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2008 Nissan Sentra

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2008 Nissan Sentra do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 116.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

125 reports with mileage · 42 unknown

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 →
  • Power Train. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

20 crash reports3 fire reports11 injury reports

Engine complaints

15 reports
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60,000 miles · Aug 3, 2020
Electronic Stability Control (esc)EngineVehicle Speed Control

DRIVING OVER AN HOUR AND THE CAR STARTS TO STRUGGLE, I CAN FEEL IT LOOSING POWER, IN ORDER TO NOT PRESS DOWN ALL THE WAY, I'M DOING A GIVE N GO PRAYING I DONT STOP ON THE FREEWAY. I WOULD SOMETIMES FEEL JUMPING AND THAT I'M NOT IN FULL CONTROL AND IT HAS STOPPED ON ME IN A 15MINUTE DRIVE. I HAVE GOTTEN, A DIAGNOSTIC, 1TIME IT HA…

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DRIVING OVER AN HOUR AND THE CAR STARTS TO STRUGGLE, I CAN FEEL IT LOOSING POWER, IN ORDER TO NOT PRESS DOWN ALL THE WAY, I'M DOING A GIVE N GO PRAYING I DONT STOP ON THE FREEWAY. I WOULD SOMETIMES FEEL JUMPING AND THAT I'M NOT IN FULL CONTROL AND IT HAS STOPPED ON ME IN A 15MINUTE DRIVE. I HAVE GOTTEN, A DIAGNOSTIC, 1TIME IT HAD 4DIFFERENT TRANSMISSION CODES AND ANOTHER A FUEL CODE. NOT SURE WHAT'S GOING ON, THIS STARTED AROUND THE 60,000 MILE I'M AT 90,000 NOW, SO YA, IT'S BEEN ROUGH.

NHTSA ODI #11342882

186,000 miles · Jan 7, 2020
Engine

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. MECHANIC DIAGNOSIS IS DEFECTIVE CATALYTIC CONVERTER SENSORS.

NHTSA ODI #11297694

1,620,000 miles · Aug 6, 2019
Engine

ON JUNE 20, 2016, I TOOK MY CAR INTO A NISSAN CERTIFIED DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REDONE UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT NISSAN DID FOR THE CVT ENGINE. THE CAR DROVE FINE AND THEN IN THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST 2019 JUST 3 YRS LATER AND 40,00 MILES ON THE NEW TRANSMISSION, THE TRANSMISSION IS MESSING UP AGAIN AND WE ARE T…

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ON JUNE 20, 2016, I TOOK MY CAR INTO A NISSAN CERTIFIED DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REDONE UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT NISSAN DID FOR THE CVT ENGINE. THE CAR DROVE FINE AND THEN IN THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST 2019 JUST 3 YRS LATER AND 40,00 MILES ON THE NEW TRANSMISSION, THE TRANSMISSION IS MESSING UP AGAIN AND WE ARE TOLD THAT WE HAVE TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION FOR THE SECOND TIME AT OUR COST. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN SENT OUT TO THE TECHNICIAN ON AUGUST 15, 2014 STATING THAT A 2007-2012 SENTRA WILL NEED A TRANSMISSION COOLER ADDED TO THE CVT TO PREVENT IT FROM OVERHEATING. THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP DID NOT PUT THAT ON OUR CAR WHEN WE HAD OUR TRANSMISSION REDONE UNDER THEIR EXTENDED WARRANTY IN 2016, AND NOW BECAUSE OF THEIR LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY OUR TRANSMISSION IS OUT, AND NISSAN IS NOT WANTING TO MAKE IT RIGHT.

NHTSA ODI #11242024

60 miles · Mar 5, 2019
EngineUnknown Or Other

I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 NISSAN SENTRA AND THE CAR WOULD SHAKE OUT IF NO WHERE NEXT THING YOU KNOW IT DIDN'T WANT TO ACCELERATE ANY MORE IT'S JUST STOPPED AND I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGH WAY

NHTSA ODI #11184480

34,481 miles · Dec 3, 2018
Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN SENTRA. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE RPMS INCREASED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. ONCE RESTARTED, THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE CONTACT CALLED …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN SENTRA. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE RPMS INCREASED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. ONCE RESTARTED, THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE CONTACT CALLED ALAN JAY NISSAN AT (863) 402-4280 (LOCATED AT 1700 FLARE RD, SEBRING, FL 33872) WHERE AN APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,481.

