The best Sentra years to buy are 2017 and 2018. Avoid the 2013: its CVT drew nearly three times the Sentra's average complaints. On 2020 and 2021 Sentras, make sure the steering tie rod recalls are done.
Best years: 20172018 Years to avoid: 2013
Every Sentra year compared
Owner complaints per 100,000 cars sold. Lower is better. The newest years have had less time to collect complaints, so they are marked too new to judge.
Known Sentra problems
Year by year
| Year | Complaints | Per 100k sold | Recalls | Top issue | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 41 | - | 3 | Electrical | Too new to judge |
| 2023 | 20 | - | 1 | Electrical | Too new to judge |
| 2022 | 81 | 105 | 2 | Steering | Good year |
| 2021 | 133 | 104 | 3 | Collision avoidance | Good year |
| 2020 | 208 | 220 | 4 | Collision avoidance | Watch out |
| 2019 | 223 | 121 | 2 | Electrical | Good year |
| 2018 | 185 | 87 | 2 | Transmission and drivetrain | Good buy |
| 2017 | 231 | 106 | 3 | Transmission and drivetrain | Good year |
| 2016 | 270 | 126 | 6 | Transmission and drivetrain | Good year |
| 2015 | 352 | 173 | 3 | Transmission and drivetrain | Average |
| 2014 | 381 | 208 | 5 | Transmission and drivetrain | Average |
| 2013 | 638 | 494 | 6 | Transmission and drivetrain | Skip this year |
| 2012 | 180 | 169 | 0 | Transmission and drivetrain | Average |
About the Sentra
The Sentra is an inexpensive compact with a mixed record. The 2013 redesign's CVT is its biggest weakness. Later years of that generation are much better, and the 2020 redesign is generally sound apart from tie rod recalls and jumpy automatic braking.
- 2013-2019: Seventh generation. CVT trouble peaks in 2013; 2017-2018 are best.
- 2020 on: Eighth generation. Tie rod recalls on 2020-2021; false automatic braking is common.
Sentra warranty extensions and special coverage
Carmakers sometimes extend the warranty on a part that fails too often, or pay for a fix outside a recall. These notices come from the dealer bulletins Nissan files with NHTSA. 538 Sentra bulletins are on file in total.
CVT Class Action Owner Notification In mid-December, current and former owners and lessees of the following vehicles will receive a postcard from a Settlement Administrator informing them of the terms of a proposed class action...
CVT Warranty Extension In an effort to assure customer satisfaction, demonstrate our confidence in continuously variable transmissions (CVTs), and to address customer concerns including those expressed by customers in the class...
CVT Warranty Extension REVISION 1 Please discard earlier versions of this bulletin.
CVT Class Action Owner Notification Attention: Dealer Principal, Sales, Service & Parts Managers In early November, current and former owners and lessees of the following vehicles will receive a postcard from a Settlement Admin...
Dear Nissan Sentra Owner: Thank you for being a Nissan owner.
OBD II EVAP Tube Warranty Enhancement The update below was sent out to Regions and Dealers in August of this year.
2013-2016 Altima AND Sentra; REAR OXYGEN SENSOR VOLTAGE INSPECTION SERVICE INFORMATION Nissan is committed to providing the highest levels of product quality and customer satisfaction.
Oxygen Sensor Voltage Inspection Warranty Extension Dealer Announcement: In the interest of customer satisfaction, Nissan is providing a limited warranty extension to certain MY2013-2016 Nissan Altima 2.5L (SULEV and 50 states ...
Ask a dealer to check a specific car by VIN. Extensions usually have a time or mileage limit.
Government investigations into the Sentra
NHTSA opens an investigation when complaints point to a possible safety defect. Some end in a recall and some close without one.
Engineering analysis EA15004 · 2013, 2014 · opened Aug 2015, closed May 2017 · led to recall 15V681000
In May 2016, Nissan North America issued a safety recall (16V-244) to address the problem of improper classification of adult front seat passengers in approximately 3.3 million vehicles, including those in the scope of this investigation when it was opened (almost one million vehicles) and additional vehicles, as sh...
Recall query RQ15001 · 2013, 2014 · opened Mar 2015, closed Sep 2015
In April 2014, Nissan North America launched Safety Recall 14V-138 to address problems with the Occupant Classification System (OCS) algorithm in the following vehicles: model year (MY) 2013-2014 Nissan Altima, Pathfinder, Sentra and LEAF; MY 2013 Infiniti JX35; MY 2014 Infiniti QX60 and Q50; and MY 2013 Nissan NV 2...
Preliminary evaluation PE14014 · 2013, 2014 · opened May 2014, closed May 2015
On May 20, 2014, ODI opened PE14-014 based on eight complaints alleging incidents of excessive brake pedal travel in model year (MY) 2013 through 2014 Nissan Sentra, Versa Sedan and Versa Note passenger cars (Figure 1) and information in Early Warning Reporting field reports indicating issues with master cylinder in...
Sentra vs rivals
Questions
What is the best year for the Nissan Sentra?
2017 and 2018. The best Sentra years to buy are 2017 and 2018. Avoid the 2013: its CVT drew nearly three times the Sentra's average complaints. On 2020 and 2021 Sentras, make sure the steering tie rod recalls are done.
Which Nissan Sentra years should I avoid?
2013. These drew far more owner complaints per car sold than the Nissan Sentra average.
Based on 2,943 complaints filed by owners with U.S. safety regulators for model years 2012 to 2024, and U.S. sales by calendar year. How we score.