Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2012 Nissan Sentra submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 40 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.
The 25 most recent of 40, in the owner's own words
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,504.
Our nissan Sentra with 106K miles the car lost nearly all power as my son was turning onto the freeway. He could only drive 16 miles an hour and it was hopping and jumping through a 8 lane freeway/highway intersection while he tried to get into a parking lot off the road. He turned it off, waited 5 minutes, and turned it back on, but it was still slowly hopping and jumping. After another 10 minutes my husband drove it for about 10 minutes and it operated normally. This same behavior happened in 2019 with 82k miles at a large intersection. It suddenly lost power and slowly hopped through the intersection. At 60k the cruise control buttons on the steering wheel quit working. When we asked the Nissan Dealership about it, we were told that was typical and it would slowly lose all the functionality of the steering wheel controls. All the functionality was gone by 70k miles. We have learned that Nissan's transmissions are very problematic and these situations are typical as you get closer to 120k miles. We planned to have this car for several more years. If we sell it and buy a different car we are out several thousand dollars or if we keep it we will likely have to pay for a new transmission also several thousand dollars.
Leaking transmission oil. Also burning engine oil a week after doing an oil change to the point there is no oil but no leaks.
******* DELETE VOQ ******* THIS COMPLAINT IS BEING MARKED FOR DELETION BECAUSE IT IS AN INADVERTENT DUPLICATE OF ODI# 11502677*DJR ******* DELETE VOQ *******
The contact’s husband owns a 2012 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started to smoke at an unknown location of the vehicle and caught fire. No warning lights were illuminated. No injuries were sustained. No medical attention was required. The local authorities were notified, and the fire department was notified and extinguished the fire. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
While traveling down the interstate doing the normal speed limit, I was forced to pull over to the emergency lane so cars can pass me. My car lost power to the engine without notice. No check system engine lights were not activated during this time. Car and Trucks were having to swerve over in other lanes to keep from rear ending me and causing a major wreck. This happen several weeks ago again with no lights lighting up on dash. I was able to pull over for a few minutes and restart the car and it was back to normal. I looked things up online and took my car into a repair shop to let me know the problem, They stated that they have seen this issue with Nissan vehicles. It is the CVT transmission issue. The loss of power comes from the CVT fluid getting too hot and reduces power to save the CVT transmission, I have a 2012 Nissan Sentra that was Manufactured 6/2012.
While driving on the freeway pulling approximately 70 miles per hour, my car will begin to shake violently, continuously decelerate and my RPMs drop significantly. I am unable to go over 55 miles per hour when this happens. This has happened to me a total of four times now within the last 2 months. I had my car take this one auto repair shop in which my spark plugs were changed out a brand new air intake hose was put in my coils were changed out and everything. Today while driving on the freeway, going 72 mph my car decelerated and would not go above 55. This is a major safety issue considering I drive on the freeway a lot. I just paid $970 to have my car fixed and can't continue to pay to have the car fixed along with still paying a car note and insurance on this car. Well researching transmission issues I came across this page when filing a complaint. I looked to see if there was a recalls on my car and noticed that there is not. My VIN number is [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR LOST 90% OF POWER AND COULD ONLY GO ABOUT 25MPH. THERE WAS NO WARNING. CAR JERKS VIOLENTLY STEERING BECOMES HARDER. YOU TRY TO PUNCH DOWN ON THE GAS AND NOTHING HAPPENS. ALSO WAS FORCED TO TAKE CITY STREETS DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO GO A SAFE SPEED TO STAY ON FREEWAY/HIGHWAY.
WHEN APPROACHING A RED LIGHT AND STOPPING QUICKLY, THE CAR COMPLETELY STOPPED EVEN THOUGH I WAS GOING 10 MILES PER HOUR AT 1000 RPM, TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT, OIL LIGHT, BATTERY LIGHT AND SEAT BELT LIGHT ALL TURNED ON. THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE CAR TO MOVE WAS TO TURN IT OFF AND TURN IT BACK ON. THIS HAPPENED A SECOND TIME WHILE RETURNING TO OUR HOME. AS I WAS GETTING OFF THE INTERSTATE AND STOPPING FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. IT SEEMS TO DO THIS WITH A HARD STOP AT 1000 RMP OR 10-20 MPH.
