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 2007 Nissan Sentra owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was approaching my driveway in front of my house and my vehicle had smoke eminating from a glove compartment area when I got out of the car and checked underneath the hood the car was on fire I got out just in time there was something wrong there could have been the engine fuel system I just recently had an oil change 2 weeks ago the incident April 2, 2022 I was in fear for my life because I had no signal from the car what was happened I had just recently had an oil change a week and a half before the incident I noticed that flames were starting to rise and massive flames of ire than fumes of smoke and all of a sudden the car started burning and then the exploded destroying the entire car. Fire Department was called Lieutenant Thompson and his staff came out to put out the fire and the car was towed away was nothing left but the frame. …
Problem is cvt transmission. Transmission main seal leak. Whine, to loss in acceleration and power. At certain speed. Cvt internal belt flapping. Resulted in full shut down of vehicle while on highway. Caused speed control sensor and throttle body sensor to go out which started minor electrical fire in the engine compartment which could have resulted in great bodily injury and possibly hurting others if accident would have and very much could resulted in for sure. Multiple times to mechanic resulting in stress and out of pocket expensive currently with a mechanic now. Nissan cvt transmission...
Car was in motion when it begun sputtering and shaking as I accelerated. I drove back home, about 5 minutes, and opened the hood. Car was on and parked for the visual inspection. My partner put the car in reverse to see if I could see what could be causing the problem. The motor shook when it was put in reverse. Immediately something near the fuel lines started to emit smoke. It looked like aluminum foil. The car had a half tank of gas and gauges seemed normal. I turned off the car and went inside the house to get my tools. When I came out, the car was engulfed in flames coming from the motor. 9-1-1 was called and firefighters put out the fire in about 30 minutes. The fire spread rapidly and the car was destroyed when the fire was finally extinguished.
Tl* the contact owned a 2007 Nissan Sentra. While driving approximately 65 MPH on the highway, smoke entered the vehicle without warning. The contact was able to coast the vehicle over to the side of the road. The driver and two passengers exited the vehicle. A fire erupted from the front of the vehicle, under the vehicle, and near the rear. The vehicle was destroyed. A police report and a fire inspection report were filed. The vehicle was towed to a yard. The dealer was notified of the failure and provided no recommendations. The contact was to check with the manufacturer to determine if they May be able to diagnose the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 183,000.
I warmed up my vehicle for approximately 3 minutes and drove as I normally do than as I came to a stop sign and stopped. As I pressed my accelerator pedal the car was off. I checked the RPM and I was at zero (0). My CVT jerks me and passengers and it hesitates and turns off in reverse. This car will cut off regardless if in drive or reverse.the CVT needs to be recalled before an incident occurs that could affect our safety on the road someone help. Please. Nissan needs to recall the faulty CVT transmissions they whine and overheat alot.my CVT warranty was extended to 10yrs 120,000 miles.no more nissans for me. Or CVT transmissions ever.
I drove the 2007 Nissan Sentra for about 7 months with almost no issues except the "check engine light was on." I took it to the deal for the scheduled maintenances and had regular oil changes, and used premium gas. While driving on the highway going about 60mph, the car stalled and caught on fire. I was not able to pull over. It was a very traumatic experience. Recently I have received a recall notice concerning the brake fluid leak. I know that fluid and electricity do not mix, so it May very well have been the cause of the fire.
I was driving down 114 in grapevine, tx heading toward southlake, tx. The engine stuttered and then shutdown and the check engine light came on. I coasted to the right shoulder of the highway. I noticed smoke coming out from the left side of the hood. I got out to pop the hood to see what the problem was. When I tried to lift the hood flames were shooting out. I stepped back and called 911. With in 3 minutes the car was engulfed and was a total loss. The fire department showed up and put the fire out.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that the fuel gauge failed to display the accurate amount of fuel in the tank and the service engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Vehicle began making a ticking noise from front passenger engine area at a stop light, as I began through intersection once it turned green the car completely stalled on me as traffic began moving again in the opposite direction almost causing a collision in the middle of the intersection. There were no pre warnings, dash warning lights that came on prior to this incident. I took the vehicle to the Nissan dealer the next day (4 year old car w/ 75K miles) and was told the noise is coming from the engine I need a new motor but would not elaborate as to what exactly it was but advised me I was out of warranty and I could buy a new motor from them for 6500$. …
On two occasions while making right turns, the engine failed to operate. The first occurrence, the engine restarted and appeared to operate normally. The second occurrence, the engine failed to restart and the vehicle was towed to Nissan maintenance where it was determined that the battery was leaking acid, which was ingested in to the air intake, destroying the air filter and causing severe contamination of the spark plugs and fuel injector system, as well as corrosive damage to the framing. Had this engine failed on the freeway, it would have jeopardized the lives of the occupants. Action is being addressed with the battery manufacturer, but this report is implemented to address the poor design of the vehicle which placed the battery above the air intake, without provisions for containment in the event of such an acid leak. (photos available).
Engine complaints in other Sentra years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2007 Nissan Sentra?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2007 Nissan Sentra, 14% of the model year's 154 complaints. The component named most often is engine (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2007 Nissan Sentra engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2007 Nissan Sentra, though it has 1 recall 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 2007 Nissan Sentra engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 56,000 miles, and 31% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 8 fires and 2 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.