2013 Nissan Sentra
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 638 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the highest complaint count among 26 Sentra model years with reports.
Of the 2013 reports, 24 involved a crash and 4 involved a fire. 20 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bags, sensor, occupant classificationApr 26, 2016
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.
If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669, Infiniti customer service at 1-888-833-3216 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.
Campaign 16V244000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, sensor, occupant classificationApr 26, 2016
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Sentra vehicles manufactured June 4, 2012, to April 9, 2016. The front passenger seat belt bracket may become deformed if it is used to secure a Child Restraint System (CRS). The deformed seat bracket may cause the Occupant Classification System (OCS) to incorrectly classify the installed CRS, resulting in the front passenger air bag to not be turned off as designed when a CRS is in the seat.
If the frontal passenger air bag deploys in the event of a crash when a child seat is installed in the front passenger seat, there will be an increased risk of injury to the child in the CRS.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will reinforce the seat belt bracket as well as reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU), free of charge. The recall began on June 13, 2016. Owners are warned not to install a CRS in the front seat. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669.
Campaign 16V242000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, frontalOct 20, 2015
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima and Pathfinder vehicles, 2013-2014 Nissan Sentra vehicles, 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles, 2014-2015 Infiniti QX60 vehicles and 2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid vehicles. The affected vehicles received an incorrect occupant classification system (OCS) control unit during a repair. These OCS control units may incorrectly classify the front passenger seat as empty, when it is occupied by an adult.
If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger air bag would be deactivated. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted) could increase the risk of injury to the passenger.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the OCS software, free of charge. The recall began on November 30, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 15V681000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, softwareMar 25, 2014
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Altima, LEAF, Pathfinder, and Sentra, model year 2013 NV200 (aka Taxi) and Infiniti JX35 and model year 2014 Infiniti Q50 and QX60 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the occupant classification system (OCS) software may incorrectly classify the passenger seat as empty, when it is occupied by an adult.
If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger airbag would be deactivated. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted) could increase the risk of injury to the passenger.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the OCS software, free of charge. The recall began on April 14, 2014. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 14V138000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bagsMar 1, 2013
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2013 Altima, LEAF, Pathfinder, Sentra, and Infiniti JX35 vehicles. Sensors within the passenger Occupant Detection System (ODS) may have been manufactured out of specification. This may cause the system to malfunction and permanently suppress the passenger airbag.
If the vehicle is involved in a crash necessitating airbag deployment and the passenger airbag is suppressed, there may be an increased risk of personal injury.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ODS sensors and replace them as neccessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 6, 2013. Owners may contact Nissan Customer Service at 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 13V069000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, storage, tank assemblyMar 1, 2013
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2013 Sentra vehicles manufactured from September 11, 2012, through October 4, 2012. Some fuel tank assemblies were not properly sealed during the manufacturing process. As a result, a small amount of gasoline may leak from the tank when it is full.
A gasoline leak in the presence of an ignition source may lead to a vehicle fire.
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tanks as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 1, 2013. Owners may contact Nissan Customer Service at 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign 13V068000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: other or unspecified
64 reports, newest first. Show all
Other or unspecified, May 10, 2026
Mileage (~124k) * RPM behavior * Loss of power uphill * Can cause a crash on highway with the cvt promblems nissian sentras sv has been cause of loss of power out of no where needs to be addressed as a recall maintenance has been don great on vechile it has history and need to be addressed. It goes from 70 to 55 issues of cvt
Other or unspecified, Dec 22, 2025
The problem with my 2013 Nissan Sentra relates to the transmission which was serviced April 22, 2024 at Passport Nissan in Suitland, M D. Two months later, June 12, 2024 my car was serviced again for transmission problelms. The CVT transmission unit was replaced because of internal malfunction on the transmission assembly. My car is currently unsafe 1 year and six months later with transmission problems. The recent diagnosis requires removing the existing transmission assembly and installing a new one to ensure proper functioning of the drivetrain. The cost is $7,509.41. My contention is that the transmission is still faulty and unsafe after multiple paid service attempts. Nissan service management informs that service is outside of the warranty by one month because of their recent policy change. Please assist with transmission repairs at no cost to me since it has not been serviced properly and is unsafe to me and my family. I would appreciate knowing what if anything can be done to help with transmission repair at no additional cost to me. Thank you.
Other or unspecified, Nov 19, 2025
While driving, the start/stop button was pressed and the vehicle turned off while in motion. WHILE IN D, THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF WHILE IN TRAFFIC, IN MOTION, DUE TO THE STOP/START BUTTON BEING PRESSED. It should not be able to shut off while in drive. The safety feature should not allow that.
Other or unspecified, Dec 21, 2024
2013 Nissan Sentra that I bought brand new in 2014 with only about 15 miles on it. December 2024 In the middle of traffic the vehicle would not accelerate forward, even when almost flooring the gas pedal. This would only Rev up the engine as if I was in park. I was able to drive in reverse to a park in a lot next to where the vehicle stalled. There were not any warning lights at anytime prior to the incident. The mechanic did take a look at it and believed it was a transmission issue. The first time this happened was about 2018 with the same type of scenario. The transmission was replaced $4000+ later by Nissan but when they gave the car back the AC did not work and I had to replace the compressor. They denied any wrong doing at the Nissan dealership but it was fine before I dropped it off except the transmission.
Other or unspecified, Jul 26, 2024
My car has has to repair its air conditioner on 3 Ocasion because it stopped cooling. On November 2023 the transition failed sending a code of: SECOND CLOTCH MODE. I TOOK IT TO 3 mechanics and all said it was the transmition and that all CVT cars have the same defect. My car is well care taken but right now it’s not functioning because of this issue. All cars I have seen NISSAN SENTRA fail for thr same …transmition. At this moment I don’t have any other car to solve my situation and don’t have $6,000.00 to buy a transmition. Please review people who have these cars .
Other or unspecified, Engine, Mar 27, 2024, fire
Feb 26th, 2024 i drove my car for the first time since having surgery on Jan. 11, 2024. I was going about 35 mph when extremely fast the car radio turned off it felt as if the engine was also turned off but within a blink of your eye the car was turned back on , all by itself, a tiny jerk, nothing major. I instantly looked at the temp gauge, made sure the key was in ignition correctly. There was nothing to signal a problem. The next day i didnt leave my home. On Feb. 28, 2024 i drove the car about 7 miles and it did this same glitch twice .Again all gauges read normal, i got out of the car this time popped the hood. No smoke , no burning smell or any smell at all. I checked the fluids, the belt, the battery connections everything was fine. Later that night a family member had someone try breaking into their home. Very upset i decided to leave my home and drive over to be if some comfort. I drove a total of 21 miles, as i was turning into the driveway the car fid it again however this time i had to get it in park and restart my car. Again no over heating no smoke no burning or fuel smells. I parked the car went inside. About 7 minutes later , definitely no more than 10 minutes, i heared a loud bang. I look outside and my entire motor was on fire and the tire had already blown!! In under ten minutes!! I tried putting the fire out with the water hose but 911 dispatch heard the second tire blow and repeatedly asked me to stop and go inside the home that fire fighters were on their way . I had let my insurance go since i had emergency surgery and was unable to drive or work and pay for it. I bought this car in aug. 2020 and had to replace the cvt transmission nov. 2022. And now no car. This could have been a tragedy if anyone had small children and had ran back inside because they forgot a coat or a book bag, please look into this for other customers safety. Firefighters said it was so burnt they couldn't begin to tell how or where the fire started.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Dec 20, 2023
I was driving down the road and all of a sudden the car started to sputter and I couldn't accelerate. Whenever I came to a stop it jerked after a minute of the RPM just revving, it finally shifted and lunged forward. I think the transmission went bad. Made it home parked it and I've been too concerned to drive it since.
