Is the 2014 Nissan Sentra a bad year?
381 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 183, 18× a quiet Sentra year.
Keep it, but watch the transmission
Half of the transmission complaints for this year were filed at 60k–102k miles, where you are now. Few of them say the car was towed: 8 of 179 filed since 2016.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2014 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 83,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 183 (48%) | 60k–102k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Engine | 65 (17%) | 46k–89k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Electrical system | 32 (8%) | 20k–85k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Speed control | 31 (8%) | 26k–84k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Stability control | 14 (4%) | 27k–88k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 13 (3%) | 35k–84k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Air bagsSTANDS OUT | 51 (13%) | 14k–76k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Brakes | 35 (9%) | 4k–46k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Steering | 9 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 9 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seat belts | 6 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Body structure | 5 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Exterior lighting | 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 83,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 381 complaints: 27 mention a crash · 6 mention a fire · 14 report an injury · 23 say the car was towed.
6 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Nov 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
The transmission had a catastrophic transmission failure after 25 months of ownership and 82,000 miles. Car is undriveable.
Like everyone else in the world, the CVT transmission on these cars are extremely horrible and potentially very unsafe.
When you are trying to excellerate the vehicle will rev up the engine and will not go unless it jerks into gear.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 83,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2014 Nissan Sentra: 5
Due to a manufacturing error within the air bag inflators, the passenger frontal air bag may not properly deploy in the event of a crash. In the event of a crash, if the front passenger air bag doesn't deploy properly, it can increase the risk of injury to passengers.
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.
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: 103
Repair instructions Nissan sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2014 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
2013 Sentra: 638 complaints, consider selling · 2015 Sentra: 352 complaints, consider selling.
Every Nissan Sentra year
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Questions
Is the 2014 Nissan Sentra a bad year?
381 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 183, 18× a quiet Sentra year. At 83,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the transmission. Half of the transmission complaints for this year were filed at 60k–102k miles, where you are now. Few of them say the car was towed: 8 of 179 filed since 2016.
What are the most common problems with the 2014 Nissan Sentra?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: transmission and drivetrain (183), engine (65), electrical system (32), speed control (31), stability control (14). Half of the transmission complaints were filed between 60k–102k miles.
How many recalls does the 2014 Nissan Sentra have?
5 recall campaigns list this model year: Air bags (NHTSA 17V-253), Air bags (NHTSA 16V-244), Air bags (NHTSA 16V-242), Air bags (NHTSA 15V-681) 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.