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.
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:
2 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
18,199 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.
My 2017 Nissan Sentra S has a very serious problem whenever my RPM reach 3.5 to 4.It starts jerking and I can't accelerate anymore, in one occasion after the jerking stop I couldn't drive no more than 5 miles per hour.i have checked for any visible issues but none. No warning lights come on, I carry a scanner with me OBD2 but it doesn't have any codes. I have gone online to find a solution but I'm coming across hundreds of people with the same issue but no solution.i called the dealer and I was told that since the car is salvaged there is nothing they can do The car still jerking I just to keep it under or at 3rpm but I can never get on the freeway due to this issue
Steering wheel went unsteady. All warning lights went off. Speedometer failed. Unable to shut off the engine and unable to detect key while having the key in place. My safety and others are at risk each time this happens due to not been able to have control of the vehicle speed while having unsteady steering wheel and not knowing of the possibility of breaks failing while trying to drive to a safe place. This has happen about 5-8 times this year. Nissan replaced the IPDM and has continue to failed multiple times after. They have not been able to detect the cause. I have records of each time it has happen and one of those times was while driving on highway. My life and others have been at risk.
CONCERN: This is the second time the engine does not shut off. All warning lights go off, unsteady steering wheel and odometer/odograph failed. This is not just a malfunction issue it is a severe safety concern. Back in January of 2023 it happen for the first time and was told Control Unit IPDM, Engine Room needed to be replaced and it was. But once again while driving the steering wheel went unsteady, all warning lights went off, odometer/odograph failed while on the road. This is an extremely safety concern. I bought the car brand new and as of now it has not been in any car accidents.
Pressing on the gas pedal would not accelerate the car. This was intermittent. With cruise control set, the car would no longer maintain the set speed. Both of these occurred repeatedly and while going different speeds. This lasted for 2+ weeks until the dealer was able to find the defect. Nothing was recorded on the car's error messages. The dealership was unable to find the cause and eventually called Nissan's engineering department at corporate. They were aware of the issue in other vehicles that would also stop accelerating and provided a possible solution to the Nissan dealership. The dealer charged us to replace a "brake switch" which was randomly triggering a braking event even though the brake pedal was not touched or engaged.
on acceleration to 60 mph or more noted moments of jerky/hesitation as if shifting gears- evaluation by dealership x2- they noted the same thing....could not fix the problem was told to bring back once engine light comes on or sensor code is generated in their computer system which checks the transmission. Awareness that this is a transmission problem. a month later car fails to increase speed to 50mph going up a small incline...driving over a mountainous pass.....then as got to a straightaway it had to shift down to 20-30 mph due to weather conditions and traffic- then the RPM keep wavering would not be steady at this lower mph....then within 10 miles of this....intown at stop lights RPM would acelerate at complete stop and then it didn't want to move- was able to get up to 10 mph yet could not get through the intersection without the traffic light turning red before I could make it through happen multiple times...once it did this I had to drive with my hazard lights on to warn other drivers......such a safety hazard... let it sit for 2 days then. I was able to drive it 25 miles with the RPM constantly wavering between 1.5 and 3 with the cruise set at 60mph....check engine light came.....towed 100 miles. Now at the car dealer/manufacturer for replacement of the CVT Transmission....this could have been avoided if 1 month earlier the CVT could have been replaced....5 year old car with less than 100k......it is an automatic car
- Fresno, CA, USA
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My nissan keeps slipping when I try to accelerate. I noticed everyone is having the same problem there needs to be a recall some people don't have money for a new transmission. The dealerships have to take care of this issue and I need a car to get back and forth. I bought this car brand new in 2017. I need this issue addressed
While traveling at highway speeds, the rpm-??s would rapidly jump. As of the vehicle was confused at what gear it should be in. This would cause unsteady driving and also made it feel like the transmission was about to fail. This has happened multiple times. While using and not using cruise control. I have video evidence of it happening on another occasion.
i got thiz note couple weeks late you guys dinr warn me its was defective i crashed for this recal reason the lights war having problems when iwas driving and of and on and the emgine started to rev and the saftey to turn steering wheel locked and i crashed veichle turn of while that happen then slamed into side walk and firehidrant frip me over i lost my car becausebof thiz now tjat i got this recal youguys destroid my confort now i panic and lost my car
As I was driving across the railroad tracks, my car just stop. There was no warning or indication that there was a problem, it just stopped and all the lights shut down as well. No brake, head or emergency lights worked.
When on the highway, my 2017 Nissan Sentra will -??lag-?? when going up hills. The RPMs goes crazy up and down and it-??s almost like my vehicle might stall out.
Rpm-??s spike up to high levels just to get up to 45/50. I have to let off gas & almost stall out to press gas to try & catch it into higher gear. This happens most the time, but not all. 45/50 but won-??t go past 55/60mph, let alone 70-80 on I90/I94. & if it-??s really bad then I have to be almost gas to the floor just to maintain any speed once up to 40/45++. Especially higher speeds. & other times O/D kicks in at random times random speeds & then I have to park or EMERGENCY park because reduction of speed won-??t stay up, or will not even get to 55/60-?? I bought this car New March 2017. Maybe 10-20 miles. We had extended warranty. I told them multiple times about the recall & the studdering since a year of owning in 2018. They said they didn-??t find anything or that they did the repair. Then during covid we didn-??t have funds to have maintenance but about 6 months ago I told them to fix everything do all recalls, do the issues we thought & they agreed & then never did it. Now we aren-??t in warranty. We put in 2g of repairs up keep, thought it was low price. But then said ok add in auto start & do the other fluffy stuff. Well-?? have 9-10 grand left & they wanted to buy it & get us into another 450 car loan. We refused. & repeatedly asked why the recalls & repairs seem to have never been done. & Nissan in crystal lake IL where we have been doing business with for years now claim that the only recall is for the break lights-??. & that it-??s my fault for doing 60 thousand miles before coming in-?? during covid-?? when this has been an issue. Nissan dealership bought, Nissan loan, Nissan warranty. & a solid 6 years at least just to be in a money pit because -??no one knows what-??s wrong-??, it-??s the not repairing while I was in warranty telling them the same things. Now I-??m not in warranty and they want me to come in to buy a new Nissan from them again, & roll in the remaining balance -??? I don-??t feel safe with Nissan, let alone hulling my 2 children at/under 4-?? plus I use that car to work
On Friday October 22, 2021at about 320pm I was driving between the Ca central valley to the San Fernando Valley area over the grapevine. My vehicle began to surge with the rpm's reeving with little to none forward thrust. There were no warning lights, messages, alerts that illuminated. The vehicle seemed to be stuck in a high gear since driving at freeways speeds didn't appear have any issues, however getting up to freeway speed was something else. When I got to my destination in Agoura Hills, I was not able to drive up hill in any forward gear. I will have the vehicle looked at by a certified mechanic or a local dealership. I am aware that there are some Nissan Sentra models have had the same issue and recalls have been made, in reading the cvt recall information I believe my 2017 Sentra has experienced the same issues of the known recall. A search of my VIN only shows the light switch recall.
When trying to accelerate to high speed on freeway, transmission acts up. RPM goes up and down like crazy. Significant lag in acceleration while in motion trying to advance higher speeds. 80 MPH or higher vehicle shakes.
I was driving on several occasions and the car would just slow down out of nowhere on the highway. I couldn't get the car past 80 or it would shake. If I stopped the car or even slowed down, (anywhere, street or highway) the car wouldn't move at all. I would be pushing the pedal on the floor for 10 minutes just to get it to 5mph. If I would go up a small incline, the car would roll back and barely stop ( almost resulting in several potentially fatal collisions). At times my reverse wouldn't even work if I couldn't press the gas and if it did work then I couldn't drive froward. It would take me almost 30 minutes to get home from work and my job is exactly 10 minutes in a straight line from my house (on the street. No highway). If that gives any perspective. Once the car was parked it was fine. All the problems occurred while the car was in motion.
The car was in motion when I loss 90% acceleration and velocity while driving. Very, very scary! I was on the highway when this occurred. I proceeded to check the battery, alternator, and starter by aaa when a service call was placed to inspect the vehicle at my home. Aaa's. they informed me that the battery, alternator and starter are great and that these things were not the reason why the check engine light came on and has remained on. The car is only 3yrs 11mnths old. I get the standard oil change but Nissan has discontinued to use conventional oil. Which is the recommended oil for my car. I also get the car serviced as needed. It is extremely dangerous to drive my car. I cannot drive it period. It suddenly loses power 60 to 120 seconds when the car is in motion.
When I am on the interstate and I am going between 60mph and 80mph my car starts to shake. The entire front of my car begins to shake and you can hear it as well. When I start to brake or slow down, it's gets louder and the shaking gets worse.
My car has started acting confused with the gear shifts. It's almost like I am repeatingly putting it in drive then neutral then sports mode when I am not doing anything just trying to drive. The car struggles to pick up speed and 'giddy up' when I accelerate. It gets worse when I go up hill or over 40 mph. I was told it's very dangerous and now have to get the transmission looked at per the diagnosis.
Purchased my car in Aug. Of 2017. Jan. 2018 was the first of 7 times I have taken my car in for the check engine light. Case is at Nissan North America in arbitration where they want to 'compensate' me $1500 to essentially shut my mouth. There is a significant lag in the acceleration not only from a standstill, but also while in motion trying to accelerate to higher speeds. The car will not go faster than 55 mph up a hill. When the car is on slight inclines the vehicle loses power in attempting to climb and the engine tachometer readings climbs well above the designed RPM specifications. This happens on level ground. When accelerated from 45 mph to 55 mph the tachometer would approach 6000 rpms prior to switching gear. It doesn't occur 100% of the time, the vehicle consistently reaches close to 6000 rpms prior to shifting to a higher gear. As I drive I also start to notice a burning smell. My car is consuming excessive fuel compared to another 'loaner' 2019 Nissan Sentra sv which has the same exact specifics. My car requires 3 times the fuel to drive a similar distance. When telling Nissan Consumer Affairs this I was told 'this is normal because my car is older and has more mileage on it.' Normal wear and tear over a 2 to 3 year period would not account for such a disparity in fuel mileage. Nissan tech support has physically gone to the dealership to try to fix my vehicle and I since taken it in on February 10 for the 7th time. Nissan called because my arbitration poc didn't call them like she was supposed to 4 days ago so now my vehicle sits at the dealership because they don't know how to fix it.. my vehicle is not safe to drive on a public roadway or to Transport my 8yo. I have submitted my case to the attorney general's office and BBB auto-line claim. I just want to be in a safe vehicle. I have all the service docs but file is too big to attach.
Bought 2017 Nissan Sentra brand new from dealership and was very unfairly overcharged. I was charged $23,014.53 for a car that was only worth $16,000 and has so many issues. Gas tank sometimes will stop at 200 miles and will not fill up, speedometer shoots up and down while driving, speed does not stay at a certain speed and slows down automatically. The engine jerks and sputters while driving on freeways and streets.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Hawthorne , CA, USA