Other or unspecified, Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 13, 2023
Mass air flow sensor. The check engine light comes on. It’s a safety hazard because the car does not have the power to accelerate so very dangerous when trying to cross intersection driving on The road is dangerous. This mass air flow sensor part is not a maintenance/ regular service. This is the second time I’m having this issue within 14 months. I had it replaced Aug 2022 and now dealership is say I need a new one AGAIN
Other or unspecified, Jun 26, 2023
My car just started messing up and I took it to my nearest Nissan dealership and I was advised it was the transmission but before that day I was looking up information on what the car issue could be and it came out to be that there was a transmission CVT recall for my car 2013 Nissan Sentra. I moved from Chicago to Arizona in June of 2020 and I was never informed either via phone or email. I do not thin that it is fair that I should have to pay for this issue at all if it is a manufacturer recall and I was never informed of the recall.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Nov 2, 2022
I'm driving on Freeway an aproximate speed of 60' 65mph when my car begins to shake and losses power I hit the Gas and doesn't respond I have cars all over me at higher speeds I'm trying to merge to slow lane but my car doesn't do anything I put on my emergency lights turn off my car reignite it turns on but it feels like it skips speeds shaky and I take it home at a speed of 20/ 40" I'm not able to take it higher the motor sounds forced.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Jul 17, 2022
I bought the car in May 2019. The dealership I bought it from said they worked with a Nissan dealership and replaced the transmission just before I purchased the car. Shortly after I got the car I noticed problems. I had my mechanic tell me it was the transmission slipping. In August I took it back to where I bought it and they sent it back to the Nissan dealership to check. The Nissan dealership said there was nothing wrong with it. They said it showed no codes. It continued to be a problem. I eventually took it to another mechanic and a transmission shop. Both confirmed a transition problem. I then took it to a different Nissan dealership. Lamb Nissan. They looked at it and said the program that will show error codes was not up to date and the original Nissan dealership should have updated and it was not updated. They said there is a problem but the program needed to be updated for them to know more. They updated it and I have been driving it with continued problems. I will be taking it back to Lamb Nissan in a couple weeks to have them check it out again. The problems have been after stopping at a stop sign on an incline, when I accelerate it gives a rurring sound as if it is going fast, but it barely moves. Then it will finally kick in and drive a normal speed. It also jerks. Especially when I take my foot off the brake. I have occasionally smelled a burning smell. Not sure if it is related. Answering the questions: 1) transmission - I can arrange for it to be available for inspection. 2) my safety is in question because I don’t know the exact problem and when/if it will just shut down and possibly cause an accident. 3) the problem has been confirmed by 4 places as described above. 4) it has not been inspected other than above as far as I know. 5) no warning lights have come on.
Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Jun 9, 2022
The wiring that connects to the throttle sensor is fraying and causes the car to stall unexpectedly when driving. If the car stalls unexpectedly it increases the chances of a fatal accident. There are no warnings, all the warnings appear when the car stalls. My safety is at risk because it stalls when driving unexpectedly and another car can hit me from behind causing an accident without warning.
Other or unspecified, May 27, 2022
My 2013 Nissan Sentra transmission had to be replaced. I wanted to report this problem because Nissan in my experience have had transmission problems with some of their vehicles causing consumers to pay out of pocket for expensive repairs. My daughter has a 2015 Nissan Maxima whose transmission blew also. Also, I received a notice that my 2018 Nissan Pathfinder may have future transmission problems. Fortunately I traded this vehicle for a Toyota so I wouldn’t have this problem in the future. This is very concerning that all of these cars have the same transmission problem. Is there anything that could be done for Nissan owners?
Other or unspecified, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, May 24, 2022
I purchased this car in 2018 with 30k miles. In 2020 I had to replace the transmission. Now 2022 and I have to replace the transmission again. The car is decelerating and sputtering at times. But it’s not covered? How does a car have three transmissions within such a short time under 120k miles?