2012 NISSAN SENTRA WAS BOUGHT 3 WEEKS PRIOR WITH NO PROBLEMS. WHILE TRAVELING 60 - 70 MPH ON A HIGHWAY THE CAR SUDDENLY STOP RUNNING AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO STEER OUT OF THE TROUBLED AREA ON THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE BROKE DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF A HIGHWAY. AFTER RESEARCH IT SEEM TO BE THE SAME ACTIONS THAT HAS HAPPENED TO THOUSANDS OF OTHER NISSAN SENTRAS. THE DEFECTED CVT TRANSMISSION CAUSES THIS TO HAPPEN. LUCKILY MY SON WAS NOT KILLED DURING A ACCIDENT THAT WAS CAUSED AFTER HE WAS REAR ENDED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.
NUMBER 3 CYLINDER LOW COMPRESSION WITH ONLY 83K MILES ON THE VEHICLE. ROUGH ENGINE DRIVING AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. CODES P0300 AND P0303 DISPLAYED. THIS KIND OF ENGINE FAILURE SHOULDN'T HAPPEN WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE
MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TRIGGERED AND I BROUGHT THE CAR TO MY LOCAL NISSAN SHOP. THE CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING ROUGH, LOOSING POWER, AND BURNING OIL. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME I NEEDED NEW SPARK PLUGS AND A NEW BOOT. AFTER AGREEING TO PAY THE $500, I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE SHOP. THE MECHANIC EXPLAINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED, THAT ACTUALLY I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE. AFTER THE $500 IN WORK HAD BEEN DONE, THE MECHANIC PERFORMED A COMPRESSION TEST. THE TEST INDICATED A BAD ENGINE. SO THE WORK WAS DONE ON A BAD ENGINE. THE CAR HAD ABOUT 100,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS ALWAYS HAD PROPER MAINTENANCE. SO WHY IS IT BAD ALREADY? AND WHY WAS I MISLEAD TO PAY $500 ON A BAD ENGINE? THIS IS NOT RIGHT. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR WILL STOP RESPONDING TO THE GAS PEDAL AND LOSE POWER. YOU WILL EITHER HAVE TO PULL OVER OR MAINTAIN A MUCH SLOWER SPEED. THIS BECOMES A HAZARD AND CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.
WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN MY 2012 NISSAN SENTRA IT SOMETIMES DEACCELERATES GRADUALLY TO THE POINT WHERE YOU CAN'T GO PAST 60 MPH AND WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE IT IS SLUGGISH
THE CAR TURNS OFF WHEN STOPPED LIKE AT A RED LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. BATTERY WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP A WEEK AGO. ALTERNATOR WAS CHECKED AND IS GOOD. I HAVE TO TURN THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION AND START IT AGAIN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN SENTRA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND STALLED. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL WHISTLING NOISE EMERGING FROM THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO NISSAN OF NORWICH (691 W THAMES ST, NORWICH, CT 06360, (860) 892-6000) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THERE WAS METAL IN THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 35185453. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD ASSIST WITH SIXTY PERCENT OF THE REPAIR COSTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000.
I AM HAVING ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION. IT APPEARS THAT THE ENGINE IS NOT CHANGING GEARS AUTOMATICALLY. OR IT COULD BE A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL INJECTION OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYMENT SYSTEM.
I HAVE A 2012 SENTRA THAT I BOUGHT IN 2014. I STARTED TO EXPERIENCE RANDOM LOSS OF POWER ON HIGHWAY, AND RPM WOULD UP AT RANDOM TIMES, LIKE IT WAS STUCK IN GEAR. LAST YR I DISCOVERED THAT MY CVT TRANSMISSION WAS GOING BAD AND ALREADY HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION (BOUGHT USED). LESS THAN A YEAT LATER, IM STARTING TO EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEM. NISSAN NEEDS TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY THRU THE 2012 MDELS, ON ANY CVT TRANSMISSION TO 10 YRS. VERY AGGRIVATING CONSIDERING I'M STILL MAKING PAYMENTS! I WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND THIS VEHICLE TO ANYONE.
