Home · 2012 Nissan Sentra · Complaints

What 180 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Nissan Sentra

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (180)Crash / fire / injury (15)Transmission & drivetrain (68)Engine (39)Speed control (22)Airbags (20)Body & structure (17)Electrical system (13)Visibility & wipers (11)Fuel system (10)Steering (9)Brakes (7)

10 of 180 complaints match · Fuel system · clear filters

Aug 3, 2022Speed controlFuel system

When driving at 70 or above mph for a long distances, speed automatically declines to 60 mph and will not increase. When trying to accelerate, nothing happens. After a few miles, my vehicle then starts to accelerate on its own. The problem is extremely unsafe and frightening, especially with express highway traveling. Ive traveled out of state and the past 6 months when I've moticed this now frequent problem. I informed my mechanic who said it could be my transmission or possibly fuel pump, which are not his areas. He advised talk to NISSAN and stated Nissan is known for faultly transmission s on Sentras. Mines is a 2012 with only 126k of mileage. Was was there no recalls on this? I will now see what Dealer has to say. What can be done to hold Nissan responsible? I 've screenshot an article regarding many complaints on this. Now my transmission seems to have my engine feeling like it is not in drive gear. I am making an appointment w/ NISSAN ASAP.Please respond.

NHTSA ODI 11477475

May 20, 2020Transmission & drivetrainFuel system

WHILE DRIVING FROM AZ TO CA ON THE HIGHWAY, MY VEHICLE LOST THE ABILITY TO SPEED UP WHILE PUSHING THE PEDAL. IT HAPPENED A TOTAL OF THREE TIMES ON 2 DIFFERENT DAYS.THE FIRST TWO TIMES I COULDN'T GET ABOVE 60 HOWEVER ON ONE OCCASION, IT DROPPED DOWN TO 3-5 MILES PER HOUR AND THE PEDAL WAS TO THE FLOOR. I WAS ON A 2 LANE HIGHWAY WITH SEMI TRUCKS HAVING TO PASS ME ON THE LEFT. I WAS TERRIFIED, HAD NO CELL SERVICE AND HAD TO DRIVE ON THE SHOULDER WITH MY HAZARDS ON UNTIL THE SHOULDER DISAPPEARED. EVENTUALLY IT RETURNED TO NORMAL, BUT IT WAS A VERY SCARY EXPERIENCE. I SEE NOW THAT NISSAN HAS HAD A MULTITUDE OF COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. SHAME ON YOU FOR NOT RECALLING THE TRANSMISSION. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11325325

Aug 21, 2019EngineFuel system

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR WILL STOP RESPONDING TO THE GAS PEDAL AND LOSE POWER. YOU WILL EITHER HAVE TO PULL OVER OR MAINTAIN A MUCH SLOWER SPEED. THIS BECOMES A HAZARD AND CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI 11245583

Apr 9, 2019AirbagsEngineFuel systemCrash

I AM HAVING ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION. IT APPEARS THAT THE ENGINE IS NOT CHANGING GEARS AUTOMATICALLY. OR IT COULD BE A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL INJECTION OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYMENT SYSTEM.

NHTSA ODI 11194990

Jun 2, 2017Fuel system

CAR IS HESITANT, LOSING POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. AFRAID OF GETTING REAR ENDED ON HIGHWAY!! SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS AT A STOP.

NHTSA ODI 10992935

Sep 25, 2015Fuel system

I PURCHASED MY SENTRA NEW IN MARCH 2012. AT THAT TIME, MY GAS MILEAGE WAS NORMAL, AND AS ADVERTISED. WITHIN THE YEAR, I WENT FROM 30MPG AVERAGE TO 27. EVERY YEAR SINCE THEN, IT HAS GRADUALLY GOTTEN WORSE, AND I AM NOW DOWN TO 23MPG, REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE OR GRADE OF GAS I USE. IT'S ACTUALLY WORSE WITH PREMIUM GAS. I HAVE DONE ALL MAINTENANCE ON THE CAR ON TIME, REGULAR OIL CHANGES, ETC. I'VE COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP MULTIPLE TIMES, AND THEY CLAIM TO FIND NO PROBLEMS WITH IT.

NHTSA ODI 10777703

Sep 17, 2014Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlFuel system

WAS DRIVING ON FREEWAY, ACCELERATING TOWARD 70 MPH. ACCELERATOR DROPPED AWAY FROM UNDER MY FOOT, TACHOMETER "PEGGED" 5000 RPM. QUICK SCAN OF INSTRUMENT PANEL SHOWED CAR WAS NOW IN NEUTRAL, NOT DRIVE. MY HANDS WERE BOTH ON THE STEERING WHEEL; I DIDN'T TOUCH THE GEARSHIFT LEVER. THE CAR SHIFTED ON ITS OWN. THIS STARTED A SERIES OF PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION THAT CONTINUE TO ESCALATE; TRANSMISSION WILL OVERRIDE BRAKING (CAUSED 2 ACCIDENTS 2 WEEKS APART); ON A 500-MILE (1-WAY) BUSINESS TRIP IN JULY, CAR WENT INTO FAIL-SAFE MODE 3 TIMES - LOSS OF POWER, ACCELERATOR NON-FUNCTIONAL. CAR TAKEN OFF THE ROAD BY NISSAN CORP, BUT NO REPAIRS DONE; AFTER 49 DAYS OUT OF SERVICE, CAR WAS RELEASED TO ME, CONTINUES TO EXHIBIT TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. NOW THE STEERING IS EXTREMELY HARD TO OPERATE, AS IF THERE'S NO POWER STEERING IN THE CAR. WHEN TRANSMISSION OVERRIDES BRAKES, IT FEELS LIKE THE CAR IS BEING PUSHED, THEN CHOKES DOWN (NOSE OF CAR DIPS), THEN IS CATAPULTED IN THE SAME DIRECTION (D OR R); IN THIS SEQUENCE, BRAKES FULLY APPLIED WILL NOT STOP THE CAR. NISSAN'S ONLY RESPONSE IS TO SELF-PROTECT AGAINST A LAWSUIT; NO CONCERN FOR THE WELFARE OF SOMEONE DRIVING A CAR IN THIS CONDITION! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10633827

Apr 17, 2013Fuel system

I ONLY GET 22 MILES PER GALLON, CAR WAS ESTIMATED AT 27, CITY MPG AND 34 HIGHWAY, I NOTIFIED THE DEALER AND THEY CLAIM THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR , THE 22 MPG ARE COMBINE CITY AND HIGHWAY. WHERE COULD I GET HELP ON THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10508568

Apr 17, 2013Transmission & drivetrainEngineFuel system

I HAVE THE SAME COMPLAINTS AS THE FOLLOWING: DATE COMPLAINT FILED: 09/05/2012 COMPONENT(S): POWER TRAIN , STRUCTURE DATE OF INCIDENT: 08/09/2012 NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10473871 DATE COMPLAINT FILED: 01/18/2012 COMPONENT(S): POWER TRAIN , SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC , SUSPENSION DATE OF INCIDENT: 01/12/2012 NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10444380. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10508583

Apr 2, 2013Fuel system

2012 NISSAN SENTRA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO POOR MPG AND REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT FOR VEHICLE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE ONLY GETS 14 MPG.

NHTSA ODI 10505075

Working with the data? Download all 180 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2012 Nissan Sentra verdict →