What are the most common problems on the 2021 Nissan Sentra?

NHTSA has 129 owner complaint(s) on record for the 2021 Nissan Sentra. Steering is the most-reported problem area on the 2021 Nissan Sentra, cited in 40 of 129 filed complaints (31%).

Problems › Nissan › 2021 Sentra

2021 Nissan Sentra Problems & Owner Complaints

129 NHTSA owner complaints

14 crash 1 fire 8 injury

Age-normalised, this year draws ~21.5 complaints per year on the road — ranking 7 of 14 Nissan Sentra years we track (1 = most complaints per year).

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What owners report

Steering is the most-reported problem area on the 2021 Nissan Sentra, cited in 40 of 129 filed complaints (31%).

Electrical System is next (38 complaints, 29%), followed by Forward Collision Avoidance (38), Service Brakes (23), Engine (7).

Across all complaints, 14 report a crash, 1 report a fire, 8 report injuries.

The most safety-critical cluster is Steering: 11 crash, 1 fire, 7 injury report(s).

Complaints by vehicle system

Owner complaints filed with the U.S. NHTSA for the 2021 Nissan Sentra, grouped by the vehicle system each cites. A single complaint can name more than one system, so the group totals can add up to more than 129.

Steering 40 11 crash 1 fire 7 injury

“My accident was with Nissan Sentra veering out of control. I was lucky, see others who weren’t in past few weeks: https://kfoxtv.com/amp/news/local/deadly-accident-in-collision-on-i-10-at-lee-trevino https://www.wvlt.tv/2022/02/03/maryville-man-dies-after-car-lands-little-river/ https://www.thedailytimes.com/news/maryville-man-killed-in-single-vehicle-crash/article_aa06d64b-879e-5544-b0f0-4146ff9fc63b.html https://www.mymoinfo.com/arnold-woman-seriously-injured-in-141-accident/ https://www.13newsnow.com/amp/article/news/local/peninsulanow/deadly-vehicle-crash-fire-york-county-virginia/29…”
NHTSA complaint #11450320, 2022 · crash · fire · 1 injury(ies)

“The contact owned a 2021 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at approximately 60 mph, the vehicle began to slide, hydroplane, and crash into a cement ditch drain. There were no warning lights illuminated. The passenger side seat belt failed to lock completely, and the occupant was thrown around in the vehicle. The occupant who was occupying the passenger side front seat was taken to the hospital, and it was confirmed that he sustained right elbow and air bag burns and lower intestines injuries. The air bag was deployed. A police report was filed. The vehicle was…”
NHTSA complaint #11547043, 2023 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

“Steer rod recall effective as of 6/17/21 yet ignored by enterprise rental car company. Lost control, car hit guard rails. No cooperation from insurance nor rental company. Police got it Towed on 1/26/2022 to alpine automotive, lake Zurich illinois, enterprise holdings picked it up on 1/28/2022. No other information provided by any party on estimate of damages, nor medical coverage due to “insurance policies””
NHTSA complaint #11459044, 2022 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

Electrical System 38 1 injury

“1. My brakes locked up on my and the warning light came on saying I hit something 2.the only windows that works is the drivers identified 3.my warning lights came on and it started smelling inside the car I shut the car off and the warning light went off so I thought it was OK finished driving home and became sick opened the hood and my battery had smoke pouring out of each side my sinuses were burning, my throat was on fire i was sick the rest of the night i called poison control and they told me what to do”
NHTSA complaint #11531207, 2023 · 1 injury(ies)

“The infotainment/radio system in my 2021 Nissan Sentra intermittently reboots and produces static. When this happens, the backup camera freezes or shuts off completely. This has occurred while I was actively reversing, causing a sudden loss of rear visibility. The screen either goes black or restarts, making the backup camera unavailable. This is a safety concern because the backup camera is required for safe reversing, and the failure happens without warning. The issue occurs repeatedly and is not driver-related. The problem appears to be related to the head unit malfunctioning, which disable…”
NHTSA complaint #11733950, 2026

