2016 Nissan Sentra Transmission & Powertrain Problems
Owners filed 127 Transmission & Powertrain complaints on the 2016 Nissan Sentra, 47% of all complaints for the year. NHTSA lists no related recall for this problem area. Median mileage at failure was 87,000, and six crashes and one fire were reported.
- Transmission & Powertrain complaints
- 127
- 47% of 270
- Crashes reported
- 6
- Fires reported
- 1
- Injuries reported
- 1
- Median mileage
- 87,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 0
Typical transmission symptoms owners report
- CVT transmission slips, shudders, or jerks between gears during normal driving, including at highway speeds.
- Vehicle stalls or loses power unexpectedly while driving at low or moderate speeds, sometimes in traffic or on hills.
- RPMs rise while the vehicle decelerates instead of accelerating, with no warning light illuminated.
- Sudden jolting or erratic shifting has led to loss of control and crashes, including rear-end collisions.
- Axle shaft fluid leaking into the transmission was diagnosed as a failure cause in at least one case.
- Dealers have replaced or attempted to repair the CVT transmission, but owners report the same failure recurring afterward.
When 2016 Nissan Sentra transmission complaints were filed
First complaint Feb 14, 2017, latest Aug 21, 2026.
Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2016 Nissan Sentra
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Sentra model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How many 2016 Nissan Sentra owners reported transmission problems?
- NHTSA lists 127 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2016 Nissan Sentra, which is 47% of all complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a recall for the 2016 Nissan Sentra transmission?
- No. NHTSA does not list any related recall for the Transmission & Powertrain area on the 2016 Nissan Sentra.
- At what mileage do 2016 Sentra transmissions typically fail?
- The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA is 87,000 miles.
- Have transmission problems on the 2016 Sentra caused crashes?
- NHTSA data tied to this problem area for the 2016 Sentra includes 6 crashes, 1 fire, and 1 injury.
- Is the 2016 Sentra worse than other Sentra years for transmission complaints?
- The 2016 Sentra's 47% share is close to 2014 and 2015 (48% and 49%) and higher than 2017 through 2025, but lower than 2013's 49% share among Sentra model years.