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2012 Nissan Sentra

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2012 Nissan Sentra do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 116.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

129 reports with mileage · 51 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.

  • Power Train. Review the 68 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 39 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

10 crash reports4 fire reports7 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

21 reports
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80,000 miles · Jul 23, 2018
EngineUnknown Or Other

MY NISSAN SENTRA HAS 85,000 MILES ON IT AND MY TRANSMISSION IS COMPLETELY BROKEN. THE CVT TRANSMISSION THEY PUT IN MY CAR HAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY IN IT FOR KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH IT. I WAS DRIVING WITH MY TWO SMALL CHILDREN ON A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY WHEN IT STOPPED MOVING AND I HAD TO PULL OVER AND RESTART IT. WHEN I RESTARTED THE VE…

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MY NISSAN SENTRA HAS 85,000 MILES ON IT AND MY TRANSMISSION IS COMPLETELY BROKEN. THE CVT TRANSMISSION THEY PUT IN MY CAR HAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY IN IT FOR KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH IT. I WAS DRIVING WITH MY TWO SMALL CHILDREN ON A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY WHEN IT STOPPED MOVING AND I HAD TO PULL OVER AND RESTART IT. WHEN I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE T AGAIN WOULD NOT MOVE. I FINALLY GOT IT TO MOVE TO WHERE I GOT TO A MECHANIC AND THEY TOLD ME MY TRANSMISSION WAS COMPLETELY BROKEN. I TOOK IT TO NISSAN AND THEY ARE NOT GOING TO HELP MY FIX IT 100% FULLY KNOWING THAT THE CVT TRANSMISSION THEY PUT IN THE CAR HAS PROBLEMS. I SPOKE WITH NISSAN CUSTOMER AFFAIRS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE MY CAR IS OUT OF THEIR WARRANTY THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO HELP ME WHEN THIS IS NOT MY FAULT. THEY KEEP PRODUCING CARS THAT HAVE THIS TRANSMISSION IN IT AND KEEP HAVING TO REPLACE IT EXCEPT FOR MY CAR. I HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN THAT I NEED A CAR FOR. I HAVE A LOAN OUT FOR THE CAR THAT NOW I HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT DOES NOT WORK! I CAN NOT AFFORD TO FIX THE TRANSMISSION THAT NISSAN PUT IN THAT IS KNOWN TO FAULT OUT!

NHTSA ODI #11113170

55,000 miles · May 12, 2018
Unknown Or OtherInjury

2012 NISSAN SENTRA STARTED MALFUNCTIONING WITH BATTERY REPLACEMENT ON MARCH 25, 2015 AT HANLEES NISSAN IN DAVIS, CA, WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN SEPT 2013 AND WHERE I HAD MOST SERVICE PERFORMED WHILE I OWNED THE VEHICLE. I COMMUTED 1.5 HOURS EACH WAY FOR A NEW JOB IN ROHNERT PARK AND I WAS BECOMING ILL. UNABLE TO LOCA…

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2012 NISSAN SENTRA STARTED MALFUNCTIONING WITH BATTERY REPLACEMENT ON MARCH 25, 2015 AT HANLEES NISSAN IN DAVIS, CA, WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN SEPT 2013 AND WHERE I HAD MOST SERVICE PERFORMED WHILE I OWNED THE VEHICLE. I COMMUTED 1.5 HOURS EACH WAY FOR A NEW JOB IN ROHNERT PARK AND I WAS BECOMING ILL. UNABLE TO LOCATE HOUSING IN THE AREA I WAS UNABLE TO KEEP THE JOB FOR MORE THAN 2 WEEKS. I SUSPECT FOUL PLAY WITH THE DAVIS SERVICE DEPARTMENT. CAR STARTED HAVING A LOUD CLICKING SOUND AT JUST LESS THAN 30MPH. DAVIS SERVICED CAR FOR TWO MORE YEARS. THEY CANNOT PROVIDE A DUPLICATE SALES CONTRACT SAYING IT IS LOST. DAVIS REFERRED ME TO KIM AT FAIRFIELD NISSAN AND SHE TOLD ME IT IS MISSING. THIS DIFFICULTY SHOULD NOT EXIST. I ASKED LIENHOLDER CRB AUTO/MECHANICS BANK TO PROVIDE A COPY AND I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE. I MADE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO HAVE MY CAR ASSESSED AT NISSAN DAVIS, VACAVILLE, NORTH BAY NISSAN IN PETALUMA (REPLACED CATALYTIC CONVERTER 7-31-17 60, 000 MILES) PROBLEM NOT CORRECTED. VEHICLE NOW DEVELOPED EXTREMELY POOR GAS MILEAGE. I CONTINUED TO GET SICKER. I HAD BEEN ILLEGALLY EVICTED FROM MY RENTAL HOME AT 7172 YOLANO ROAD, DIXON, CA 95620 JUNE 3, 2017 WITH HARSH BULLYING AGAINST LAW IN CONCERT WITH THE SOLANO COUNTY SHERIFF'S (ONGOING INVESTIGATION) I HAD HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO DAVIS PRIOR TO LEAVING THAT ADDRESS. I TOLD THEM I GOT REALLY ILL WHEN DRIVING THE CAR. THEY REFUSED DIAGNOSTIC WORK AND RECOMMENDED CLEANING DETAIL OF CAR AT MY EXPENSE. DID POOR JOB AND HAD TO REPEAT. ONCE HOMELESS, I WAS IN THE CAR, RELOCATED TO MARIN COUNTY AND CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE IN HEALTH. (ER VISITS TO DOCUMENT). MILEAGE HAD BEEN 35-40 MPG DECREASED TO15-20 MPG. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO SF NISSAN ON 10-3-17 AND THEY RESET ALL CODES, COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. CAR IMPOUNDED IN DT SF ON 10-6-17; ROBBED OF IMPOUND $500 CASH AND BELONGINGS ON 10-10-17. PLEASE HELP.

