 Sentra owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 77,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 311 (49%) | 64k–96k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Speed controlSTANDS OUT | 51 (8%) | 41k–96k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Engine | 91 (14%) | 13k–81k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Fuel system | 37 (6%) | 35k–96k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Steering | 16 (3%) | 18k–80k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| BrakesSTANDS OUT | 97 (15%) | 8k–50k miles · mostly behind | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Air bagsSTANDS OUT | 96 (15%) | 4k–60k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Electrical system | 43 (7%) | 14k–72k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Seat belts | 13 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Stability control | 13 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 7 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Wheels | 7 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 6 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Body structure | 5 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 77,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 638 complaints: 24 mention a crash · 4 mention a fire · 17 report an injury · 27 say the car was towed.
9 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Jun 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Transmission jerks accelerating and decelerating between 15-30 mph. Warranty is to 60k, however hundreds (If not thousands) of owners have this issue.
Luckily, I was in my neighborhood, but my transmission just stopped working out of nowhere. The vehicle decelerated and then wouldn't accelerate above first gear.
The car began to violently shake, was unable to accelerate while on the highway. Car rpms increased the car did not move.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 77,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2013 Nissan Sentra: 6
In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash. If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
The front passenger seat belt bracket may become deformed if it is used to secure a Child Restraint System (CRS). If the frontal passenger air bag deploys in the event of a crash when a child seat is installed in the front passenger seat, there will be an increased risk of injury to the child in the CRS.
The affected vehicles received an incorrect occupant classification system (OCS) control unit during a repair. These OCS control units may incorrectly classify the front passenger seat as empty, when it is occupied by an adult. If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger air bag would be deactivated.
In the affected vehicles, the occupant classification system (OCS) software may incorrectly classify the passenger seat as empty, when it is occupied by an adult. If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger airbag would be deactivated.
Sensors within the passenger Occupant Detection System (ODS) may have been manufactured out of specification. This may cause the system to malfunction and permanently suppress the passenger airbag. If the vehicle is involved in a crash necessitating airbag deployment and the passenger airbag is suppressed, there may be an increased risk of personal injury.
Some fuel tank assemblies were not properly sealed during the manufacturing process. As a result, a small amount of gasoline may leak from the tank when it is full. A gasoline leak in the presence of an ignition source may lead to a vehicle fire.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Nissan: 114
Repair instructions Nissan sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2013 Nissan Sentra. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Clicking noise from front or rear axle during take-off/acceleration
EVAP leak DTC P0442, P0455, P0456 information
DTC P0456 caused by EVAP leak at vent control valve o-ring
CVT oil leak diagnosis using fluorescent dye
NHTSA defect investigations: 3
Occupant Classification System Failure
Occupant Classification System Failure
Excessive Brake Pedal Travel
Neighbouring years
2012 Sentra: 180 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission · 2014 Sentra: 381 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission.
Every Nissan Sentra year
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Other Nissan models: Nissan 350Z · Nissan 370Z · Nissan Altima · Nissan Armada · Nissan Cube · Nissan Frontier · Nissan Juke · Nissan Kicks · Nissan Leaf · Nissan Maxima · Nissan Murano · Nissan Pathfinder · Nissan Quest · Nissan Rogue · Nissan Rogue Sport · Nissan Titan · Nissan Titan XD · Nissan Versa · Nissan Versa Note · Nissan Xterra. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2013 Nissan Sentra a bad year?
638 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 311, 31× a quiet Sentra year. At 77,000 miles the tool says: Consider selling. Half of all transmission complaints about the 2013 Nissan Sentra were filed between 64k and 96k miles. You're at 77,000 miles.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Nissan Sentra?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: transmission and drivetrain (311), speed control (51), engine (91), fuel system (37), steering (16). Half of the transmission complaints were filed between 64k–96k miles.
How many recalls does the 2013 Nissan Sentra have?
6 recall campaigns list this model year: Air bags (NHTSA 16V-244), Air bags (NHTSA 16V-242), Air bags (NHTSA 15V-681), Electrical system (NHTSA 14V-138) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.