NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Nissan Sentra. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
Unknown
My ABS has messed up multiple times often after traction control is lost I have been lucky enough to not be injured YET this is my daily driver and im self employed and am currently paying almost 1k a month for this car so im forced to drive it even with the car randomly slamming my breaks I took it to the dealership I bought it from after the first incident and they denied knowing anything Im terrified to drive my car if anyone is taling me and im stuck behind a slow driver im at risk of a pile up Every time it rains or snows or is foggy my traction control flashes that its not working Every time the abs has messed up the traction has flashed it wasnt working before Im at a loss on what to do ive reached out to everyone but I guess I just have to drive it until it kills me The dealership and I are not on good terms They lied to me about a previous recalled part breaking being my fault and had me pay out of pocket to fix it there Then They failed to provide the receipts and requested i go to the dealership 2 hours away instead of theirs thats 30 minutes away No one has inspected it for this because they (my dealership) denied knowing it was an issues but I read articles online stating otherwise This has happened multiple times now that I know its going to continue im genuinely scared for my life and am reaching out for this to be looked into and recalled I dont know the dates it happened but if youd take my car to looking to the codes and the system report or whatever you'd see everything yourself and im more than willing to give it to whoever would be capable
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V581000 (STEERING). The vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair. As per the dealer, the recall repair was completed. The contact never received a receipt or any documentation regarding the recall repair and doubted that the recall repair was performed. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, the rearview camera displayed a blue image while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The contact stated that the failure obstructed driving visibility, preventing the safe operation of the vehicle. The contact was unsure if a recall notification had been received regarding the back over prevention system. The dealer requested payment, and the contact refused because the vehicle was under recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 67,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V581000 (Steering) and 21V461000 (Steering). The contact stated that while in reverse(R) and turning the steering wheel, the contact observed a clicking sound coming from under the front of the vehicle. The contact stated there was no warning light or messages displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the contact was informed that the tie rods needed to be replaced. The contact was unsure if the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 21,900.
DOOR ACTUATORS ARE NOT WORKING NOT LETTING ME LOCK OR OPEN THE DOORS ON MY FRONT PASSNEGER AND BACK DRIVER SIDE
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to complete a turn, there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the front of the vehicle with the steering wheel vibrating violently. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the tie rods. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V581000 (Steering); the VIN was included, and the vehicle was repaired in September 2024. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 57,000. The VIN was not available.
Driver side front and rear door locks will not respond to key fob. Rear door won’t lock and front door won’t unlock.
After taking my car to the dealership for recall repairs, the backup camera, on multiple occasions has given me a blue screen. I have never had this issue prior to recall repairs.
I was trapped in my vehicle when my door would not open. I attempted to unlock the door with the key fab, manually, and from reaching through the window and trying from the outside. Despite the lock mechanism showing that the door was unlocked, the door would not open. I attempted to restart the vehicle, but that did not help. I tried several combinations of tactics with no success. I finally had to climb out of the passenger side. I took the car to the dealer where I was informed that the door actuators on both driver's side doors were faulty. All I can think of is what would have happened if the car was on fire or in rising water, and worse, if my children were in the back seat. Or what if I was disabled in some way or elderly? This situation could've been much, much worse. When I contacted Nissan consumer affairs, they refused to take any responsibility for this dangerous design flaw, and I was stuck with a $1500 repair. I hope they are urged to issue a recall.
The AEB - Automatic Emergency Braking sensors are faulty. The system randomly brakes while I am driving with nothing in the cars path to set it off. It happens frequently and without any seemingly reason. It has become very nerve wracking and potentially dangerous. I brought this issue up to a mechanic at the Nissan repair shop and his response was that the car is no longer under warranty and that I am responsible for what would be a costly repair. He suggested taking the car through the car wash frequently. I constantly wipe the front window where the sensors are located, I find this solution to be unacceptable.
Driving down the road and the camera above on windshield above rearview mirror went out as well as the forward collision braking. Both went out at the same time. The problem was inspected by a certified mechanic shop. It puts people’s lives at risk once each sensors go out limiting the safety features.
Sometimes the driver door doesn’t lock even after clicking the lock button either on the key fob or on the actual door. The car is five years old and has 60,000 miles on it.
