2013 Nissan Sentra Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
AvoidComplaint Index
100/100
#1 most-complained of 16 Sentra years
The 2013 Nissan Sentra has 638 NHTSA complaints, 6 recalls, and a complaint index of 100, ranking it the worst of 16 model years. Transmission & Powertrain problems dominate at 49% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 75,000.
- Complaints
- 638
- Recalls
- 6
- Crashes / fires
- 24 / 4
- Injuries / deaths
- 20 / 1
- NHTSA overall rating
- 4 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 33
- 29.5 city / 38 hwy
Top 2013 Nissan Sentra problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Transmission & Powertrain311 (49%)
- Engine133 (21%)
- Brakes110 (17%)
- Airbags96 (15%)
- Other64 (10%)
- Electrical System45 (7%)
- Fuel System37 (6%)
- Steering16 (3%)
- Seat Belts13 (2%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires13 (2%)
What owners report
- Owners report sudden loss of power or stalling on the highway tied to transmission failure.
- Some describe the front passenger airbag failing to deploy even in moderate-speed rear-end or head-on crashes.
- Brake pedals reportedly failed to stop the vehicle, causing owners to roll into intersections or rear-end other cars.
- One owner reported an engine fire starting after noticing a burning odor while driving at 55 mph.
- A fatal crash was reported after a vehicle veered off the road and caught fire.
- An owner noted visibility problems out of the rear passenger window contributing to a near-collision while merging.
2013 Nissan Sentra recalls
6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 16V242000Apr 26, 2016Airbags645,898 vehicles
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Sentra vehicles manufactured June 4, 2012, to April 9, 2016. The front passenger seat belt bracket may become deformed if it is used to secure a Child Restraint System (CRS). The deformed seat bracket may cause the Occupant Classification System (OCS) to incorrectly classify the installed CRS, resulting in the front passenger air bag to not be turned off as designed when a CRS is in the seat.
Risk: If the frontal passenger air bag deploys in the event of a crash when a child seat is installed in the front passenger seat, there will be an increased risk of injury to the child in the CRS.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will reinforce the seat belt bracket as well as reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU), free of charge. The recall began on June 13, 2016. Owners are warned not to install a CRS in the front seat. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669.
- NHTSA 16V244000Apr 26, 2016Airbags3,296,947 vehicles
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.
Risk: If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669, Infiniti customer service at 1-888-833-3216 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.
- NHTSA 15V681000Oct 20, 2015Airbags919 vehicles
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima and Pathfinder vehicles, 2013-2014 Nissan Sentra vehicles, 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles, 2014-2015 Infiniti QX60 vehicles and 2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid vehicles. The affected vehicles received an incorrect occupant classification system (OCS) control unit during a repair. These OCS control units may incorrectly classify the front passenger seat as empty, when it is occupied by an adult.
Risk: If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger air bag would be deactivated. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted) could increase the risk of injury to the passenger.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the OCS software, free of charge. The recall began on November 30, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
2013 Nissan Sentra fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 29.5 MPG
- Highway
- 38 MPG
- Combined
- 33 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $1,950
- 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.
2013 compared with other Sentra years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2013 Nissan Sentra reliable?
- Compared to other Sentra model years, the 2013 ranks worst, with a complaint index of 100 and 638 NHTSA complaints, more than any other year.
- What problems does the 2013 Nissan Sentra have?
- Transmission & Powertrain issues make up 49% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 75,000. Engine problems account for 21%, and Brakes for 17%.
- Does the 2013 Nissan Sentra have airbag recalls?
- Yes. NHTSA lists five separate airbag-related recalls for the 2013 Sentra, covering occupant detection sensors and seat belt bracket reinforcement, plus one fuel system recall for improperly sealed fuel tanks.
- How does the 2013 Sentra compare to other years?
- The 2013 Sentra has a complaint index of 100, the highest of all 16 model years covered, while the 2012 and 2010 model years rank as "Best" with indexes of 20 and 7.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2013 Nissan Sentra?
- The 2013 Sentra is EPA-rated at 33 mpg combined (29.5 city/38 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $1,950.