RoadVitals

1990 Nissan Sentra Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
39
Latest Dec 30, 2004
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
12
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
9

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1990 Nissan Sentra, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Seat belts1435.0%
  • Engine820.0%
  • Suspension37.5%
  • Transmission37.5%
  • Interior & seats25.0%
  • Electrical25.0%
  • Body & structure25.0%
  • Tires & wheels25.0%
  • Fuel system12.5%
  • Heating & air conditioning12.5%
  • Brakes12.5%
  • Exterior lighting12.5%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Seat belts

Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.

14
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS ARE FRAYED AROUND THE RETRACTOR.*AK

NHTSA ID 10025821 · filed Jul 10, 2003

MIDDLE SEATBELT ON BACKSEAT WILL NOT BUCKLE UP. TWO REAR OUTSIDE BUCKLES WILL ONLY WORK INTERMITTENTLY.*AK

NHTSA ID 891595 · filed Jun 28, 2001
All 14 reports naming seat belts →

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

8
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

RADIATOR CLOGGED,TEMP GAUGE DID NOT READ HOT,ENGINE MELTED,REPLACED

NHTSA ID 711897 · filed Sep 23, 1999

TIMING CHAIN COVER CRACKED, AND OIL LEAKED ONTO RIGHT FRONT BRAKE. *AK

NHTSA ID 707258 · filed Jun 6, 1999
All 8 reports naming engine →

Suspension

Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

CAR WENT TO SEARS FOR FOUR NEW TIRES AND ALIGNMENT, MECHANIC REPLACED BALL JOINTS PRIOR TO ALIGNMENT, WHILE ALIGNING REAR LEFT TOE CAM BOLT SNAPPED, SENT 16YR OLD HOME WITH VEHICLE UNTIL PART ARRIVES IN DAY OR TWO.

NHTSA ID 742863 · filed Mar 22, 2001

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 75 MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A BANGING NOISE. VEHICLE ROLLED AND SPRUNG FORWARD. *AK TIRE FAILED. *YH

NHTSA ID 877059 · filed Dec 27, 2000

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Transmission

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE HAD A FAULTY TRANSMISSION, VEHICLE LEAKED OIL AND TRANSMISSION FLUID. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID 10105565 · filed Dec 30, 2004

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OR WHILE DRIVING IT WAS LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID. THIS CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT HARD AND ROUGH. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID 10097538 · filed Oct 22, 2004

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Interior & seats

Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

FAILURE ON THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT, WHEN DRIVING THE SEAT MOVES FORWARD. *AK

NHTSA ID 984714 · filed May 21, 1996

DURING REAR IMPACT PASSENGER SEAT COLLAPSED. REAR SEAT PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES IN ARM LEG AND NECK. TT

NHTSA ID 960542 · filed Feb 24, 1995

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Electrical

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

ALTERNATOR FAILED.

NHTSA ID 513506 · filed Jan 9, 1997

ELECTRICAL SHORT, CAUSING A UNDER THE HOOD FIRE, VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND LEFT IDLE POSITION, HORN CONTINUE TO BLOW. *AK

NHTSA ID 986961 · filed Jul 17, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Body & structure

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

I AM CURIOUS IF THIS IS PREVELEANT PROBLEM, AND IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE PART. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

NHTSA ID 735203 · filed Oct 26, 2000

DUE TO A BROKEN HINGE ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR , THE DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE. *AK

NHTSA ID 803894 · filed Oct 23, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Tires & wheels

Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

LEFT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT AND VEHICLE SPUN AND ROLLED OVER, BOTH PASSENGERS BRUISED, VEHICLE TOTALED (KELLY SPRINGFIELD MONARCH T-P RADIAL 175/70R13). NLM

NHTSA ID 558622 · filed Jan 3, 2001

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 75 MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A BANGING NOISE. VEHICLE ROLLED AND SPRUNG FORWARD. *AK TIRE FAILED. *YH

NHTSA ID 877059 · filed Dec 27, 2000

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Fuel system

Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE OWNER SMELLED GAS FUMES.OWNER THEN TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT FUEL INJECTORS WERE FAULTY. PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPAIRED. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID 818928 · filed Nov 13, 1997

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Heating & air conditioning

Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

IN THE SUMMER TIME THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM DON'T WORK THERE IS NO COLD AIR COMING OUT. TT

NHTSA ID 965765 · filed May 22, 1995

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

CONSUMER HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH BRAKE ROTORS. *AK CONSUMER STATES SHE NO LONGER OWNES VEHICLE AND THAT SHE WAS DECEIVED BY THE SELLING PRICE OF VEHICLE AND IS TILL PAYING ON VEHICLE THAT SHE DOES NOT HAVE ANYMORE.*JB

NHTSA ID 987207 · filed Jul 23, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Exterior lighting

Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

THE LENS POPPED OUT CAUSING THE HEAD LIGHT BULBS TO BURN OUT. PLEASE DESCRIBE FURTHER. TT

NHTSA ID 959427 · filed Feb 1, 1995

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .