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2021 Nissan Sentra

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2021 Nissan Sentra do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 116.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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: 21 of 131 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.

  • Steering. Review the 40 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Forward Collision Avoidance. Review the 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

14 crash reports1 fire reports8 injury reports

Service Brakes complaints

23 reports
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Mileage unknown · Sep 18, 2023
EngineService BrakesSteering

I am writing to file a formal complaint against Koeppel Nissan regarding their refusal to service my vehicle for a factory safety recall (tie rod replacement) and additional services upon request such as; clogged drain(water inside car doors), wheel alignment, evaporator core leakage( water on back seat floor), tire rotation, w…

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I am writing to file a formal complaint against Koeppel Nissan regarding their refusal to service my vehicle for a factory safety recall (tie rod replacement) and additional services upon request such as; clogged drain(water inside car doors), wheel alignment, evaporator core leakage( water on back seat floor), tire rotation, water in spare wheel well & front door check strap repair. I believe it is imperative to bring this matter to your attention, as it poses a significant risk to public safety and may be in violation of the applicable regulations and guidelines. On September 18, 2023, I visited Koeppel Nissan in Jackson Heights Queens, NY for my scheduled appointment in order to address a safety recall on my vehicle. However, to my astonishment, the dealership's service department declined to service my vehicle, citing reasons that were neither reasonable nor justifiable. Upon explaining that I was being rushed due to time constraints and poorly serviced in the past, the dealership's staff in question displayed a dismissive and unprofessional attitude towards my concerns. Despite my insistence on the urgency of the safety recall, regrettably, the situation escalated to a point where I was asked to leave the premises without having my car serviced. Subsequently, I have preferably decided to no longer do business with this dealership in regards to servicing my vehicle and I wish to seek other alternative solutions at another car dealership location. It is my understanding that as a registered dealership, Koeppel Nissan has an obligation to promptly and adequately address safety recalls on the vehicles they have sold. This obligation is not only a matter of legal compliance but also a moral responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of their customers.

NHTSA ODI #11545214

Mileage unknown · May 16, 2023
Back Over PreventionForward Collision AvoidanceService Brakes

For the past two years, an emergency brake has been activated when an object, such as a car, is close to my front bumper. This is excellent, but occasionally the sensor activates when nothing is in front of me, which is risky and causes my brake pads to wear out more quickly than they should. When I took this up with the Nissan…

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For the past two years, an emergency brake has been activated when an object, such as a car, is close to my front bumper. This is excellent, but occasionally the sensor activates when nothing is in front of me, which is risky and causes my brake pads to wear out more quickly than they should. When I took this up with the Nissan dealer two years ago, they claimed to have rectified it, but they didn't. When I went to another dealership because I was dissatisfied with the service at the prior, I brought up the issue and asked if they could turn off this feature. They said that there wasn't much they could do. They gave it a test drive and found nothing, but since this only occasionally occurs, it is difficult to keep track of it without keeping the car for several weeks, which I cannot afford to do. This seems recall worthy.

NHTSA ODI #11522289

Mileage unknown · Apr 6, 2023
Electrical SystemForward Collision AvoidanceService Brakes

Brake system failed. Car brake petal was all the way to the floor and grinding to stop. The car didn’t fully stop. Car has be inspected 3 times by dealership. No warning lights on. The car automatic brake goes off randomly and breaks out of no where and put me at risk with causing an accident it has been inspected by dealer as w…

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Brake system failed. Car brake petal was all the way to the floor and grinding to stop. The car didn’t fully stop. Car has be inspected 3 times by dealership. No warning lights on. The car automatic brake goes off randomly and breaks out of no where and put me at risk with causing an accident it has been inspected by dealer as well and this continues to happen. Car jerks and looses power while drive check engine light comes on and blinks. The car has been seen twice by dealer for this issue nothing resolved. Almost caused a major accident first time on freeway and again on a busy intersection. Car is very unsafe and not reliable

NHTSA ODI #11515711

20,765 miles · Mar 13, 2023
Electrical SystemService Brakes

The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving in a car wash drive-thru line, the brakes applied independently. The contact stated that the brake warning light was illuminated. The contact also stated an unknown yellow and black warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that she was unable to ope…

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The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving in a car wash drive-thru line, the brakes applied independently. The contact stated that the brake warning light was illuminated. The contact also stated an unknown yellow and black warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that she was unable to open or start the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle jump started. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer but was unable to duplicate the failure. The contact continued to experience the failure. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 20,765.

