RoadVitals

2013 Nissan Sentra Brakes Problems

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

Data refreshed

Brakes 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.
97
Latest Jul 10, 2021
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.
15%
of 638 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.
10
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
7

What this page shows

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2013 Nissan Sentra submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 97 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 brake

The 25 most recent of 97, in the owner's own words

BrakesElectricalEngine
Filed Jul 10, 2021

It was 108 degree outside at 4:30 pm in the zip code of 89052. At a sloped intersection on a major street I stopped for the light. When the light turned green I tried to accelerate the car, it failed to accelerate, the break did not function, and the steering was difficult. The car stalled. The car started rolling downhill. I was able to turn the car to the next street ~20 yards down the intersection. The street had no slope and no other cars at the time. The car eventually stopped. But that was a dangerous incident and it could be much worse.

NHTSA ID
11424215
Incident
Jul 9, 2021
Brakes
Filed Jul 4, 2020

WHEN DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30MPH, I PUSHED MY BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW FOR MY NEXT TURN. THE PEDAL WAS SLIGHTLY INEFFECTIVE, MEANING THE PRESSURE IN THE PEDAL WAS RELEASED AND THE BRAKE DID NOT HALT MY CAR IN A SAFE TIMEFRAME. I HAD TO RELEASE AND PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL AGAIN TO FEEL PRESSURE IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM, AND WAS ABLE TO SLOW JUST IN TIME TO MAKE MY NEXT TURN. THIS WAS DEFINITELY SCARY AS I'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED BRAKE FAILURE BEFORE.

NHTSA ID
11337432
Incident
Jul 3, 2020
Mileage
69,434 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Apr 9, 2020

WHILE DRIVING, MY CAR CONTINUES TO JERK AND JERK AS I TRIED TO GIVE THE CAR GAS. IT WOULD SPUTTER AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN JUMP REALLY QUICK. IT FINALLY GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I GOT STUCK AT TWO LIGHTS! I FINALLY GOT MY DESTINATION AND GOT STUCK ON THE HILL. MY FOOT WAS ALL THE WAY ON THE GAS PEDAL AND SOME KIND GENTLEMEN PUSHED MY CAR UP THE HILL SO I COULD PARK IT. IT'S VERY SCARY AS I HAD MY TWO CHILDREN IN THE CAR WITH ME AND FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO HAPPEN IT PUTS ALL OF OUR LIVES IN DANGER. I WAS DRIVING ON A MAJOR INTERSECTION WHEN THIS HAPPENED. ANY TIME O WOULD COME TO A STOP IT WOULD STALL AND IT WOULD NOW ALLOW ME TO TURN. THE ACCELERATION WOULD NOT WORK. I HAD TO CUT THE CAR OFF TWICE TO TRY AND SEE IF IT WOULD RESTART AND GIVE ME ENOUGH PUSH TO MY DESTINATION. BUT AS STATED MY FOOT WAS COMPLETELY ON THE GAS AND IT WOULD NOT GO OVER 5 MPH!

NHTSA ID
11320721
Incident
Apr 9, 2020
Mileage
5 mi
Brakes
Filed Jan 13, 2020
Crash reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 NISSAN SENTRA. THE STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING AT 25 TO 30 MPH WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO COME TO A STOP AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT POLICE DEPARTMENT PROVIDED CASE NUMBER 020-9-018-0182. THE STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION AND THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,400.

NHTSA ID
11298995
Incident
Jan 12, 2020
Mileage
52,400 mi
Brakes
Filed Nov 7, 2019

MASTER CYLINDER NEEDS REPLACING. MY DAUGHTER COULD HAVE CRASHED AS BRAKES WENT ALL THE WAY TO FLOOR. NISSAN KNOWS THIS ISSUE EXISTS WITH 2013 NISSAN SENTRA AND NO RECALL?

NHTSA ID
11278765
Incident
Nov 7, 2019
Mileage
120,000 mi
BrakesExterior lightingOther / unspecified
Filed Apr 26, 2019

BRAKES GO OUT EASY/BOTTOM OF CAR IS A TOTAL MESS AND NON STOP PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ID
11203898
Incident
Apr 26, 2019
Mileage
50,000 mi
BrakesPowertrain (other)
Filed Feb 14, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION RETURNED TO NORMAL, THE BRAKES SEIZED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN DEPRESSED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HANLEES DAVIS NISSAN (5009 CHILES RD, DAVIS, CA 95618, (530) 231-3000) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT NEW CYLINDERS AND BRAKE BOOSTERS NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS ALSO REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000.

NHTSA ID
11180035
Incident
Jan 27, 2018
Mileage
62,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Dec 11, 2018

WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, BRAKE PEDAL SUDDENLY WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND CONTINUED TO MALFUNCTION UNTIL VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO A STOP. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND NISSAN DEALERSHIP BOTH DETERMINED THE CAUSE WAS THE MAIN CYLINDER. MILEAGE ON CAR WAS 39,000. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF ANY BRAKE ISSUES BEFORE MALFUNCTION (NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS, NO NOISES FROM BRAKES, ETC.).

NHTSA ID
11160798
Incident
Dec 6, 2018
Mileage
39,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Nov 7, 2018

AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, I PRESSED ON THE BRAKES TO STOP AND I HAD TO PRESS THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR TO ACTIVATE THE BREAKS. THIS CAUSED ME TO ALMOST HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL MORE TIMES ON MY WAY HOME. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY EVENTUALLY DIAGNOSED THE CAR WITH A CRACKED MASTER CYLINDER. THE CAR IS ROUGHLY 5 YEARS OLD AND THIS IS THE SECOND MAJOR PROBLEM THAT IT HAS HAD WITHIN THE MONTH - 1ST THE TRANSMISSION AND THEN 2ND THE BREAKS. THESE ARE 2 OF THE 3 MOST FREQUENTLY REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL. THE CAR IS UNDER 60K MILES. ACCORDING TO MOST SOURCES, THE MASTER CYLINDER IS SUPPOSED TO LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR. NISSAN REPORTS THAT NO RECALL/CUSTOMER EDUCATION HAS BEEN DONE FOR EITHER OF THOSE THINGS FOR THAT MAKE/MODEL. IT SEEMS IRRESPONSIBLE OF THEM.

NHTSA ID
11149892
Incident
Oct 26, 2018
Mileage
55,467 mi
Brakes
Filed Sep 20, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 NISSAN SENTRA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WITHOUT WARNING ONCE DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH KELLY NISSAN OF LYNNFIELD (275 BROADWAY, LYNNFIELD, MA 01940, (866)-726-4450). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT, IF THERE WAS A FAILURE, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE COULD POSSIBLY ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,200.

NHTSA ID
11130423
Incident
Jun 20, 2018
Mileage
33,200 mi
Brakes
Filed Sep 18, 2018

TAKATA RECALL. TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WITHOUT SHOWING CODES.. NISSAN KEPT SAYING IT WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH CAR BUT THE CAR WAS STALLING AND PULLING AT TIMES IN THE MIDDLE OF MAKING A TURN ON CITY STREETS THE CAR WOULDNT GO.. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NEVER CAME ON. SO IT TOOK MONTHS OF THEM REFUSING TO FIX AND MY WARRANTY COMPANY TO ACTUALLY FIX THE PROBLEM. ALSO, THE MASTER BREAK CYLINDER WENT OUT WITHOUT NOTICE. I HAVE HAD MANY MECHANICS LOOK AT CAR AND SAY THAT MY CAR HAS VERY LITTLE MILES FOR THIS TO HAPPEN SO SOON.. WHILE DRIVING ON MAIN ROADS AND HIGHWAYS THE BRAKE PAD WILL GO ALL THE WAY TO FLOOR. WHEN AT A RED LIGHT AND STOP SIGN OR ANY TIME I AM AT A STOP THE CAR KEEPS MOVING WITH BRADE PAD ON FLOOR OF CAR..

NHTSA ID
11130042
Incident
Sep 17, 2018
Mileage
50,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jul 5, 2018

BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER MAJOR FAILURE IN WHICH I ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT. PEDAL WENT RIGHT TO THE FLOOR AND BRAKES DID NOT FUNCTION!

NHTSA ID
11109690
Incident
Jul 3, 2018
Mileage
72,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jun 4, 2018

WHEN DRIVING MY CAR ON THE HIGHWAY OR CITY STREETS, I LOSE SPEED AND CAN'T USE PEDAL TO ACCELERATE TO PICK UP ANY SPEED.CAR WON'T GO PASS 20 MPH.

NHTSA ID
11099876
Incident
Jun 4, 2018
Mileage
153,000 mi
Brakes
Filed May 28, 2018

VEHICLE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELS FURTHER THAN NORMAL. HAVE CHECKED BRAKE PADS, BRAKE SHOES, ADJUST HAND BRAKE FLUSH BRAKE FLUID AND REFILL AND BLED ALL 4 BRAKE LINES. NO IMPROVEMENT. I BOUGHT USED.

