2013 Nissan Sentra Problems & Complaints

Most common 2013 Nissan Sentra problems

• Transmission & drivetrain~75,000 miles
  31149%
• Brakes~20,000 miles
  9715%
• Air bags~16,000 miles
  9615%
• Engine & cooling~41,000 miles
  9114%
• Other / not specified~60,000 miles
  6410%
• Speed control & acceleration~71,000 miles
  518%
• Electrical system~33,000 miles
  437%
• Fuel & propulsion system~70,000 miles
  376%
• Steering~61,000 miles
  163%
• Stability & traction control~42,000 miles
  142%
• Seat belts~27,000 miles
  132%
• Wheels & tires~73,000 miles
  81%
• Suspension~105,000 miles
  71%
• Windows, wipers & sunroof~7,000 miles
  61%
• Body & structure~0 miles
  51%
• Lights~51,000 miles
  41%
• Seats
  30%
• Driver assistance
  20%
• Locks & latches
  10%

Share of the 638 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 →

2013 Nissan Sentra recalls (6)

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2013 Nissan Sentra:

What 2013 Nissan Sentra owners say

Transmission & drivetrain all 311 →

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that similar model year vehicles were recalled for the transmission failure; however, the VIN was not included in a powertrain recall. The failure was a recurring failure. The contact stated that the vehicle had been parked in the backyard for over a year and was no longer driven due to safety concerns. The failure mileage was not provided.

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that several years ago an unknown recall notification was received; however, the dealer failed to complete the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.

Brakes all 97 →

It was 108 degree outside at 4:30 pm in the zip code of 89052. At a sloped intersection on a major street I stopped for the light. When the light turned green I tried to accelerate the car, it failed to accelerate, the break did not function, and the steering was difficult. The car stalled. The car started rolling downhill. I was able to turn the car to the next street ~20 yards down the intersection. The street had no slope and no other cars at the time. The car eventually stopped. But that was a dangerous incident and it could be much worse.

We bought a new 2013 Nissan Sentra for our daughter. It is about 1 1/2 years old with about 17,000 miles on it. She was on her way home from school, in stop and go traffic, and had just accelerated when she attempted to stop again. She said she tried to stop but the brake pedal went all the way to the floor with no resistance. Then she tried pumping them and they locked up and the car wouldn't stop. So, she rear ended the car in front of her and both of the airbags deployed. No one was in the car with her and there was nothing in the passenger seat. The officer at the scene didn't think the airbags should have deployed in his experience working accidents. There was hardly any visible damage to the cars involved. Most of the cost to repair it was from the airbags. I contacted Nissan because I learned that the NHTSA was investigating these cars for brake problems. …

Air bags all 96 →

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving at 45 mph when the air bag warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to a local dealer who inspected the vehicle and found no issue and could turn off the warning light, however, after a few days, the warning light illuminated again. While driving at undisclosed speed, the contact was hit head-on by another vehicle causing damage to the front driver side of the vehicle. The air bag did not deploy. There was medical treatment at the scene. There was no one injured, however, the contact was unconscious for a minute and had some pain in their back but did not go to the hospital. A police report was filed. …

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated, and the front passenger's side air bag warning light remained illuminated while the front passenger's seat was occupied. The contact stated that the dealer had previously repaired the vehicle under NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V244000 (AIR BAGS), and the contact was provided a letter stating that the vehicle was eligible for additional repairs for 15 years. The manufacturer was contacted, a case was filed, and the contact was referred to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who failed to honor the letter and provided an estimate for the diagnostic test, and the contact declined. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer then closed the case. The failure mileage was approximately 16,050.

2013 Nissan Sentra engines & fuel economy

EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.