2017 Nissan Sentra · symptom sheet

Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard

25owner reports
64,810median miles
0involved a crash

Newest report Jun 1, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026

76 of the 230 complaints on this car are about the transmission and drivetrain. 25 of those describe transmission shudder.

No recall on this systemas of Oct 2, 2026

No crash reportedin 25 reports

Tick what matches of 25 reports

shudders or vibrates at low speed

slips or revs without pulling

bangs or clunks into gear

hesitates when I accelerate

a dealer did a software update

fluid was changed or flushed

Transmission shudder on other Sentra years

201475 reports 201563 reports 201651 reports 201725 reports

Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2026.

What this problem usually is

This is the biggest drivetrain group on the site: a transmission that shudders, slips, hesitates or bangs into gear. It's the everyday version of transmission trouble, where the car still drives but doesn't drive right, and it has three narrower sheets of its own for jerking, hesitation and slipping.

Read the full explainer · Which cars report it most

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the transmission (4 reports).

Recalls and investigations

No recall on the transmission and drivetrain covers the 2017 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 54,474 and 91,667 miles, from the 14 reports that gave a mileage.

Is this a known problem?

The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 4 service bulletins or notices for the 2017 Nissan Sentra that deal with this problem. Newest first.

Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.

Service bulletinNTB19-075Oct 9, 2019
2013-2017 SENTRA; CVT JUDDER IF YOU CONFIRM The customer reports a transmission judder (shake, shudder, single or multiple bumps or vibration), hesitation on acceleration, lack of power or RPM flare. ACTION Refer to the Repair Overview on pages 2 and 3.
Service bulletinNTB18-077bOct 1, 2019
MIL ON WITH DTC P0776, P1715 AND MAY HAVE HESITATION AND/OR LACK OF POWER
Service bulletinNTB18-077Nov 8, 2018
MIL ON WITH DTC P0776, P1715 AND MAY HAVE HESITATION AND/OR LACK OF POWER This bulletin applies only to vehicles equipped with a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission). IF YOU CONFIRM The MIL is ON with DTC P0776 (PC SOLENOID B ? Pressure Control Solenoid ?B? Performance/Stuck OFF) stored.
Service bulletinNTB17-034Apr 26, 2017
2017 SENTRA; CVT JUDDER AND/OR P0746/P0965 STORED IF YOU CONFIRM The customer reports a transmission judder (shake, shudder, single or multiple bumps or vibration), hesitation on acceleration, lack of power or RPM flare. AND/OR One of these DTCs is stored.

What owners wrote

“The CVT has failed in my car causing multiple issues with jerking, shaking, stuttering. When i was making a left turn, my car hesitated and almost caused an accident because I didnt have the power to pull out when I should have. Now the repair is being quoted over $5k because they are saying I need an all new transmission. No warning lamps, messages have been indicated on my dash”
Filed Sep 11, 2023

“CVT transmission failed while driving at highway speed. Mechanic states Nissan CVT are under recall. Warranty will not cover this failure. Happened at 60k miles. Indicator light came on as CVT began slipping. Car went into "limp" mode.”
Filed Jul 6, 2023 · 60,000 miles

“My nissan keeps slipping when I try to accelerate. I noticed everyone is having the same problem there needs to be a recall some people don't have money for a new transmission. The dealerships have to take care of this issue and I need a car to get back and forth. I bought this car brand new in 2017. I need this issue addressed”
Filed Dec 14, 2022

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 0 of 25 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.

File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.

Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found