Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2003 Nissan Sentra owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The car quits as I'm driving it , The headlights and the dome lights go dim and radio light flickers then it goes completely out and when I'm driving the car it has a rough idle and in order to keep the car running when I get to a stop light or stop sign is to put the car in park .
Tl*- the contact received a recall letter two months ago for the 2003 Nissan Sentra, but the vehicle failed last year. While driving the weather was poor, the temperature dropped to 17 degrees and itstarted snowing ,he was driving under blizzard conditions. He was tried to slow down and the vehicle stalled on the highway. Due to the icy conditions a truck had stopped, but the contact's vehicle slid into the rear of the truck. His insurance company stated he was at fault. He called the manufacturer, who informed him that there was no recall, but that they would send someone to look at the vehicle. Nissan confirmed the insurance findings, and said it was not their fault and that nothing was wrong with the car. In August 2006 the vehicle repeated the same failure. Whie going 3 MPH and the car stalled while making a right hand turn. …
Tl contact owns a 2003 Nissan Sentra. The contact was involved in two crashes. The engine and catalytic converter were replaced twice. The engine stalls and loses power intermittently. When driving uphill at various speeds, the vehicle jerks. When traveling downhill, the vehicle shuts off. When the vehicle is on level ground, it will automatically restart. The first crash occurred in July of 2007, but the failures occurred prior to the crash. While idling at a stop light, the vehicle shut off. It took a while for the contact to restart the vehicle. When it started, the vehicle lurched and jumped, which caused him to rear end another vehicle at 7 MPH. Both vehicles sustained minimal damage. A police report was filed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer four times before they made the first repair, which was the replacement of the cylinder heads. …
Purchased 2003 Nissan Sentra with 52,000 miles around August 2013. Vehicle was having trouble starting, mechanic needed to replace catalytic converter (front & rear), about 2-3 weeks later the car started going through about 1 quart of oil every 1-2 days. Our mechanic checked the vehicle and found a recall bulletin explaining that debris from this vehicle's catalytic converter gets ingested into the engine, which causes the piston rings to wear out and also causes excessive oil consumption. If the oil is not checked and filled constantly, it May cause engine failure and/or a fire in the engine. According to our Nissan dealership, Nissan has replaced engines in these affected vehicles. When our vehicle was brought to the dealership, Nissan headquarters refused to repair our vehicle under the recall bulletin stating we are 14 months past the point that Nissan would've fixed it. …
Purchased 2003 Nissan Sentra with 52,000 miles around August 2013. Vehicle was having trouble starting, mechanic needed to replace catalytic converter (front & rear), about 2-3 weeks later the car started going through about 1 quart of oil every 1-2 days. Our mechanic checked the vehicle and found a recall bulletin explaining that debris from this vehicle's catalytic converter gets ingested into the engine, which causes the piston rings to wear out and also causes excessive oil consumption. If the oil is not checked and filled constantly, it May cause engine failure and/or a fire in the engine. According to our Nissan dealership, Nissan has replaced engines in these affected vehicles. When our vehicle was brought to the dealership, Nissan headquarters refused to repair our vehicle under the recall bulletin stating we are 14 months past the point that Nissan would've fixed it. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Nissan Sentra. While driving less than 10 MPH, a loud popping noise was heard from the engine. The check engine warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel and the vehicle stalled in the middle of the road. The vehicle restarted after approximately five minutes and was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the catalytic converter was faulty. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer who confirmed that the catalytic converter was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but did not offer to assist. The failure mileage was 25,000. Updated 09/10/15 updated 10/05/15 the consumer stated the vehicle stalled without warning. There were multiple problem codes that appeared on the diagnostic scanners. Updated 02/09/16
Car while in drive will stall and idle. Car also has completely shut off while driving and has continuously occurred intermittently. Multiple engine codes have came on and repairs have been completed but the issue continues. At this time crankshaft, and cam sensor have been replaced. It has been suggested that transmission be replaced and is currently in process. Reading up on this issue appears there is a recall for same issue for similar vehicles of the same year and make ( NHTSA campaign number: 03V455000) but my vehicle does not qualify for the recall. Issue is a major safety as car could cause accident and occurs at any time including high speeds. I have been fortunate to not drive and have vehicle towed to mechanic for further followup in hopes of resolution. Nissan needs to address as appears to be a repeat issue.
Tl* - the contact called regarding the 2003 Nissan Sentra. The driver was traveling at 45-50 MPH when the engine suddenly shut off,and the vehicle continued to move. The driver applied the brakes and the vehicle would not stop, and the steering wheel locked. The road conditions were icy. The vehicle hit a cement wall. The driver and passenger air bags deployed. There were no injuries. The contact was given a police report. The failure mileage was 50,000. The vehicle was towed. The insurance investigator was going to inspect the vehicle on 2/27/07.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Nissan Sentra. While driving at 35 MPH, a loud abnormal noise was heard and the engine stalled. The contact was concerned that the failure could result in a crash. The vehicle was unable to restart on the first attempt. The failure occurred several times. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the catalytic converters needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 24,000. The VIN was not available. Ma 10/2 updated 11/03/2017
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact also stated that the check engine light illuminated after the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 03v4770000 (electrical system). The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the ECM box needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 26,000.
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling
On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.5l engine, the crank angle sensor is affected by temperature variations. Under certain driving conditions, these variations in temperature can be large enough to cause a brief interruption in the signal output from the sensor.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the ECM free of charge. The recall began on August 21, 2006. Owners May contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Engine and engine cooling
On certain electric vehicles, the front suspension transverse link's ball joint bracket May break from stress concentration at a notch created by surface roughness and the shape of the material cut-line.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the bracket on these vehicles. Owner notification began December 15, 2003. Owners should contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Engine and engine cooling
On certain passenger vehicles, the circuit board for the crank position sensor or cam position sensor May have an improper solder joint due to solder deformation caused by heat stress accelerated by the existence of flux residue during the soldering process.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the crank position sensors. Camshaft position sensor(s), and in some cases, the variable timing control sensor(s).
Engine complaints in other Sentra years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2003 Nissan Sentra?
NHTSA has 107 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2003 Nissan Sentra, 59% of the model year's 180 complaints. The component named most often is engine (17 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2003 Nissan Sentra engine problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 06V-242 (engine and engine cooling, Jul 7, 2006); NHTSA recall 03V-511 (engine and engine cooling, Dec 10, 2003); NHTSA recall 03V-455 (engine and engine cooling, Nov 17, 2003). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2003 Nissan Sentra engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to engine & cooling 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.