2011 Nissan Sentra
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Electrical system is the leading concern among 142 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 19th highest complaint count among 26 Sentra model years with reports.
Of the 2011 reports, 19 involved a crash and 6 involved a fire. 14 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Electrical system, 12v/24v/48v battery, cablesDec 15, 2011
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010-2011 SENTRA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MR20 ENGINES, MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 11, 2010, TO MAY 22, 2010, AND JULY 8, 2010, TO OCTOBER 25, 2010. THE ZINC COATING APPLIED TO THE TERMINAL STUD BOLT WAS THICKER THAN SPECIFICATION. THIS CAN RESULT IN A VOLTAGE DROP THAT MAY CAUSE DIFFICULTY STARTING THE VEHICLE AND COULD CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM).
THIS ISSUE CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AND IT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE AFTER IT STOPPED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL AND COVER, FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALLBEGAN ON JANUARY 23, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 11V579000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, 12v/24v/48v battery, cablesNov 12, 2010
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010-2011 SENTRA VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 22, 2010, THROUGH JULY 8, 2010. DUE TO A MACHINING IRREGULARITY, THE BOLT/WASHER SURFACE ON THE POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL CABLE END MAY ALLOW FOR A GAP TO OCCUR IN THE CONTACT AREA OF THE TERMINAL. THIS CAN RESULT IN A VOLTAGE DROP THAT MAY CAUSE DIFFICULTY STARTING THE VEHICLE AND COULD CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE.
THIS ISSUE CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STOP RUNNING WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AT LOW SPEED WITH A DIFFICULT OR NO START INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL CABLE END WITH A NEW ONE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN PN NOVEMBER 29, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 10V555000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: engine
34 reports, newest first. Show all
Engine, Aug 7, 2014
I BOUGHT A CAR FROM EMOTORS WEST LESS THAN 30 DAYS AGO AND THE CAR DIED ON ME IN THE NEXT 3 DAYS AND THEY KEPT MY CAR FOR 3 DAYS I JUST GOT IT BACK TODAY AND JUST DIED ON ME AGAIN... I JUST WANT TO GET MY MONEY BACK... *TR
Engine, Jun 23, 2014, crash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A GATE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,000.
Engine, Apr 30, 2014, fire
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED ABNORMALLY AS IT INDEPENDENTLY DECELERATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT AFTER MERGING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, SHE ATTEMPTED TO INSPECT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHEN SHE NOTICED A BURNING ODOR. SEVERAL MINUTES LATER THE VEHICLE EXPLODED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,000.
Engine, Nov 18, 2013, fire
IN 2007, NISSAN RECALLED MORE THAN 140,000 ALTIMAS DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF FIRE RELATED TO THE CARS AIR FILTER. THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE LARGE RECALL. WE OWN A 2011 NISSAN SENTRA, WHICH WE PURCHASED FOR OUR TEENAGE DAUGHTER. ACCORDING TO COURTESY NISSAN IN RICHARDSON, TEXAS, THE CAUSE OF A RECENT VEHICLE BREAK DOWN WITH OUR SENTRA WAS AN AIR FILTER FIRE, WHICH ALSO CAUSED FIRE DAMAGE TO THE AIRBOX. THIS IS THE SAME DEFECT WHICH RESULTED IN NISSAN'S 2007 RECALL. (I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE FIRE-DAMAGED AIR FILTER AND AIRBOX, AS WELL AS THE FIRE-DAMAGED PARTS.) THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SERIOUS AND UNRESOLVED SAFETY ISSUE, ONE THAT NISSAN PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGED AND PROACTIVELY ADDRESSED WITH THE 2007 RECALL. NISSAN CORPORATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT HAS DENIED THAT THE ISSUE WITH THE 2007 ALTIMAS IS THE SAME ISSUE WITH OUR 2011 SENTRA, EVEN THOUGH THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP STATED CLEARLY TO US IN WRITING THAT THE AIRBOX/AIR FILTER CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE AIR FILTER IN A TWO-YEAR-OLD CAR SHOULDN'T CATCH ON FIRE. AND IT CERTAINLY SHOULDN'T CATCH ON FIRE IF AIR FILTER FIRES IN NISSANS WERE SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO RESULT IN A MAJOR RECALL OF NISSAN VEHICLES IN 2007. *TR
