Diagsheet

Model year 2016

2016 Nissan Sentra

  • 269owner complaints
  • 6recalls
  • 18involved a crash
  • 64,000median miles at failure

Newest report Sep 2, 2026 · checked Sep 9, 2026

miles

When each problem shows up

Each bar covers the middle half of the mileages owners reported for that problem. A quarter saw it earlier, a quarter later. The tick is the median. Most reported: transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard, 51 complaints.

0k25k50k75k100k125k150kyou
Airbag warning light or recall24 reports
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early21 reports

middle half of reports, median tick. Darker bars have 75 or more reports.

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    Around your mileage

      Ahead of you

        How this compares

        2016 Nissan Sentra269
        Median 2016 model here (106 vehicles)252
        Median 2016 sedan here (28)231

        269 complaints is about the median for a 2016 model on this site and 1.2 times the median 2016 sedan. Among the 8 Sentra model years here it ranks 3rd for complaints. Counts follow sales volume as much as reliability, so a truck that sells 700,000 a year draws more reports than a sedan that sells 200,000.

        Complaints filed by year

        516
        1617
        4318
        3619
        3420
        2221
        3622
        1823
        2324
        2725
        926

        43 complaints came in 2018, 2.7 times the year before. Owners file in waves when a problem gets press or an investigation, so a spike measures attention as much as failures.

        Recalls that include the 2016 Nissan Sentra

        Whether your car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

        21V-135Mar 3, 2021
        Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights:Switch

        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.

        Risk and remedy
        Risk: The brake lights may not illuminate, increasing the risk of a crash.
        Remedy: 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.
        17V-253Apr 13, 2017
        Air Bags

        Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 LEAF and 2014, 2016 and 2017 Sentra vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error within the air bag inflators, the passenger frontal air bag may not properly deploy in the event of a crash.

        Risk and remedy
        Risk: In the event of a crash, if the front passenger air bag doesn't deploy properly, it can increase the risk of injury to passengers.
        Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 7, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
        16V-485Jun 29, 2016
        Electrical System:Wiring

        Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016 Sentra vehicles manufactured April 11, 2016, through April 26, 2016. The engine room harness may have a terminal pin too large to maintain a connection with the Engine Control Unit (ECU).

        Risk and remedy
        Risk: If the engine room harness loses connection to the ECU, the vehicle may not start or the engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
        Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the terminal pin on the engine room harness, free of charge. The recall began on August 15, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
        16V-436Jun 15, 2016
        Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator Module

        Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016 LEAF vehicles manufactured February 24, 2016, to March 23, 2016, and Sentra vehicles manufactured February 9, 2016, to March 4, 2016. The wiring harness connector may disconnect from the dual-stage passenger air bag.

        Risk and remedy
        Risk: If the wiring harness disconnects, the passenger air bag may not to deploy during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
        Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the wiring harness connector for proper engagement and, if necessary, replace the passenger air bag module and main body harness, free of charge. The recall began on August 9, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
        16V-244Apr 26, 2016
        Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification

        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.

        Risk and remedy
        Risk: 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.
        Remedy: 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.
        16V-242Apr 26, 2016
        Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification

        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.

        Risk and remedy
        Risk: 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.
        Remedy: 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.

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