NHTSA ID
11098366
Incident
May 28, 2018
Mileage
69,000 mi
Brakes
Filed May 7, 2018

BRAKES HAVE UNUSUALLY LONG PEDAL TRAVEL COMING TO A FULL STOP. AFTER COMING TO A FULL STOP, ADDITIONAL PRESSURE IS REQUIRED TO KEEP THE CAR FROM DRIFTING FORWARD. INCIDENT HAPPENS REPEATEDLY. WE PURCHASED THE CAR USED, WITH A REBUILT TITLE. I HAD THE BRAKES CHECKED AT A GARAGE, AND HAD THE LINES BLED TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS NO AIR IN THE LINES. THERE ARE NO WARNING LIGHTS INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES.

NHTSA ID
11092212
Incident
May 7, 2018
Mileage
46,800 mi
Brakes
Filed Apr 17, 2018

MASTER CYLINDER. ON SATURDAY 1/27/18 I WAS DRIVING MY CAR HOME AFTER MAKING A STOP AND THE BRAKES QUIT WORKING. I HAD TO SLAM ON MY BRAKES TO GET THE CAR TO STOP. I FINALLY GOT HOME AFTER A STRESSFUL DRIVE. I TOOK MY CAR TO ONE SERVICE CENTER THE NEXT DAY (1/28) AND THEY TOPPED OUT THE FLUIDS BUT FOUND NOTHING ELSE WRONG. I GOT IN THE CAR TO DRIVE HOME AND HAD THE SAME ISSUE. THUS, ON MONDAY (1/29) I TOOK THE CAR TO A DOWNTOWN SERVICE CENTER (NON-NISSAN) AND THEY DIAGNOSED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I HAD THAT ITEM REPLACED AT A COST OF $732. I THEN SENT A LETTER TO NISSAN REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THE CAR WAS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD AND 67000 MILES. NISSAN SAID SINCE I DID NOT BRING IT TO A NISSAN DEALERSHIP AND HAVE THEIR DIAGNOSTICS RUN THEY WOULD NOT REIMBURSE ME. HOWEVER, A WEEK OR TWO EARLIER I WAS AT A NISSAN DEALERSHIP FOR A SHIFT LOCK PROBLEM AND THEY RAN DIAGNOSTICS THEN. THEY TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM AND DID RUN DIAGNOSTICS. THEY SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE. AFTER THE MASTER CYLINDER ISSUE, I RECHECKED THAT REPORT AND IT INDICATED THE BRAKE FLUIDS WERE LOW. I ALSO CHECKED THE INTERNET AND RAN ACROSS SEVERAL REPORTS THAT TALKED ABOUT THIS SAME BRAKING ISSUE. NISSAN HAS REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT SINCE I DID NOT BRING IT TO THEM. HOWEVER, SINCE ITS OUT OF WARRANTY I DO NOT ALWAYS TAKE MY CAR TO A DEALERSHIP - I USUALLY TAKE IT TO A PLACE CLOSER TO MY WORK.

NHTSA ID
11088662
Incident
Jan 27, 2018
Mileage
67,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Mar 30, 2018
Crash reported

I WENT TO STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND I WAS UNABLE TO DEPLOY THE BRAKES. THE CAR STARTED TO ROLL FORWARD, I THEN TRIED SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES, BUT THE CAR ACCELERATED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION AND I ENDED UP CRASHING THE CAR.

NHTSA ID
11082177
Incident
Jan 11, 2018
Mileage
73,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Feb 1, 2018

THIS CAR HAS EXCESSIVE BREAK PEDAL TRAVEL, THEN BREAK FAILURE TO STOP. PEDAL SINKS TO FLOOR AND RENDERS THE BREAKING SYSTEM USELESS. FLUID IS FULL, AND CLEAN. BREAK PADS ARE IN MID TO HIGH CAPACITY.

NHTSA ID
11066490
Incident
Jan 31, 2018
Mileage
102,381 mi
Brakes
Filed Jan 19, 2018

WHILE ATTEMPTING BRAKING AND BRAKING THE CAR STALLS. ALL LIGHTS TURN ON AND VEHICLE DIES. SOMETIMES RESTARTS AFTER STALL OTHER TIMES IT TAKES AWHILE TO RESTART WHILE ON THE ROADS. THIS A SAFETY HAZARD! IT IS CURRENTLY PARKED NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY.

