2020 Nissan Sentra Problems & Owner Complaints

Forward Collision Avoidance 60 3 crash

“Vehicle had AEB System malfunctioning. The brakes did NOT work. The emergency brake barely worked. We were driving on Fathers Day to a family gathering and the system and brakes malfunctioned, yes we collided with the Curb and debris on the side of the road cause curb rash to the rims. No major damage. This would be the 3rd this has happened to my vehicle in particular. Dealers say the manufacturer doesn’t cover brake line damage or issue even due to factory fault/ defect.”
NHTSA complaint #11669440, 2025 · crash

“I was driving to pick up some body as Rideshare driver on as part time, and i crashed into a car was parking on the side of the road, I still have no idea why is that happend. But i think the Malfunction Warning that was on dash got something to do with it!”
NHTSA complaint #11535647, 2023 · crash

“My daughter was driving her 2020 Nissan Sentra the other day and was trying to avoid hitting a dog that ran in front of her car she crashed into a park car. Our Nissan Sentra anti brakes did not stop the car nor make a noise before hitting that parked car. No warning from our car to prevent this head on collision. There is so much damage that our insurance has deemed it a total loss. By the grace of God daughter is physically fine but mentally she is not!! As a parent I felt comfortable with my daughter driving this car at first. I have witness the anti brakes work on our 2020 Nissan Sentra b…”
NHTSA complaint #11495913, 2022 · crash

Steering 55 2 crash 2 injury

“Car was in a hit and run accident on June 29, 2023 where another car slid up the whole passenger side of the car damaging the front side so car could not be driven. Car was repaired, given back but not performing correctly. Car was taken back and told unsafe to drive. They did more repairs on the car, gave it back and car still not performing correctly. Car taken back for a second time, deemed unsafe, repaired, and given back. Car still didn't seem to be right. On October 21, 2023 daughter was on the way to Nissan to check out a recall on tie rods because we just got a letter in the mail about…”
NHTSA complaint #11552859, 2023 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“The contact's daughter owned a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving the vehicle at an unknown rate of speed, she lost control of the vehicle without warning. Her daughter hit a curb which caused the vehicle to flip over. A fellow motorist saw the failure and called the authorities to the scene. The contact's daughter was treated for unknown injuries at the scene. The contact was uncertain if a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was destroyed. The dealer was notified of the failure, the manufacturer was not ma…”
NHTSA complaint #11425474, 2021 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel was off centered and the vehicle vibrated. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle vibrated while making a turn. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a passenger-side rear detached inter-tire rod and bushing and a driver's side rear inter-tire rod and bushing failing. The contact was informed that the driver's and passenger interior rods and bushings needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. In addition, the contact st…”
NHTSA complaint #11748871, 2026

Unknown Or Other 47 2 crash 1 injury

“Car was in a hit and run accident on June 29, 2023 where another car slid up the whole passenger side of the car damaging the front side so car could not be driven. Car was repaired, given back but not performing correctly. Car was taken back and told unsafe to drive. They did more repairs on the car, gave it back and car still not performing correctly. Car taken back for a second time, deemed unsafe, repaired, and given back. Car still didn't seem to be right. On October 21, 2023 daughter was on the way to Nissan to check out a recall on tie rods because we just got a letter in the mail about…”
NHTSA complaint #11552859, 2023 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“I had brought my car up to the dealership for an oil change, and they said there was a recall on the tie rods. They said they checked them out, but never gave me paperwork for it. And I’ve looked it up and it said no recall have been serviced on. A week or two later me and another passenger got in my car and put it in reverse, and heard a small pop as I turned the wheel I didn’t think anything of it at first. Then we started heading down the road we got to a stop light and my car was stalling the transmission didn’t sound right for a little while. And then we where going about 35 mph and start…”
NHTSA complaint #11438576, 2021 · crash

“There has not been an actual incident, door lock actuator stopped working prematurely.”
NHTSA complaint #11736490, 2026

Electrical System 44 2 crash

“Vehicle had AEB System malfunctioning. The brakes did NOT work. The emergency brake barely worked. We were driving on Fathers Day to a family gathering and the system and brakes malfunctioned, yes we collided with the Curb and debris on the side of the road cause curb rash to the rims. No major damage. This would be the 3rd this has happened to my vehicle in particular. Dealers say the manufacturer doesn’t cover brake line damage or issue even due to factory fault/ defect.”
NHTSA complaint #11669440, 2025 · crash

