CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2013-2017 Nissan Sentra has an expensive CVT transmission failure defect that shows up plainly in our complaint data from the earlier model years in this same 7th generation Sentra.

In late 2019, the CVT defect was subject to a class action settlement. However the settlement only covers transmission repairs up to 7 years after purchase or 84,000 miles (whichever occurs first).

Because many owners commonly drive 20,000 miles/year or more, Sentra owners experiencing CVT transmission problems may find they are not covered by this settlement due to the mileage limitation.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
45,963 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2015 Nissan Sentra drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2015 Nissan Sentra Owner Comments (Page 6 of 8)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #47

Apr 252019

Sentra

  • 78,500 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Took my car in for a whining sound. Was told at Nissan hwy 96 in warner robins that I needed a transmission and that my warranty expired at 60000 miles. My car loose power on incline and is making a whining sound. Sluggish in changing gears and just seems to slow down even when I am pushing the gas.

- Reynolds, GA, USA

problem #46

Jan 262019

Sentra

  • 30,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Sentra. While the vehicle was at a stop light, the gear shifter failed to operate without warning. The vehicle was towed to autonation Nissan kendall (305-707-0144, located at 17305 S dixie hwy, palmetto bay, fl 33157) where the transmission was replaced. The failure recurred three times and the vehicle was taken back to the same dealer for repairs. The failure recurred and the vehicle was towed back to the same dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failures. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

- Naples, FL, USA

problem #45

Jun 162019

Sentra

  • 104,800 miles
Takata recall my transmission has gone twice in 4 years of having a brand new car. First time within a month. No warning lights, nothing. All of a sudden my car starts sputtering, won't accelerate and starts going in reverse while in drive. My car is not drivable at this point and had to be left in another state

- Middlesex, NJ, USA

problem #44

Jun 052019

Sentra

  • 113,467 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Bought the car brand new Dec 2015, transmission needed to be replaced at 68K miles, Nissan replaced it in Jan 2018, and now June 2019 the transmission needs to be replaced again only 1.5 years after they replaced the last transmission. The car is only 3 years and 7 months and needs it's 3rd transmission. The transmission can go out at anytime, it needs to be replaced every 1-2 years. While driving on the freeway the RPM jumps up and down, when driving above 60 mph. It's very unsafe and it is not reliable.

- Lancaster, CA, USA

problem #43

May 272019

Sentra

  • 34,915 miles
The car has a little less than 35000 miles on it. While driving it loses speed and even when I press the pedal down it doesn't want to move. The rpms go way up but the car is very slow to pick up speed. The problem really picked up after the dealer did the recommended transmission service. It has happened several times now.

- Hot Springs Village, AR, USA

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problem #42

May 052019

Sentra

  • 120,000 miles
Take it a dealer, they said is the transmission, but where I bought it, they don't want to help me, I bought insurance 3 years or 35000 miles, I have 120000 miles, I still paying the car, it could be a recall car??it's on the street.

- Carson, CA, USA

problem #41

May 132019

Sentra

  • 64,500 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Noticed lack of power while driving constant kick back almost like going over a rumble strip when accelerating loss of fuel mileage and occasionally a sound like a bird chirp if goes above 2000 RPM. Happens on city or highway roads. No lights on the dash or check engine light coming on. Took my 2015 Sentra to Nissan to find out warranty has expired even though several year models from 2003-2010 have faulty cvt transmissions expanding to warranty but 2015 isn't included.

- Valparaiso, IN, USA

problem #40

Jul 012018

Sentra

  • 71,523 miles
I have been to the Nissan dealership multiple times trying to figure out why my vehicle loses power randomly and why the car randomly shifts gears and reduces speed even with my foot on the gas. Yet while it does this the RPM needle surges between 3000 to 4500. Vehicle has no codes and dealership claims they can't reproduce the problem. My car has lost power on a major highway and yet im just suppose to believe the car is safe.I even put in a complaint with Nissan corporate and they told me there was nothing they could do because the vehicle does not have any codes.

- Lakeland, FL, USA

problem #39

Jan 312019

Sentra

  • 65,000 miles
I was in motion when all of a sudden my car started to hesitate and not speed up.I can't remember exactly when it happened but it was a few months ago. I have tried to take care of this matter with Nissan corporation but they were not helpful and not being cooperative. I also took my car to a transmission specialist near where I live and they stated it is the transmission that went very bad. I no longer have the vehicle in my possession because I refuse to pay an arm and a leg for a faulty transmission that was beyond my control to get it repaired and I was sold a lemon vehicle.

- Mesa, AZ, USA

problem #38

Apr 252019

Sentra

  • 16,000 miles
Car loses power to console only at times and others the hole car loses power while driving losing all control of car while in motion.

