NHTSA has 132 owner complaints on file for the 2021 Nissan Sentra, received from 2021 to 2026. The most-reported system is steering (40 complaints, 30%), followed by forward collision avoidance (39) and electrical system (38). Owners reported 14 crashes, 1 fire, 8 injuries and 0 deaths. Median mileage at failure: 23,000 miles. Complaints peaked in 2023, with 42 received that year. 3 safety recalls cover this model year.
132NHTSA complaints
3safety recalls
14crashes reported
1fires reported
8injuries
0deaths
Quick answers
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Nissan Sentra?
Owners report steering problems most often: 40 of 132 NHTSA complaints (30%), followed by forward collision avoidance (39) and electrical system (38).
How many recalls does the 2021 Nissan Sentra have?
NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls for the 2021 Nissan Sentra. The most recent is 23V628000 (backover prevention, 2023-09-08).
At what mileage do 2021 Nissan Sentra problems happen?
The median mileage at failure is 23,000 miles, across 21 complaints that reported mileage.
Have owners reported crashes or fires in the 2021 Nissan Sentra?
Yes. Owners reported 14 crashes, 1 fire, 8 injuries and 0 deaths in NHTSA complaints.
Problems by system
System
Complaints
Share
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Median miles
Steering
40
30%
11
1
7
33,000
Forward collision avoidance
39
30%
1
0
2
5,800
Electrical system
38
29%
0
0
1
47,929
Service brakes
24
18%
7
1
4
18,882
Unknown or other
19
14%
2
1
1
–
Engine
7
5%
0
0
0
75,094
Exterior lighting
6
5%
0
0
0
–
Speed control
6
5%
0
0
1
–
Suspension
6
5%
1
0
0
24,000
Wheels
5
4%
1
0
0
–
Power train
4
3%
0
0
0
118,000
Backover prevention
3
2%
0
0
0
60,000
Lane departure
3
2%
1
0
1
–
Structure
3
2%
1
0
0
14,000
Visibility and wipers
2
2%
0
0
0
–
Latches, locks and linkages
1
1%
0
0
0
–
Parking brake
1
1%
0
0
0
13,414
Seat belts
1
1%
1
0
1
43,177
Tires
1
1%
0
0
0
–
A complaint can name more than one system, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints received by year
202113202215202342202426202521202615
Safety recalls (3)
23V628000 · Backover prevention · 2023-09-08
Defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Altima and 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. Damage to the camera harness can cause distortion or loss of the rearview camera display image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and harness for damage and replace them as necessary. If no damage is found, the dealer will apply protective tape and reroute the rearview camera harness. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 19, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23C3.
Defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Sentra vehicles. The left and/or right tie rod may bend.
Risk: A bent tie rod can break and cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Owners are advised to contact their dealer for transport assistance if they are experiencing an off-center steering wheel or vibration. As an interim repair, dealers will inspect and replace any bent or broken tie rods, free of charge. Once newly designed parts are available, dealers will replace both left and right tie rods, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed November 27, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23B3. This recall replaces and expands recall number 21V-461. Vehicles previously repaired under 21V-461 will…
Defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. The left and/or right tie rod may be bent.
Risk: A bent tie rod can break, causing a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the left and/or right tie rods as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 5, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PM985.
The scope of repair required fixing a recalled tie rod that suffered a catastrophic failure, which directly caused the vehicle’s ADAS, Advanced Emergency Braking (AEB), and collision detection systems to crash. Berman Nissan promised a legally compliant, safe repair but breached this agreement by…
Steering · NHTSA complaint 11750579, received 2026-07-15
Hello, I am reporting a steering-related issue involving the inner tie rods on my 2021 Nissan Sentra. Nissan previously issued safety recall campaign PM985 for bent inner tie rods on certain Sentra vehicles from the same model year. Two separate repair facilities inspected my vehicle and confirmed…
Steering · NHTSA complaint 11739878, received 2026-05-25
I purchased this vehicle brand new in 2021. Since then, I have experienced a very concerning safety issue on multiple occasions involving the automatic emergency braking system. While driving normally, with the vehicle operating without any apparent problems, the emergency braking system has…
Forward collision avoidance · NHTSA complaint 11768165, received 2026-09-30
My 2021 Nissan Sentra has experienced multiple false Automatic Emergency Braking (phantom braking) events where the vehicle suddenly applies the brakes despite there being no vehicle, pedestrian, or obstacle in its path. This issue occurred before and after my vehicle was serviced by AutoNation…
Forward collision avoidance · NHTSA complaint 11751232, received 2026-07-18
The infotainment/radio system in my 2021 Nissan Sentra intermittently reboots and produces static. When this happens, the backup camera freezes or shuts off completely. This has occurred while I was actively reversing, causing a sudden loss of rear visibility. The screen either goes black or…
Electrical system · NHTSA complaint 11733950, received 2026-04-27
The passenger front, and both back windows no longer function. This appears to be a common issue when searching the internet. There is also an issue with the keyless start, as it often does not recognize that the fob is in the vehicle, or gives a low batter warning (with a new battery). As there…
Electrical system · NHTSA complaint 11720638, received 2026-02-26
Other Nissan Sentra model years
1982 · 1 complaint
1983 · 1 complaint
1984 · 3 complaints
1985 · 6 complaints
1986 · 6 complaints
1987 · 36 complaints
1988 · 37 complaints
1989 · 41 complaints
1990 · 39 complaints
1991 · 63 complaints
1992 · 62 complaints
1993 · 58 complaints
1994 · 99 complaints
1995 · 117 complaints
1996 · 141 complaints
1997 · 108 complaints
1998 · 58 complaints
1999 · 59 complaints
2000 · 171 complaints
2001 · 236 complaints
2002 · 304 complaints
2003 · 180 complaints
2004 · 197 complaints
2005 · 170 complaints
2006 · 116 complaints
2007 · 154 complaints
2008 · 167 complaints
2009 · 55 complaints
2010 · 144 complaints
2011 · 142 complaints
2012 · 180 complaints
2013 · 638 complaints
2014 · 380 complaints
2015 · 352 complaints
2016 · 270 complaints
2017 · 231 complaints
2018 · 185 complaints
2019 · 223 complaints
2020 · 206 complaints
2022 · 81 complaints
2023 · 20 complaints
2024 · 41 complaints
2025 · 31 complaints
2026 · 19 complaints
Source
Built from the NHTSA complaints flat file and the NHTSA recalls flat files, data as of 2026-10-22. Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular models collect more of them.