NHTSA ODI #11155727

153,000 miles · Jun 1, 2018
EngineService Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN SENTRA. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT CALLED ORR NISSAN (3131 E BEEBE CAPPS EXPY, SEARCY, AR 72143, (501) 268-5333) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN SENTRA. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT CALLED ORR NISSAN (3131 E BEEBE CAPPS EXPY, SEARCY, AR 72143, (501) 268-5333) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 153,000.

NHTSA ODI #11099200

130 miles · Dec 6, 2017
Air BagsEngine

THE DRIVER AIR BAG FLASHING RED LIGHT WHEN I WAS DRIVING AND NEVER GOING OFF ALSO THE HORN DOESN'T WORK.ALSO THE ENGINE BURN A LOT OIL AND I DON'T SEE ANY LEAKS

NHTSA ODI #11052686

96,000 miles · Sep 2, 2015
Engine

SLOWING APPROACHING STOPS ENGINE WOULD CUT OFF, IT HAS HAPPENED A NUMBER OF TIMES.

NHTSA ODI #10761000

94,048 miles · Jan 12, 2015
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)EngineFire

I WAS OPERATING MY VEHICLE ON RIVERSIDE DRIVE IN STUDIO CITY, CALIFORNIA WHEN THE VEHICLE SHOOK ABRUPTLY FOLLOWED A FEW SECONDS LATER WITH A LOUD EXPLOSION. DEBRIS AND OIL SPRAYED ONTO MY HOOD AND I HAD TO NEARLY AVOID AN ACCIDENT AS MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL. I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL SLIGHTLY AND PULL TO THE SI…

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I WAS OPERATING MY VEHICLE ON RIVERSIDE DRIVE IN STUDIO CITY, CALIFORNIA WHEN THE VEHICLE SHOOK ABRUPTLY FOLLOWED A FEW SECONDS LATER WITH A LOUD EXPLOSION. DEBRIS AND OIL SPRAYED ONTO MY HOOD AND I HAD TO NEARLY AVOID AN ACCIDENT AS MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL. I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL SLIGHTLY AND PULL TO THE SIDE. IT WAS AT THIS POINT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD AND I IMMEDIATELY GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE. MY FATHER WHO WAS FOLLOWING ME RAN TO THE NEAREST GAS STATION IN AN ATTEMPT TO CALM THE FLAMES WHILE I CALLED 911. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL ON FIRE WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED. EVENTUALLY THEY WERE ABLE TO PUT THE FLAMES OUT AND OPEN THE HOOD. UNDER THE HOOD YOU CAN SEE A FIRE STARTING FROM THE ELECTRICAL AND BATTERY AREA LEADING TO THE ENGINE. THE CAR WAS DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS A FEW DAYS LATER BY MY INSURANCE. IT APPEARED THE BATTERY OVERHEATED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10671964

60,000 miles · Dec 17, 2014
EnginePower TrainWheels

WHEN PURCHASING MY USED VEHICLE FROM EL MONTE TOYOTA, NOTICE SENSOR FOR TIRE ON, WAS TOLD BE FIXED, MONTHS LATER LEARN RIM MISSING SENSOR. LIGHT IN CAR ALSO DON'T WORK. DRIVING CAR IMMEDIATELY WAS STALLING OUT SHUTTING OFF WHEN IDOL. TOOK CAR BACK WEEK LATER SINCE WITHIN 30 DAY WARRANTY SPOKE TO CUSTOMER SERVICE ON RECORDED CALL…

