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:
5 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
42,806 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.

2016 Nissan Sentra drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2016 Nissan Sentra Owner Comments (Page 3 of 5)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #56

Jul 052021

Sentra

  • miles

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

My car is having transmission issues I-??ll be driving and it will lose power or the speed limit will decrease makes it very unsafe to drive it will do this out of no where will be on the freeway and it will go from 60 to

- Phx , AZ, USA

problem #55

May 012021

Sentra

  • miles
The vehicle loses power and sometimes shakes when trying to accelerate

- North Highlands, CA, USA

problem #54

Jun 122021

Sentra

  • miles
I was driving onto the highway trying to accelerate past 40mph and the car started jerking really bad. I almost rear ended another vehicle luckily I was able to just avoid them. I quickly pulled over and cut the car off when I cut it back on the check engine light came on. it was around 2am so I drove it home the best That I could and took it to get diagnosed the next morning. I was told the transmission had sent about 4 failure codes and that I would need a new one. The need of a new transmission was confirmed for my the Nissan dealership themselves. My car has never done anything remotely like that before hand. I felt my life was put at grave risk and others around me. Knowing my car had began to had a jerking motion of which is almost very uncontrollable.

- Jacksonville , FL, USA

problem #53

Apr 012021

Sentra

  • 117,000 miles

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

My vehicle has been shuddering when it shifts and also jerks during shifting and the vehicle stalled while I was driving on the hwy, and stalled when I was stopped at the red light, I don't understand why its happening at 117107 miles, I was told it was my transmission acting up, I have a 3 year old daughter and the vehicle is starting to feel unsafe to drive

- Chattanooga, TN, USA

problem #52

Jan 142021

Sentra

  • 108,000 miles
Vehicle started having issues with rpms going up, but losing power, jerking, and then on 01-14-21 it completely shut down in the middle of a street intersection and I almost got T-boned. I was told by Nissan to take to dealership for diagnostic testing and they would review the warranty issue if it was the transmission failure that they have been sued for. The mileage was 108,000 when it was towed to the dealer because I did not feel safe driving it. Dealership confirmed transmission needs replaced for just under $4000. Called Nissan Corp back who sent the info up for review. On 01-19-21 I received a call from colleen who stated she is the district manager and the vehicle is no longer covered under warranty and they 'have fulfilled their obligation'. each question was answered with the same verbatim response. I asked to have the case be escalated above colleen due to the fact the transmission went bad early due to their faulty cvt system they continue to sell and have not recalled. After being told she does not have a boss, colleen stated they will give me the same answer as she makes the decision and they have met their obligation. I asked she escalate it anyways. I have yet to hear from anyone else at the Nissan Corp.

- Yuma, AZ, USA

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problem #51

Dec 202020

Sentra

  • 105,693 miles
While in motion the car jerks and slips gears while driving it has loss of power when accelerating I feel unsafe while driving my car.

- Haskell, OK, USA

problem #50

Dec 112020

Sentra

  • 112,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle started to shake when his wife tried to accelerate. The contact's wife was able to pull off the road and restart the vehicle and safely drive home. The dealer mcdonough Nissan (1775 avalon parkway, mcdonough, ga 30253, (770) 282-5077) stated that the extended warranty was active up to 84,000 for issue that was diagnosed with the transmission. A diagnostic test was performed and confirmed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The manufacturer confirmed that the warranty was good up to 84,000 miles. Additionally, the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer stated that a letter was mailed to extend the warranty coverage for the transmission however, the contact had not received the letter. The manufacturer called the contact back and refused to provide any help. The failure mileage was 112,000.

- Stockbridge, GA, USA

problem #49

Dec 062020

Sentra

  • 60,000 miles
Engine refuses to start. Also engine stalls when driven. Car in motion.

- Pelham Manor, NY, USA

problem #48

Oct 232020

Sentra

  • 38,000 miles
When driving at about 75mph for longer than an hour, especially when driving uphill, this 2016 Nissan Sentra could suddently lose part of the power and result an unstable speed of the vehicle, and the engine revolution will boost up higher than normal.

- Allen, TX, USA

problem #47

Jul 012020

Sentra

  • 81,000 miles
Cars transmission hesitates, vibrates. Happens when pulling out. More when pulling out while turning

- Cross Plains, TN, USA

problem #46

Oct 152020

Sentra

  • 105,000 miles

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

My 2016 Nissan Sentra that is equipped with the cvt transmission has been jerking and slipping gears while driving. It had become highly unreliable and unsafe to drive and only has 105000 miles on the vehicle. It is garage kept and is my wifes only means of transportation to and from work and we have a 1 yesr old daughter who she drives sround in the Sentra for doctors appointments and to work. We have tried contscting the Nissan of muskogee dealership to get this issue resolved and get our vehivle either repaired or replaced and no one seems to be willing to help us neither the dealership or Nissan of America on the issue at hand.

- Haskell, OK, USA

problem #45

Aug 152020

Sentra

  • 58,000 miles
Engine rpms are high due to transmission clutches being worm prematurely, cruise control also breaks free and releases due to high rpms at relative operating highway speeds, dangerous loss of power condition

- New Market, AL, USA

problem #44

Oct 072020

Sentra

  • 91,000 miles
The cvt in the transmission is failing. When I was driving on the interstate I tried to go 75 and my vehicle would not get up to such speed leading me to drive under 60 until I made it to the nearest exit. When stop my car smelt as if it was a burning smell coming through my vents and under my hood. I then stopped so my car could cool for about a hr then proceed driving home during 40 in the slow lane back home. My vehicle is now parked and Nissan is saying due to my car not being listed by VIN that my car isn't apart of the cvt transmission lawsuit even though it's in that category. I was never notified by mail phone nor email about the issue regarding the issues and wouldn't have known if this problem did not occur.

- Estill, SC, USA

problem #43

Sep 132020

Sentra

  • 93,300 miles
Brought this 2016 in April of 2020, after I initially drove it, my daughter took over driving it since I'm a disabled veteran. My fiance drove the vehicle in June and realized it was a different feeling with the car. Took it to the shop and they replaced two front tires and perform a tune up. My young daughter pick it from the shop and went off to college in baltimore, Maryland. She returned to palm beach in September.after she got home, the car just cut off in the middle of the road unexpected. My fiance took the car for a drive and notice it doing the same thing. Took it to two shops who informed me two different diagnosis., one being the transmission. They inform me to contact Nissan who in turn told me it was the transmission. We had to take the vehicle to a different location at which time on 9/13/2020, my daughter had a accident due to the fact the car couldn't pick up speed fast enough to merge into the next lane. I'm happy my daughter wasn't hurt but devastated that this car, 4 years old in my possession about 4 months needs a transmission repair. I didn't expect this from a vehicle that I still have 3 years remaining and from Nissan which I thought was a reliable company.

- Palm Beach Gardens, FL, USA

problem #42

Aug 202020

Sentra

  • 111,967 miles
2016 Nissan Sentra driving in the highway especially, I will have the RPM jump from 2 to 4.5 when driving with cruise control on at 73mph, I lose power and drop to 55-60mph. I depress the gas to bring it back up to speed and the car will jerk and shake before I am able to gain a safe speed again. There is times when I have to pull over, rest for a few minutes and restart my car to get to my destination. I had to take my car into a Nissan dealership service, my cvt transmission is failing and could stop at any moment, I need to replace it for $4,400. Nissan is not taking responsibility for the defective cvt, the car is 4 years old. I bought it as my most reliable vehicle.

- Weston, WI, USA

problem #41

Jul 042020

Sentra 4-cyl

  • 120,000 miles
The car was purchased used at atlanta's beat car dealer. It had approx 115000 miles on it. Less than 6!months of ownership, the engine went out. There has been a recall on transmission with some of Nissan's cars with the same engine but the no recall on this car.

- Lawrenceville, GA, USA

problem #40

Apr 122018

Sentra

  • 160,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that the transmission was slipping while driving and that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the fuel pump pressure sensor was previously replaced. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for a diagnostic test. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

- Clarkson, GA, USA

problem #39

Feb 262020

Sentra

  • 60,000 miles
The transmission is slipping which causes the car to lose power going up hill.

- Lenoir City, TN, USA

problem #38

Oct 172019

Sentra

  • 55,000 miles
When driving down the highway at around 80mph the car's RPM's will spike and the gas pedal will not work. The car just takes over driving itself. This occurs for a few seconds and then the car will drive normally again. I've taken it to the dealership and they say nothing is wrong. I took it to another mechanic and they say it's the cvt transmission slipping. But the transmission is not damaged and there's no diagnostic code so nothing can be done.

- Bear, DE, USA

problem #37

Aug 012019

Sentra

  • 54,000 miles
I purchased a used 2016 Nissan Sentra sv in 2019 at 48K miles - it is currently at 58K miles, nearly to the powertrain expiration at 60K miles. After 4 months of ownership I began experiencing severe cvt transmission issues - I would be driving up the highway and suddenly my transmission would lose complete power causing near-accident conditions on multiple occasions. The car would be in motion, sometimes in cruise control while moving forward. The car jolts back and forth violently. When it loses power it cannot accelerate and typically gets stuck at 45 mph. This has happened approximately 15-20 times in the duration of my ownership of this vehicle so far. I have taken it in to the service center several times to have it repaired, only to have them state that they cannot duplicate the issue and their computers cannot source a code. I was able to capture this issue on video to help prove that this issue is happening. I sent the video to a technician who then confirmed "yes, there is something wrong with your transmission" only to have them state at the end of another day-long visit to the service center that nothing was wrong with the vehicle.

- Colorado Springs, CO, USA

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