MODELYEARINDEX

Nissan Sentra

2,416 complaints across 12 scored model years and 28 recall campaigns.

Which years to avoid

Ownership label · Nissan Sentra Full report
D
Grade 2010–2021
2013 vs model median 1.6×
Model median3× median
Brakes 76
Airbags & Restraints 68
Drivetrain 62
Avoid

2013

Best

2011 · 2012

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2010
0.44× 65 B
2011
0.43× 67 B
2012
0.58× 113 A
2013
1.65× 322 D
2014
1.06× 190 C
2015
1.07× 205 C
2016
1.07× 192 C
2017
0.93× 160 C
2018
0.92× 180 B
2019
1.29× 242 C
2020
1.04× 235 C
2021
0.96× 175 C
2022 P
0.68× 141 B
2023 P
0.16× 33 A
2024 P
0.35× 54 B
2025 P
0.28× 42 B

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What it costs to run

EPA figures for the most recent model year on record.

Combined MPG34
City / Highway30 / 40
Engine2L, 4 cyl
DriveFront-Wheel Drive
Annual fuel cost$1,800

Recalls

28 campaigns on record.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
16V244000 AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION 2013–2016 3,296,947
19V654000 BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA 2018, 2019 1,228,830
14V138000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE 2013, 2014 989,701
21V135000 EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH 2016–2019 807,376
16V242000 AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION 2013–2016 645,898
23V581000 STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY 2020–2022 236,238
23V628000 BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA 2020, 2021 153,376
18V551000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION 2017 153,047

+ 20 further campaigns

Others in Compact Cars

Same body and size class. Each grade describes that model against its own history — these are not ranked against each other.

Model Years to avoid Grade
Acura ILX
20142016
C
Audi A3
20152017
C
BMW 1 Series
none flagged
C
BMW I3
none flagged
C
Buick Verano
none flagged
C
Chevrolet Bolt EV
2017
C
Chevrolet Cobalt
none flagged
C
Chevrolet Cruze
20112012
C

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2013 Sentra
Complaints in window
322
Severity-weighted
474.5
Model median (weighted)
288
vs model median
1.65×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
6
Open investigations
0
Score 43.8 D