Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
120–25K
825–50K
1350–75K
975–100K
3100–150K
3150K+
48 reports with mileage · 7 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 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Steering. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Service Brakes. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports0 fire reports7 injury reports
What owners actually said
55 reports
65,000 miles · Nov 24, 2014
Engine
WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON THE BELTWAY ABOUT 1 MILE PRIOR TO THE EXIT, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF ALONG WITH ANY ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT. WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE AND GET TOWED TO A DEALER (NOT NISSAN) WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED A "BLOWN ENGINE". HAD TRANSFERRED THE CAR TO A NISSAN DEALER FOR WARRANTY DISPOSITION AND DIAGNOSIS. HAVE BEEN WAIT…
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WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON THE BELTWAY ABOUT 1 MILE PRIOR TO THE EXIT, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF ALONG WITH ANY ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT. WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE AND GET TOWED TO A DEALER (NOT NISSAN) WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED A "BLOWN ENGINE". HAD TRANSFERRED THE CAR TO A NISSAN DEALER FOR WARRANTY DISPOSITION AND DIAGNOSIS. HAVE BEEN WAITING OVER 1 MONTH FOR AN ANSWER. WE HAVE TRIED CONTACTING NISSAN CORPORATE AND REGIONAL PERSONNEL AND SEEM TO BE GETTING THE RUN AROUND. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10660584
58,000 miles · Nov 18, 2014
Latches/locks/linkages
DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCKS DO NOT WORK WITH CAR REMOTE. BATTERY WAS CHANGED IN REMOTES AND STILL DOES NOT WORK. KEY TO OVERRIDE DOOR LOCKS DOES NOT WORK. AFTER HITTING THE OPEN LOCK BUTTON ON KEY REMOTE FOR 5 MIN NON STOP IT FINALLY OPENED ALL DOORS. EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD. I REFUSE TO LOCK CAR ANYMORE UNTIL I CAN GET TO DEALER TO RE…
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DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCKS DO NOT WORK WITH CAR REMOTE. BATTERY WAS CHANGED IN REMOTES AND STILL DOES NOT WORK. KEY TO OVERRIDE DOOR LOCKS DOES NOT WORK. AFTER HITTING THE OPEN LOCK BUTTON ON KEY REMOTE FOR 5 MIN NON STOP IT FINALLY OPENED ALL DOORS. EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD. I REFUSE TO LOCK CAR ANYMORE UNTIL I CAN GET TO DEALER TO REPAIR THE LOCKS AND REMOTE LOCK SENSORS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10659094
55,500 miles · Sep 26, 2014
Steering
WHILE CROSSING THE STREET FROM ONE PARKING LOT TO ANOTHER THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP ON MY 09 NISSAN SENTRA. WAS GOING LESS THAT 5MPH. THE STEERING WHEEL COULD NOT BE TURNED AT ALL. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING AND WAS IN DRIVE. AFTER ABOUT 30 OR 40 SECONDS ATTEMPTING TO TURN STEERING WHEEL EITHER WAY IT FINALLY WENT BACK TO …
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WHILE CROSSING THE STREET FROM ONE PARKING LOT TO ANOTHER THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP ON MY 09 NISSAN SENTRA. WAS GOING LESS THAT 5MPH. THE STEERING WHEEL COULD NOT BE TURNED AT ALL. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING AND WAS IN DRIVE. AFTER ABOUT 30 OR 40 SECONDS ATTEMPTING TO TURN STEERING WHEEL EITHER WAY IT FINALLY WENT BACK TO NORMAL . DROVE CAR ABOUT 50 MILES BACK HOME WITH NO FURTHER PROBLEMS.. TOOK CAR TO DEALER THE NEXT DAY AND AFTER LOOKING AT IT MOST OF THE DAY THE SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR ANY DISTANCE OR SPEED. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10639474
61,000 miles · Aug 6, 2014
Engine
CARS SPUTTERED, DIED. RE-STARTED SEVERAL TIMES, DROVE TO SAVE PLACED PULLED OVER. THE INTAKE DUCK WAS MISSING. WHEN WE TOOK IT TO DEALER, THEY SAID THEY HAD SEEN THIS BEFORE. THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO HAVE WORKED ON THE CAR ARE NISSAN DEALERS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10619374
12,000 miles · Jun 12, 2014
Service BrakesSteeringSuspension
