Nissan Sentra - Problems, Statistics, and Analysis

Nissan Sentra owners have reported a total of 7,178 problems for their cars built in the 30 model years listed in the chart below. The chart shows the number of problems reported across all service years for each given model year of the Nissan Sentra. The 2013 Nissan Sentra cars have the most problems reported (851 problems).

Table 1. Total number of problems by model year for Nissan Sentra

🔍 Common problems of Nissan Sentra

The following chart shows the 30 most common problems for Nissan Sentra cars. The number one most common problem is related to the vehicle's engine and engine cooling (1,232 problems). The second most common problem is related to the vehicle's power train (1,180 problems).

Table 2. Common problems of Nissan Sentra

Problem Category Number of Problems
  Engine And Engine Cooling
1,232
  Power Train
1,180
  Electrical System
744
  Air Bag
713
  Equipment
566
  Service Brakes
515
  Vehicle Speed Control
386
  Steering
299
  Other Fuel System
186
  Forward Collision Avoidance
170
   
  Suspension
158
  Structure
153
  Visibility
123
  Exterior Lighting
114
  Tire
105
  Electronic Stability Control
104
  Gasoline Fuel System
97
  Wheel
94
  Seat Belt
76
  Unknown Or Other
60
  Seats
37
  Latches/locks/linkage
19
  Back Over Prevention
14
  Lane Departure
12
 
6
  Parking Brake
5
  Interior Lighting
4
  Air Brake
3
  Child Seat
2
  Traction Control System
1

📉 Compare Reliability Across Model Years Using PPMY Index

It would not be fair to compare the Nissan Sentra of an older model year to newer model years since older vehicles have been in service longer and thus are expected to have more problems. In order to compare the reliability across Sentra model years, we use the PPMY index which is defined as the problems reported per thousand vehicles per Year. A smaller PPMY index indicates greater reliability of the given model year cars.

    PPMY = P / S / Y * 1000,

where P = total problems reported during the life of a Nissan Sentra model year; S = total units sold of the model year; Y = years since the debut of the model year (the age of the vehicle).

The results are shown in Table 3.

Table 3. Use PPMY Index to Compare Reliability Across Sentra Model Years

Sentra
Model Year
Problems Sales [1] Vehicle
Age
PPMY Index
  2022 10796,1383    
0.37
  2021 173107,1594    
0.40
  2020 28087,7405    
0.64
  2019 328243,4246    
0.22
  2018 271168,2787    
0.23
  2017 317231,3638    
0.17
  2016 382164,2949    
0.26
  2015 478220,13210    
0.22
  2014 517206,89611    
0.23
  2013 851154,90912    
0.46
  2012 253140,51813    
0.14
  2011 20295,57014    
0.15
  2010 20292,43015    
0.15
  2009 7965,81116    
0.08
  2008 229121,91617    
0.11
  2007 21697,49718    
0.12
  2006 154138,64219    
0.06
  2005 216119,34320    
0.09
  2004 233126,51121    
0.09
  2003 23371,97222    
0.15
  2002 385114,04023    
0.15
  2001 304106,04724    
0.12
  2000 23467,01325    
0.14

📊 Number of Problems Reported During the First Year

Another way to measure the reliability across the model years of the Nissan Sentra is to use the total number of problems reported during the vehicle's first year in service, as shown in the Table 4.

Table 4. Number of problems in vehicle's; first service year

Model YearProblems Reported
  2025 Sentra
12
  2024 Sentra
13
  2023 Sentra
6
  2022 Sentra
48
  2021 Sentra
26
  2020 Sentra
27
  2019 Sentra
43
  2018 Sentra
19
  2017 Sentra
24
  2016 Sentra
26
  2015 Sentra
22
  2014 Sentra
36
  2013 Sentra
100
  2012 Sentra
20
  2011 Sentra
24
  2010 Sentra
26
  2009 Sentra
3
  2008 Sentra
34
  2007 Sentra
24
  2006 Sentra
19
  2005 Sentra
13
  2004 Sentra
26
  2003 Sentra
31
  2002 Sentra
37
  2001 Sentra
30
  2000 Sentra
23
  1999 Sentra
6
  1998 Sentra
12
  1997 Sentra
10
  1996 Sentra
29


Sentra Service Bulletins
Sentra Safety Recalls
Sentra Defect Investigations
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