Vehicle had AEB System malfunctioning. The brakes did NOT work. The emergency brake barely worked. We were driving on Fathers Day to a family gathering and the system and brakes malfunctioned, yes we collided with the Curb and debris on the side of the road cause curb rash to the rims. No major damage. This would be the 3rd this has happened to my vehicle in particular. Dealers say the manufacturer doesn’t cover brake line damage or issue even due to factory fault/ defect.
I purchased m 2020 Nissan Sentra brand new off the showroom floor from Modern Nissan of Winston Salem in April. On [XXX] (in examining the first invoice, the date is incorrect) with only 28, 778 miles my car would not start however, an engine malfunction light, ABS indicator light, forward emergency braking system warning icon, rear automatic braking warning icon and a caution light showed up on and over the dash- board. I called my warranty dept., Nissan, explained the situation as best I could and had the car towed. Upon getting transportation there was told problem was not factory warranty but was chewed by rodents or some small animal; not warranty covered since not Nissan's fault, paid $1194. However, not 24 hours later and after putting down rodent and small animal deterrent had to take car back. Was told they missed something which added to my cost totaling $630. Totally, keeping my car 6 days. Afterwards, getting my car back again on 06/16 the second time I have taken my car back twice. The same malfunction light has come back on with the same indicator icon as forward braking system and the seat belt indicator comes on and the buzzer goes on and off whether the seat belt is on and fastened or not. After researching problems with the 2020 Nissan Sentra, I do not believe any small animal or rodent has done any damage to the electrical system on my car as I have had cars in my driveway for over 25 years with no such damage ever before. I believe Nissan should be held accountable, or my bumper to bumper 110,000-mile 2029 warranty should take care of this, and I should be reimbursed! This type of existing problem can be life threatening to me, any passengers I may have and other drivers on the road! With today's economy, my being [XXX] I cannot continue to pay such huge amounts for a factory malfunction when I have a warranty in place or try to buy another car especially when this one is not paid for!!!! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
On June 10 2025 the brake sensor malfunctioned for my 2020 Nissan Sentra This was the secound timeThe first time was about one week before..The brake peddle went down , car brakes ,brakes.I was driving speed limit of 20.There were no cars on the street or object.A yellow triangle appeared on the dash board..It scared me ,This is a safety hazard that can cause a accident.The next morning my car didn't start.There were a few symbols on the dashboard..I had it towed to the car dealer.They put a new battery.I just bought it May 04 2025.I was told no sensors were on, Mechanic didn't find anything. As of now I have bot picked up my car from the car dealer. 06/24/2025
back up camera not working
99% of the time neither of my back doors will lock or unlock when I either push the key fob or press the door unlock button inside the car. And for the past few days my front driver side door is doing the same thing. It’s a big safety hazard because I have a [XXX] daughter and if we get in an accident or stuck somewhere and I can’t open her door then what? I’ve had to go from the front door and reach to the back to unlock it manually and that’s not always possible to do. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The starter and electric problems. The vehicle has been serviced 5 or 6 times each with the problem the issues has not been resolved. Is there a recall in any of the said problems above. No, incident occurred, it is a repair failure. Problem has not been fixed and diver has been back and forth to the dealer over and over with same problem, the diver wants to know if there are recalls on ignition or starter problems and electrical problems. Said vehicle is not in running condition, it is at the dealers as now.
The back up camera stops working for awhile. Sensors work but no rear camera pops up when in Reverse.
Every so often the vehicle’s AEB, FCW, LDW system malfunctions and causes the CEL( Check Engine Light ) to come on. The car also looses Traction Control and begins to sound like the tires are grinding on the pavement. This then puts the motor in a limp mode/ Safe Mode. During this time the vehicle DOES NOT Have power and reduces speed to 50MPH, the vehicle then revs at 2.5-5.5RPM trying to catch/ hold speed. The vehicle begins to shake when this happens. The power windows also don’t work after this happens.
Brake caliper piston popped out of brake caliper
Tensioner pulley broke
I was at a stop light in a busy area and I got a message saying critical engine malfunction warning, engine power reduced. I had to floor the car to get it to 5 mph, then when I got it in the only minimally safe area I could the emergency braking system was the only thing that stopped it. My brakes failed too. My car has only 71K miles and is not quite 5 years old. It's been meticulously maintained as well. This is NOT acceptable.
