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NHTSA-Verified · Common Problems

2016 Nissan Sentra
Common Problems

Ranked from 128 federal NHTSA complaints and 1 recalls. Every problem links to the complaint IDs behind it.

1
Safety
6
High severity
11
Medium
1 problem on this vehicle involve a crash, fire, or injury risk. If you are experiencing one, stop driving and have it inspected.

18 Common Problems

Ordered by how often owners reported each one to NHTSA. The bar shows how common a problem is relative to the most-reported on this vehicle. Expand any problem to see the federal complaint IDs.

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  1. 1

    Transmission issues leading to poor acceleration and shifting problems

    33complaints
    High severityTransmission

    The transmission frequently malfunctions, causing the car to struggle with acceleration and shifting gears properly.

    $200–$2,500est. drivetrain diagnosis + repair · 1–8 hrs labor
    Get local quotes
  2. 2

    Engine Stalling and Misfire

    27complaints
    Medium severityEngine

    The engine misfires and stalls, often without warning, affecting the vehicle's performance and safety.

    $200–$900est. ignition service (coils/plugs) · 1–4 hrs labor
    Get local quotes
  3. 3

    Engine Stall at Idle

    12complaints
    Medium severityEngine

    The engine frequently stalls at idle, especially under stop-and-go traffic conditions.

    $150–$1,200est. stalling / shutdown diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs labor
    Get local quotes
  4. 4

    Transmission Slipping

    12complaints
    High severityTransmission

    The transmission slips while driving, causing loss of power and jerking.

    $2,500–$5,500est. transmission rebuild/replacement · 8–16 hrs labor
    Get local quotes
  5. 5

    Vehicle Stalls and Loss of Power

    11complaints
    Medium severityFuel system

    The vehicle frequently stalls and loses power, especially at higher speeds or under acceleration.

    $150–$1,200est. stalling / shutdown diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs labor
    Get local quotes
  6. 6

    Airbag Deployment Failure

    9complaints
    Safety riskElectrical

    The airbags fail to deploy during a collision, posing a significant safety risk.

    Related recall: 16V485000

  7. 7

    Brake System Malfunction

    9complaints
    Medium severityBrakes

    The brake system malfunctions, leading to brake failure or unexpected deceleration.

    $150–$1,000est. brake system diagnosis + repair · 1–4 hrs labor
    Get local quotes
  8. 8

    Transmission Failure

    8complaints
    High severityTransmission

    The transmission frequently fails, leading to the vehicle stalling or losing power.

    $2,500–$5,500est. transmission rebuild/replacement · 8–16 hrs labor
    Get local quotes
  9. 9

    CVT Transmission Issues

    7complaints
    High severityTransmission

    The continuously variable transmission (CVT) experiences frequent issues, including jerking and slipping gears.

    $3,500–$6,500est. cvt replacement · 8–14 hrs labor
    Get local quotes
  10. 10

    Power Surging and Slipping

    5complaints
    Medium severityTransmission

    The CVT transmission surges and slips, causing difficulty in acceleration and shifting gears.

  11. 11

    Structural Issues

    5complaints
    Medium severityOther

    Structural components, such as door handles and bumpers, experience frequent failures.

  12. 12

    Brake system issues leading to brake failure

    4complaints
    High severityBrakes

    The brake system frequently fails, resulting in brake failure and loss of control during driving.

    $150–$1,000est. brake system diagnosis + repair · 1–4 hrs labor
    Get local quotes
  13. 13

    Gear Shift Malfunction

    3complaints
    Medium severitySteering

    The gear shift malfunctions, getting stuck in park and requiring manual intervention to release the vehicle.

    $200–$2,500est. drivetrain diagnosis + repair · 1–8 hrs labor
    Get local quotes
  14. 14

    Push Button Start Malfunction

    3complaints
    High severityElectrical

    The push button start is unreliable and may fail to start the car, requiring multiple attempts.

    Related recall: 16V485000

  15. 15

    Steering system failures leading to erratic vehicle handling

    3complaints
    Medium severitySteering

    The steering system often fails, causing the vehicle to veer off course or become difficult to control.

  16. 16

    Vehicle Speed Control Issues

    3complaints
    Medium severityOther

    The car loses speed unexpectedly and struggles to maintain desired speed on highways.

  17. 17

    Engine performance issues

    2complaints
    Medium severityEngine

    The engine stutters and stalls at idle, causing concerns about safety and reliability.

  18. 18

    Odometer Fraud

    2complaints
    Medium severityElectrical

    The odometer is inaccurately reported, leading to discrepancies in the actual mileage of the vehicle.

    Related recall: 16V485000

Other years & sources

2010 Nissan Sentra2017 Nissan Sentra2018 Nissan Sentra2019 Nissan Sentra2020 Nissan Sentra2021 Nissan SentraAll NHTSA complaints for this vehicle →

Data source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaints and recalls. Problems are clustered and ranked from the complaint record; occurrence counts reflect corroborating complaints, not total incidence. Vehicle image is illustrative. Repair-cost figures are typical U.S. independent-shop ranges (parts + labor) for the class of repair shown — actual quotes vary by region, engine, and diagnosis; always confirm with a local shop.