YearToAvoid

2017 Nissan Sentra Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

80/100

#5 most-complained of 21 Sentra years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2017 Nissan Sentra has 230 owner complaints and 3 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 80 out of 100 — #5 highest of 21 Sentra model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is transmission & powertrain (76 complaints, 33% of the total). Complaints report 29 crashes, 6 fires, and 21 injuries.

Complaints
230
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
29 / 6
Injuries / deaths
21 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
28.5
26.5 city / 32.5 hwy

Top 2017 Nissan Sentra problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Transmission & Powertrain76 (33%)
  2. Engine69 (30%)
  3. Electrical System46 (20%)
  4. Other37 (16%)
  5. Brakes27 (12%)
  6. Airbags26 (11%)
  7. Steering14 (6%)
  8. Structure & Body10 (4%)
  9. Fuel System7 (3%)
  10. Suspension, Wheels & Tires7 (3%)
2017 Nissan Sentra complaints: complaints filed per quarter202017 Q22018 Q32019 Q42021 Q12022 Q22023 Q32024 Q42026 Q1
326 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2017 Q2 to 2026 Q3; peak 2022 Q1 (20).

2017 Nissan Sentra recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 21V135000Mar 3, 2021Electrical System807,376 vehicles

    Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch

    Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Nissan Sentra vehicles. The brake light switch may become contaminated, preventing the circuit from closing and the brake lights from illuminating.

    Risk: The brake lights may not illuminate, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the brake light switch and install a protective grommet, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 1, 2022. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800867-7769. Nissan's number for this recall is PM971.

  2. NHTSA 18V551000Aug 21, 2018Electrical System153,047 vehicles

    Electrical system:ignition

    Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2017 Nissan NV200, Sentra, NV3500 Van, NV3500 Bus, NV200 Taxi, NV1500, NV2500 Van, Chevrolet City Express, 2017-2018 Frontier, Versa Note, and Versa Sedan vehicles that have a mechanical (physical) key ignition system. In these models, over time, the weight on the key ring and road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.

    Risk: If the vehicle stalls, it can increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the production information on the ignition switch, and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669.

  3. NHTSA 17V253000Apr 13, 2017Airbags30,038 vehicles

    Air bags

    Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 LEAF and 2014, 2016 and 2017 Sentra vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error within the air bag inflators, the passenger frontal air bag may not properly deploy in the event of a crash.

    Risk: In the event of a crash, if the front passenger air bag doesn't deploy properly, it can increase the risk of injury to passengers.

    Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 7, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

2017 Nissan Sentra fuel economy and fuel cost

City
26.5 MPG
Highway
32.5 MPG
Combined
28.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,800
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
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.

2017 compared with other Sentra years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2015Avoid95351332
2016Caution70270632
2017Avoid80230328.5
2018Caution60185228.5
2019Avoid85222229

All Nissan Sentra years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2017 Nissan Sentra a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2017 Nissan Sentra ranks #5 of 21 among Sentra model years (Complaint Index 80/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 230 complaints and 3 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2017 Nissan Sentra?
The most reported problem areas are transmission & powertrain (76 complaints), engine (69 complaints), and electrical system (46 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 44,000 miles.
Does the 2017 Nissan Sentra have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2017 Nissan Sentra, most recently reported 2021, covering electrical system and airbags.
What is the fuel economy of the 2017 Nissan Sentra?
EPA rates the 2017 Nissan Sentra at 28.5 MPG combined (26.5 city / 32.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,800. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.