NHTSA ODI #11093486

90,415 miles · Apr 8, 2018
Unknown Or OtherVehicle Speed Control

I HAVE HAD MY 2012 SENTRA FOR 1 MONTH 1/2 AND TWICE ON LONG DISTANCE TRIPS THE CAR HAD SLOWED DOWN. GOING 80 SLOWED TO 50 AND THE GAS PEDAL WAS TO THE FLOOR. BOTH TIMES I'VE HAD TO SAFELY PULL OFF THREE FREEWAY AND SIT ON THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY FOR A 1/2 HOUR. THIS IS VERY DISAPPOINTING OTHERWISE THE CAR IS GOOD

NHTSA ODI #11083903

110,000 miles · Nov 17, 2017
EngineUnknown Or Other

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY TO GO TO WORK, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR WOULD REV BUT WOULDN'T GO FASTER. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN ENOUGH, PUT ON MY HAZARDS AND STOP WITHOUT BEING HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. HAD A COP NOT BEEN NEARBY WHEN IT HAPPENED, I COULD HAVE BEEN. I HAD TO WAIT IN TH…

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WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY TO GO TO WORK, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR WOULD REV BUT WOULDN'T GO FASTER. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN ENOUGH, PUT ON MY HAZARDS AND STOP WITHOUT BEING HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. HAD A COP NOT BEEN NEARBY WHEN IT HAPPENED, I COULD HAVE BEEN. I HAD TO WAIT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY FOR AN EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE RESPONSE MAN TO COME AND PUSH MY CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. THEN, TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY, I HAD TO WAIT 5 AND A HALF HOURS FOR A TOW TRUCK TO COME AND TAKE MY CAR TO A SHOP.

NHTSA ODI #11047108

Mileage unknown · Oct 22, 2016
Unknown Or Other

VEHICLE HAS TROUBLE ACCELERATING AND WHILE ACCELERATING ITS BEGAN MAKING NOISES WITH THE TRANSMISSION AFTER GOING 70 MPH OR MORE. AT TIMES IT SHAKES AS I BEGIN ACCELERATING. I JUST BOUGHT THIS VEHIVLE AND IT HAS ONLY 46000 MILES.

NHTSA ODI #10918048

Mileage unknown · May 19, 2016
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Unknown Or Other

I'VE HAD THE CAR FOR A WHILE, ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO THE OIL LIGHT CAM ON I FIGURED IT JUST MEANT I WAS RUNNING LOW, I'VE NEVER BEEN IN ACCIDENT BUT SOME HOW MY OIL LINE IS LEAKING

NHTSA ODI #10865880

33,000 miles · Mar 24, 2016
Unknown Or Other

CAR LEFT RUNNING IN PARKING LOT AFTER GETTING OUT. MY PROBLEM IS DIFFERENT FROM MANY BUT THERE ARE STILL MANY LIKE ME. THE CAR RUNS SO QUIETLY, WHICH IS A PLUS, BUT IN MY CASE IT HAS HAPPENED THAT I LEAVE MY CAR AND IT IS STILL RUNNING AND I DON'T KNOW IT. I HAVE A SEVERE HEARING LOSS AND DEPEND ON VISUAL CLUES. I WISH THERE…

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CAR LEFT RUNNING IN PARKING LOT AFTER GETTING OUT. MY PROBLEM IS DIFFERENT FROM MANY BUT THERE ARE STILL MANY LIKE ME. THE CAR RUNS SO QUIETLY, WHICH IS A PLUS, BUT IN MY CASE IT HAS HAPPENED THAT I LEAVE MY CAR AND IT IS STILL RUNNING AND I DON'T KNOW IT. I HAVE A SEVERE HEARING LOSS AND DEPEND ON VISUAL CLUES. I WISH THERE WERE SOME WAY TO PUT A LIGHT SOMEWHERE TO ALERT ME. I WORRY THAT THE NEXT TIME I WILL LEAVE THE CAR IN MY GARAGE STILL RUNNING AND THEN NEVER WAKE UP THE NEXT MORNING FROM CO POISONING. I AM AN OLDER PERSON AND PRONE TO FORGETTING TO CHECK EVERYTHING BEFORE LEAVING THE CAR. WHAT CAN BE DONE? THIS IS SERIOUS! THIS HAS HAPPENED TWO TIMES IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS.

