Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Nissan Sentra owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My Nissan Sentra decided to stall out in the middle of a very busy intersection. Was able to restart the Nissan after about 15 seconds. Later that day I was unable to start my car. Battery was jumped and the car was running until I turned my headlights on. I had to be towed home. I believe my can sensor and crank sensor need to be replaced and there was a recall for this complaint before.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Nissan Sentra. While driving various speeds, the vehicle stalled and independently accelerated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 140,000.
Takata recall; after purchasing vehicle and driving for about 10 minutes; check engine light suddenly comes on prior to picking up speed to enter highway; vehicle abruptly loses power at a speed of 65 miles per hour and stalls in traffic causing a near fatal traffic accident; after running the VIN number in NHTSA database vehicle was never recalled for grossly negligent issue with crankshaft and camshaft position sensors. This leads me to the fact that vehicle manufacturer never contacted original owner concerning this terrible safety issue. After finding out about two outstanding recalls that were never addressed in which the vehicle has exhibited potential catastrophic consequences based upon the manufacturers product defect it was uncovered that the vehicle has a potential fatal issue with the passenger side airbag. …
Dt:after starting the car on May 15 2005 it was put in reverse and the accelerator went up, raising the rpms to 4000. This lasted 3-5 seconds. The consumer put the car into neutral and turned the ignition off. Then, turned the car off and t back on. He thought that it was a one time event, and maybe something that made the rpms to rise. . Then in July 2005 the consumer was sitting in the car, and then the rpms increased to 6000 while it was in park. The consumer shut off the vehicle and turned it back on, and everything was fine again. The third time, five days later, while merging onto the highway, the consumer stopped to let the other car go, and consumer's vehicle took off. The car rolled forward, the rpms rose to about 6000, and the car sped up to 3-4 MPH. The consumer pushed the brakes in and the car continued to go forward. …
I have a 2002 Nissan Sentra gxe that was bought on September 29, 2001 as a brand new car. The gas pedal hardens and does not respond when my foot press on it after the car has been stationary at a stop sign or at a red light. A second foot press on the gas pedal gets the car going but it causes the car to jerk back and the back wheels to skid as though I was putting excessive force on the acceleration. This has been very dangerous for me especially in wet weather. I brought the car to the dealer when I find out that the problem does not associate with the fact that the car was new and has to be broken in. On two occasions, when I complained of the problem, the dealer technician found build up in the throttle chamber and manually cleaned out the throttle chamber. However, the above described problem kept coming back and has proven to be very dangerous for me on the road. …
Tl contact owns a 2002 Nissan Sentra se-r. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced recurring failures when it began to stall or fail to accelerate. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the throttle body was replaced. Approximately 2 months later, the failure began to recur and the vehicle was taken back to an authorized dealer where the throttle body was replaced twice. The contact began to notice that the vehicle was burning approximately one quart of oil a week. Approximately 6 months later, the failures began to recur and the vehicle was taken back to the authorized dealer who stated that the engine melted. The contact was informed of an engine recall and the engine was replaced by an authorized dealer. Approximately two months later, the vehicle failed to accelerate intermittently. The vehicle was not examined in order to determine the cause of failure. …
The floormat of my 2002 Nissan Sentra ser spec v got caught under my gas pedal causing it to become stuck to the floor. I was able to turn off the key and pull off to the side of the highway. I noticed that the floor mat keeps twisting where this will be a recurring problem. These are the factory floor mats. I checked to see if there was a recall, which there was, but the manufacturer states that my car was not involved in the recall. I explained that what happened to me is the reason for the recall, but they said that they would not replace the mats without charging me. I complained directly to Nissan through their web site, and other than a confirmation notice they have failed to respond to my complaint. I'm sure that this condition will cause accidents, but Nissan does not seem to care. …
Dt: without warning the vehicle accelerated. While driving at about 30 MPH the vehicle started accelerating on its own. Caller had to hit the brakes to get it to stop. He pulled off the road, turned it off, and restarted it. Caller says it was a gradual acceleration. Manufacturer told caller about recalls. Dealer was not concerned about the problem and will talk about it tomorrow.
The accelerator freezes frequently. When it becomes unstuck, the car lurches either forward or backward depending on which gear it's in. I have had some near misses with other autos and structures.
About 2 months ago, my husband and I were driving to new jersey from maryland going north on 95. We were in the left lane going about 75 miles per hour when the car completely lost throttle response. My husband was pressing down on the accelerator but nothing was happening. This has been an on going problem with his 2002 Nissan Sentra spec v. We have had several throttle bodies replaced as this is what the computer is telling them the problem is. This is a safety issue because you will be driving normally at regular posted speeds, and without warning, the car losses response to pressing on the accelerator. I have tried to contact Nissan regarding this matter but just received confirmation of the email. Two Nissan service departments have replaced the part several times without the satisfactory results. …
Acceleration complaints in other Sentra years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2002 Nissan Sentra?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2002 Nissan Sentra, 7% of the model year's 304 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Nissan Sentra acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2002 Nissan Sentra, though it has 10 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2002 Nissan Sentra acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 61,000 miles, and 45% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to speed control & acceleration problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.