“The passenger front, and both back windows no longer function. This appears to be a common issue when searching the internet. There is also an issue with the keyless start, as it often does not recognize that the fob is in the vehicle, or gives a low batter warning (with a new battery). As there was already a recall on the sensor for the blind spot warnings and such, there appears to be wide spread electrical and sensor issues with this year/make/model. The windows pose a safety risk if someone is trapped in a vehicle that the doors won't open.”
NHTSA complaint #11720638, 2026

Forward Collision Avoidance 38 1 crash 2 injury

“My 2021 Nissan Sentra has experienced multiple false Automatic Emergency Braking (phantom braking) events where the vehicle suddenly applies the brakes despite there being no vehicle, pedestrian, or obstacle in its path. This issue occurred before and after my vehicle was serviced by AutoNation Nissan Chandler on June 12, 2026. Despite recent dealership service, the problem continues to occur. The unexpected braking creates a serious safety hazard because it can cause the vehicle to slow or stop unexpectedly in traffic, increasing the risk of a rear-end collision or other accident. I am also…”
NHTSA complaint #11751232, 2026

Service Brakes 23 7 crash 1 fire 4 injury

“Ended up in a crash (steering issue, not recalled but rented)!!!”
NHTSA complaint #11450291, 2022 · crash · 1 injury(ies)

Unknown Or Other 18 2 crash 1 fire 1 injury

“Vehicle: 2021 Nissan Sentra VIN: [XXX] Incident Date: [XXX] Description: On [XXX], the front tie rod on my 2021 Nissan Sentra suddenly failed while I was driving, causing me to lose control of the vehicle and sideswipe a parked car. This mechanical failure led to an accident, property damage, and a traffic citation for careless operation. My insurance premiums have since increased and the citation remains on my driving record. In August 2023, Nissan issued a recall for this exact defect. I believe this failure directly matches the safety defect now acknowledged in the recall. Had I been not…”
NHTSA complaint #11664355, 2022 · crash

Engine 7

“Rattling noise coming from the belt assembly. Tensioner pulley is shaky and alternator had a piece brake off causing metal shavings to fly around.”
NHTSA complaint #11710130, 2026

“While driving down the highway along with other traffic the car went into limp mode and lost power instantly almost causing an accident. Come to find out the engine bearings caused the engine to go on it without any warning signs. This car has been maintenanced and taken care of and had the same issue happen that the other nissans have had that they have the recall out for.”
NHTSA complaint #11699960, 2025

“The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, his aunt entered the vehicle and attempted to start the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. Neither a dealer nor an independent mechanic was contacted or made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 75,094.”
NHTSA complaint #11638343, 2024

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Exterior Lighting 6

“When the sun is out and there is no clouds obscuring the sunlight my vehicle has night time lights running, dimming the interior of my car making it difficult to see the speed and other dashboard requirements while perfectly bright and sunny outside and 0800AM as well as 1500PM. This has been going on for two months and I took it in to two dealerships. One told me check your manual and the other went further and told me "by Nissan standards it is functioning normally." This doesn't make sense to me as the sun is out, it isn't dark or dim and yet when on automatic lighting my Night lights, not…”
NHTSA complaint #11563312, 2023

“the car continues to turn off and draining the battery, on the audio there is a constant static, and lights keep shorting out.”
NHTSA complaint #11509332, 2022

“The air conditioning turns off by itself and the high beams don't work”
NHTSA complaint #11489346, 2022

Vehicle Speed Control 6 1 injury

“Rattling noise coming from the belt assembly. Tensioner pulley is shaky and alternator had a piece brake off causing metal shavings to fly around.”
NHTSA complaint #11710130, 2026

“Steering wheel vibrates and has become difficult to steer. Occurs often. While on the freeway, vehicle has come to a stop in 2 different occasions, it just stopped for 4-5 seconds. Back up camera is blurred, mainly in the center.”
NHTSA complaint #11649039, 2025

Suspension 5 1 crash

“The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality without warning, causing the steering wheel to become stiff. The vehicle then crashed into another vehicle. No one was injured. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the mechanic stated that the axle had fractured causing the failure. the axle was replaced; however, the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 25,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11503579, 2022 · crash