- Bloomington, IN, USA

problem #37

Sep 262017

Sentra

  • 29,648 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My car has the cvt and at times you have to really press hard on the accelerator to get the car to select a gear and move. If you ease into the gas pedal to move it's almost as if I am driving my husband's racecar with a stall converter in it. I took it to the selling dealer at only 22,000 miles and they wanted to change the fluid without first even taking it for a ride or explaining why it needed the fluid changed so soon when the manual states 60K.

- Leetonia, OH, USA

problem #36

Apr 032018

Sentra

  • 55,000 miles
After about just a few weeks of purchasing the car, it started shifting harder than it should on occasion, other times it would be fine. Then on way home from work on the hwy it stops accelerating so I floor it just to get any speed, then it would accelerate again somewhat normally. Did this for about 1 week before I could take to Nissan dealership for inspection. They do not find anything wrong with it which was not the case and I knew better B/C while they were checking the car out, they loaned me a car to get back and forth to work and it was essentially the same car, may of been a year newer or older but it was a Sentra. This Sentra drove so much smoother and I knew mine had an issue then. But they insisted no problem. I had the car back 1 day from them and it starts acting up the same way but worse till it would not accelerate for me at all. Like it was dying on me which it did so I had to have it towed back to the same Nissan dealership only to have to have a new transmission put in. Car had just under 60,000 miles on it and my warranty was fixing to end however it is starting to worry me a little B/C it is acting up again slightly. I fear its the same issue cvt transmission and my warranty is expires. I am very upset B/C I feel like the car is a lemon and I may be stuck with the piece of junk and upside down and too broke to get another car. Not fair

- Cedartown, GA, USA

problem #35

Mar 152019

Sentra

  • 58,728 miles
While driving the vehicle, it would stutter when attempting to accelerate uphill. Made appointment with local dealership for a diagnostic test. On the day of the appointment, the service department called and reported metal shavings in the transmission. The service manger said that the automatic transmission would be 'rebuilt'.

- Fairfield, CA, USA

problem #34

Mar 102019

Sentra

  • 71,000 miles
When driving my vehicle on the interstate and keeping a steady 65-70 mph it will all the sudden stop accelerating and mpg's decline. I was in the fast lane and was almost rear ended. I had to pull the car over. It did restart and I continued to drive. This has occurred now four times. I have called the dealership and requested an appointment. I informed them what was happening and asked if they have heard of this issue. The man I spoke to stated he had never heard about it before. I found some information online and know this is affecting a ton of people. I bought this vehicle brand new from a Nissan dealership and they service it for everything. I am hoping I do not end up having to replace the transmission like so many others on my dime when this is a known issue.

- Mechanicsville, VA, USA

problem #33

Mar 052019

Sentra

  • 80,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Sentra. While driving 20 mph, the vehicle started to jerk and the power train indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to valley hi Nissan (15722 valley park ln, victorville, ca 92394, (760) 241-1700) where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 80,000.

- Apple Valley, CA, USA

problem #32

Mar 082019

Sentra

  • 92,000 miles
I was driving on the freeway on my way home going about 65mph when my car started making a loud noise and started jerking and lose power then the engine light went on I had to it exit the freeway going only 15mph, I took to the dealer and was told my transmission needed to be replace 3800

- Rialto, CA, USA

problem #31

Mar 062019

Sentra

  • 78,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Sentra. While driving approximately 70 mph, the vehicle decelerated to approximately 20 mph and the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the contact's residence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission failed and needed replacement. The vehicle was repaired. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 78,000. The VIN was unavailable.

- Skiatook, OK, USA

problem #30

Mar 052019

Sentra

  • 54,865 miles
Rattling under the hood, looses power when accelerating. Since purchasing this car the car has been jerking and stalling. Just started about an hour ago the rattling appears when in gear.

- Glendale, CA, USA

problem #29

Feb 222019

Sentra

  • 56,000 miles
Loss of power, transmission jerking fluttering vibrating and clunking noise when accelerating and stopping, RPM spiking real high and car loses power and transmission then jerks and you can not accelerate at higher speeds. Transmission flutter and vibrate between 20 mph and 45 mph with seem like a slight power loss. Car has 56,000 miles on it and has been to Nissan but they can not replicate the issue since it only does it when it wants or has been driven for a real long time. Also when it's first started and driven the engine kinda ticks when pressing the gas peddle. And most recently today the car lost power completely and the check engine came on with code P0101. Mass overflow sensor code. Nissan cleaned throttle body and reprogrammed ECU. Car is still experiencing all problems above other than the check engine light is off and the car hasn't lost complete power again but does expensive slight/moderate power loss frequently. It was first serviced at Nissan on 7/3/2018 for transmission, and again today 2/22/19 for code P0101 with power loss

- Louisville, KY, USA

problem #28

Oct 162018

Sentra

  • miles
When driving I can feel the transmittion slipping. It will do a jerking motion when I pressbthe gas.

- Atlanta, GA, USA

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