2000 Nissan Sentra

Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues

Engine and engine cooling is the leading concern among 171 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 14th highest complaint count among 26 Sentra model years with reports.

Complaints by model year
  1. 171

Of the 2000 reports, 20 involved a crash and 4 involved a fire. 11 people were injured.

Primary concernEngine and engine cooling72 reports · 42% of complaints
Owner complaints171Filed with NHTSA
Recall relationship7 safety recallsNHTSA campaign records

What owners report most often

  1. Engine and engine cooling72
  2. Electrical system29
  3. Air bags16
  4. Equipment11
  5. Suspension11
  6. Other or unspecified11
  7. Hydraulic10
  8. Service brakes10

Recalls and investigations

  1. Exterior lighting, headlightsMar 13, 2006

    CERTAIN ANZO COMBINATION HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS WHICH FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."

    WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

    ANZO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE HEADLAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN MAY 9, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ANZO USA AT 909-468-3688.

    Campaign 06E023000 on NHTSA.gov

  2. Engine and engine coolingDec 10, 2003

    ON CERTAIN ELECTRIC VEHICLES, THE FRONT SUSPENSION TRANSVERSE LINK'S BALL JOINT BRACKET MAY BREAK FROM STRESS CONCENTRATION AT A NOTCH CREATED BY SURFACE ROUGHNESS AND THE SHAPE OF THE MATERIAL CUT-LINE.

    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRACKET ON THESE VEHICLES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN DECEMBER 15, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

    Campaign 03V511000 on NHTSA.gov

  3. Engine and engine coolingNov 17, 2003

    ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE CIRCUIT BOARD FOR THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR OR CAM POSITION SENSOR MAY HAVE AN IMPROPER SOLDER JOINT DUE TO SOLDER DEFORMATION CAUSED BY HEAT STRESS ACCELERATED BY THE EXISTENCE OF FLUX RESIDUE DURING THE SOLDERING PROCESS.

    THIS COULD CAUSE THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" WARNING LIGHT TO COME ON, CREATE A NO START CONDITION, CAUSE REDUCED ENGINE POWER, OR CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STOP RUNNING WITHOUT WARNING DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CRANK POSITION SENSORS. CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR(S), AND IN SOME CASES, THE VARIABLE TIMING CONTROL SENSOR(S). VEHICLES INVOLVED IN A PREVIOUS RECALL CAMPAIGN, 01V357, ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS NEW CAMPAIGN. THE REPLACEMENT SENSORS USED IN THAT CAMPAIGN ARE ALSO AFFECTED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON DECEMBER 22, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261 OR INFINITI AT 1-800-662-6200.

    Campaign 03V455000 on NHTSA.gov

  4. Electrical system, ignition, moduleNov 14, 2003

    ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE QG18DE ENGINE OR QR25DE ENGINES, THE FOAM MATERIAL USED FOR THE INTERIOR LINING OF THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) BOX EMITS SULFUR AS IT CURES.

    IF ONE OF THE RESISTORS INSIDE THE ECM HAS A CRACK ON THE SURFACE COATING, THE GAS MAY CAUSE CORROSION OF THE RESISTOR. THIS COULD CAUSE THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT TO COME ON, POOR DRIVABILITY (IDLE INSTABILITY, POOR ACCELERATOR), OR THE ENGINE TO STOP RUNNING DURING VEHICLE OPERATION, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

    DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE INSIDE LINING MATERIAL FROM THE ECM BOX. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON DECEMBER 22, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

    Campaign 03V477000 on NHTSA.gov

  5. Engine and engine cooling, engine, gasolineNov 16, 2001

    VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 1.8 LITER ENGINE. THE ENGINE COULD STOP RUNNING WHILE BEING DRIVEN DUE TO A DEFECTIVE CRANK POSITION SENSOR. THIS COULD ALSO RESULT IN THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" WARNING LIGHT COMING ON OR REDUCED ENGINE POWER.

    IF THE ENGINE STOPS RUNNING WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, IT COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CRANK POSITION SENSORS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN DECEMBER 10, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

    Campaign 01V357000 on NHTSA.gov

  6. WheelsAug 29, 2001

    VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE COOLING HOLES IN THE STEEL WHEEL MAY HAVE BURRS ON THEIR EDGES AS A RESULT OF IMPROPER MANUFACTURING. THESE BURRS CAN CAUSE CRACKS AS THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. CRACKS CAN PROPAGATE BETWEEN ADJACENT COOLING HOLES. IF ENOUGH CRACKS DEVELOP BETWEEN THE COOLING HOLES, THE WHEEL COULD FAIL AND SEPARATE FROM THE MOUNTING HUB WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

    SEPARATION OF THE WHEEL FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE BEING OPERATED COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

    DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR CRACKS AND REPLACE THE WHEEL IF CRACKS ARE DISCOVERED. OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL BE CONDUCTED IN TWO PHASES. THE FIRST MAILING BEGAN OCTOBER 1, 2001, ASKING OWNERS TO BRING THEIR VEHICLES IN TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION OF THE WHEELS. ANY WHEELS WITH CRACKS WILL BE REPLACED. A SECOND OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL BEGIN IN EARLY DECEMBER, AT WHICH TIME NISSAN WILL HAVE AN ADEQUATE NUMBER OF REPLACEMENT WHEELS, REQUESTING OWNERS TO RETURN TO THEIR DEALERS TO HAVE THE WHEELS REPLACED. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

    Campaign 01V277000 on NHTSA.gov

  7. Suspension, front, control arm, lower armMay 23, 2001

    VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. ONE OR MORE OF THE THREE BOLTS USED TO ATTACH EACH FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARM TO THE BODY ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY MANUFACTURED.

    THE BOLTS COULD FRACTURE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ATTACHMENT BOLTS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 30, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

    Campaign 01V174000 on NHTSA.gov

Representative owner complaints: electrical system

29 reports, newest first. Show all

  1. Electrical system, Apr 30, 2002, fire

    WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE, SHE THEN PULLED OVER OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW FLAMES COMING FROM THE VEHICLE, A RUST INHIBITOR HAD BEEN INSTALLED BY THE DEALERSHIP.(CLAIM#51-0495-524)*JB

  2. Electrical system, Apr 9, 2002, fire

    A FIRE ON HOOD INSTALLATION HAD STARTED WHILE DRIVING. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

  3. Electrical system, Seat belts, Feb 25, 2002

    WHILE DRIVING SEAT BELT LIGHT ILLUMINATED, INDICATING THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS NOT BEING USED WHEN IT ACTUALLY USED DUE TO AN OPEN CIRCUIT. DEALER REPLACED SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY, AND INSPECTED INSTRUCTMENT PANEL CLUSTER, BUT COULD NOT FIND A REMEDY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

  4. Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Dec 28, 2001

    CATALYLIC CONVERTER WAS DEFECTIVE BECAUSE FUEL THAT RAN THROUGH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. *AK CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE IGNITION COIL ON #3 CYLINDER FAILED, CUTTING OFF SPARK PLUG, FUEL/AIR CONTINUED THROUGH EXHAUST SYSTEM, OVERHEATING CATALYTIC CONVERTOR, ALSO WARNING LIGHT ACTIVATED.*SLC