THE TEMPERATURE READING GOES UP TO 3/4
CAR STALLS FOR NO REASON WHEN STOP AT LIGHT OR STOP SIGN
MY NISSAN SENTRA HAS 85,000 MILES ON IT AND MY TRANSMISSION IS COMPLETELY BROKEN. THE CVT TRANSMISSION THEY PUT IN MY CAR HAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY IN IT FOR KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH IT. I WAS DRIVING WITH MY TWO SMALL CHILDREN ON A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY WHEN IT STOPPED MOVING AND I HAD TO PULL OVER AND RESTART IT. WHEN I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE T AGAIN WOULD NOT MOVE. I FINALLY GOT IT TO MOVE TO WHERE I GOT TO A MECHANIC AND THEY TOLD ME MY TRANSMISSION WAS COMPLETELY BROKEN. I TOOK IT TO NISSAN AND THEY ARE NOT GOING TO HELP MY FIX IT 100% FULLY KNOWING THAT THE CVT TRANSMISSION THEY PUT IN THE CAR HAS PROBLEMS. I SPOKE WITH NISSAN CUSTOMER AFFAIRS AND THEY TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE MY CAR IS OUT OF THEIR WARRANTY THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO HELP ME WHEN THIS IS NOT MY FAULT. THEY KEEP PRODUCING CARS THAT HAVE THIS TRANSMISSION IN IT AND KEEP HAVING TO REPLACE IT EXCEPT FOR MY CAR. I HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN THAT I NEED A CAR FOR. I HAVE A LOAN OUT FOR THE CAR THAT NOW I HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT DOES NOT WORK! I CAN NOT AFFORD TO FIX THE TRANSMISSION THAT NISSAN PUT IN THAT IS KNOWN TO FAULT OUT!
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY TO GO TO WORK, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE, THE CAR WOULD REV BUT WOULDN'T GO FASTER. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN ENOUGH, PUT ON MY HAZARDS AND STOP WITHOUT BEING HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. HAD A COP NOT BEEN NEARBY WHEN IT HAPPENED, I COULD HAVE BEEN. I HAD TO WAIT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY FOR AN EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE RESPONSE MAN TO COME AND PUSH MY CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. THEN, TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY, I HAD TO WAIT 5 AND A HALF HOURS FOR A TOW TRUCK TO COME AND TAKE MY CAR TO A SHOP.
AFTER A 1.5-2 HOUR DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY, MY CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE BEYOND 60 MPH. IT DROVE FINE AFTER GETTING HOME AND GETTING SOME REST. NO LIGHTS CAME ON THIS FIRST. SIMILAR EVENT HAPPENED A COUPLE WEEKS LATER - MUCH SHORTER DRIVE APPROX. 20 MINUTES, SLOWER SPEEDS, BUT MAIN INCLINES. ALL LIGHTS (CHECK ENGINE, OIL, EMERGENCY BRAKE, BATTERY) CAME ON AND THE CAR WOULD NO ACCELERATE AT ALL. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE CAR OFF THEN BACK ON AGAIN AND IT WAS COMPLETELY FINE.
ENGINE STOPPED WORKING WITH NO WARNING WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT ON A CITY STREET, RESTARTED AFTER 5-10 MINUTES GOING BACK & FORTH THROUGH THE GEARS BACK TO DRIVE. TEMPERATURE 115 ON THIS DAY IN LAS VEGAS , NEVADA
SES LIGHT THREW CODE 0420 INDICATING THAT BOTH O2 SENSORS NEED REPLACING. I BOUGHT THE PARTS AND TOOK TO A SHOP TO REPLACE. SHOP HAD TROUBLE REACHING THE UPSTREAM SENSOR AND WAS WORRIED IT MIGHT BE THREADED AND SUGGESTED I TAKE TO THE DEALER TO REPLACE. THE DEALER SAID THE PORT WAS INDEED THREADED UPON REMOVAL OF SENSOR, AND THE ONLY FIX WAS TO REPLACE THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. SEEMS LIKE QUITE A DESIGN FLAW THAT REPLACING A $70 SENSOR CAUSES THE NEED FOR A $1000 MANIFOLD. MANIFOLD ISN'T BROKEN, ONLY THE O2 SENSOR PORT IS THREADED SO THEREFORE A NEW SENSOR CAN'T BE PUT IN, NECESSITATING THE ENTIRE REPLACEMENT OF THE MANIFOLD.
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .