2018 Nissan Sentra
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 185 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 11th highest complaint count among 26 Sentra model years with reports.
Of the 2018 reports, 17 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 11 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Exterior lighting, brake lights, switchMar 3, 2021
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Nissan Sentra vehicles. The brake light switch may become contaminated, preventing the circuit from closing and the brake lights from illuminating.
The brake lights may not illuminate, increasing the risk of a crash.
Dealers will replace the brake light switch and install a protective grommet, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 1, 2022. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800867-7769. Nissan's number for this recall is PM971.
Campaign 21V135000 on NHTSA.gov
Back over prevention, sensing system, cameraSep 12, 2019
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.
Campaign 19V654000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
185 reports, newest first.
Service brakes, Sep 19, 2020
OVER 2 1/2 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP OF THE VEHICLE, I'VE TAKEN THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE 6 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM: THE BREAK SWITCH HAS FAILED TO ALLOW THE PUSH-BUTTON STARTER TO ENGAGE, WHICH LEAVES ME UNABLE TO STAR THE CAR. THE ISSUE EFFECTIVELY LEAVES ME STRANDED AND HAS RESULTED IN MAKING ME LATE. IT ONLY HAPPENEDS WHEN STARTING THE CAR SO IT'S STATIONARY.
Steering, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Sep 15, 2020
CAR PULLS TO RIGHT ON THE EXPRESS WAY MAKING VERY LOUD FUNNY NOISES , RPM SHOOTS TO 2 TO 5 AND THE STEERING WHEEL HAS LOCKED A FEW TIMES TAKING ME OFF OF THE ROAD BUT NOT CRASHING OR INTO A ACCIDENT , THE BRAKES ARE ALSO SOUNDING BAD. ON STREETS THE CARS STEERING DRIFTS LIKE THE CAR WANTS TO DO ITS OWN THING .
Seat belts, Vehicle speed control, Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 12, 2020
CAR LOOSES POWER MID DRIVING....SEATBELT ON BACK PASSENGER SIDE DOES NOT ALWAYS CLICK IN SAFELY....WHEN PRESSING ON GAS THERE IS A CLICKING SOUND AND CAR DOES NOT ALWAYS GO FORWARD WHEN GOING FROM IDLE TO MOVING ON THE ROAD...TWICE THE CAR WENT FORWARD FAST AND SOMETIMES IT HAS TOO MUCH POWER WHEN I AM NOT PRESSING THE GAS
Other or unspecified, Sep 5, 2020
RECIB LA NOTIFICACIN ESTANDO PARQUEADO EN MI CASA.NO HA PASADO NADA.
Engine, Aug 25, 2020
STARTER APPEARS TO BE OUT. ELECTRONICS ARE TURNING ON, BUT ENGINE WILL NOT TURN OVER. I CURRENTLY HAVE 50078 MILES ON MY 2018 NISSAN SENTRA.
Service brakes, Aug 20, 2020
MY CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND I HAVE HAD TO TAKE IN IN TO THE DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES BECAUSE THE AEB SENSOR LIGHT COMES ON. THEY HAVE REPLACED IT ALL THREE TIMES AND I BRING IT HOME AND ONCE I START DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, THE SENSOR COMES ON AGAIN. AS I'M DRIVING, THE VEHICLE SLOWS DOWN EVEN THOUGH I'M PRESSING ON THE GAS. I HAVE TO LET MY FOOT OFF THE GAS AND THEN PRESS THE GAS PEDAL HARD TO KICK IT BACK INTO RUNNING CORRECTLY. I HAVE A 2018 NISSAN SENTRA AND IT HAS 30,000 MILES. THE WARRANTY EXPIRES AT 36,000 MILES AND I'M AFRAID THAT I WILL HAVE TO TAKE IT IN AND PAY FOR THE REPAIRS IF THEY CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT'S WRONG. I'VE OWNED SENTRAS BEFORE AND NEVER HAD THIS MUCH PROBLEM!
Electrical system, Aug 18, 2020
KEYLESS IGNITION NOT STARTING AFTER KEY FOB BATTERY HAS BEEN CHANGED AND CAR BATTERY CHANGED, APPEARED TO BE OKAY THEN PROBLEM RETURNED WITHIN A FEW DAYS. KEYLESS IGNITION AGAIN NOT STARTING. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY STATIONARY IN MY DRIVEWAY.
Power train, Aug 17, 2020
RPMS ARE GOING UP AND DOWN WHEN MAINTAINING THE SAME SPEED . WE TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AT 9000 MILES AND THEY TOLD US IT'S A SPECIAL TRANSMISSION.BELT DRIVEN NOT GEAR DRIVEN. WE TOOK IT BACK A FEW MORE TIMES AND FINALLY WE TOOK IT TO MIDAS AND THEY TOLD US TO TAKE IT TO DEALERSHIP FOR THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM AFTER THEY DROVE IT AND NOTICED RPMS GOING UP AND DOWN .
Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Aug 17, 2020, crash
COLLISION AVOIDANCE FAILED AND ACCERATOR APPEARED TO STICK RESULTING IN ACCIDENT.IN MOTION APPROACHING LOVERS LANE ON NOBLE AVENUE WHEN DRIVER PASSED OUT RESULTING IN MULTIPLE REAREND STATIONARY OBJECT AND SIDE COLLISION.
Electrical system, Engine, Aug 10, 2020
ATTEMPTED TO START VEHICLE IN A PARKING LOT AND ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER. ELECTRICALLY EVERYTHING TURNED ON BUT ENGINE WOULD NOT START. HAD TO ATTEMPT TO START THE CAR A FEW TIMES BEFORE THE ENGINE WOULD ACTUALLY TURN OVER. PURCHASED MY CAR A FEW DAYS AGO FROM HERTZ CAR SALES AND THIS STARTED HAPPENING MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY EVERY TIME I ATTEMPT TO START THE CAR. I READ ALL THE POSTS RELATED TO THIS TYPE OF 2018, AND APPEARS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, LOOKS LIKE IT SHOULD BE RECALLED.
Air bags, Aug 6, 2020, crash
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN OUT OF A GAS STATION, HER VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS HAVING PAIN IN HER SHOULDERS, BACK AND STOMACH. SHE ALSO HIT HER HEAD BUT DID NOT INITIALLY GO TO THE HOSPITAL UNTIL THE NEXT DAY. THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW IF THE OTHER DRIVER WAS INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND NONE OF THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOWING COMPANY LOT. THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY WILL DETERMINE IF THE VEHICLE WILL BE TOTALED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000.*DT*LN*JB *BF*JB
Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Jul 31, 2020
VEHICLE'S AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING (AEB) SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS AND APPLIES VEHICLE BRAKES IN RANDOM INSTANCES. THIS POSES A SAFETY HAZARD AS THE VEHICLE COULD BRAKE SUDDENLY WHEN IN TRAFFIC AND CAUSE A CRASH.
Air bags, Jul 24, 2020
THE 'OCCUPANT AIRBAG SENSOR' IS MALFUNCTIONING AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. NO MATTER THE SIZE OR WEIGHT OF THE PASSENGER, THE OCCUPANT AIRBAG REMAINS OFF AS INDICATED BY THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT. THIS MALFUNCTION HAS BEEN PROVEN BY COMPUTER ERROR CODE AT OUR LOCAL NISSAN DEALER (CANNON NISSAN SERVICE DEPARTMENT 662-236-3300).
Service brakes, Jul 17, 2020
AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN A STREET PREPARING TO GET ON THE FREEWAY THE MALFUNCTION AND COLLISION SIGN POPPED UP IN THE DASH BOARD..AFTER SO LONG A CONTINUOUS DING SOUND CAN BE HEARD. PULLED OVER TURNED THE CAR OFF CAR WOULDN'T START. HAD TO TAP THE BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE CAR WOULD EVEN START..ONLY HAVE 30,000 MILES AND I JUST GOT THIS CAR IN APRIL AND ALREADY HAVING ISSUE..
Electrical system, Electronic stability control (ESC), Service brakes, May 25, 2020
MY 2018 NISSAN SENTRA HAS ISSUES WITH NOT STARTING AND THE BRAKE SENSOR FAILING AND COMING ON WITH NOTHING AROUND. THE BACK UP CAMERA GOES OUT AND THE RADIO AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL LIGHTS GO OUT. THERE ARE SEVERAL ONGOING DANGEROUS ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE I HAVE CONTACTED NISSAN CONSUMER AFFAIRS, CORP AND MANAGERS AT SUTHERLIN NISSAN TO NO AVAIL.*DT*JB*DT*JB
Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Apr 18, 2020
EVERYTIME I DRIVE IN THE RAIN OR SNOW OR ANY WET CONDITIONS MY FRONT SENSOR FOR THE BRAKES SAYS SENSOR UNDETECTED ERROR MESSAGE AND ALSO MY BRAKES LOOK BRAND NEW AND THEY SQUEAK
Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Mar 29, 2020
FORWARD COLLISION SENSOR CAUSING VEHICLE TO BRAKE WHEN NOTHING IS FRONT OF ME WHILE I DRIVE. IT HAS HAPPENED ON 5 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. NISSAN DEALERSHIP STATED THAT NISSAN IS AWARE OF ISSUES BUT IS CHARGING ME $1300 TO FIX BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Mar 18, 2020
03/11/2020 I DROVE THE 2018 NISSAN SENTRA ON HWY 26 W TO PORTLAND OREGON. WHILE DRIVING THE AEB SENSOR LIGHT TURNS ON, MALFUNCTION FROM MANUFACTORY LIGHT ON WITH THE PIPING SOUND CAME ON THAT WAS THE EFFECTED THE SPEED CONTROL BY THE BRAKING. NEXT DAY 3/12/20. I DROVE TO CARR NISSAN DEALER FOR REPAIR AEB(AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKE) CENSOR. THE DEALER SAID THAT MY CAR HAS NO WARRANTY AND CHARGED FOR REPAIR IS $5,754.42 DUE ON 03/18/2020. I THINK THE NISSAN DEALER WAS OVERCHARGED. I THINK THIS IS SAFETY ISSUES AND 2018 NISSAN SENTRA NEEDS TO RECALL THE AEB SENSOR.ON THE HWY26 HAVE MY KID 16 YEARS OLD AND MY WIFE IN THE CAR.
Power train, Mar 17, 2020
STOPPED GOING FORWARD WHEN AT TRAFFIC LIGHT WILL ONLY GO IN REVERSE. DEALERSHIP SAYS WARRANTY IS UP AND IT WILL COST 4000$ TO FIX. I AM CONFUSED AS TO HOW A CAR THAT WAS BOUGHT 4/20/2018 HAS THE NEED FOR THE TRANSMISSIOM TO BE REPLACED. THIS CAR HAS HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND I DO NOT BELIEVE AFTER PAYING 479.09 A MONTH FOR THE PAST 23 MONTHS I SHOULD BE SPENDING AN ADDITIONAL 4000$
Electrical system, Electronic stability control (ESC), Mar 5, 2020
EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN ON AN INTERSTATE THE AEB SYSTEM ERRORS CAUSING THE TCS AND ESP SYSTEMS TO SHUT DOWN. SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATE AND THE VEHICLE MUST BE RESTARTED TO CLEAR THE FAULT.
Other or unspecified, Feb 22, 2020
NISSAN 2018 SENTRA AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING (AEB), RELIES ON A RADAR IN THE FRONT GRILLE TO MONITOR A CAR'S PROXIMITY TO THE VEHICLE AHEAD, WARN OF POSSIBLE COLLISIONS, AND HIT THE BRAKES IF THE DRIVER CAN'T. BUT A PROBLEM WITH SOME OF THOSE RADAR MODULES ' A THIRD-PARTY COMPONENT SUPPLIED BY BOSCH ' MAKES THE SENSOR FREQUENTLY DEACTIVATE ITSELF, DISABLING CRUISE CONTROL AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM. A WARNING FLASHES ON THE DASHBOARD TO INDICATE THE PROBLEM: 'FRONT RADAR UNAVAILABLE DUE TO OBSTRUCTION.'
Engine, Feb 20, 2020, fire
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2018 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED SHE MAY HAVE SEEN SMOKE FROM UNDER THE HOOD NEAR THE WINDSHIELD WIPER. THE CONTACT STATED SHE KEPT DRIVING UNTIL SHE SAW FLAMES AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATING AS WELL AS THE DOOR LOCKS UNLOCKING AND LOCKING AUTOMATICALLY. THE CONTACT STATED HAD TO KICK THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR SEVERAL TIMES TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SEVERAL DAYS LATER SHE SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR HER EAR AND DISCOVERED THAT A PART OF THE AIR BAGS WAS FOUND IN HER EAR AS SHE HAS LOST HEARING IN HER LEFT EAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW LOT AND DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE 40,000.
Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Feb 13, 2020
2018 NISSAN SENTRA RADAR MODULE OR CALLED NISSAN SENSOR ASSYS-DISTANCE WAS A MALFUNCTION AND AFFECT ON THE BRAKE WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY OF THE HIGHWAY.
Electrical system, Jan 31, 2020
RANDOM WARNING STATING "FRONT RADAR OBSTRUCTION," ESSENTIALLY DEACTIVATING THE AUTOMATIC BRAKING SYSTEM FOR FRONT END COLLISION. VEHICLE WILL BRAKE QUICKLY ON ITS OWN WITHOUT ANYTHING AHEAD IN THE ROAD, WHICH CAUSES OTHER VEHICLES TO SLAM ON THEIR BRAKES TO AVOID COLLISION
Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Jan 29, 2020
FRONT RADAR UNAVAILABLE DUE TO OBSTRUCTION FLASHED ON THE DASHBOARD WHILE IN MOTION.