“I WAS SWITCHING LANES AND THE CAR BLIND SPOT SENSOR USUALLY TELLS ME WHEN SOMEONE IS IN MY BLIND SPOT BUT WHEN I WAS SWITCHING LANES TODAY IT FAILED TO TELL ME, THEREFORE RESULTING IN ME GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT. *TR”
NHTSA complaint #11323929, 2020 · crash

“3/4 doors will not lock/unlock using fob, or the door controllers. This increases risk of theft, car jacking, and safety as the locks do not engage while driving. Very dangerous. Windows do not roll up/down, which when paired with the doors needing to be locked/unlocked manually can cause one to become trapped, especially with passengers. Dealership charged me $200 to tell me that the locks is were broken wanted to charge me $1200 to fix only two.”
NHTSA complaint #11752295, 2026

Service Brakes 25 2 crash

“Vehicle had AEB System malfunctioning. The brakes did NOT work. The emergency brake barely worked. We were driving on Fathers Day to a family gathering and the system and brakes malfunctioned, yes we collided with the Curb and debris on the side of the road cause curb rash to the rims. No major damage. This would be the 3rd this has happened to my vehicle in particular. Dealers say the manufacturer doesn’t cover brake line damage or issue even due to factory fault/ defect.”
NHTSA complaint #11669440, 2025 · crash

“My daughter was driving her 2020 Nissan Sentra the other day and was trying to avoid hitting a dog that ran in front of her car she crashed into a park car. Our Nissan Sentra anti brakes did not stop the car nor make a noise before hitting that parked car. No warning from our car to prevent this head on collision. There is so much damage that our insurance has deemed it a total loss. By the grace of God daughter is physically fine but mentally she is not!! As a parent I felt comfortable with my daughter driving this car at first. I have witness the anti brakes work on our 2020 Nissan Sentra b…”
NHTSA complaint #11495913, 2022 · crash

“On June 10 2025 the brake sensor malfunctioned for my 2020 Nissan Sentra This was the secound timeThe first time was about one week before..The brake peddle went down , car brakes ,brakes.I was driving speed limit of 20.There were no cars on the street or object.A yellow triangle appeared on the dash board..It scared me ,This is a safety hazard that can cause a accident.The next morning my car didn't start.There were a few symbols on the dashboard..I had it towed to the car dealer.They put a new battery.I just bought it May 04 2025.I was told no sensors were on, Mechanic didn't find anything.…”
NHTSA complaint #11668938, 2025

Back Over Prevention 11 1 crash

“The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while her son was reversing from a driveway, a Springfield Public School bus crashed into the rear of the vehicle. There was no beeping sound from the camera alerting the driver of an oncoming vehicle. The camera screen was frozen. There were no reported injuries, air bag deployment, or fire. A police report was filed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Recall Number 23V-628000 (Back…”
NHTSA complaint #11583879, 2024 · crash

“The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V581000 (STEERING). The vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair. As per the dealer, the recall repair was completed. The contact never received a receipt or any documentation regarding the recall repair and doubted that the recall repair was performed. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, the rearview camera displayed a blue image while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The contact stated that the failure obstructed driving visibility, preventing the safe operation of the…”
NHTSA complaint #11691073, 2025

“After taking my car to the dealership for recall repairs, the backup camera, on multiple occasions has given me a blue screen. I have never had this issue prior to recall repairs.”
NHTSA complaint #11672295, 2025

Suspension 10

“Nissan had a recall 2 years ago for a tie rod issue. When I brought the car in for that recall Nissan said that the tie rods showed no sign of bending so they didn't replace them. Two years later my car is not steering correctly and making noises. I find out that Nissan has a new tie rod recall (recall R23B3, NHTSA #23V-581) that requires the tie rods to be changed regardless if they show any sign of bending or damage. I bring my car in to have this completed (2 years from the first recall) and they are telling me the power steering rack has to be replaced as well as the tie rods. The issue is…”
NHTSA complaint #11737805, 2026

