NISSAN SENTRA · model year

2013 NISSAN SENTRA

866 NHTSA complaints, 35 crash reports, and 6 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

4 / 5 ★

New Car Assessment Program

The 2013NISSANSENTRA carries 866 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 35 crashes, 6 fires, 34 injuries, and 2 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 4/5 rating, with 4/5 front crash, 5/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2013 SENTRA is power train with 308 filings, followed by air bags (95) and service brakes (95). 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. This model year has 6 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 2 investigation files overlapping the 2013 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.

866
Complaints
35
Crashes
6
Fires
34
Injuries
2
Deaths
2013 NISSAN SENTRA — NHTSA crash-test profile NHTSA NCAP crash-test star ratings for the 2013 NISSAN SENTRA. Overall composite: 4.0 of 5 stars across 3 safety dimensions. Front CrashSide CrashRollover 4.0 NHTSA NCAP of 5 stars
  • Front Crash 4.0 ★
  • Side Crash 5.0 ★
  • Rollover 4.0 ★
NHTSA overall 4.0/5 stars, with front-crash, side-crash and rollover ratings from standardized NCAP barrier and dynamic tests.

Total Complaints

866 filings

Crashes Reported

35 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

NHTSA NCAP overall: 4/5 — Strong NCAP rating · Front: 4/5 · Side: 5/5 · Rollover: 4/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN308
AIR BAGS95
SERVICE BRAKES95
ENGINE86
UNKNOWN OR OTHER63
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL51
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM41
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM33
STEERING16
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)13
SEAT BELTS12
WHEELS7
SUSPENSION7
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING4
STRUCTURE:BODY4

Recalls (6)

16V24200026/04/2016

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Sentra vehicles manufactured June 4, 2012, to April 9, 2016. The front passenger seat belt bracket may become deformed if it is used to secure a Child Restraint System (CRS). The deformed seat bracket may cause the Occup

16V24400026/04/2016

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano

14V13800025/03/2014

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Altima, LEAF, Pathfinder, and Sentra, model year 2013 NV200 (aka Taxi) and Infiniti JX35 and model year 2014 Infiniti Q50 and QX60 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the occupant classification system (OCS) software may

15V68100020/10/2015

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima and Pathfinder vehicles, 2013-2014 Nissan Sentra vehicles, 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles, 2014-2015 Infiniti QX60 vehicles and 2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid vehicles. The affected vehicles received an incorrect occupant

13V06900001/03/2013

AIR BAGS

Nissan is recalling certain model year 2013 Altima, LEAF, Pathfinder, Sentra, and Infiniti JX35 vehicles. Sensors within the passenger Occupant Detection System (ODS) may have been manufactured out of specification. This may cause the system to malfunction and permanently suppress the passenger ai

13V06800001/03/2013

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

Nissan is recalling certain model year 2013 Sentra vehicles manufactured from September 11, 2012, through October 4, 2012. Some fuel tank assemblies were not properly sealed during the manufacturing process. As a result, a small amount of gasoline may leak from the tank when it is full.

Recent Complaints

20260104AIR BAGS

I am reporting a failed remedy for Recall R1608 (Occupant Classification System). My 2013 Nissan Sentra was serviced at Nissan of Van Nuys for this recall. Despite the dealership marking the recall as completed, the safety defect persists. Specifically, the passenger seatbelt warning light remains illuminated when the passenger seat is empty, indicating the OCS sensor is incorrectly classifying seat occupancy. This malfunction directly impacts the vehicle's ability to correctly deploy or withhold airbags in a collision. The dealership refused to re-evaluate the failed repair without legal representation. Furthermore, the Multi-Point Inspection provided during this safety recall visit was falsified; a technician hand-wrote a failing brake measurement of '3mm,' yet the Service Advisor marked the system as 'Green/Safe' on the final document. This documentation fraud makes their certification of the recall repair unreliable. They have since refused to re-inspect the safety defect.

20260104SEAT BELTS

I am reporting a failed remedy for Recall R1608 (Occupant Classification System). My 2013 Nissan Sentra was serviced at Nissan of Van Nuys for this recall. Despite the dealership marking the recall as completed, the safety defect persists. Specifically, the passenger seatbelt warning light remains illuminated when the passenger seat is empty, indicating the OCS sensor is incorrectly classifying seat occupancy. This malfunction directly impacts the vehicle's ability to correctly deploy or withhold airbags in a collision. The dealership refused to re-evaluate the failed repair without legal representation. Furthermore, the Multi-Point Inspection provided during this safety recall visit was falsified; a technician hand-wrote a failing brake measurement of '3mm,' yet the Service Advisor marked the system as 'Green/Safe' on the final document. This documentation fraud makes their certification of the recall repair unreliable. They have since refused to re-inspect the safety defect.

20260104SEATS

I am reporting a failed remedy for Recall R1608 (Occupant Classification System). My 2013 Nissan Sentra was serviced at Nissan of Van Nuys for this recall. Despite the dealership marking the recall as completed, the safety defect persists. Specifically, the passenger seatbelt warning light remains illuminated when the passenger seat is empty, indicating the OCS sensor is incorrectly classifying seat occupancy. This malfunction directly impacts the vehicle's ability to correctly deploy or withhold airbags in a collision. The dealership refused to re-evaluate the failed repair without legal representation. Furthermore, the Multi-Point Inspection provided during this safety recall visit was falsified; a technician hand-wrote a failing brake measurement of '3mm,' yet the Service Advisor marked the system as 'Green/Safe' on the final document. This documentation fraud makes their certification of the recall repair unreliable. They have since refused to re-inspect the safety defect.

20251222UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The problem with my 2013 Nissan Sentra relates to the transmission which was serviced April 22, 2024 at Passport Nissan in Suitland, M D. Two months later, June 12, 2024 my car was serviced again for transmission problelms. The CVT transmission unit was replaced because of internal malfunction on the transmission assembly. My car is currently unsafe 1 year and six months later with transmission problems. The recent diagnosis requires removing the existing transmission assembly and installing a new one to ensure proper functioning of the drivetrain. The cost is $7,509.41. My contention is that the transmission is still faulty and unsafe after multiple paid service attempts. Nissan service management informs that service is outside of the warranty by one month because of their recent policy change. Please assist with transmission repairs at no cost to me since it has not been serviced properly and is unsafe to me and my family. I would appreciate knowing what if anything can be

20251222FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while attempting to refuel the vehicle, fuel started spewing out of the fuel filler neck. The contact waited until the fuel level was almost empty and slowly pumped gasoline into the fuel tank. The vehicle was taken to three separate mechanics and was informed that the issue was related to the oxygen sensor; however, two mechanics also stated that the issue could be related to a defect with the EVAP system. The contact then stated that while driving at highway speeds, the vehicle began to lose power while depressing the accelerator pedal, as the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate above 40 MPH and pulled over. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle several times but was unsuccessful. The contact called the mechanic, who advised the contact to restart the vehicle in neutral(N). Once the vehicle was in neutral(N), the contact was able to restart the vehicl

Mileage: 173,000

20251207POWER TRAIN

It's slipping in the transmission

20251207ENGINE

It's slipping in the transmission

20251119UNKNOWN OR OTHER

While driving, the start/stop button was pressed and the vehicle turned off while in motion. WHILE IN D, THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF WHILE IN TRAFFIC, IN MOTION, DUE TO THE STOP/START BUTTON BEING PRESSED. It should not be able to shut off while in drive. The safety feature should not allow that.

20251015POWER TRAIN

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.

