Most common 1999 Nissan Sentra problems
Share of the 59 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Nissan Sentra complaints by model year
Best Sentra years: 2023, 2024. Years to avoid: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2020, 2016. Compare all years →
What 1999 Nissan Sentra owners say
Electrical system
I had just entered a 3-lane highway and was driving 25-30 MPH in the rain at night, when the engine suddenly just stopped! I had no lights, no brakes, no horn, no steering. By some small miracle, the emergency brake stopped the car,and I had a cell phone. The police got there before anyone hit me. Sheehy Nissan service dept. Said that this is a common occurance with sentras, and several years were recalled for defective components for the same kind of problems, but 1999 was not included. Therefore, the repairs as estimated would cost me roughly one grand. Forgot to mention that my son and baby girl were with me when the car failed on the highway. Aren't the dealers required to report this sort of thing to the manufacturer?
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled several times without warning. The vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop, who was not able to diagnose the failure. The contact was not included in NHTSA campaign numbers: 03V477000 (electrical system), 03V455000 (engine and engine cooling), and 01V357000 (engine and engine cooling). The contact continued to experience the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.
Engine & cooling
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled several times without warning. The vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop, who was not able to diagnose the failure. The contact was not included in NHTSA campaign numbers: 03V477000 (electrical system), 03V455000 (engine and engine cooling), and 01V357000 (engine and engine cooling). The contact continued to experience the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.
Air conditioner sends water into the rugs inside the car. Once, I intended to manipulate one of the air controls and ever since I have had this problem. I've been taking the car to the Nissan service center to have this problem solved but I am told that the water pipe was drained. I have taken the car on the following dates: 5-5-01/ 1-5-02/ 5/31/02 and 5-2-03 the problem continues and is getting worse.
Air bags
Braking system failed to fully function. When I pressed the brake pedal to slow down, the vehicle slowed. However, as I pressed the brake pedal harder to come to a full stop, the vehicle did not respond. A two vehicle car crash resulted, and the Sentra is a total loss. The air bags did not deploy. The brakes were last serviced on 10-23-06. I do not trust the dealership, since I have had previous problems. I had the same supspension problems with the vehicle - tires wearing prematurely on the inside. In one instance, Nissan of hickory told me there were no problems with my vehicle. After two hours, the service manager walked me into the garage, where he tried to prove the problem was my tires. I pointed to a leaking shock on my vehicle, and he was suprised and upset that I noticed it. He then told me they did not take the tires off my vehicle in the two hours I was waiting. …
While traveling on freeway at 50 MPH consumer was exiting ramp when brakes stopped working, consumer had to swerve and hit a brick building at 30 to 40 MPH. Brakes finally did kick in, and it did slow vehicle down a little before hitting a brick wall. Upon impact, airbags didn't deploy, consumer states that it felt as if the brakes caused the vehicle to accelerate.
1999 Nissan Sentra engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 25 / 35 / 29 |
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 23 / 33 / 27 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 27 / 23 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 20 / 28 / 23 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1999 Nissan Sentra a good car?
Based on 59 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1999 Sentra rates better than average: 56% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Sentra at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1999 Nissan Sentra?
The electrical system — 12 complaints, 20% of all complaints for this model year, most often about ignition. Next are the engine & cooling (8) and air bags (7).
How many recalls does the 1999 Nissan Sentra have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1999 Nissan Sentra. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Nissan Sentra?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2023 and 2024. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2020 and 2016. See the full Nissan Sentra years comparison.
At what mileage do 1999 Nissan Sentra problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 73,000 miles; 23% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.