2010 Nissan Sentra Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
BestComplaint Index
7/100
#15 most-complained of 16 Sentra years
The 2010 Nissan Sentra has a complaint index of 7, the lowest of any Sentra model year on record, and ranks as the Best year out of 16. NHTSA lists 144 complaints, 3 recalls, and no do-not-drive orders, with Engine and Electrical System issues most common.
- Complaints
- 144
- Recalls
- 3
- Crashes / fires
- 11 / 4
- Injuries / deaths
- 8 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 26.5
- 24 city / 30.5 hwy
Top 2010 Nissan Sentra problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine53 (37%)
- Electrical System52 (36%)
- Airbags31 (22%)
- Transmission & Powertrain18 (13%)
- Other14 (10%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires11 (8%)
- Brakes9 (6%)
- Steering9 (6%)
- Structure & Body3 (2%)
- Visibility & Wipers3 (2%)
What owners report
- Some vehicles caught fire under the hood while driving at low speed, with smoke appearing before the fire spread and destroyed the car.
- Owners describe the vehicle stalling suddenly at highway speed, later traced by a dealer to a burned ECM and a fractured positive battery terminal post.
- Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in several frontal and side-impact crashes, including one where an occupant suffered a major head injury.
- One owner reported the engine racing and the transmission unable to shift from park to reverse shortly after starting the car.
- A steering wheel reportedly locked and would not turn during a low-speed left turn, causing the vehicle to flip onto its side.
- Front-end fires were reported occurring overnight while the vehicle was parked, with the fire extinguishing itself before the owner noticed damage.
2010 Nissan Sentra recalls
3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 11V579000Dec 15, 2011Electrical System33,803 vehicles
Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 sentra vehicles equipped with mr20 engines, manufactured from may 11, 2010, to may 22, 2010, and july 8, 2010, to october 25, 2010. The zinc coating applied to the terminal stud bolt was thicker than specification. This can result in a voltage drop that may cause difficulty starting the vehicle and could cause damage to the engine control module (ECM).
Risk: This issue can cause the engine to stall while the vehicle is in motion and it may not be possible to restart the engine after it stopped, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners and dealers will replace the positive battery terminal and cover, free of charge. The recallbegan on january 23, 2012. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
- NHTSA 10V555000Nov 12, 2010Electrical System13,737 vehicles
Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 sentra vehicles, manufactured from may 22, 2010, through july 8, 2010. Due to a machining irregularity, the bolt/washer surface on the positive battery terminal cable end may allow for a gap to occur in the contact area of the terminal. This can result in a voltage drop that may cause difficulty starting the vehicle and could cause damage to the engine control module.
Risk: This issue can cause the engine to stop running while the vehicle is in motion at low speed with a difficult or no start increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the positive battery terminal cable end with a new one free of charge. The safety recall began pn november 29, 2010. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
- NHTSA 10V401000Sep 10, 2010Other7,948 vehicles
Equipment:electrical:navigational system(global positioning system)
Nissan is recalling certain vehicles that were equipped with a garmin nuvi model 750 navigation system. The batteries contained in the affected gps units can overheat.
Risk: Overheated batteries could result in a fire.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners and the repairs will be performed by garmin technicians by replacing the battery and inserting a spacer on top of the battery free of charge. The safety recall began on september 16, 2010. Owners may contact garmin directly at 1-866-957-1981 or nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
2010 Nissan Sentra fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 24 MPG
- Highway
- 30.5 MPG
- Combined
- 26.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,450
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2010 compared with other Sentra years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2010 Nissan Sentra reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2010 Sentra has a complaint index of 7, the lowest of all 16 model years covered, earning a Best verdict relative to other Sentra years.
- What problems does the 2010 Nissan Sentra have?
- NHTSA lists 144 complaints for the 2010 Sentra, led by Engine issues (53 complaints, 37%) and Electrical System issues (52 complaints, 36%), followed by Airbags (31 complaints, 22%).
- Does the 2010 Nissan Sentra have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2010 Sentra, two involving the positive battery terminal in the Electrical System and one covering an aftermarket Garmin nuvi 750 GPS unit with overheating batteries. None are do-not-drive recalls.
- How does the 2010 Sentra compare to other bad Sentra years?
- The 2010 Sentra's complaint index of 7 is far below the 2013 Sentra's index of 100, which is the highest and rated Avoid, making 2010 one of the better years to consider.
- Were there airbag deployment problems in the 2010 Sentra?
- NHTSA lists 31 Airbags complaints for the 2010 Sentra, tied to 8 crashes, with owners reporting non-deployment in some frontal and rear-impact collisions.