2018 Nissan Sentra Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Caution The 2018 Nissan Sentra has a complaint index of 60, ranking 9th worst out of 21 model years, with a Caution verdict. Owners logged 185 complaints and 2 recalls, with transmission and powertrain issues the top problem area at 25% of complaints.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 60/100
- #9 of 21 Sentra years
- Verdict
- Caution
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 185
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 2
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 17
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 3
- Injuries
- 10
- Top issue
- Transmission & Powertrain
- NHTSA overall rating
- 4 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 28.5
- 26.5 city / 32.5 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 10 / 1
Top 2018 Nissan Sentra problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Transmission & Powertrain46 (25%)
- Electrical System44 (24%)
- Brakes43 (23%)
- Engine38 (21%)
- Other38 (21%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras24 (13%)
- Airbags9 (5%)
- Fuel System7 (4%)
- Structure & Body7 (4%)
- Steering6 (3%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Emergency brake assist activates unexpectedly, sometimes going off near hills or without another vehicle nearby, and can worsen after dealer repairs.
- Front and side airbags have failed to fully deploy in crashes, including the driver side curtain airbag not inflating.
- Seat belts have failed to properly restrain occupants during frontal or head-on collisions, allowing passengers to strike the windshield.
- The engine compartment has caught fire while driving at low speed, with smoke appearing near the windshield wiper area before flames.
- Brakes have reportedly failed to stop the vehicle when the driver depresses the accelerator, and some vehicles fail to start with the push-to-start button and brake pedal depressed.
- Collision avoidance sensors have triggered false alerts or failed to prevent forward collisions, contributing to rear-end crashes.
2018 Nissan Sentra recalls
2 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- 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.
- NHTSA 19V654000Sep 12, 2019Collision Avoidance & Cameras1,228,830 vehicles
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.
2018 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.
2018 compared with other Sentra years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2018 Nissan Sentra reliable?
- NHTSA data gives the 2018 Sentra a complaint index of 60, ranking 9th worst among 21 model years, earning a Caution verdict relative to other Sentra years.
- What are the most common problems with the 2018 Nissan Sentra?
- Transmission and powertrain issues make up 25% of complaints, followed by electrical system problems at 24% and brake issues at 23%, based on NHTSA complaint data.
- Does the 2018 Nissan Sentra have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2018 Sentra: one for a brake light switch that can prevent brake lights from illuminating, and one covering back-up camera software affecting multiple Nissan models.
- What year Nissan Sentra should I avoid instead of 2018?
- Among Sentra years, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020 carry Avoid verdicts with higher complaint indexes than the 2018 model's 60.
- How many complaints does the 2018 Nissan Sentra have?
- NHTSA lists 185 complaints for the 2018 Nissan Sentra, including 17 crashes, 3 fires, 10 injuries, and 1 death.