Total Complaints
40 filings
NISSAN SENTRA · model year
1988 NISSAN SENTRA
40 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988NISSANSENTRA carries 40 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 4 fires, 6 injuries, 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 1988 SENTRA is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 10 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine (3) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (3). 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 1988 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.
40
Complaints
4
Crashes
4
Fires
6
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
4 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 |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 10 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 3 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS | 2 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20080706SUSPENSION:FRONT
WHILE EXECUTING A LOW SPEED LEFT HAND TURN, THE LEFT CONTROL ARM BROKE RESULTING IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND EXPENSIVE FRONT SUSPENSION REPAIRS. THE LEFT WHEEL TURNED PERPENDICULAR TO THE CAR AND THE CAR SKIDDED TO A STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. WITH THE FRONT TIRES POINTING IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO MOVE. TOWED IN FOR REPAIRS. THE CV JOINT, STRUT AND STEERING RACK WERE ALL DAMAGED DUE TO THE CONTROL ARM FAILURE. THE CONTROL ARM BROKE JUST IN FRONT OF THE BALL JOINT. *TR
Mileage: 122,487
20030403UNKNOWN OR OTHER
1988 NISSAN SENTRA INSURANCE CLAIM FOR REPAIR. *TS *JB
20010220SEATS
WHILE IN AN ACCIDENT DRIVER'S SEAT CALLAPSED, CAUSING CONSUMER TO HOLD ON TO STEERING WHEEL. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
20000926FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
FUEL AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE WORKS ONCE A MONTH, THEN FAILS. *ET
20000926ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
FUEL AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE WORKS ONCE A MONTH, THEN FAILS. *ET
20000519ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE IS COSTING TOO MUCH TO FIX. THE HEAD WAS REPLACED, BUT STIL NOT WORKING.*AK
19990514FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
A FAILURE IN EITHER OF THE TWO RUBBER OR NEOPRENE HOSES IN THE AIR INJECTION SYSTEM WILL ALLOW EXHAUST GASES TO BACKFLOW AND CAUSE A FIRE. IF THE LOWER HOSE BREAKS THE DISTRIBUTER AND WIRING WILL IGNITE. A FAILURE AT THE AIR INTAKE REED SYSTEM COULD POSSIBLY IGNITE IT AS IT IS NON- METAL. ADDITIONALLY IF THE VEHICLE IS BEING WORKED ON WITHOUT THE AIR CLEANER ASSEMBLY ON THE CAR EXHAUST WILL BACKFLOW OUT OF THE AIR INJECTION TUBE AND IGNITE THE NON METALLIC PORTIONS OF THE HOSE.
19990308SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
SEAT BELTS FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE RESULTING IN FAILURE DURING ACCIDENT CAUSING INJURY TO THE DRIVER.
19981130FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH FUEL TANK. FUEL TANK LEAKS FUEL. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
19981130FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH FUEL TANK. FUEL TANK LEAKS FUEL. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
19981030FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FIRE.
19980918SEAT BELTS:FRONT
VEHICLE WAS AT REST, HIT FROM REAR, DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN DRIVER. DRIVER'S HEAD HIT WINDSHIELD.
19980909FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CHECKED OIL AND FILLED UP THE OIL HOLDER, 200 MILE IN THE TRIP A LOUD CLANKING SOUND WAS HEARD UNDER THE HOOD, LOST POWER, NO RESTART, AFTER OPENING THE HOOD SMOKE WAS EVERYWHERE, TECHNICIAN REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE SIMPLY BURST FOR LACK OF OIL, NO INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON.
19980127VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
ACCELERATOR STUCK.
19971213FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
FUEL LINE LEAKS.
19970717ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CRANKSHAFT PENETRATED ENGINE, CAUSING FAILURE.
19970618POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *AK
19970602CrashSEAT BELTS
WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE DEFECTIVE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT TIGHTENED AND THEN BROKE IN HALF AT THE LAP AND SHOULDER BELT CONNECTION, CAUSING INJURIES TO HEAD, NECK AND BODY. *AK
19970221CrashSEAT BELTS
DURING FRONTAL IMPACT AT SPEEDS OF 35MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK UNTIL AFTER CONSUMER HIT STEERING WHEEL. *AK
19961231ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
FUSIBLE LINK SHORTED OUT, CAUSING BRAKE LIGHTS TO FAIL.
Compare 1988NISSANSENTRA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 NISSAN SENTRA have?▼
The 1988 NISSAN SENTRA has 40 NHTSA complaints, 4 crashes, 4 fires, 6 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 NISSAN SENTRA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 NISSAN SENTRA is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY with 10 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE.
Is the 1988 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.