RoadVitals

1996 Nissan Sentra Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical reportsComplaints 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.
10
Latest Apr 3, 2018
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
7%
of 141 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Nissan Sentra submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming electrical

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Electrical
Filed Apr 3, 2018

ALL POWER LOST, INCLUDING ENGINE, POWER BRAKES, AND POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS. CAUSE IS AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ON WIRING HARNESS INTERMITTENTLY CAUSING AN OPEN CIRCUIT ON A POWER WIRE. IN PARTICULAR, THE FAULTY CONNECTOR IS E104 ON THE HEC (THE BACK OF THE FUSE PANEL IN DRIVER SIDE COMPARTMENT). FAILURE OCCURS MORE OFTEN IN HOT WEATHER. FAILURE HAS OCCURRED TWICE WHILE DRIVING, AND DOZENS OF TIMES WHEN PARKED. JIGGLING THE CONNECTOR OFTEN RESTORES POWER. ALSO, A SIMILAR POWER WIRE OPEN CIRCUIT OCCURS ON ANOTHER CONNECTOR ON THE SAME HEC THAT CAUSES ALL LIGHTING TO THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND MOST INTERIOR LIGHTING TO FAIL. FAILURE HAS OCCURED AT NIGHT WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS, PREVENTING THE DRIVER FROM SEEING HOW FAST THEY ARE TRAVELING.

NHTSA ID
11083168
Incident
Aug 7, 2017
Mileage
71,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Oct 12, 2017

CPSP: MY CAR, A 1996 NISSAN SENTRA, LOST ALL POWER WHILE DRIVING. NO POWER STEERING, NO POWER BRAKES, ENGINE TURNED OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE WHILE DRIVING, AND NUMEROUS TIMES WHEN I GO TO START UP THE CAR AND NOTHING HAPPENS. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A FAULTY INTERMITTENT CIRCUIT. UPDATED 10/16/2017*JS

NHTSA ID
11033749
Incident
Sep 1, 2017
Electrical
Filed Nov 21, 2006

ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, THE DISTRIBUTOR HAS MALFUNCTIONED 4 TIMES SINCE MY OWNERSHIP OF THIS VEHICLE. CAR FAILS TO START, WITH IT BEING IN THE FIRING SYSTEM THIS PRESENTS A FIRE HAZARD. *JB

NHTSA ID
10173922
Incident
Nov 20, 2006
Mileage
70,000 mi
Electrical
Filed May 27, 2004

MY 1996 NISSAN SENTRA HAS A DEFECTIVE ODOMETER. MY UNIT IS BEING REPAIRED AT MY EXPENSE. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT CARS WITH FAULTY ODOMETERS ARE BOTH A SAFETY HAZARD AND A CONSUMER FRAUD PROBLEM. *MR

NHTSA ID
10073238
Incident
May 10, 2004
Mileage
47,000 mi
ElectricalInterior & seats
Filed Apr 6, 2001

THERE WAS A SHORT CIRCUIT IN TAIL LIGHTS. CONSUMER STARTED TO SMELL SMOKE AND NOTICED DASHBOARD LIGHTS AND TAILLIGHTS HAD STOPPED WORKING. *AK

NHTSA ID
885217
Electrical
Filed Dec 28, 1998

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS. PARTS HAD TO BE ORDERED. HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES BEFORE. THE CONTROL UNIT WAS REPLACED.AK

NHTSA ID
832719
Incident
Jul 22, 1997
Electrical
Filed Sep 23, 1998

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR DIED, PUT IN PARK AND TRIED TO START, CAR WOULD NOT TURN OVER, THE ENTIRE DISTRIBUTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED, WHEN THE CAR WAS TOWED, THE PART WAS ORDERED FROM NISSAN. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID
828131
Incident
Sep 9, 1998
Electrical
Filed May 27, 1998
Fire reported

WHILE DRIVING AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE WIRING CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
823651
Incident
May 9, 1998
Electrical
Filed Sep 2, 1997

ALTERNATOR FAILED TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE.

NHTSA ID
603791
Electrical
Filed Apr 2, 1997

HORN WORKS INTERMITTENTLY DUE TO FAULTY WIRING. *AK

NHTSA ID
810590

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Airbags53Visibility15Brakes11Driver assistance9Engine9Transmission9Tires & wheels8

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .