What 180 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Nissan Sentra

Our nissan Sentra with 106K miles the car lost nearly all power as my son was turning onto the freeway. He could only drive 16 miles an hour and it was hopping and jumping through a 8 lane freeway/highway intersection while he tried to get into a parking lot off the road. He turned it off, waited 5 minutes, and turned it back on, but it was still slowly hopping and jumping. After another 10 minutes my husband drove it for about 10 minutes and it operated normally. This same behavior happened in 2019 with 82k miles at a large intersection. It suddenly lost power and slowly hopped through the intersection. At 60k the cruise control buttons on the steering wheel quit working. When we asked the Nissan Dealership about it, we were told that was typical and it would slowly lose all the functionality of the steering wheel controls. All the functionality was gone by 70k miles. We have learned that Nissan's transmissions are very problematic and these situations are typical as you get closer to 120k miles. We planned to have this car for several more years. If we sell it and buy a different car we are out several thousand dollars or if we keep it we will likely have to pay for a new transmission also several thousand dollars.

NHTSA ODI 11591810

The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled and, on several occasions, and the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who replaced the ignition switch, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was later taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the ignition switch needed to be replaced a second time. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 79,000.

NHTSA ODI 11575624

I was driving on thruway and I pushed the gas pedal and there was no power. I was a nervous wreck. This definitely is dangerous. I would like something done.

NHTSA ODI 11446568

THE COMPUTER SYSTEM SHUT DOWN AND HAS LOCKED UP MY CAR. I BOUGHT IT IN 2015 AND IT SHUTDOWN ON ME IN EARLY 2018. IT WAS DRIVING FINE AND ALL THE SUDDEN THE COMPUTER SYSTEM QUIT AND THE CAR WILL NOT MOVE.

NHTSA ODI 11180410

DOOR LOCKS NOT RELIABLE OR SECURE. THEY WILL NOT CONSISTENTLY LOCK OR UNLOCK WITH THE KEY FOB. BATTERY HAS BEEN CHANGED IN BOTH KEYS AND ISSUE IS STILL OCCURING. ITEMS STOLEN FROM VEHICLE RECENTLY BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS LOCKED AFTER HEARING HORN SOUND WHEN PRESSING LOCK BUTTON ON KEY FOB. CAR WAS PARKED IN A PUBLIC PARKING LOT. THIS COULD BE A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 10939123

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY LESS IGNITION FAILED AND THE SWITCH HAD TO BE ENGAGED SEVERAL TIMES SEVERAL TIMES IN ORDER TO HAVE THE ENGINE STARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

NHTSA ODI 10871746

I PURCHASE USED CAR FROM 2012 I NEVER EXPECT TO HAVE ANY CAR PROBLEM FOR AT LEAST 4 YRS, BUT THAT WAS NOT MY CASE IN 5 MONTH OF HAVING THE CAR IT STARTED TO GIVE ME PROBLEMS. THE FIST PROBLEM IS THAT I HAD A LEAKING THAT WAS COMING FROM THE SUN ROOF AND THE TOP LIGHT. I WAS TOLD THAT THE WAY IS MADE IT HAD TO DRAIN TUBE AND THEY GET CLOG. I WAS ALSO TOLD NOT TO PARK MY CAR UNDER TREE. UH THAT'S IS KIND OF HARD THERE'S A LOT TREES IN THE COUNTRY. I HAD TO CHANGE THE BATTERY IN ABOUT 3 MONTHS. THE CAR WHEN I TURN IT OFF THE MOTOR WAS STILL RUNNING. FEW DAY AFTER THE MY CAR WOULD NOT START NOT EVEN MANUALLY. I TOLD THAT THE IGNITION WAS NOT WORKING AND THE ANTI THEFT SYSTEM LOCK THEREFORE I WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN THE CAR ON. I ALSO SAW THAT THE METAL THAT IS UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL WAS RUSTY FROM THE LEAK. I RESEARCH THE RECALLS, BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND ANY ON THIS YEAR. HOWEVER I FOUND THE PREVIOUS YEAR HAD A RECALL AND WAS THE SAME ISSUES I'M HAVING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10703020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOCK MECHANISM FAILED TO WORK IN ALL FOUR DOORS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE KEY FOB WAS REPLACED TWICE. THE DOORS WOULD NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD TO ENTER THE VEHICLE MANUALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE LOCK MECHANISM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10683891