“I have been having several issues with this vehicle since I bought it. I’ve had the vehicle break down on me about 3 times and need repairs or adjustments to previous repairs. The main issue right now is that the car has been in the shop for about 50 days or so for repairs on the suspension or tie rods, inner/outer. I’ve had the same issue with vibrations and shaking coming from the front end when going about 60MPH. This has been going on for about 4-5 months now since I bought the car back in June. The car has been repaired about 6 times already and still no resolution to the problem. The tec…”
NHTSA complaint #11625987, 2024

“I bought my car in June 2023 and I’ve been having problems with my steering wheel. The dealership's goal was to fix that issue. They said they fixed it, but I’ve been having the same issue since I bought the car. They had me pay a $500 deductible to fix the same issue since I bought it. Today is August 15, and they haven’t offered to fix it. I believe they are taking advantage of the fact that I’m young, and I'm very aware that I’m paying $27,000 for this car. Please help me I believe the previous owner lied about what was wrong with the car an I was sold a car with unseen issue that the deale…”
NHTSA complaint #11608811, 2024

Engine 9 1 crash

“I had brought my car up to the dealership for an oil change, and they said there was a recall on the tie rods. They said they checked them out, but never gave me paperwork for it. And I’ve looked it up and it said no recall have been serviced on. A week or two later me and another passenger got in my car and put it in reverse, and heard a small pop as I turned the wheel I didn’t think anything of it at first. Then we started heading down the road we got to a stop light and my car was stalling the transmission didn’t sound right for a little while. And then we where going about 35 mph and start…”
NHTSA complaint #11438576, 2021 · crash

“I was at a stop light in a busy area and I got a message saying critical engine malfunction warning, engine power reduced. I had to floor the car to get it to 5 mph, then when I got it in the only minimally safe area I could the emergency braking system was the only thing that stopped it. My brakes failed too. My car has only 71K miles and is not quite 5 years old. It's been meticulously maintained as well. This is NOT acceptable.”
NHTSA complaint #11644377, 2025

“This Vehicle was bought back in Jun of this year. Since purchasing the vehicle with only 49,933 miles this Sentra has broken down 4 times, been in the shop for 1Month 2weeks consecutively. The first incident was 4.5 hrs after purchase. The Passenger side Tide Rod snapped in half on the highway causing the jam and slow down along with leaving me in fear for my life. The passenger rim was inverted facing the driver. The second time happened to be the same issue but at a different dealership. The car went to Moss Bros San Bernardino where it was bought and was there for about 25days .Later it was…”
NHTSA complaint #11615120, 2024

Power Train 9

“The starter and electric problems. The vehicle has been serviced 5 or 6 times each with the problem the issues has not been resolved. Is there a recall in any of the said problems above. No, incident occurred, it is a repair failure. Problem has not been fixed and diver has been back and forth to the dealer over and over with same problem, the diver wants to know if there are recalls on ignition or starter problems and electrical problems. Said vehicle is not in running condition, it is at the dealers as now.”
NHTSA complaint #11665071, 2025

“The contact owns a 2020 Ford Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated. No warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11672316, 2024

“I have been having several issues with this vehicle since I bought it. I’ve had the vehicle break down on me about 3 times and need repairs or adjustments to previous repairs. The main issue right now is that the car has been in the shop for about 50 days or so for repairs on the suspension or tie rods, inner/outer. I’ve had the same issue with vibrations and shaking coming from the front end when going about 60MPH. This has been going on for about 4-5 months now since I bought the car back in June. The car has been repaired about 6 times already and still no resolution to the problem. The tec…”
NHTSA complaint #11625987, 2024

Lane Departure 6

“After taking my car to the dealership for recall repairs, the backup camera, on multiple occasions has given me a blue screen. I have never had this issue prior to recall repairs.”
NHTSA complaint #11672295, 2025

“Driving down the road and the camera above on windshield above rearview mirror went out as well as the forward collision braking. Both went out at the same time. The problem was inspected by a certified mechanic shop. It puts people’s lives at risk once each sensors go out limiting the safety features.”
NHTSA complaint #11669018, 2025

“Every so often the vehicle’s AEB, FCW, LDW system malfunctions and causes the CEL( Check Engine Light ) to come on. The car also looses Traction Control and begins to sound like the tires are grinding on the pavement. This then puts the motor in a limp mode/ Safe Mode. During this time the vehicle DOES NOT Have power and reduces speed to 50MPH, the vehicle then revs at 2.5-5.5RPM trying to catch/ hold speed. The vehicle begins to shake when this happens. The power windows also don’t work after this happens.”
NHTSA complaint #11656211, 2025

