Total Complaints
9 filings
NISSAN SENTRA · model year
1986 NISSAN SENTRA
9 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986NISSANSENTRA carries 9 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1986 SENTRA is steering:rack and pinion with 1 filings, followed by steering:gear box (other than rack and pinion) (1) and seat belts:front:buckle assembly (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 2 investigation files overlapping the 1986 SENTRA, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page, a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
9
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 1 |
| STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION) | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20000405STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
CRACKS ON INNER SIDE OF CHANNEL ON PASSENGER'S SIDE, WHERE FRAME GOES OVER WHEEL, CAUSING PULLING TO THE RIGHT DURING ACCELERATION, AND SERVERE TURNING WHILE MAKING TURNS. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
20000215ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
WHEN CAR GOES ABOUT 30 MILES CAR WILL START TO SPIT, AND CHOKE LIKE ITS OUT OF GAS. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS BAD COIL, AND THEY REPLACED IT. BUT PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN. TOOK TO ANOTHER DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS A FUEL PUMP PROBLEM. REPLACED FUEL PUMP AND STILL HAD SAME PROBLEM. TOOK TO ANOTHER MECHANIC, AND HE SAID IT WAS A DISTRIBUTOR. *AK
20000215FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
WHEN CAR GOES ABOUT 30 MILES CAR WILL START TO SPIT, AND CHOKE LIKE ITS OUT OF GAS. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS BAD COIL, AND THEY REPLACED IT. BUT PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN. TOOK TO ANOTHER DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS A FUEL PUMP PROBLEM. REPLACED FUEL PUMP AND STILL HAD SAME PROBLEM. TOOK TO ANOTHER MECHANIC, AND HE SAID IT WAS A DISTRIBUTOR. *AK
19990315POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION LEAKS FLUID.
19990315ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CRACKED GASKET.
19980309SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
SHOULDER BELT FAILED TO LOCK DURING CRASH.
19950223SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
PASSENGER SIDE LAP/SHOULDER SEAT BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT LATCH. TT
19950109STEERING:RACK AND PINION
OWNER NOTICED PLAY IN STEERING. 4 BOLT MOUNTS THAT HOLD RACK AND PINION STEERING/MAIN GEAR BOX WERE UNSCREWED 3/8 OF AN INCH.
19950109STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)
OWNER NOTICED PLAY IN STEERING. FOUR BOLT MOUNTS THAT HOLD RACK AND PINION/MAIN GEAR BOX ARE UNSCREWING. TT
Compare 1986NISSANSENTRA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1986 NISSAN SENTRA have?▼
The 1986 NISSAN SENTRA has 9 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 NISSAN SENTRA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 NISSAN SENTRA is STEERING:RACK AND PINION with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION) and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY.
Is the 1986 NISSAN SENTRA safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.