I have been having several issues with this vehicle since I bought it. I’ve had the vehicle break down on me about 3 times and need repairs or adjustments to previous repairs. The main issue right now is that the car has been in the shop for about 50 days or so for repairs on the suspension or tie rods, inner/outer. I’ve had the same issue with vibrations and shaking coming from the front end when going about 60MPH. This has been going on for about 4-5 months now since I bought the car back in June. The car has been repaired about 6 times already and still no resolution to the problem. The technician at the dealership said there isn’t anything else they can do as all the work they’ve done has been by the manufacturer’s recommendation and book. My other main concern is the car tends to pull or JOLT when driving sometimes. The car has also been needing an alignment every so often. I’m not sure if it’s because the rack and pinion is broken or needs to be replaced. The boots around them keep tearing or coming off. This is my 2nd time hearing a technician tell me about them.The motor has been replaced already at 32K miles, 2 weeks before I bought it. Lately the car also been tugging and or shifting hard. My other issue is the back up camera and the windows, along with the outside button not working to keyless entry feature. I’ve been having several issues with the back up camera lately. It’s always DULL and DIM when switching from P to R, the screen turns dark and black. The other side issues are the Button for the Windows not rolling up or down. They seem to be getting stuck. This makes it hard sometimes as my kids don’t like the A/C on as much. It gives them horse cough. When it’s hot the car has no circulation or ventilation besides turning the A/C or FAN on.
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, the steering wheel had an excessive amount of play. While driving over a pothole, the vehicle shook abnormally. While reversing, there was an abnormal thumping sound while turning the steering wheel. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the vehicle should not be driven. The mechanic determined that the steering rack was badly worn, and the tie rod needed to be replaced. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who informed the contact about NHTSA Campaign Number 23V581000 (Steering). The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the steering rack and tie rod needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a claim. The failure mileage was approximately 32,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated. No warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.
This Vehicle was bought back in Jun of this year. Since purchasing the vehicle with only 49,933 miles this Sentra has broken down 4 times, been in the shop for 1Month 2weeks consecutively. The first incident was 4.5 hrs after purchase. The Passenger side Tide Rod snapped in half on the highway causing the jam and slow down along with leaving me in fear for my life. The passenger rim was inverted facing the driver. The second time happened to be the same issue but at a different dealership. The car went to Moss Bros San Bernardino where it was bought and was there for about 25days .Later it was sent to Nissan of San Bernardino and was there for 2weeks. The same day It got picked up from Nissan it was taken back the same day. Had same Bumpy and shaking throughout the car. When the tie rod snapped in half it had destroyed the durability of the belt and pulley systems as the vehicle weight was slammed abruptly onto the passenger side of the car leaving it slanted and slid for 2-3 mins on the freeway this caused the engine to become weak which led up to the defective parts breaking over time of driving regularly. The Alternator Pulley, Serpentine Belt, Axle, and balance to become uneven. So as of 09/10 this vehicle has broke down 4-5 times. Been in the shop since. The vehicle has Powertrain warranty but as usual they denied coverage. Total cost is around $2,700 in damages due to the original recall. This Tie rod recall has destroyed the vehicle. Congratulation to me cause I still owe 22K. This hazardous, and dangerous vehicle has also been deemed unsafe by CHP as of 06/11/2024. This particularly Sentra is a ticking time bomb waiting to explode on the freeway.
[XXX] 06/29 637 1). A feature of the Auto Intelligent Headlight feature is not working on 2020 Sentras, all trims. During the daytime (rain or snow) when the windshield wipers are turned on and swish back and forth 4 times, it’s supposed to automatically turn on headlights (which also turns on tail lights so you’re not rear ended). 2). Additionally, when the headlights are in “Headlight” mode (not automatic mode), the owners manual states when the engine is turned off and the door is opened you will get both an alarm chime and a visual warning on the drivers display that lights are on and to turn them off. Just like any normal car going back for 20 years. Well it doesn’t work in 2020 Sentra. Only way I can get feature to chime or show the display warning is to toggle the headlight control switch to “Parking Lights” and back to “Headlights”!. Of course, if I can remember to do that I could remember to turn off the headlights! Auto Intelligent Headlights is explained on the Nissan website, and the 2020 Sentra Brochure States it as a standard feature on all trims. I also have a personal letter from Nissan stating 2020 Sentras have all of this feature. [XXX] Intelligent Auto Headlights | Innovation | Nissan’s Intelligent Auto Headlights: Nissan’s various technologies, including electrification, autonomous drive, connected car & service, mobility service, and energy management, are introduced. [XXX] [XXX] It doesn’t work. I contacted Nissan Consumer Affairs, after 2 months and being handed off to 2 customer service reps they finally sent a Corp DTS Rep to look at car. After 4 hrs examining it, he contacted the internal only “Nissan Tech Talk”, only for Nissan mechanics and you must have a dealer code to access, not for the public. Turns out, they knew that due to a new wiring system in the 2020 Sentra’s those features and a fog light auto feature don’t work! Apparently it’s a defect, I was never notified they INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I was driving in town, alternator decided to quit working, car went into limp mode on a busy street and I was nearly rear-ended.