NHTSA ODI #11511588

Mileage unknown · Feb 27, 2023
Electrical SystemExterior LightingService Brakes

the car continues to turn off and draining the battery, on the audio there is a constant static, and lights keep shorting out.

NHTSA ODI #11509332

17,000 miles · Dec 19, 2022
Service BrakesCrash

The contact owned a 2021 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed in cruise control mode, the brakes applied independently without being depressed. The check engine and ABS warning lights were illuminated, and the cruise control mode was deactivated. The contact made a local dealer aware of th…

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The contact owned a 2021 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed in cruise control mode, the brakes applied independently without being depressed. The check engine and ABS warning lights were illuminated, and the cruise control mode was deactivated. The contact made a local dealer aware of the failure; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact then stated that while driving at approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle in front suddenly braked and the contact applied the brake pedal but they failed to respond and he rear-ended the vehicle. The contact stated that all air bags had deployed. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and was deemed totaled. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 17,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ODI #11498065

Mileage unknown · Jul 15, 2022
Service BrakesSteeringCrash

On 2 July 2022, I was traveling southbound on Interstate 95 in a rented 2021 Nissan Sentra. While DRIVING the brakes unexpectedly LOCKED and did NOT release, affecting the steering, and causing the vehicle to spin out in a circle across major highway lanes crashing head on into a guardrail on the left side of the interstate. …

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On 2 July 2022, I was traveling southbound on Interstate 95 in a rented 2021 Nissan Sentra. While DRIVING the brakes unexpectedly LOCKED and did NOT release, affecting the steering, and causing the vehicle to spin out in a circle across major highway lanes crashing head on into a guardrail on the left side of the interstate. This is a MAJOR SAFETY concern as when an individual is DRIVING a vehicle, they need to be able to control NOT ONLY the direction of the vehicle, but when that vehicle brakes. When the brakes LOCKED while DRIVING, so did the steering, causing there to be NO CONTROL of a vehicle traveling down a major Florida interstate. Had there been impact by another vehicle while the 2021 NissanSentra brake malfunction caused it to spin out across major highway lanes, such would have been fatal to both me & the unexpected driver also traveling southbound on I95. If this malfunction exists in other 2021 Nissan Sentras, a MAJOR motor vehicle safety risk also exists for both drivers & riders of the 2021 Nissan Sentra, as well as any other motorist driver traveling with passengers in the same direction. This vehicle was a rental car through Budget and is NOT personally owned.Rental company was informed of mechanical malfunction & also aware that the brakes LOCKED while driving the 2021 Nissan Sentra. Service history/ maintenance of rental vehicle is personally unknown. It is also unknown if the problem / component has been inspected by dealer or independent service center. If the same malfunction exists in a group of vehicles used commercially for one time rentals by rental companies, the posed safety risk for motor vehicle safety SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES. Drivers are unknowingly renting dangerous vehicles posing a major risk for personal safety of themselves & their families, but also to other motorists around them.

NHTSA ODI #11474075

Mileage unknown · Mar 30, 2022
Forward Collision AvoidanceService BrakesSteeringCrashInjury

Steer rod recall effective as of 6/17/21 yet ignored by enterprise rental car company. Lost control, car hit guard rails. No cooperation from insurance nor rental company. Police got it Towed on 1/26/2022 to alpine automotive, lake Zurich illinois, enterprise holdings picked it up on 1/28/2022. No other information provided by …

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Steer rod recall effective as of 6/17/21 yet ignored by enterprise rental car company. Lost control, car hit guard rails. No cooperation from insurance nor rental company. Police got it Towed on 1/26/2022 to alpine automotive, lake Zurich illinois, enterprise holdings picked it up on 1/28/2022. No other information provided by any party on estimate of damages, nor medical coverage due to “insurance policies”

NHTSA ODI #11459044

5,800 miles · Mar 8, 2022
Forward Collision AvoidanceService Brakes

The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the instrument panel went black. An unknown warning light then displayed and the vehicle abruptly stopped in the middle of the road. Immediately after the failure, the vehicle started driving as intended. During the failure there w…

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The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the instrument panel went black. An unknown warning light then displayed and the vehicle abruptly stopped in the middle of the road. Immediately after the failure, the vehicle started driving as intended. During the failure there were no other vehicles or objects nearby. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who replaced the distance sensor however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer. No further information was available. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 5,800.