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WHEN PURCHASING MY USED VEHICLE FROM EL MONTE TOYOTA, NOTICE SENSOR FOR TIRE ON, WAS TOLD BE FIXED, MONTHS LATER LEARN RIM MISSING SENSOR. LIGHT IN CAR ALSO DON'T WORK. DRIVING CAR IMMEDIATELY WAS STALLING OUT SHUTTING OFF WHEN IDOL. TOOK CAR BACK WEEK LATER SINCE WITHIN 30 DAY WARRANTY SPOKE TO CUSTOMER SERVICE ON RECORDED CALL AND SHE DIDN'T THOROUGHLY DOCUMENT CONVERSATION. UPON WAITING FOUR HOURS NEXT WEEK, TECH DROVE THE CAR NEVER DO A DIAGNOSTIC. AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED CAR REGULARLY SHUT OFF TRIGGERING TRANSMISSION CODES. OUT OF POCKET I PAID FOR TRANSMISSION FLUSH TWICE, THROTTLE BODY REPLACEMENT, BRAKES, LEARNING THERE WAS TRANSMISSION RECALL 2010. FALLING BEHIND IN PAYMENTS DUE.TO EXCESSIVE REPAIR EXPENSES TOOK CAR TO FIX AT NISSAN TO GET A LIST MORE OF DEFECTS I COULDN'T AFFORD. I FILED A CLAIM WITH TOYOTA AND WAS DENIED BY THE MANAGER. HAD THEY RAN THE DIAGNOSTIC WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN ALL BE AVOIDED. HOWEVER WAS ADVISED DEALERSHIP'S ARE AWARE OF RECALLS AND SOLD ME THE CAR ANYWAY? AND REFUSED TO FIX WHEN I RETURNED AND DISMISSED A CLAIM DIE TO THEIR NEGLIGENCE. NEVER BUY A CAR FROM THAT DEALERSHIP AND WILL LET ANYONE LOOKING KNOW OF MY COSTLY EXPERIENCE. EXPECT THAT FROM A CAR LOT NOT A REPUTATION LIKE TOYOTA. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10666986

Official recalls

3

10V401000 · Equipment:electrical:navigational System(global Positioning System)

Sep 10, 2010

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES THAT WERE EQUIPPED WITH A GARMIN NUVI MODEL 750 NAVIGATION SYSTEM. THE BATTERIES CONTAINED IN THE AFFECTED GPS UNITS CAN OVERHEAT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: OVERHEATED BATTERIES COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY GARMIN TECHNICIANS BY REPLACING THE BATTERY AND INSERTING A SPACER ON TOP OF THE BATTERY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GARMIN DIRECTLY AT 1-866-957-1981 OR NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

09V431000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder

Nov 3, 2009

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 SENTRA PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH BOSCH MASTER CYLINDERS. BRAKE FLUID MAY LEAK FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER. IF THE AMOUNT OF BRAKE FLUID IN THE MASTER CYLINDER RESERVOIR DECREASES TO BELOW THE MINIMUM LEVEL, THE BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING INDICATOR WILL ILLUMINATE AS DESIGNED AND THE BRAKES WILL NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE WARNING LAMP IS CONTINUOUSLY IGNORED, ONE OF THE BRAKE CIRCUITS ON THE VEHICLE MAY FAIL INCREASING STOPPING DISTANCES AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE MASTER CYLINDER BRAKE BOOSTER ASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 14, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

08V311000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder

Jul 11, 2008

NISSAN IS RECALLING 169,202 MY 2007-2008 SENTRA PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED ROBERT BOSCH MASTER CYLINDER. DUE TO THE MACHINING IRREGULARITY BY THE SUPPLIER, THE INTERNAL SEAL GROOVE IN THE BODY OF SOME BRAKE MASTER CYLINDERS MAY ALLOW FOR A GAP IN THE GROOVE CONTACT AREA OF THE SEAL. THIS MAY RESULT IN BRAKE FLUID SLOWLY LEAKING FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER INTO THE BRAKE BOOSTER ASSEMBLY, CAUSING THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE WARNING LAMP IS IGNORED, ONE OF THE BRAKE CIRCUITS ON THE VEHICLE MAY NOT OPERATE AS DESIGNED INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE MASTER CYLINDER/BRAKE BOOSTER ASSEMBLY AND IF BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE IS DETECTED, THE MASTER CYLINDER WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 20, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