Mileage: 36

20250625POWER TRAIN

The CVT transmission has a serious problem it does this jerking movement and could lead to an accident or serious bodily injury to occupants in the vehicle I am filing a complaint regarding the CVT transmission failure in my 2013 Nissan Sentra (VIN: [XXX] ). The vehicle began showing symptoms such as jerking, hesitation, and loss of power while driving. These are serious safety concerns, especially when merging or accelerating. After researching the issue, I discovered this is a well-documented and widespread defect in Nissan CVT-equipped vehicles from this generation. Many other owners have experienced premature transmission failure, and Nissan has issued extended warranties in the past on certain models. However, despite clear signs of defective transmission design, my vehicle has not been covered under any warranty or recall. I believe this defect poses a serious safety hazard and should be addressed by Nissan through a recall or formal investigation. Transmission failure while d

20250305POWER TRAIN

Transmission has failed. The car will not change speed when pressing on gas. Causing danger on the road when driven. The issue has been confirmed by an independent auto service. No warning lamps or identifiers has been present with this issue. The vehicle itself has only 97000 miles. This transmission issue with this vehicle is a known problem and many owners of this vehicle has reported this exact issue.

20250305POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost automotive power and failed to properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 65,000.

Mileage: 65,000

20250305VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost automotive power and failed to properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 65,000.

Mileage: 65,000

20241223POWER TRAIN

The car was stalled and wouldn’t go without warning and no indication issues were present. When it stalled driver put at risk of being hit and caused multiple cars to swerve to miss the car. Thankfully able to get the car off the road and toed. Transmission completely failed.

20241221UNKNOWN OR OTHER

2013 Nissan Sentra that I bought brand new in 2014 with only about 15 miles on it. December 2024 In the middle of traffic the vehicle would not accelerate forward, even when almost flooring the gas pedal. This would only Rev up the engine as if I was in park. I was able to drive in reverse to a park in a lot next to where the vehicle stalled. There were not any warning lights at anytime prior to the incident. The mechanic did take a look at it and believed it was a transmission issue. The first time this happened was about 2018 with the same type of scenario. The transmission was replaced $4000+ later by Nissan but when they gave the car back the AC did not work and I had to replace the compressor. They denied any wrong doing at the Nissan dealership but it was fine before I dropped it off except the transmission.

20241218POWER TRAIN

Vehicle loses power fails to excellerate while traveling on the freeway Cvt transmission is very difficult to work on or check fluids

20241118FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Fuel tank leaks gas

20240912AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds with the passenger’s side front seat occupied, the “Air Bag Off” warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where DTC code: B00A0 was retrieved. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The local dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that a software update was needed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 23,000.

Mileage: 23,000

20240726UNKNOWN OR OTHER

My car has has to repair its air conditioner on 3 Ocasion because it stopped cooling. On November 2023 the transition failed sending a code of: SECOND CLOTCH MODE. I TOOK IT TO 3 mechanics and all said it was the transmition and that all CVT cars have the same defect. My car is well care taken but right now it’s not functioning because of this issue. All cars I have seen NISSAN SENTRA fail for thr same …transmition. At this moment I don’t have any other car to solve my situation and don’t have $6,000.00 to buy a transmition. Please review people who have these cars .

20240711POWER TRAIN

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.

Mileage: 68,000

Compare 2013NISSANSENTRA to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2013 NISSAN SENTRA have?
The 2013 NISSAN SENTRA has 866 NHTSA complaints, 35 crashes, 6 fires, 34 injuries, and 2 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2013 NISSAN SENTRA?
The 2013 NISSAN SENTRA received an overall NHTSA safety rating of 4/5, front crash rating of 4/5, side crash rating of 5/5, and rollover rating of 4/5.
Are there any recalls for the 2013 NISSAN SENTRA?
Yes, the 2013 NISSAN SENTRA has 6 recall(s). The most common affected component is AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2013 NISSAN SENTRA?
The most-complained component for the 2013 NISSAN SENTRA is POWER TRAIN with 308 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS and SERVICE BRAKES.
Is the 2013 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. The 2013 NISSAN SENTRA has an NHTSA safety rating of 4/5. 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.