Most common 2004 Nissan Sentra problems
Share of the 197 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 →
2004 Nissan Sentra recalls (4)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2002-2006 Sentra vehicles whose passenger air bags were previously inspected and may have been released without replacing the Takata air bag inflator.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been completed. Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will re-inspect the vehicle and, if necessary, replace the air bag inflator, free of charge.
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2001-2003 Maxima, 2002-2006 Sentra, 2002-2004 Pathfinder, 2007-2011 Versa Sedan and Versa Hatchback, 2001-2004 Infiniti I30 and I35, 2002-2003 Inifiniti QX4, 2003-2008 Infiniti FX35 and FX45 and 2006-2010 M35 and M45 vehicles.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators with alternate desiccated inflators, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2020.
Air bags
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2001-2003 Nissan Maxima, 2002-2004 Pathfinder, 2002-2006 Sentra, 2002-2003 Infiniti QX4 and I35, 2003 FX35 and FX45, and 2001 I30 vehicles. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on June 15, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2004 Nissan Sentra:
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag…
What 2004 Nissan Sentra owners say
Engine & cooling all 85 →
The contact owns a 2004 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH, the engine began to run roughly and the vehicle was shaking. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled off the road safely where the vehicle stalled. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle, but eventually had the vehicle towed to his residence. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact researched the failure online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 06V242000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
My car usually takes two tries to start. After it warms up and I've been driving, it stalls suddenly, and I'm stranded for several minutes. When it does start up again, it goes a short distance, and as soon as the engine warms up again, it stalls again. Today it stalled on the way home, three times, in less than 4 miles. I was left sitting on the side of the road, hoping I wouldn't get hit. I have also had it stall in the middle of a busy intersection, and am very concerned about it stalling when I pull out in front of other traffic to cross a road. I am at risk of a crash because of this. It has stalled whiie driving on the highway, city streets and on rural roads. One night it stalled over a dozen times as I was passing through a bad area of time ten o'clock at night. …
Fuel & propulsion system all 36 →
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2004 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while fueling the tank, the fuel gauge failed to provide accurate reading fuel levels. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15V287000 (air bags) and stated that the part needed for the repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 155,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Vehicle hesitates when starting & stalls out or shuts down when slowing down or coming to a halt. If let to sit for a while it will restart, but has left me stranded multiple times. Crank sensor replaced as well as all fluids. Have had it checked for codes, but nothing shows up. Car was recently purchased in late May 2016. Vendor repaired several items,but now car is out of vendor warranty.
Air bags all 32 →
The contact owns a 2004 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at an independent mechanic, the vehicle was diagnosed computer system failure, causing the vehicle to fail to start. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V287000 (Air Bags), which was associated with the VIN. The manufacturer had the vehicle towed to the dealer. The dealer informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The dealer notified the manufacturer that the contact had refused to pay for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not repaired and remained with the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
I have been getting recall notices for over 2 years on my 2004 Sentra concerning airbag replacement. I called the number on the recall mailing and was told on multiple occasions that the car was dangerous to operate. I am a [redacted] and was assured that the Nissan recall team offered a mobile repair service and that my repair was in the range of mobile repair service technicians and that a repair tech could be sent to my location. I agreed to the time line that they suggested. I just requested the exact time and date of the repair work. Nissan agree to the repair service arrangements and I thought that I would have the service work done at my location. As time passed the Nissan agent called multiple times assuring me that when a repair unit was available that it would be dispatched to my location to preform the required service. …
2004 Nissan Sentra engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 24 / 31 / 27 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 24 / 32 / 27 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 6-speed manual | FWD | 20 / 27 / 23 |
| 2.5L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 26 / 22 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2004 Nissan Sentra a good car?
Based on 197 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2004 Sentra rates average: about as many complaints as 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 2004 Nissan Sentra?
The engine & cooling — 85 complaints, 43% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (36) and air bags (32).
How many recalls does the 2004 Nissan Sentra have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2004 Nissan Sentra, the most recent from December 1, 2020 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the 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 2004 Nissan Sentra problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 77,000 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.