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

1

DP16002 · Scope Of Recalls 08V311 And 09V431

Opened Dec 20, 2016 · Closed Oct 2, 2017

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder

Nissan conducted safety recalls 08V-311 and 09V-431 to remedy leaking master cylinders on certain MY 2007 and 2008 Nissan Sentra vehicles.The recall populations were determined based on production changes to the master cylinder which were fully implemented into production on April 18, 2008.NHTSA utilized vehicle owner questionnaire (VOQ) reports and did not request field information from Nissan.ODI identified two MY 2008 Nissan Sentra VOQs including the petitioner?s vehicle, which were not covered by the recalls and reported a leaking master cylinder.Both of these incidents occurred 6 or more years into the service life of the vehicle.ODI also identified three VOQs which reported a leaking master cylinder after receiving the recall remedy.While one of these failures occurred within 36 months of the recall remedy, the other two occurred at a later time.ODI notes that the original recall addressed failures which occurred early in the life of the vehicle, typically during the first 36 months of service.Master cylinders are generally expected to experience wear and thus will display a finite service life.After a thorough review of the available data in NHTSA's VOQ database, the agency has not identified a trend that would call into question the scope or adequacy of Nissan's recalls.Accordingly, and in view of the need to allocate and prioritize NHTSA's limited resources to best accomplish the agency's safety mission, ODI is denying the petition.A detailed summary of ODI's analysis of this petition is available in the investigative file for this action, and will be published in the Federal Register also.The agency reserves the right to revise this assessment should future circumstances warrant.The VOQs cited above can be viewed at NHTSA.gov under the following reference numbers: 10299791 10330891 10449038 10567372 10638813 10805749 10839357

Additional source detail variants (2)

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder

Nissan conducted safety recalls 08V-311 and 09V-431 to remedy leaking master cylinders on certain MY 2007 and 2008 Nissan Sentra vehicles.The recall populations were determined based on production changes to the master cylinder which were fully implemented into production on April 18, 2008.NHTSA utilized vehicle owner questionnaire (VOQ) reports and did not request field information from Nissan.ODI identified two MY 2008 Nissan Sentra VOQs including the petitioner?s vehicle, which were not covered by the recalls and reported a leaking master cylinder.Both of these incidents occurred 6 or more years into the service life of the vehicle.ODI also identified three VOQs which reported a leaking master cylinder after receiving the recall remedy.While one of these failures occurred within 36 months of the recall remedy, the other two occurred at a later time.ODI notes that the original recall addressed failures which occurred early in the life of the vehicle, typically during the first 36 months of service.Master cylinders are generally expected to experience wear and thus will display a finite service life.After a thorough review of the available data in NHTSA's VOQ database, the agency has not identified a trend that would call into question the scope or adequacy of Nissan's recalls.Accordingly, and in view of the need to allocate and prioritize NHTSA's limited resources to best accomplish the agency's safety mission, ODI is denying the petition.A detailed summary of ODI's analysis of this petition is available in the investigative file for this action, and will be published in the Federal Register also.The agency reserves the right to revise this assessment should future circumstances warrant.The VOQs cited above can be viewed at NHTSA.gov under the following reference numbers: 10299791 10330891 10449038 10567372 10638813 10805749 10839357

Service Brakes

Nissan conducted safety recalls 08V-311 and 09V-431 to remedy leaking master cylinders on certain MY 2007 and 2008 Nissan Sentra vehicles.The recall populations were determined based on production changes to the master cylinder which were fully implemented into production on April 18, 2008.NHTSA utilized vehicle owner questionnaire (VOQ) reports and did not request field information from Nissan.ODI identified two MY 2008 Nissan Sentra VOQs including the petitioner?s vehicle, which were not covered by the recalls and reported a leaking master cylinder.Both of these incidents occurred 6 or more years into the service life of the vehicle.ODI also identified three VOQs which reported a leaking master cylinder after receiving the recall remedy.While one of these failures occurred within 36 months of the recall remedy, the other two occurred at a later time.ODI notes that the original recall addressed failures which occurred early in the life of the vehicle, typically during the first 36 months of service.Master cylinders are generally expected to experience wear and thus will display a finite service life.After a thorough review of the available data in NHTSA's VOQ database, the agency has not identified a trend that would call into question the scope or adequacy of Nissan's recalls.Accordingly, and in view of the need to allocate and prioritize NHTSA's limited resources to best accomplish the agency's safety mission, ODI is denying the petition.A detailed summary of ODI's analysis of this petition is available in the investigative file for this action, and will be published in the Federal Register also.The agency reserves the right to revise this assessment should future circumstances warrant.The VOQs cited above can be viewed at NHTSA.gov under the following reference numbers: 10299791 10330891 10449038 10567372 10638813 10805749 10839357