NHTSA ID
11063750
Incident
Jan 12, 2018
Mileage
55,476 mi
BrakesFuel systemPowertrain (other)
Filed Dec 22, 2017

I'M A OWNER OF A 2013 NISSAN SENTRA I BOUGHT 1 YEAR AGO AND IT HAS NOW HAD 5 TRANSMISSION PUT IN IT. I HAVE 2 CHILDREN AT THE TIME THE CAR BECAME SELF DRIVING RPM JUST KEPT GOING UP WITHOUT ME PUSHING THE GAS THE CAR HAS MAJOR PROBLEMS AND NISSAN REFUSES TO THINK IT'S A HAZARD MY WIFE ALMOST LOST HER JOB CAUSE OF THIS CAR IT ABOUT GOT US KILLED I'M STUCK UNDER FIANCE COMPANY LUCKY WITH EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT I DON'T FEEL SAFE SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE SHUTTERING JERKING NO POWER WHEN TRYING TO PULL OUT ON THE HIGHWAY THIS THING NEEDS TO NOT BE SOLD TO NO ONE THEY NEED TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND TAKE IT BACK AND ALLOW US TO HAVE A SAFER MORE RELIABLE CAR. CONSUMERS AFFAIRS WEBSITE SAYS ENOUGH MULTIPLE ISSUES FROM ALL ACROSS THE WORLD.

NHTSA ID
11056161
Incident
Nov 26, 2017
Mileage
113,000 mi
AirbagsBrakes
Filed Oct 11, 2017
Crash reported2 injuries reported

BRAKES FAILED TO FUNCTION WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP WHILE GOING 35 MPH ON A DRY, STRAIGHT ROADWAY. THE PEDAL HAD SOME TENSION BEHIND IT BUT DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT, KIND OF SPONGY AND IT WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. SEVERAL PUMPS OF THE BREAK DID NOT RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT BRAKING SO I SPUN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT TO TRY TO AVOID THE CAR THAT WAS STOPPING, BUT COULD NOT CLEAR IT AND MY CAR HAS BEEN TOTALED AND I AM IN PAIN. AIRBAGS ALSO FAILED TO DEPLOY, AND I'D HAVE THOUGHT A 35 MPH CRASH SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENT TO TRIGGER THE INERTIA SENSOR.

NHTSA ID
11032938
Incident
Oct 6, 2017
Mileage
63,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jun 14, 2017

THE VEHICLE WONT STOP AT TIMES. THE BRAKE PEDAL HAS TO BE PUMPED. AT TIMES WHEN BRAKING THE CAR THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND TRIES TO CREEP EVEN WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. VERY BAD FEELING-HAD NEW PADS AND ROTORS JUST INSTALLED

NHTSA ID
10995101
Incident
Jun 13, 2017
Mileage
41,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Jun 13, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 NISSAN SENTRA. WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE CONTACT HAD TO EXERT ADDITIONAL PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

NHTSA ID
10994595
Incident
Jun 12, 2017
Mileage
65,000 mi
AirbagsBrakes
Filed May 13, 2017

TAKATA RECALL. WHEN YU TAKE OFF & IT GETS UP IN SPEED THE CAR JERK. WHEN YOU STOP AT A RED LIGHT OR STOP SIGN & THEN GO, IT JERK LIKE IT'S TRYING TO TAKE OFF. BUT IT BARELY MOVE & JERK PRETTY HARD. IT SEEM LIKE THE CAR TRANSMISSION IS NOT CHANGING OUT. WHILE THE CAR IS JERKING WHEN YOU TAKE OFF. IT'S LIKE THE IDLES UP & DOWN. WHEN YOU BRAKE IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU WALKING ON SQUEAKY HARD WOOD FLOOR. THE AIRBAG DOES NOT WORK AT ALL.I

NHTSA ID
10985535
Incident
May 12, 2013
BrakesPowertrain (other)
Filed Apr 2, 2017

BEEN DRIVING THE CAR AND NOTICE I WAS HEARING A BAD ROARING NOISE SOON I HEARD A LOUD POP IN THE BACK OF THE CAR AND WENT TO LOOK AT THE DRUM ON PASSENGER SIDE THE ADJUSTERS SCREW HAD COMPLETELY BROKE IN PEACE 94K MILES BEEN DOING THIS NOISE ON AND OFF AND TRANSMISSION HAS TENDENCY TO FEEL LIKE IT STARTS TO REALLY HESITATE BADLY.

NHTSA ID
10969988
Incident
Apr 2, 2017
Mileage
90,000 mi

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

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .