2012 Nissan Sentra problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Power Train (54) · Vehicle Speed Control (21) · Engine (14)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Nissan Sentra model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
129 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (0)
No recalls on record for this model year (campaigns announced since 2010).
Service bulletins (107)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Structure:body 2026-04-13 · NTB09-131C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
certification label and vin plate replacement service information because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “certification label” or “vin plate/label” may be needed. hint: certification label = fmvss (federal motor vehicle safety standards) label. these items may be availabl
Structure:body 2026-04-13 · NTB09-131C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
certification label and vin plate replacement service information because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “certification label” or “vin plate/label” may be needed. hint: certification label = fmvss (federal motor vehicle safety standards) label. these items may be availabl
Electrical System 2024-05-21 · NTB13-107G · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
vehicle key not detected / authenticated, engine will not start this bulletin has been amended. see amendment history on the last page. please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
Electrical System 2024-05-21 · NTB13-027D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
can communication – network diagnostic flow chart this bulletin has been amended. see amendment history on the last page. please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
Electrical System 2024-05-21 · NTB10-066C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
can communication codes – diagnostic tips and guidelines this bulletin has been amended. see amendment history on the last page. please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
Visibility/Wiper 2024-04-30 · NTB17-019H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
window glass warranty information this bulletin has been amended. see amendment history on the last page. please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
Showing the 6 most recent of 107 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2025-08-01 · Vehicle Speed Control · 160,504 mi“the contact owns a 2012 nissan sentra. the contact stated that while driving 35 mph and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond. the check engine warning light was illuminated. the dealer was not contacted. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage …”
2025-02-12 · Service Brakes“my abs light and skid light is staying on all the time.…”
2024-11-18 · Air Bags · 💥 crash“the contact owned a 2012 nissan sentra. the contact stated that while her boyfriend was driving at 40 mph and passing a side street, another driver traveling in a subaru failed to yield. as a result, the subaru collided with the passenger side of the contact's vehicle sending the vehicle careening off the roadway and into a wooded area only coming …”
2024-10-30 · Vehicle Speed Control“car stalled no power in gas pedal traveling across for lane traffic just lost power to the gas pedal. was able to pull over and tuned off car after a few minutes of sitting power was restore and was able to drive again i have been told this is a transmission issue i am not sure but defiantly a safety issue losing power like that …”
2024-09-17 · Air Bags · 174,000 mi“the contact owns a 2012 nissan sentra. the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to turn on the headlights, the air bags deployed. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. the contact related the failure to special coverage adjustment: 23520 passenger presence sensor (pps) mo…”
2024-08-12 · Visibility/Wiper“the rearview mirror fell off the windshield and was hanging by the wires, which was found when entering the vehicle to drive; when touched, the wires and everything fell the rest off the way off the windshield. glass from the windshield broke off with the rearview mirror. this was hazardous to be missing while driving and has prevented visibility a…”
2024-05-31 · Power Train“our nissan sentra with 106k miles the car lost nearly all power as my son was turning onto the freeway. he could only drive 16 miles an hour and it was hopping and jumping through a 8 lane freeway/highway intersection while he tried to get into a parking lot off the road. he turned it off, waited 5 minutes, and turned it back on, but it was still s…”
2024-03-29 · Power Train“leaking transmission oil. also burning engine oil a week after doing an oil change to the point there is no oil but no leaks.…”
2024-03-05 · Electrical System:ignition · 79,000 mi“the contact owns a 2012 nissan sentra. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled and, on several occasions, and the vehicle failed to restart. the vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who replaced the ignition switch, but the failure persisted. the vehicle was later taken to the local deal…”
2023-01-19 · Engine · 100,000 mi · 🔥 fire“the contact’s husband owns a 2012 nissan sentra. the contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started to smoke at an unknown location of the vehicle and caught fire. no warning lights were illuminated. no injuries were sustained. no medical attention was required. the local authorities were notified, and th…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.