IN THE FIRST INCIDENT, I CAME OUT FROM SEEING A MOVIE AND I COULD NOT GET MY CAR OUT OF PARK. A FRIEND CAME TO TRY TO HELP AND GOT IT INTO NEUTRAL BUT IT WOULD NOT SHIFT ANY FURTHER. THE PROBLEM TURNED OUT TO BE THE KEY RELEASE CABLE. I HAD A PROBLEM AGAIN IN EARLY NOVEMBER AT APPROX 36,500 MILES. THIS TIME THE KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION. SAME KEY RELEASE CABLE WAS THE PROBLEM. EVEN NOW THE CAR STILL MAKES A CLUNKING NOISE UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND THE KEY SEEMS TO SCRAPE AS IT COMES OUT OF THE IGNITION. SOMETIMES I PULL THE KEY OUT (AND THERE IS THE SCRAPING NOISE) AND THE DOORS DO NOT UNLOCK. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10682817

DAUGHTER DRIVING CAR ON INTERSTATE WHEN ENGINE DIED. WAS DRIVING IN LEFT LANE AND NARROWLY AVOIDED GETTING HIT WHEN MANEUVERING TO SHOULDER ON RIGHT. PROBLEM TURNED OUT TO BE DEFECTIVE MAF (MASS AIR FLOW) SENSOR. NO INDICATION OF TROUBLE (CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, ROUGH RUNNING, ETC) PRIOR TO ENGINE SHUTOFF. DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO DEFAULT (OPEN LOOP MODE) AT THIS POINT RATHER THAN JUST SHUTTING DOWN. VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. THIS IS EVER BIT AS DANGEROUS AS GM'S IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM CAUSING ENGINE SHUTDOWN. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND VEHICLE ENGINE JUST QUITS CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES AND LITTLE TIME TO REACT TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF OTHER TRAFFIC. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10633009

VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED AND THE BATTERY DIED AFTER 3MOS AND 3000 MILES, DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE. PURCHASE PRICE FOR NEW BATTERY IS $145.00 I FIND THIS CHARGE RIDICULOUS. THIS VEHICLE IS USED MAYBE EVERY OTHER DAY SINCE WE HAVE 2 CARS. THE DEALER SAID THE CAR STILL HAS 60,000 MILES WARRANTY. ON A CERTIFIED PRE OWNED VEHICLE I DO NOT EXCEPT HAVING TO PUT A NEW BATTERY IN THE CAR. I MUST ASK WHAT KIND OF INSPECTION DO YOU GUYS DO, AND SHOULD I EXPECT MORE THINGS TO GO WRONG WITH THIS CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10619418

SHIFTER ASSEMBLY BINDING. OF COURSE IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. DEALERSHIP WILL NOT INVESTIGATE WHY IT IS BINDING. THEY JUST WANT TO REPLACE IT FOR $637.00. IT HAD ONLY 56,000 MILES WHEN I DROVE IT INTO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE DIAGNOSIS. I PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY BECAUSE I BOUGHT THE CAR WHEN IT HAD 46,000 PLUS MILES. IT IS A 2012 MAKE. I AM RESEARCHING ON THE COMPUTER TO SEE WHAT COULD BE THE CAUSE OF THE BINDING PROBLEM. HAD A PREVIOUS NISSAN IN THE EARLY NINETIES AND NO PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10563581

SEAT BELT CHIME ON VEHICLE DOES NOT WORK AS ADVERTISED IN OWNER'S MANUAL. CHIME IS SUPPOSED TO FUNCTION/SOUND TO LET DRIVER KNOW SEAT BELT IS UNFASTENED BUT DOES NOT WORK. NISSAN SAY THE CHIME IS UNIMPORTANT AND IT IS NO LONGER A FEATURE EVEN THOUGH IT IS ADVERTISED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL TO WORK. I CONSIDER IT AN IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURE TO ENSURE MY KIDS BUCKLE UP AND EXPECT IT TO WORK AS ADVERTISED. I WAS TOLD BY THE NISSAN SERVICE TECH'S AND SALES PERSON THAT IT CAN BE REPROGRAMMED BUT NISSAN ARE NOT WILLING TO DO THIS. I FEEL THIS FEATURE SHOULD WORK AS IT IS ADVERTISED AS WORKING AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURE TO ENSURE DRIVER'S FASTEN THEIR SEAT BELT. NISSAN HAVE ALSO REFUSED TO RESPOND THROUGH EMAIL WITH AN EXPLANATION TO MY INQUIRY THROUGH THEIR WEBSITE. OTHER NISSAN MODELS HAVE THIS FEATURE WORKING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10454360