NHTSA ODI #10851373

62,000 miles · Sep 12, 2015
EngineUnknown Or OtherVehicle Speed Control

I HAVE HAD MY CAR FOR JUST OVER 2 YEARS. I BOUGHT IT USED FOR BUSINESS TRIPS MOSTLY. I DROVE IT FOR THE FIRST TIME ON A LONG DISTANCE BUSINESS TRIP AND 3 HOURS INTO TRIP IT STOPPED ACCELERATING OVER 70 MILES AN HOUR. THIS CONTINUEED THE ENTIRE WAY TO MY FINAL DESTINATION. NO LIGHTS CAME ON, NO SOUNDS OR SMELLS EITHER. ONCE I WAS…

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I HAVE HAD MY CAR FOR JUST OVER 2 YEARS. I BOUGHT IT USED FOR BUSINESS TRIPS MOSTLY. I DROVE IT FOR THE FIRST TIME ON A LONG DISTANCE BUSINESS TRIP AND 3 HOURS INTO TRIP IT STOPPED ACCELERATING OVER 70 MILES AN HOUR. THIS CONTINUEED THE ENTIRE WAY TO MY FINAL DESTINATION. NO LIGHTS CAME ON, NO SOUNDS OR SMELLS EITHER. ONCE I WAS IN TOWN DRIVING ON NORMAL ROADS IT WAS FINE AGAIN. THEN I DROVE IT BACK HOME, SAME THING HAPPENED BUT MORE EXTREME. I TOOK IT TO THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP IN BOULDER COLORADO. IN DOING SO I FOUND OUT THAT ALL NISSANS HAD A WARRENTY RECALL TO PUT IN A CVT COOLER PART. A FEATURE THAT ALL NISSANS NEED TO INSURE THE POSSIBILTY OF LONG DISTANCE TRAVEL WITHOUT THE TRANSMISSION OVER HEATING AND NOT ACCELERATING PROPERLY. THE DEALERSHIP THEN INFORMED ME THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED IF I HAD BROUGHT IT IN BEFORE IT WAS OVER 60,000 MILES. NOW THAT IT IS HOWEVR, IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY OVER $800 FOR A PART MY CAR SHOULD HAVE COME WITH. I CALLED NISSAN NOTH AMERICA TO FIND RESALUTION, THEY CLOSED THE CASE AND WILL NOT HELP ME. I FIND THIS EXTREMELY UNEXCEPTABLE AND DANGEROUS. AS A SINGLE 31 YR OLD WOMAN, I COULD HAVE BEEN STRANDED IN CORN FIELDS IN THE MIDDLE OF KANSAS IN THE DARK HAD MY TRANSMISSION FAILED UNEXPECTEDLY. I PURCHASED THIS CAR AT 40,000 MILES TWO YRS AGO, IT SHOULD HAVE HAD THAT PART PUT IN BEFORE IT LEFT THE LOT. I WILL NOT ACCEPT THIS AND AM HOPING TO FIND SOME SUPPORT IN GETTING NISSAN TO COVER PARTS AND LABOR FOR THIS ISSUE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS AND HOW I SHOULD PROCEED FROM HERE. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ODI #10763332

49,546 miles · Jul 27, 2015
Unknown Or Other

WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP AND ACCELARATING LESS THAN 1/4 MILE AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND I HAD TO QUICKLY PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AFTER STOPPING AND TRIED TO START AGAIN, AND IT JUST TURNED OVER BUT WOULDN'T STAY STARTED. AFTER ABOUT 3 MINUTES I TURNED THE AC OFF AND TRIED TO …

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WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP AND ACCELARATING LESS THAN 1/4 MILE AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND I HAD TO QUICKLY PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AFTER STOPPING AND TRIED TO START AGAIN, AND IT JUST TURNED OVER BUT WOULDN'T STAY STARTED. AFTER ABOUT 3 MINUTES I TURNED THE AC OFF AND TRIED TO START THE VEHICLE AGAIN AND IT STARTED. NOW I AM AFRAID THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND I HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE IN IT'S SAFETY. MY USED CAR WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AND I AM NOT ABLE TO HAVE THE CAR CHECKED. IT'S BEEN ABOUT A WEEK NOW AND I HAVE NOT HAD IT HAPPEN AGAIN. HOWEVER, NOW THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT HAS COME ON AND I WILL HAVE TO HAVE THAT CHECKED. I HEARD THAT THESE PROBLEMS HAS HAPPENED OTHER 2012 NISSAN SENTRAS, BUT THERE IS NO RECALLED AS OF YET.

NHTSA ODI #10743957

39,000 miles · May 21, 2015
Unknown Or Other

I WAS DRIVING AND MY SUNROOF GLASS SHATTERED. NO CARS IN FRONT OF ME AND NOTHING FELL ON IT. THE GLASS SHATTERED FOR NO REASON .

NHTSA ODI #10717879

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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.