IllustrationPURCHASED NEW IN APRIL 1999 BURNED BEYOND REPAIR DECEMBER 1999 NISSAN DEALERSHIP SAID TOO BAD FOR ME. NOT A DEFECT. NO DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK
1998 Nissan Sentra
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Fewer warning signs than most model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Nissan Sentra are lower than 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: 18 of 58 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 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
17 crash reports2 fire reports10 injury reports
Unknown Or Other complaints
2 reportsNO SUMMARY
Official recalls
198V093000 · 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.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.