Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Nissan Sentra owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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.
Engine fuel pump failure. Driving on busy highway engine started to stall. Had to use clutch to keep engine running, nearly missing other vehicles trying to maintain control of vehicle trying to restart engine. Immediately took to dealer and fuel pump failure diagnosed. Fuel pump being replaced right now at $700.00.
My 2004 Nissan Sentra has just failed emissions testing for the 3rd time. The paperwork I recieved says the catalytic converter is deteriorating faster than anticipated and turning on the MIL. Also, that the owner was notified dec. 5, 2005 however, I did not purchase the car until 2014.
2004 Nissan Sentra 1.8s: purchased new on 3/13/2004. Mileage 2060 - jersey city, nj: service engine soon light came on, brought to dealer, ECM reprogrammed, dealer did not know what caused the light to come on. Erratic/rough idling still persists, vehicle shut off once while refueling. Mileage, approx. 4725 - jersey city, nj: service engine soon light came on and went off intermittently, dealer refused to repair due to "no hard code is stored." erratic/rough idling persists. Vehicle shut off second time while parked. Began lemon law proceedings in new jersey. Mileage, 5370 - myrtle beach, sc: service engine soon light is on. Car is bucking in 1st gear (automatic), "mapp" gas or rotten egg smell (possibly excess sulfur) coming from exhaust. Error code p0171/p0174, air flow meter replaced with no further failures. Mileage, 5637 - charlotte, nc: service engine soon light is on. …
August 2014:I was driving home from work on a city street doing about 45 when the car just shut off. I was able to coast into a parking lot with the residual power the car had. Luckily no one was next to me. The steering was gone since there was no power. After many attempts, I finally got the car started but had to put the car into neutral whenever I was at a light (because the RPM was at 500 and it kept shutting off when I applied the brake). Managed to make it home. Ended up being the cam/crank sensors that went out. Fast forward to November 2015 and I had to replace the cam sensor again!! Car still idles at 500 RPM and always feels like it's going to shut off. Next issue is the power windows. Drivers side gets half-way down, but you have to pull the switch up quickly in order for it to roll back up. Cannot open/close passenger window from drivers side, only passenger side. …
Nissan Sentra 2004 model - manufacturer defect - recall required. Dear, this is regarding my Sentra car - doing service only with Nissan dealer. Took the car 3 times to dealer for the same problem - only on the 3rd time they could find the problem. Seems they never came across this type of problem before. Brake booster does not send fluid to brake -stalls the car middle of the freeway/highway from 65/55miles to 5 miles - suddenly comes sudden halt in highway. Gave full acceleration, it doesn't move more than 5 miles/hr. Returned to car dealer again. Avoided several accidents. My services charges were $1,200 - which includes fuel system replacement, brake pads, rotors - at early stage - @39700 miles. Very bad experience with Nissan for the first time - I had altima before. It is a total manufacturer defect. I am worried as my teen age daughter and wife are driving this car. …
In September of 2011 I started to have a problem fueling my car. As soon as I begin putting fuel in, it starts spitting fuel back out. My service engine light has been on since then and just yesterday I checked out the code at my friend's house - it is indeed p1446. After more investigation on line, it looks like a vent control valve needs to be replaced. I'm not sure why this isn't a recall issue. It's dangerous and expensive to fix. After more research, I found that there have been numerous reports of the same problem....even one that caused a fire that severely burned a mother and child. I checked for any recalls on sentras on the website but I only got 1 recall which applies to 2.5l engine versions. No recalls were listed for this problem. I am a widow with three children and don't have the money to make this repair. I need your help. Please.
Refueling: this 2004 Nissan Sentra 1.8s has had issues when refueling. The tank is not properly vented thus leading to a rush of pressure once the fuel cap is opened. This results in gasoline rushing up through the filler neck and spilling out. In addition, the tank is hard to fill as station nozzles do not permit refueling if the tank is not venting correctly while fueling; the station pump automatically stops fueling. This is a hazard as raw gasoline and outside environments do not relate. A simple google search on "04 Sentra fuel tank" will return hundreds if not thousands of owners with the 2004's who complain about the same exact issue regarding the venting of the tank. The 2005 models were recalled but Nissan left the 2004 owners aside; they know the 2004's have the same issue as the 2005's that were recalled.
Nissan sentras, 2002-2006, have a perpetual problem with long engine cranks before the engine will start and is detailed in TSB number ntb05-052a. The remedy for this problem is to install part numbers 22670-8u70c and 17342-01a00, which is a fuel pump repair kit and fuel tank gasket. The long cranks can cause premature failure of the engine starter and possible overheating. When Nissan customer service was contacted with this issue, they stated this is not a known issue because a recall was never announced even though they produced a TSB. They refused to take responsibility for an evident design flaw which prompted a repair kit be produced to remedy the situation. They do not stand by their product and provide a recall which is needed.
Fuel System complaints in other Sentra years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2004 Nissan Sentra?
NHTSA has 36 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2004 Nissan Sentra, 18% of the model year's 197 complaints. The component named most often is delivery › fuel pump (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Nissan Sentra fuel system problems?
No. NHTSA lists no fuel & propulsion system recall for the 2004 Nissan Sentra, though it has 4 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 2004 Nissan Sentra fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 95,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to fuel & propulsion system 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.