2019 Nissan Sentra
Common Problems
Ranked from 87 federal NHTSA complaints. Every problem links to the complaint IDs behind it.
28 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.
- 1
Transmission Issues
10complaintsHigh severityTransmissionThe CVT transmission causes the car to lose power, stall, and experience shifting problems.
$200–$2,500est. drivetrain diagnosis + repair · 1–8 hrs laborGet local quotes - 2
Electrical System Issues
8complaintsMedium severityElectricalVarious electrical system malfunctions cause intermittent issues such as radio failure, brake light switch failure, and dashboard display problems.
- 3
Transmission Failure
8complaintsHigh severityTransmissionThe transmission repeatedly fails, causing the vehicle to stall or lose power, often requiring replacement.
$2,500–$5,500est. transmission rebuild/replacement · 8–16 hrs laborGet local quotes - 4
Automatic Emergency Braking System Malfunction
7complaintsSafety riskElectricalThe Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system engages unexpectedly, causing the vehicle to stop abruptly.
- 5
Brake System Malfunction
6complaintsMedium severityBrakesThe brake system frequently malfunctions, including brake light switch failure and brake pedal issues, leading to potential safety hazards.
$150–$1,000est. brake system diagnosis + repair · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 6
Exterior Lighting Issues
6complaintsLow severityOtherThe exterior lighting, including brake lights and taillights, fails to illuminate properly, posing a potential visibility issue.
$100–$900est. lighting assembly repair · 0.5–2 hrs laborGet local quotes - 7
Automatic Emergency Braking Failure
5complaintsSafety riskOtherThe automatic emergency braking system engages unexpectedly or fails to function properly, posing a safety risk.
- 8
Engine Stall and Starting Issues
5complaintsMedium severityEngineThe engine stalls at idle and the vehicle struggles to start, often requiring multiple attempts or jump starts.
$150–$1,200est. stalling / shutdown diagnosis + repair · 1–5 hrs laborGet local quotes - 9
Forward Collision Avoidance System Malfunction
5complaintsSafety riskElectricalThe Forward Collision Avoidance (FCW) and Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) systems malfunction, leading to unexpected braking or no warning lights.
- 10
Recall Issues
5complaintsLow severityOtherIssues arise from recalls related to exterior lighting, resulting in ongoing problems despite repairs.
- 11
Battery Drain During Idle
4complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe car's battery drains rapidly while the vehicle is off, often within hours.
$150–$700est. parasitic-drain diagnosis + battery · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 12
Electrical System Interference
4complaintsMedium severityElectricalElectrical system components interfere with the car's functionality, such as radio interference and intermittent start issues.
- 14
Brake Pedal Issues
3complaintsMedium severityBrakesThe brake pedal requires excessive pressure to depress, causing difficulty in starting the vehicle.
$150–$1,000est. brake system diagnosis + repair · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 15
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) System Malfunction
2complaintsHigh severityBrakesThe AEB system malfunctions, causing the front collision sensor to turn on randomly, posing a safety hazard.
- 16
Automatic emergency braking system malfunctions without any obstruction detected
2complaintsMedium severityBrakesThe automatic emergency braking system malfunctions, overriding manual braking without any actual obstruction detected.
- 17
Battery issues leading to frequent dead battery and car not starting
2complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe battery is failing, causing the car to frequently die and not start, despite being fully charged.
$150–$700est. parasitic-drain diagnosis + battery · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 18
Door Lock Actuator Failure
2complaintsMedium severityOtherThe door lock actuator frequently fails, preventing the doors from locking or unlocking properly, posing a safety risk.
$200–$600est. door lock/latch repair · 1–2.5 hrs laborGet local quotes - 19
Forward collision avoidance system malfunctions causing false warnings
2complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe forward collision avoidance system frequently malfunctions, displaying false warnings and interfering with driving.
- 20
Front Radar Sensor Issues
2complaintsMedium severityElectricalIssues with the front radar sensor cause warnings such as 'Front Radar Unavailable Due to Obstruction' and affect AEB and speed control systems.
- 21
Intermittent display screen issues leading to random reboots
2complaintsMedium severityElectricalThe in-dash display screen randomly turns off and reboots, causing confusion and potential safety issues.
$200–$1,500est. infotainment unit service · 0.5–3 hrs laborGet local quotes - 22
Low Fuel Light Malfunction
2complaintsLow severityFuel systemThe low fuel light does not illuminate when the fuel level is low, leading to unexpected shutdowns.
- 23
Odometer Fraud
2complaintsLow severityOtherMultiple reports of odometer fraud, where the actual mileage significantly differs from the advertised mileage.
- 24
Random radio rebooting while the car is off
2complaintsLow severityElectricalThe factory radio randomly reboots while the car is off, draining the battery and causing unexpected behavior.
$200–$1,500est. infotainment unit service · 0.5–3 hrs laborGet local quotes - 25
Service brakes failing to work properly during sudden stops
2complaintsHigh severityBrakesThe service brakes fail to work properly during sudden stops, posing a significant safety risk.
$150–$1,000est. brake system diagnosis + repair · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes - 27
Steering Vibration and Steering Issues
2complaintsMedium severitySteeringThe steering wheel vibrates and the car experiences steering issues, including difficulty in starting.
- 28
Stop lamp switch malfunction causing brake lights not working
2complaintsHigh severityBrakesThe stop lamp switch is malfunctioning, leading to non-functioning brake lights.
$150–$1,000est. brake system diagnosis + repair · 1–4 hrs laborGet local quotes
Other years & sources
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.