IllustrationDURING VEHICLE COLLISION VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAG RESULTED IN INJURY TO CONSUMERS (EAR, HAND, FACE AND BODY), DRIVER HAS SUFFERED HEARING DAMAGE, PASSENGER SUFFERED SLIGHT BRAIN DAMAGE. MJS
1996 Nissan Sentra
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1996 Nissan Sentra do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 116.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Sentra years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 14 of 141 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 53 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
43 crash reports1 fire reports25 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
53 reportsAIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED, INDICATING MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM, CAUSE UINKNOWN. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. *AK
AIR BAG CONTROL UNIT FAILED, CAUSING THE AIRBAG LIGHT TO COME ON, AND AIRBAG TO BE INOPERATIVE. *AK
AIRBAG RUPTURED, CAUSING ADDITIONAL INJURIES. *AK
VEHICLE COLLIDED HEAD ON WITH 5O GALLON BARRELS AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NISSAN SAYS BASED ON THEIR TEST, THEY BELIEVE THE CONDITIONS REQUIRED TO DEPLOY THE AIR BAGS WERE NOT MET AND THEREFORE CANNOT ASSIST.
WHILE TRAVELING 60 MPH VEHICLE COLLIDED HEAD-ON WITH 50 GALLON BARRELS ON THE ROADSIDE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY.
MY HUSBAND WAS IN AN ACCIDENT IN JULY OF THIS YEAR. HE COLLIDED HEAD ON WITH SOME 50 GALLON BARRELS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD GOING 60 MPH. HE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP WITHIN 10 FEET. NEITHER THE DRIVER SIDE NOR PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED IN THE ACCIDENT. NISSAN WAS CONTACTED AND RESPONDED SAYING THAT THE CONDITIONS WERE NO…
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MY HUSBAND WAS IN AN ACCIDENT IN JULY OF THIS YEAR. HE COLLIDED HEAD ON WITH SOME 50 GALLON BARRELS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD GOING 60 MPH. HE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP WITHIN 10 FEET. NEITHER THE DRIVER SIDE NOR PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED IN THE ACCIDENT. NISSAN WAS CONTACTED AND RESPONDED SAYING THAT THE CONDITIONS WERE NOT MET TO ALLOW THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. I DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO GO FROM HERE. OUR CAR WOULD HAVE BEEN TOTALED IF THE AIRBAGS WOULD HAVE DEPLOYED. HOWERVER, BECAUSE THEY DID NOT THE INSURANCE COMPANY REPAIRED THE VEHICLE AND NOW WE ARE DRIVING AROUND IN A DEATH TRAP. I AM PAYING FULL PRICE FOR A VEHICLE THAT IS DEFECTIVE AND NO ONE AT NISSAN SEEMS TO CARE. WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE..WHAT DO I DO?
THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STARTED FLASHING. WHENEVER DRIVING, AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD STAY ON. TOOK TO DEALER TO CHECKED, BUT HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED YET. *AK
VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG CAUSING BURNS ON NECK, WHIPLASH AND BACK PAIN. (QCAW)
AIR BAG LIGHT IS CONTINUALLY ILLUMINATING, SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AT REPAIR DID NOT RECTIFY PROBLEMS.
Official recalls
300V063000 · Suspension:front:springs:coil Springs
Mar 2, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS MAY NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT CORROSION RESISTANCE IN AREAS OF THE COUNTRY WHERE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF DE-ICING SALTS ARE APPLIED TO ROADS IN THE WINTER.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF A BROKEN SPRING COMES OUT OF THE LOWER SEAT, IT COULD CONTACT AND PUNCTURE THE TIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT COIL SPRING.
98V093000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:linkages
May 5, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. WATER CAN ENTER AND DISPLACE THE GREASE IN THE WIPER ARM LINKAGE BALL JOINT WHERE THE WIPER LINKAGE ATTACHES TO THE WIPER MOTOR LINKAGE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN GRADUAL WEAR OVER A PERIOD OF TIME INSIDE THE JOINT THAT COULD LEAD TO THE SEPARATION OF THE WIPER LINKAGE ASSEMBLY FROM THE WIPER MOTOR LINKAGE AT THE BALL JOINT. A LOSS OF WINDSHIELD WIPER FUNCTION CAN RESULT IN THIS SEPARATION OCCURS.
Remedy: TO PREVENT GREASE FROM BEING WASHED OUT OF THE JOINT, THE DEALERS WILL MODIFY BY ADDING A WATER DIVERSION SEAL THAT WILL PREVENT WATER FROM ENTERING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE BALL JOINT AREA.
98V008000 · Exterior Lighting:tail Lights
Jan 21, 1998
THESE VEHICLES DO NOT MEET THE ILLUMINATION REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: FOLLOWING VEHICLES MAY NOT BE AWARE THAT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT IS STOPPING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH TWO NEW LIGHT BULBS FOR THE STOP/TAIL LAMPS WHICH ARE BRIGHTER THAN THE ORIGINAL BULBS. A LABEL WITH THE NEW BULB NUMBER WILL ALSO BE PROVIDED FOR INSERTION INTO THE OWNER'S MANUAL. IF AN OWNER SO DESIRES, A DEALERS CAN INSTALL THE LIGHT BULBS FOR THEM.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1SQ99018 · Corrision Fatigue Of Front Coil Springs
Opened Jun 17, 1999 · No close date supplied
Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
NISSAN IS CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL IN CANADA OF 11,100 1994 THROUGH 1996 SENTRA 2 DOOR MODELS IN WHICH THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS ARE FRACTURING FROM CORROSION FATIGUE.NISSAN REPORTED THAT THE FAILURES OCCUR FROM A LOSS OF THE PROTECTIVE PAINT COATING ON THE SPRINGS AND EXPOSURE TO HEAVY ROAD SALT.CORROSION CAN CAUSE PITS TO FORM ON THE SPRING SURFACE, WHICH CAN RESULT IN FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE SPRING.A BROKEN SPRING COULDPUNCTURE THE AFFECTED TIRE, POSSIBLY CAUSING A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.THE CANADIAN RECALL NUMBER FOR THIS IS 99-069, DATED APRIL 28, 1999.THE PURPOSE OF THIS SQ IS TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE DEFECT IDENTIFIED IN THE CANADIAN SAFETY RECALL SHOULD BE CONDUCTED IN THE U.S. AS A SAFETY RECALL.