Power train, Other or unspecified, May 22, 2022
While driving my car will act like it's running out of gas, then it will kill, sometimes it starts right back up other times it won't, I have had the feul pump replaced and it's still doing it now have not had any codes till yesterday now it is saying my camshaft sensor is malfunctioning, it has killed in the middle of an intersection and almost killed on the highway, it acts like it can't switch gears but it is a cvt transmission, it cant seem to accelerate to well and has a hard time getting up to 60 mph and going up hills.
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Mar 23, 2022
On Saturday morning about 12:03, my son was in an accident. the car rolled over, there were a total of 4 people if the vehicle. the air bags didn't deploy. the 4 people had injuries consisting of concussion, a shattered foot, sprained wrist, and other injuries. I have an open claim with the insurance company. there were no other vehicles involved. The police came to the seen and the vehicle will be investigated further.
Other or unspecified, Oct 14, 2021
Nissan replaced my defective cvt and since that time my car rolls back when I am taking off from a stop at the top of a hill.
Other or unspecified, Sep 21, 2021
The transmission works fine until the car reaches 50-55 mph and reaches higher operating temperatures, then the car becomes "limp". The transmission becomes very weak. The cars tachometer, on the dashboard, will go from almost 4,000 rpms down to less than 1,000 rpms. This happens in traffic, while driving along at 55 mph it will only go about 20 or less mph. When the car is driven to the roadside and turned off, smoke will come from under the hood and around the transmission, like it's been burning transmission fluid that has dripped all over the transmission body. After the transmission has cooled down for at least 30 minutes or so, it may resume being driven if driven slower, like 40 mph or less. Also, when climbing any percentage of a grade, the car starts losing power and going slower while proceeding up the grade.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Other or unspecified, Sep 5, 2021
The left headlight went our or so I thought until I tried to change it then it worked until I put the cover back on. Also the car beeps a warning but I never know what the warning is for. The mass airflow system sensor has been replaced 5 times as of today since 5-2021. It stalled and died leaving me scared as I tried to enter the road luckily o wasn't injured.inhave no info as far as mileage, fuel usage etc..
Other or unspecified, Sep 4, 2021
The mass airflow sensor is known to be an issue. I have had to replace it 5 times now since may 2021. I was trying to get on the street with oncoming traffic and it died and the car tried restarting while in gear. Luckily I was not injured. This is the #1 issue with this make and model of car. After this happened I went to see what the check engine light meant as it has been on for months even after changing the sensor and I could not drive my car. I changed the sensor in the parking lot to get home. How many people have to die before nissan corrects the issue? I can't read the mileage, gas usage etc even after changing the sensor. I drive blindly to these
Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Aug 3, 2021
This vehicle will not go forward or move backward. We were on the freeway ... luckily we were able to get car to drive forward before oncoming traffic hit us We were scared for our lives. We have reached out to Nissan of North America SEVERAL times about this and correcting the issue. We were just made aware recently by an attorney to try reaching out to you. They are refusing to fix issue or a recall vehicles. It is a CTC transmission issue according to mechanics. I was told that a consumer filed a suit against them for this COMMON safety issue but Nissan corporation of North America are refusing to do a recall. They are putting consumers through a lot of red tape so that they can save money while risking human lives. I’m scared that someone will be hit bad or killed because Nissan North America will not do a recall for consumers. I reported to Attorney General in Tennessee, the Home State of their Corporation but they are doing nothing seemingly regarding Nissans’s North America lack of concern for their drivers and consumers.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Jun 12, 2021
Cvt Transmission my car just has 125,000 miles
Power train, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jan 31, 2021
THE VEHICLE HESITATES SIGNIFICANTLY WHEN ACCCELERATING... AXTS LIKE IT DOESN'T SHIFT OUT RIGHT.... AND BOGS DOWN WHEN ACCELERATING AT NORMAL SPEEDS.
Other or unspecified, Oct 26, 2020
MY TRANSMISSION JUST GAVE OUT ON ME
Other or unspecified, Jan 21, 2020
SANTANA CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE GAS AND PICK BACK UP