Exterior Lighting 5

“The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that the word "Malfunction" was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the brake light switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 41,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11599299, 2024

“Extremely poor lighting condition. It only illuminates approximately 10 feet ahead. Would have to manually use high beams to make night time driving even possible. Extremely poor design and not even sure how it passed safety tests and ratings. I have been warning Nissan since I purchased the car. Now I have learned that the 2021 is improved because of this major defect. This will definitely cause an accident.”
NHTSA complaint #11417550, 2021

“DURING THE DAY WHEN RAINING OR SNOWING & WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE USED, HEADLIGHTS ARE SUPPOSED TO COME ON AUTOMATICALLY AFTER SEVERAL WIPERS SWISHES. I'M HAVING TO TURN THE HEADLIGHTS ON MANUALLY (STATE LAW LIGHTS MUST BE ON WHEN WIPERS ON). THERE'S NO CONSUMER NOTE THAT SAYS 2020 SENTRA IS EXEMPTED FROM THIS. I BELIEVE THEY PUT WRONG MODULE IN ALL NEW MODELS & IT DOESN'T FUNCTION PROPERLY, SO INSTEAD OF A RECALL THEY JUST TELL EVERYONE THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE THAT PARTICULAR FEATURE. MOST DRIVERS WON'T REALIZE THEY DON'T HAVE IT. IT WAS PERFECT STORM OF EVENTS FOR ME TO DISCOVER. IT HA…”
NHTSA complaint #11413564, 2021

Vehicle Speed Control 5

“The contact owns a 2020 Ford Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated. No warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11672316, 2024

“The cruise control stopped working and there is a collision/crash malfunction.”
NHTSA complaint #11567074, 2024

“When driving the forward collision avoidance system acts up. It will randomly slam on the breaks when nothing is in front. It also happens when cruise control is on, it will slam the breaks with an empty road ahead. It also thinks that there is something ahead when the road is clear ahead. This needs to be looked at because the number of complaints in regard to this is silly.”
NHTSA complaint #11539424, 2023

Wheels 5 1 crash

“I had brought my car up to the dealership for an oil change, and they said there was a recall on the tie rods. They said they checked them out, but never gave me paperwork for it. And I’ve looked it up and it said no recall have been serviced on. A week or two later me and another passenger got in my car and put it in reverse, and heard a small pop as I turned the wheel I didn’t think anything of it at first. Then we started heading down the road we got to a stop light and my car was stalling the transmission didn’t sound right for a little while. And then we where going about 35 mph and start…”
NHTSA complaint #11438576, 2021 · crash

“Catastrophic failure today. Car was towed with special tow truck to dealer after hours. Will know more tomorrow. While driving Passenger right front tire: upper tie rod broke, lower control arm broke, trans-axel broke, smoke came out of hood. Right before this happened the car experienced a shimmy in the steering wheel and to keep car driving straight I had hold steering wheel at angle to the right (40mph). Next the anti-lock brakes engaged then disengaged. Four or so miles later I got a dashboard warning that had “malfunction” on almost every system (all amber lights). I pulled over at ga…”
NHTSA complaint #11547241, 2023

“The wheel keeps turning to the right and won't go straight. The wheel makes a clicking noise when it turns. It seems to be something to do with the steering column. Must keep turning the steering wheel to the left for it to work properly. I have replaced the steering gear assembly at my own expense, but the problem has not improved, proving to be a design issue near the tire and tie rod. I'm sure the sound is coming from near the tire and tie rod. Yes. I found the recall notice but no solution was given. There doesn't seem to be any plan to fix this design flaw? I need to file a complai…”
NHTSA complaint #11598895, 2022

Structure 4

“This Vehicle was bought back in Jun of this year. Since purchasing the vehicle with only 49,933 miles this Sentra has broken down 4 times, been in the shop for 1Month 2weeks consecutively. The first incident was 4.5 hrs after purchase. The Passenger side Tide Rod snapped in half on the highway causing the jam and slow down along with leaving me in fear for my life. The passenger rim was inverted facing the driver. The second time happened to be the same issue but at a different dealership. The car went to Moss Bros San Bernardino where it was bought and was there for about 25days .Later it was…”
NHTSA complaint #11615120, 2024