Electrical system, Engine, Aug 30, 2013
VEHICLE FAILS TO START- BATTERY CONNECTOR REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AUGUST 29 2013 MILES 36404 SAME PROBLEM OCCURS DEALERSHIP REPLACES SAME CONNECTOR AND BATTERY AND CHARGES ME. THIS SAME PROBLEM HAS RECALL NOTICES ON OLDER NISSAN SENTRA'S ACCORDING TO DEALERSHIP BUT DOES NOT APPLY TO MINE. DEALER FOR BOTH INCIDENTS IS MARSHALL AUTOMOTIVE GROUP MARSHALLMOTOR.COM (800) 395-0455 3500 - 3550 S 9TH ST I-135 & WATERWELL RD SALINA, KS 67401
Engine, Apr 24, 2013, crash
MY SON WAS DRIVING MY CAR NISSAN SENTRA 2011 ON 405 FREEWAY IN THE CARPOOL LANE AT ABOUT 65MPH. THE ENGINE CUT OFF. HE TOLD ME THAT HE TRIED TO GET OVER WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL COASTING BUT THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY STOPPED IN ONE OF THE LANES. HE PUT ON THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS AND CALLED HOME. HE TOLD US THAT THE CAR HAD CUT OFF AND WOULDN'T START BACK UP. HE SAID THAT OTHER CARS WERE JUST FLYING BY AT FAST SPEED. WE TOLD HIM AND HIS FRIENDS TO STAY IN THE CAR WHERE WE FELT IT TO BE SAFER AT THE TIME. THEN HE SAID I AM ABOUT TO GET HIT. FOR MINUTES WE DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON. THE DRIVER THAT HIT THE REAR OF THE CAR LET MY SON AND 2 OTHER PEOPLE GET IN HIS CAR AND HE DROVE THEM OFF OF THE FREEWAY. MY SON CALLED THE HIGHWAY PATROL AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION. HE WAS TOLD THAT THE CHP WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT. WHEN MY HUSBAND AND I ARRIVED AT THE LOCATION WHERE MY SON,HIS FRIENDS AND THE DRIVER OF THE CAR THAT HIT HIM WERE WAITING, WE NOTICE A POLICE CAR. THE POLICEMAN SAID HE JUST SAW THEM THERE AND CAME OVER. WHEN CHP FINALLY CAME OVER TO WHERE WE WERE WAITING, THE CHP OFFICERS EXPLAINED TO US THAT THE VEHICLE WAS HIT A SECOND TIME AND THAT TWO PEOPLE WERE CARRIED IN AN AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS PUT ON A TOW TRUCK AND BROUGHT OVER TO WHERE WE WERE ALL WAITING. THE REAR OF THE CAR WAS TOTALLY SMASHED. THERE WAS NO LONGER A BACK SEAT OR TRUNK. WHEN MY SON SAW THE CAR HE WAS GLAD THAT THEY HAD GOTTEN OUT OF THE CAR BECAUSE ONE OF HIS FRIENDS WOULD HAVE GOTTEN SMASHED UP IF THEY HAD STAYED IN THE CAR. BY THE WAY, THE CAR WAS NOT OUT OF GAS BECAUSE I FILLED THE TANK UP WITH GAS MYSELF THE PREVIOUS DAY. *TR
Engine, Sep 11, 2012, fire
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, SHE WAS ADVISED BY A PASSING DRIVER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND TO EXIT IMMEDIATELY. THE CONTACT AND A PASSENGER WERE ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE JUST AS THE VEHICLE EXPLODED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY DID NOT RESPOND. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Aug 7, 2012
BRAND NEW CAR UNDER 4K MILES ON IT I WAS DRIVING BETWEEN 60-65MPH ON THE BUSY I95N OF FORT LAUDERDALE MIAMI CARS SPEEDING UP TO 70MPH WITH MY FAMILY ON A VACATION THEN ALL OF SUDDEN THE SERVICE LIGHT POP UP AND AFTER THAT THE CAR LOST ITS POWER SO I COASTED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD REALLY SCARY. IT SEEMS THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THIS SENTRAS ARE STILL ACTIVE EVEN WITH NEW CARS SO NISSAN ARE WE GONNA WAIT FOR THE NEXT INCIDENT? *TR
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 20, 2011
ON DEC. 11, 2011, THE CAR WOULD NOT START IN THE MORNING. WENT BACK IN THE AFTERNOON AND STARTED FINE. ON DEC. 12, 2011, THE CAR HESITATED TO START IN THE MORNING. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED BATTERY. ON DEC. 19, 2011, THE CAR WOULD NOT START AT FIRST AND ONLY STARTED WHEN BRAKE WAS PUMPED SEVERAL TIMES, AND STILL HESITATED TO START. THE CAR WOULD NOT GO FASTER THAN 40 MPH, WITH THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR, AND THE RPMS WOULD NOT GO PAST 2. AFTER EVERY STOP THE CAR TOOK 2 MINUTES TO GET BACK UP TO 40 MPH. TOOK TO THE SHOP, THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. *TR