BRAKES MAKE LOUD SQUEALING AND GRINDING NOISE STARTING AS LITTLE AS 8 TO 10 THOUSAND MILES EVEN WHEN PADS AND ROTORS ARE FINE. THE STEERING COLUMN POPS AND JOLTS SLIGHTLY WHEN TURNING STARTING AT 27 THOUSAND MILES. THE CAR MAKES A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN TAKING MODERATE TO HARD RIGHT OR LEFT TURNS AT ANY SPEED. ONE TIRE SENSOR HAS A…
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BRAKES MAKE LOUD SQUEALING AND GRINDING NOISE STARTING AS LITTLE AS 8 TO 10 THOUSAND MILES EVEN WHEN PADS AND ROTORS ARE FINE. THE STEERING COLUMN POPS AND JOLTS SLIGHTLY WHEN TURNING STARTING AT 27 THOUSAND MILES. THE CAR MAKES A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN TAKING MODERATE TO HARD RIGHT OR LEFT TURNS AT ANY SPEED. ONE TIRE SENSOR HAS ALREADY GONE BAD AT 20 THOUSAND MILES. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10597829
56,000 miles · May 29, 2014
Service Brakes
ANY TIME YOU STEP ON THE BRAKES THEY HAVE A VERY LOUD SQUEAL WHEN BACKING UP. (BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT IN A PARKING LOT). HAVE TO PUMP BRAKES WHILE BACKING UP TO GET SQUEAL TO STOP. HAS DONE THIS SINCE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN AUGUST 2009 TO DATE. HAVE HAD SEVERAL DIFFERENT MECHANICS, INCLUDING A NISSAN DEALER, LOOK AT THE…
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ANY TIME YOU STEP ON THE BRAKES THEY HAVE A VERY LOUD SQUEAL WHEN BACKING UP. (BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT IN A PARKING LOT). HAVE TO PUMP BRAKES WHILE BACKING UP TO GET SQUEAL TO STOP. HAS DONE THIS SINCE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN AUGUST 2009 TO DATE. HAVE HAD SEVERAL DIFFERENT MECHANICS, INCLUDING A NISSAN DEALER, LOOK AT THE BRAKES AT LEAST 10+ TIMES AND THEY FOUND NO ISSUES. ALSO WHEN YOU STEP ON BRAKES WHILE DRIVING TO COME TO A STOP THERE IS A LOUD SCRAPING NOISE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT. AGAIN NOTHING FOUND BY NISSAN DEALER. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10594917
64,599 miles · Mar 1, 2014
Steering
SEVERAL MONTHS OF INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING LOSS AND STEERING WOULD NOT RETURN UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF THEN BACK ON. CAR ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER WHEN HAPPENS. FINALLY LOST STEERING ON 2-21-14 AND DID NOT COME BACK AFTER TURNING CAR ON AND OFF. NEEDED TOTAL REPLACEMENT OF STEERING COLUMN PART NO 48810-ZT50A PART CO…
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SEVERAL MONTHS OF INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING LOSS AND STEERING WOULD NOT RETURN UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF THEN BACK ON. CAR ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER WHEN HAPPENS. FINALLY LOST STEERING ON 2-21-14 AND DID NOT COME BACK AFTER TURNING CAR ON AND OFF. NEEDED TOTAL REPLACEMENT OF STEERING COLUMN PART NO 48810-ZT50A PART COST $1,944.83 LABOR $439.75. TOOK TO GARAGE AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE UNTIL STEERING WAS FINALLY LOST FOR GOOD. THIS PROBLEM COULD HAVE EASILY LED TO AN ACCIDENT IF HAPPENED DURING TURNS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10566614
70,082 miles · Jan 20, 2014
Air Bags
I CLOSED MY PASSENGER DOOR AND THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT/REAR SEATS AND DOORS. CAR WAS PARKED AND THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. UPDATED 1/29/14*CN UPDATED 01/29/14
NHTSA ODI #10560650
100 miles · Jan 3, 2014
Service Brakes
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, SHE ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A GRINDING AND KNOCKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF T…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, SHE ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED A GRINDING AND KNOCKING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,000. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10558384
84,000 miles · Oct 20, 2013
Electrical SystemLatches/locks/linkages
AT FIRST THE REAR DOORS STARTED NOT TO UNLOCK, NOW ALL THE DOORS EXCEPT FOR THE DRIVERS WILL NOT UNLOCK WITH THE POWER LOCKS. YOU MUST MANUALLY FLIP EACH LOCK TO OPEN THE DOORS. *TR
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.
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
0
No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
2009 Nissan Sentra Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year