NHTSA ODI #11455649

Mileage unknown · Feb 3, 2022
Service BrakesSteeringUnknown Or OtherCrashFireInjury

My accident was with Nissan Sentra veering out of control. I was lucky, see others who weren’t in past few weeks: https://kfoxtv.com/amp/news/local/deadly-accident-in-collision-on-i-10-at-lee-trevino https://www.wvlt.tv/2022/02/03/maryville-man-dies-after-car-lands-little-river/ https://www.thedailytimes.com/news/maryville-m…

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My accident was with Nissan Sentra veering out of control. I was lucky, see others who weren’t in past few weeks: https://kfoxtv.com/amp/news/local/deadly-accident-in-collision-on-i-10-at-lee-trevino https://www.wvlt.tv/2022/02/03/maryville-man-dies-after-car-lands-little-river/ https://www.thedailytimes.com/news/maryville-man-killed-in-single-vehicle-crash/article_aa06d64b-879e-5544-b0f0-4146ff9fc63b.html https://www.mymoinfo.com/arnold-woman-seriously-injured-in-141-accident/ https://www.13newsnow.com/amp/article/news/local/peninsulanow/deadly-vehicle-crash-fire-york-county-virginia/291-4ec8fe5a-fd6d-4058-ac6a-cbb007c04f76 https://www.kwch.com/2022/02/02/accidents-reported-across-state/ https://www.wibw.com/2022/02/03/vehicle-hits-wichita-police-car-that-stopped-assist-motorist/ https://www.tribstar.com/news/local_news/train-video-car-went-around-crossing-arms-in-fatal-crash/article_6c7ceb71-c21a-514b-9cd1-9b775fe8a010.html https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/berks/ny-man-taken-to-hospital-with-life-threatening-injures-following-crash-on-i-78-in/article_799d04b4-7c52-11ec-a7c7-5fe7f2b50ccf.html https://kfoxtv.com/amp/news/local/deadly-accident-in-collision-on-i-10-at-lee-trevino https://www.wric.com/news/local-news/richmond/victims-of-deadly-i-95-crash-identified/amp/ https://www.myleaderpaper.com/news/accidents/arnold-woman-seriously-hurt-in-crash-near-fenton/article_7c734224-8464-11ec-a207-73e06d9d32ee.html https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2022/01/27/crash-shuts-down-hawaii-islands-highway-11-keeau/ Nissan Sentra’s have lost control resulting in fatal crashes against guardrail, train, snowbank, tree (fire), garbage truck, patrol car(s), highway wall, jeep, pedestrian, & some drove into a ditch, little river, river bank, heavy duty truck, injured police officer. Humble Request to investigate please: Nissan recalls + reported accident’s in past month (+ unreported\private), only NHTSA can identify a pattern

NHTSA ODI #11450320

Official recalls

3

23V628000 · Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera

Sep 8, 2023

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Altima and 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. Damage to the camera harness can cause distortion or loss of the rearview camera display image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and harness for damage and replace them as necessary. If no damage is found, the dealer will apply protective tape and reroute the rearview camera harness. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 19, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23C3.

23V581000 · Steering:linkages:tie Rod Assembly

Aug 15, 2023

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Sentra vehicles. The left and/or right tie rod may bend.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A bent tie rod can break and cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Owners are advised to contact their dealer for transport assistance if they are experiencing an off-center steering wheel or vibration. As an interim repair, dealers will inspect and replace any bent or broken tie rods, free of charge. Once newly designed parts are available, dealers will replace both left and right tie rods, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed November 27, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23B3. This recall replaces and expands recall number 21V-461. Vehicles previously repaired under 21V-461 will need to have the new remedy completed.

21V461000 · Steering:linkages:tie Rod Assembly

Jun 17, 2021

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. The left and/or right tie rod may be bent.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A bent tie rod can break, causing a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the left and/or right tie rods as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 5, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PM985.

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.