“The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V581000 (Structure) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact noticed a cracking sound. The vehicle was driven to the residence and parked. The contact noticed that the passenger's side front tie rod was fractured, and the tire appeared to bulge away from the tie rod. The vehicle was inspected…”
NHTSA complaint #11580891, 2024

“1) The front passenger door will not open. This is a recurring problem and I have experienced it four times already. 2) CVT Malfunction warning is persistent. CVT resets when the engine is turned off and comes back on after about 10 to 15 minutes after the engine is started again, which creates a problem when you come to a complete stop. The transmission does not immediately get in gear and there is a very slow start-up in moving forward. The "ECO" engaged by itself and this problem started when I disengaged the "ECO" when I was headed up a hill. The problem with the "ECO" is intermittent…”
NHTSA complaint #11493985, 2022

Visibility/Wiper 4

“[XXX] 06/29 637 1). A feature of the Auto Intelligent Headlight feature is not working on 2020 Sentras, all trims. During the daytime (rain or snow) when the windshield wipers are turned on and swish back and forth 4 times, it’s supposed to automatically turn on headlights (which also turns on tail lights so you’re not rear ended). 2). Additionally, when the headlights are in “Headlight” mode (not automatic mode), the owners manual states when the engine is turned off and the door is opened you will get both an alarm chime and a visual warning on the drivers display that lights are on and t…”
NHTSA complaint #11620197, 2024

“Car was on. The original, rear camera display screen, was fully functional when the vehicle was put in reverse previously. The rear camera was always functional/ this is the first time I’ve seen this occur. The car was put in reverse but this time the rear camera screen was completely blue. I put the car in park, waited a few seconds, and then put it back in reverse; only to have the same result. I came out of the car, opened the trunk, and closed the trunk. When I went back into the car, the rear camera was showing on the screen. I made a video as well.”
NHTSA complaint #11514116, 2023

“DURING THE DAY WHEN RAINING OR SNOWING & WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE USED, HEADLIGHTS ARE SUPPOSED TO COME ON AUTOMATICALLY AFTER SEVERAL WIPERS SWISHES. I'M HAVING TO TURN THE HEADLIGHTS ON MANUALLY (STATE LAW LIGHTS MUST BE ON WHEN WIPERS ON). THERE'S NO CONSUMER NOTE THAT SAYS 2020 SENTRA IS EXEMPTED FROM THIS. I BELIEVE THEY PUT WRONG MODULE IN ALL NEW MODELS & IT DOESN'T FUNCTION PROPERLY, SO INSTEAD OF A RECALL THEY JUST TELL EVERYONE THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE THAT PARTICULAR FEATURE. MOST DRIVERS WON'T REALIZE THEY DON'T HAVE IT. IT WAS PERFECT STORM OF EVENTS FOR ME TO DISCOVER. IT HA…”
NHTSA complaint #11413564, 2021

Latches/Locks/Linkages 2

“The rear driver side door does not lock/unlock when pressing the lock/unlock buttons on the key fob nor the buttons on either of the front seat door panels. It is only able to be locked/unlocked by manually flipping the lock/unlock switch on the (rear driver side) door. No other doors have this issue. I believe either the door switch actuator or faulty wiring is the cause of the issue. I believe it is available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of my passengers is put at risk because of the additional step of ensuring the door is locked when departing from the vehicle, cre…”
NHTSA complaint #11741828, 2026

“The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving at speeds above 15 mph the rear passenger side child safety lock did not activate and the 9-year-old grandchild was able to open the rear passenger side door. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The contact indicated that the rear driver-side door was serviced previously for the same failure. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 39,800.”
NHTSA complaint #11449922, 2022

Fuel/Propulsion System 1

“I was at a stop light in a busy area and I got a message saying critical engine malfunction warning, engine power reduced. I had to floor the car to get it to 5 mph, then when I got it in the only minimally safe area I could the emergency braking system was the only thing that stopped it. My brakes failed too. My car has only 71K miles and is not quite 5 years old. It's been meticulously maintained as well. This is NOT acceptable.”
NHTSA complaint #11644377, 2025

Seat Belts 1

“seatbelt is not matching and staying on as I am driving these vehicle”
NHTSA complaint #11737308, 2026