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
638 reports, newest first.
Air bags, Jan 3, 2022, crash
Unknown I don't have memory of incident.
Power train, Dec 11, 2021
Transmission/Powertrain: Transmission slips throughout various stages of acceleration and deceleration exchange. Vehicle has not stalled (yet) but condition is worsening. Vehicle transmission does not deliver appropriate throttle response, resulting in risk to driver/passengers. In heavy traffic conditions, driver expects vehicle to respond to certain throttle pressure but vehicle will inconsistently deliver resulting in unexpected delays and/or lurches in movement, which has caused me to almost make contact with other vehicles moving at high speeds.
Power train, Nov 30, 2021
Transmission failed to shift during a left turn stalled in the street in the wrong side of the road. Diagnosis CVT transmission failure. Same issue I had two years and fully replaced the transmission in 2019.
Power train, Nov 17, 2021
The CVT transmission failed at 83011 miles. My symptoms included whining and gurgling noises and bucking. Symptoms occurred at all speeds. Minor noises began several months before diagnosis by dealer. Did not cause an accident but unexpected total failure in highway conditions could have been deadly. This is a well know problem with Nissan CVT transmissions as evidenced by multiple class action lawsuits across multiple models and countless owner complaints reported including total, sudden transmission failure. Diagnosed as a failed transmission by dealer. Repair shop returned failed transmission to Nissan.
Power train, Fuel/propulsion system, Nov 4, 2021
It says my vehicle has 0 unrepaired recalls, however I've noticed that these vehicles have reported fuel leakage due to faulty seals when the tank is full. I got the car used & I was wondering if I have any chance of getting this issue fixed
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.
Power train, Oct 14, 2021
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration. The contact had to depress the brake pedal aggressively and the vehicle would lurch forward. The failure was intermittent. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who was unable to identify the cause of the failure. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated the failure recurred at various speeds. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 85,000.
Power train, Oct 8, 2021
The car shudders, makes a whining sound while driving seems to be transmission related
Air bags, Oct 3, 2021
Both my driver and passenger seat airbag signals are on and say they the seat is empty, when someone is in the seat, meaning if I crash neither airbags would deploy. I took it to the dealership and they said my VIN wasn’t covered by any recalls.
Suspension, Oct 3, 2021
When I reversed in a parking lot, the tire arm on my front passenger tire broke, causing my car to lean on the tire. I found oil on the ground after my car moved. It had to get towed to the NISSAN dealership in Lincoln, NE. Before I got towed, I talked to the police because the damage was so significant. The dealership said that the ball joint came off because of a missing screw. I had no warning from my car or the dealership that there was a prior issue, only a loud noise and the oil on the ground.
Power train, Oct 2, 2021
The transmission is failing. The car is slipping, hesitating when accelerating . Also jerks like it punches into gear when driving and wants to stop at times. The car just now is getting 75,000 miles. I see this problem is the same among everyone else, this problem should be fixed as it seems pretty common. The Car sometimes wants to stop while I’m driving. I brought it to a mechanic and he said it’s the transmission is failing
Power train, Sep 29, 2021
My car would shake, the rpm gauge jumps at 2, starts slowing down and jerking, doesn’t accelerate at times even when stepping on the gas. I almost caused an accident on the guest with a big rig. Maintained every oil change and tune up and service required. This started at 95,000 miles. With all the same complaints where is the recall to make things right
Power train, Sep 28, 2021
The transmission has broken down at 68,224 miles. We put it into Drive and it did not move however Reverse works. The transmission repair shop said that they have had several of these model years in over the last few months, all around 66k miles. There are not parts available so an entire transmission has to be ordered and replaced.
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
Suspension, Power train, Air bags, Sep 3, 2021
2013 Nissan sentra sr 66,000 miles transmission blew out, while driving on the street it sputtered, choked and lost power and started making a loud clanking noise.
Power train, Aug 10, 2021
CVT Transmission. Yes available for inspection. Vehicle was juddering/flaring Yes confirmed by dealer and independent service center No warning lamps or other symptoms besides the juddering/flaring First appeared around mid June 2021 The ServiceCampaign Bulletin dated 9/28/17 does not include our VIN#... even though the problem is identical! Because our VIN was not included, Nissan refused to compensate us for this problem. There was a class action suit regarding this issue that has now expired. We are asking for compensation as this was a known Nissan issue and this vehicle is still relatively new with low milage.
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.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Engine, Jul 10, 2021
It was 108 degree outside at 4:30 pm in the zip code of 89052. At a sloped intersection on a major street I stopped for the light. When the light turned green I tried to accelerate the car, it failed to accelerate, the break did not function, and the steering was difficult. The car stalled. The car started rolling downhill. I was able to turn the car to the next street ~20 yards down the intersection. The street had no slope and no other cars at the time. The car eventually stopped. But that was a dangerous incident and it could be much worse.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Jun 12, 2021
Cvt Transmission my car just has 125,000 miles
Air bags, Jun 12, 2021, crash
I was in an accident a guy hit my front right side and insurance totaled it . My airbags never deployed
Power train, Jun 8, 2021
My 2013 Nissan Sentra CVT transmission prematurely failed at 82,000 miles and is available for inspection upon request. One year ago (2020) my car started to shudder and stall when going from a stop, at 75,000 miles. I took my car to the Nissan dealership and they said that they felt the same issues when test driving it and contacted Nissan HQ to see if I qualified for the extended warranty. Nissan HQ requested that they check the transmission fluid and run some diagnostic tests and check for specific codes. In 2020, the Nissan dealership did as requested and found that the transmission fluid was black and smelled burnt or spent but reported that there were no shavings in the fluid. In 2020, they also could not get the specific diagnostic codes that were requested by Nissan HQ. When Nissan HQ got these results, they said that all my car needed was a transmission fluid change, even though this year's model is known to have CVT premature transmission failure. Currently, in 2021 my car started shuddering and stalling again along with new problems such as: kicking when putting the car in reverse, trying to shift gears at inappropriate times, RPMs racing even when on a flat, straight road with cruise control on. I took my car to get inspected by the Nissan dealership again and this time they told me that my car has "internal transmission failure" and is not recommended to be driven. The price for a new transmission is 4343.93 which is worth more than the car. Nissan HQ refuses to pay for this even though they know that this transmission has this problem. Nissan HQ claims that they cannot help due expiration of the extended warranty, this is unfair to people who gently drove their cars and took care of them which delayed the occurrence of the inevitable problem These transmissions are unsafe for the driver and those around and in the car and it is wreckless for Nissan not to have a recall on these transmissions.
Air bags, Engine, Jun 4, 2021, crash
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving at 45 mph when the air bag warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to a local dealer who inspected the vehicle and found no issue and could turn off the warning light, however, after a few days, the warning light illuminated again. While driving at undisclosed speed, the contact was hit head-on by another vehicle causing damage to the front driver side of the vehicle. The air bag did not deploy. There was medical treatment at the scene. There was no one injured, however, the contact was unconscious for a minute and had some pain in their back but did not go to the hospital. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent body shop who did some repairs to the front driver side of the vehicle, and also inspected the vehicle and found issues with air bags and oil leakage to the engine but was not able to repair those issues. The vehicle was not fully repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage approximate was 210,000.
Power train, Jun 4, 2021
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving 10 mph, he heard an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven to his residence. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the transmission to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.