2021 Nissan Sentra Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
CautionComplaint Index
60/100
#7 most-complained of 16 Sentra years
The 2021 Nissan Sentra has a complaint index of 60 and ranks 7th worst out of 16 model years, earning a Caution verdict. It has 131 complaints, 3 recalls, and 14 crashes reported, with steering and brake failures causing several accidents.
- Complaints
- 131
- Recalls
- 3
- Crashes / fires
- 14 / 1
- Injuries / deaths
- 8 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 32.5
- 28.5 city / 38 hwy
Top 2021 Nissan Sentra problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System40 (31%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras40 (31%)
- Steering40 (31%)
- Brakes24 (18%)
- Other19 (15%)
- Engine12 (9%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires12 (9%)
- Structure & Body4 (3%)
- Transmission & Powertrain4 (3%)
- Lane Departure3 (2%)
What owners report
- Steering can suddenly lose power assist at low speeds, causing the wheel to stiffen and leading to loss of control.
- Tie rods reportedly bend or fracture, sometimes tied to an official steering recall, resulting in crashes while merging or turning.
- Brakes have engaged on their own during cruise control use, with warning lights illuminated and no dealer diagnosis found.
- Some owners report the emergency brake light coming on followed by the brake pedal failing to bring the vehicle to a stop.
- Electrical problems include batteries smoking, rear door locks failing to operate, and dashboard warning lights appearing without explanation.
- The forward collision sensor has reportedly triggered abrupt stops on the highway due to sensor malfunction.
2021 Nissan Sentra recalls
3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 23V628000Sep 8, 2023Collision Avoidance & Cameras153,376 vehicles
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Altima and 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. Damage to the camera harness can cause distortion or loss of the rearview camera display image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and harness for damage and replace them as necessary. If no damage is found, the dealer will apply protective tape and reroute the rearview camera harness. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 19, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23C3.
- NHTSA 23V581000Aug 15, 2023Steering236,238 vehicles
Steering:linkages:tie rod assembly
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Sentra vehicles. The left and/or right tie rod may bend.
Risk: A bent tie rod can break and cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Owners are advised to contact their dealer for transport assistance if they are experiencing an off-center steering wheel or vibration. As an interim repair, dealers will inspect and replace any bent or broken tie rods, free of charge. Once newly designed parts are available, dealers will replace both left and right tie rods, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed November 27, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23B3. This recall replaces and expands recall number 21V-461. Vehicles previously repaired under 21V-461 will need to have the new remedy completed.
- NHTSA 21V461000Jun 17, 2021Steering138,736 vehicles
Steering:linkages:tie rod assembly
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. The left and/or right tie rod may be bent.
Risk: A bent tie rod can break, causing a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the left and/or right tie rods as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 5, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PM985.
2021 Nissan Sentra fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 28.5 MPG
- Highway
- 38 MPG
- Combined
- 32.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,000
- 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.
2021 compared with other Sentra years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2021 Nissan Sentra reliable?
- NHTSA data gives the 2021 Sentra a complaint index of 60 and a Caution verdict, ranking 7th worst among 16 Sentra model years. It sits behind cleaner years like 2022 and 2023 but ahead of years such as 2013 and 2014.
- What are the most common problems with the 2021 Nissan Sentra?
- NHTSA complaints point to the Electrical System, Collision Avoidance & Cameras, and Steering as the top problem areas, each accounting for 31% of complaints. Brakes follow at 18%.
- Does the 2021 Nissan Sentra have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2021 Sentra, including two tie rod steering recalls (campaigns 21V461000 and 23V581000) and one rearview camera harness recall (23V628000). None are do-not-drive recalls.
- At what mileage do 2021 Sentra problems tend to show up?
- NHTSA's median mileage at failure across all complaints is 23,000 miles, though steering failures show a median of 33,000 miles and brake failures a median of 17,000 miles.
- How does the 2021 Sentra compare to other Sentra years?
- The 2021 Sentra's complaint index of 60 is worse than 2018 (47), 2020 (53), and 2022 (13), but better than 2013 (100), 2014 (93), and 2019 (80).