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2021 Nissan Sentra Sr Turbo
Solid pick. The complaint record is strong for its age. It does carry safety recalls, so confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the VIN before money changes hands.
129 owner complaints · 3 recalls · data verified July 22, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Steering problems dominate (31% of complaints).
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#236 of 470Among the 2021 models with a matured record, the 2021 Nissan Sentra Sr Turbo ranks #236, scoring higher than 48% of them. See the 2021 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
5/5 overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2021 Nissan Sentra 4 DR FWD
Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 10%
No open NHTSA defect investigations on file.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2021 Nissan Sentra Sr Turbo, plotted where owners report it happening.
Also reported (mileage varies): Steering (40) · Electrical system (38) · Brakes (23) · Engine (7)
Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.
Steering
31%40 complaints · 8 in the last 2 years
“Electric steering rack has play and causes violent shaking. Huge safety risk as this could have complete failure and cause accidents. Vehicle started showing symptoms …”
Driver assistance
29%38 complaints · typically near 50k mi · 11 in the last 2 years
“Alternator needed replacement Front windshield needed replacement Unfortunately this kicked off the malfunction warning. All Nissan can say is it’s the ADAS 2 controll…”
Electrical system
29%38 complaints · 13 in the last 2 years
“Purchased brand new with 0 miles. The system malfunction popped up and engine would not turn over after running perfectly fine a hour prior.Had to get towed to dealers…”
Brakes
18%23 complaints · 4 in the last 2 years
“Since having my Nissan 2021 Sentra I have for one, had to replace the battery in it twice. On a more serious note, it is now stopping the car at random and unnecessary…”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
We can place 1 of this model's commonly reported problem areas against a mileage. Nothing is stored.
Read all 129 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 15 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (3)
Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.
Back Over Prevention · 23V628000
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Altima and 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. Damage to the camera harness can cause distortion or loss of the rearview camera display image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and harness for damage and replace them as necessary. If no damage is found, the dealer will apply protective tape and reroute the rearview camera harness. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 19, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23C3.
Steering · 23V581000
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Sentra vehicles. The left and/or right tie rod may bend.
Risk: A bent tie rod can break and cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners are advised to contact their dealer for transport assistance if they are experiencing an off-center steering wheel or vibration. As an interim repair, dealers will inspect and replace any bent or broken tie rods, free of charge. Once newly designed parts are available, dealers will replace both left and right tie rods, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed November 27, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23B3. This recall replaces and expands recall number 21V-461. Vehicles previously repaired under 21V-461 will need to have the new remedy completed.
Steering · 21V461000
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. The left and/or right tie rod may be bent.
Risk: A bent tie rod can break, causing a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the left and/or right tie rods as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 5, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PM985.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking the seller of this Nissan before you buy, drawn from its public record:
- NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2021 Nissan Sentra Sr Turbo. Can you run this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and confirm each one shows "Remedy Completed"?
- Owners of this model report steering problems more than anything else. Has this car shown any steering symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Owners of this model report driver assistance problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 50k miles). Has this car shown any driver assistance symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Verify the recall work was done
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2021 Nissan SENTRA SR TURBO beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2021? See how every Sentra Sr Turbo model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2021 Nissan Sentra Sr Turbo against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.