“Several issues since purchasing vehicle. The front collision sensor malfunction. Came to an abrupt stop several times while on the freeway due to failed sensor. Narrowly avoided major collisions. Also, have had to replace batter every year along with brakes and tires. My suspension is awful. The brakes are crap and have consistently had to address worn tires in one side. Electric panel shit off and key fob malfunctions. So many issues and so much unnecessary repairs with no real results”
NHTSA complaint #11739981, 2026

“The check engine light comes on with a malfunction symbol. The car has delay acceleration, jerks, hard shifts.”
NHTSA complaint #11692007, 2024

Wheels 5 1 crash

“There is a current open recall Campain ID R23B3 on the tie rods requiring replacement, however there is no current remedy per Nissan. This faulty tie rod can break and cause COMPLETE loss of steering, as there is a STOP SALE on this vehicle it is not safe to drive. Vaden Nissan has my vehicle every 5000 miles during each service/oil change from 2021 until 2024. I also notified the Vaden Nissan dealership again of this open recall issue during my last inspection, they rotated the new tires I had to purchase and sent me on my way. While driving my 2021 Nissan Sentra on [XXX] (a moderately busy…”
NHTSA complaint #11595561, 2024 · crash

“The competent that continues to fail is the emergency response breaks. They continue to stop at random times creating a very unsafe environment while I drive daily. I do have this on video and my car is available for inspection at any time. I just recently finally got the emergency break system on video since it is so random and plan on making an appointment with my local Nissan Dealer. I did have a visit recently regarding the recall for the tire rods. My car continues to make odd sounds and I paid over $1000 to get it fixed with all new tires. These problems have began since the day I got my…”
NHTSA complaint #11687027, 2025

“As I was driving home on the highway, something happened with my car where I couldn't control the car. It swerved back and forth on it's own until it finally stopped and cut off on it's own. There were no messages or symptoms prior to the failure. My car has been with Nissan who said they were going to investigate it and I cannot get a call back from Nissan Consumer Affairs.”
NHTSA complaint #11636294, 2024

Power Train 4

“The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while her husband was driving from a complete stop and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving at various speeds, and the vehicle made an abnormal whining sound. The message "CVT Warning" was displayed. The contact stated that the transmission was previously replaced due to the failure; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was being diagnosed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was…”
NHTSA complaint #11610826, 2023

“The first week of October my car making a terrible sound. My husband took it to South point Nissan Austin Tx. My brand new car needs a transmission It has trouble shifting gears, Making a loud “jet engine” sound. The dealer promised a loaner and never came through with it. I’m driving it as little as possible. Bumming rides and walking while I await a transmission replacement. Yes you are welcome to inspect No prior warning as I stated it’s a new car with 36,700 miles. I have warranty but this transmission is not safe Will replacement be any better?? It’s same transmission.”
NHTSA complaint #11550256, 2023

“The AEB system will activate sporadically in traffic and open road (I.e interstate) this can cause a serious crash if the car locks it up running 70 mph and tries to emergency stop It has been to the dealer for this issue with no resolve No prior warning when this happens and has been continuously more frequent since 30k miles”
NHTSA complaint #11539938, 2023

Back Over Prevention 3

“The car has been towed and moved to another state which is New Jersey and it is being held at an auction company. The car needs to be picked up by Nissan of Garden City and taken back to the dealer shop for the safety recall.”
NHTSA complaint #11617714, 2024

“The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Sentra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V628000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact experienced the failure and stated that while the operating the vehicle, there was a clicking sound while making left turns. The vehicle was driven to the l…”
NHTSA complaint #11561492, 2023

“For the past two years, an emergency brake has been activated when an object, such as a car, is close to my front bumper. This is excellent, but occasionally the sensor activates when nothing is in front of me, which is risky and causes my brake pads to wear out more quickly than they should. When I took this up with the Nissan dealer two years ago, they claimed to have rectified it, but they didn't. When I went to another dealership because I was dissatisfied with the service at the prior, I brought up the issue and asked if they could turn off this feature. They said that there wasn't much…”
NHTSA complaint #11522289, 2023

Lane Departure 3 1 crash 1 injury

“The check engine light comes on with a malfunction symbol. The car has delay acceleration, jerks, hard shifts.”
NHTSA complaint #11692007, 2024

Structure 3 1 crash

“-Rear doors, at separate times, would not lock or unlock either by using the key fob or control located on driver's door. It is available for inspection. -Rear door(s) cannot be opened from the outside of the vehicle using electronic features. Small children, elderly, and handicapped persons' safety are compromised with this restricted access. -Both doors have had this occur at different times. The first occurrence was repaired by the dealership. The second occurrence has yet to be repaired. Therefore, the problem has been confirmed by the dealership. According to the dealership, the Controll…”
NHTSA complaint #11552029, 2023

“The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while approaching a stop light and depressing the brake pedal, the contact heard a sound of water in the rear of the vehicle. Once the contact arrived at the residence, the contact examined the rear passenger’s and driver’s side doors and removed the rubber from around the doors and water started draining from the doors. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 14,000. The VIN was not available.”
NHTSA complaint #11520275, 2023

Visibility/Wiper 2

“Wiper will not function. Turning car on/off multiple times will not cause wipers to function. Turned off car and removed all plugs, wipers still will not function. I have a video trying to fix the problem and issue is not resolved. This has happened 5 times already. Took car to dealer ship and they could not replicate issue. We are driving car in Oregon where it rains lots, and with wiper not working our visibility is close to none. This can seriously cause an incident due to low visibility.”
NHTSA complaint #11518140, 2023

“Only the driver side window goes up and down. Took it to Nissan dealer and they made it work for that minute and said they were ordering parts, it’s been 3 weeks and haven’t heard of them.”
NHTSA complaint #11513804, 2023

Latches/Locks/Linkages 1

“The door swung open while in drive, once was able to pull over and close it never opened back up due to a faulty door actuator. This was the third time the door had been “fixed”.”
NHTSA complaint #11737180, 2026

Parking Brake 1

“The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH, the parking braking independently activated. The failure occurred a second time, and the parking brake unintendedly activated. There was no warning light illuminated. On the third occasion, while driving approximately 45 MPH, the parking brake activated unintendedly, causing the vehicle to stop abruptly, nearly causing a crash with another vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 13,414.”
NHTSA complaint #11734349, 2026

Seat Belts 1 1 crash 1 injury

Tires 1

“ALL 4 TIRES HANKOOK 215/45R18 89V ARE SHOWING INNER SIDEWALL IRREGULAR TIRE WEAR AND BALDING ON EDGES. THERE ARE RECALLS ON TIE ROD ASSEMBLY FROM 6-16-2021 AND 8-14-2023 I PURCHASED THE CAR 4-2024 AND THE RECALL WAS NOT FIXED TILL 10-2024 TO MY KNOWLEDGE FOR THE FIRST TIME. I HAVE NOT HAD THE CAR FOR A YEAR AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 2 OF THE ORIGINAL TIRES I PURCHASED THE CAR WITH. ONE WITH A HUGE BUBBLE AND INNER SIDEWALL IRREGULAR WEAR COST $285.44 AND THE SECOND SIDEWALL IRREGULAR WEAR THREAD SHOWING AND HOLE TOO CLOSE TO THE SIDEWALL COULD NOT BE REPAIRED COST $274.06 AND A4 WHEEL ALLIGNMENT…”
NHTSA complaint #11633532, 2024

How we read this (methodology)

How to read this: raw complaint totals are not a clean reliability score — a model year with more cars sold, or simply more years on the road, accumulates more complaints regardless of how good it is. So this page leans on two signals that are not distorted by sales volume: the share of complaints falling on each vehicle system (the breakdown above) and NHTSA's own crash / fire / injury / death flags. When we compare model years of the same model, we normalise by years on the road (complaints ÷ vehicle age) rather than comparing raw totals. Age-normalised, the 2021 Nissan Sentra draws about 21.5 complaints per year on the road, ranking 7 of 14 among the Nissan Sentra model years we have ingested (1 = most complaints per year on road).

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Data source: U.S. NHTSA (nhtsa.gov). SaveVIN surfaces public recall data and is not affiliated with or endorsed by NHTSA.