Still no fixture for the tie rods its been a year this is rediciolous its the second time i had them replaced
I got a recall notice on the tie rods of my car the recall started in August 2023 it is now August 2024 and the dealership states to me that they still do not have the parts to fix my recall
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V581000 (Steering); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the front end of the vehicle was vibrating abnormally. Additionally, there was a clicking sound while turning the steering wheel in either direction. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The failure mileage was 114,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Rear drivers side door doesn't unlock.
The door lock actuators on both of my rear doors suddenly no longer work. When I hit the button to lock all doors, only my 2 front doors lock. My cars 3 year warranty expired about 5 months ago and I have under 19,000 miles on the odometer. This is a safety issue. What if a carjacker walked up to my car while I’m in it, I lock the doors, and my back doors don’t lock. I could be killed. Not only that, but my car alarm does not even trigger when I open the back door after locking the car with my key fob!!! AND, I cannot find any 3rd party manufacturers of the needed replacement parts for this issue!!! So Nissan makes additional money off customers who have no other option than to purchase their defective parts for replacement, and the owner REMAINS stuck with the same defective OEM parts after paying hundreds (thousands?) for the required repairs. So Nissan is incentivized to NOT fix this problem, as they instead make more money off of it. Do a quick Google search and other 2020+ Sentra owners are experiencing the same issue. Unacceptable. Nissan needs to manufacture a replacement version of these door lock actuators that are not defective and issue a recall. Thank you for your time.
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V581000 (Steering). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle became difficult to steer. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer where it was diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact continued driving the vehicle however, the vehicle was difficult to steer. The vehicle was taken to a different dealer, Pat Fischer Nissan (1128 S Hopkins Ave, Titusville, FL 32780) where it was determined that the tie rod and steering rack needed to be replaced. The repair was pending and the vehicle remained with the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 80,000.
every since i got this $22,000 car, my backup camera has not worked. when i back up, the screen turns blue. first time i went to the nissan dealership they said there was a recall on the camera but because the one time it works, its at the dealership so they didn’t fix it. i bring it back a few months later to get the suspension recalled fix and tell them my back up camera doesn’t work. i have photo evidence showing everytime it doesn’t work and now they said there’s no recall it’ll cost $300 to replace. i’ve had this car for 3 months. i wouldn’t recommend anyone buy a car from nissan.
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that the word "Malfunction" was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the brake light switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 41,000.
My front passenger tire rod on my Nissan broke while backing it up out of my driveway in Gillette,Wy. So I contacted the Nissan dealer in Casper,WY and they informed it was on a recall. So I had Quality Auto in Gillette, Wy take it to Vista Nissan in Casper, Wy and they informed me that they could not fix it because Quality Auto welded the tire rod together to get it on to the trailer.
I bought my car in June 2023 and I’ve been having problems with my steering wheel. The dealership's goal was to fix that issue. They said they fixed it, but I’ve been having the same issue since I bought the car. They had me pay a $500 deductible to fix the same issue since I bought it. Today is August 15, and they haven’t offered to fix it. I believe they are taking advantage of the fact that I’m young, and I'm very aware that I’m paying $27,000 for this car. Please help me I believe the previous owner lied about what was wrong with the car an I was sold a car with unseen issue that the dealership fails to disclose to me, I believe fail to hold there end of the contract.
I bought my car in June23 I’ve been having a lot of issue with the car dealership fail uphold there end of the contract
I have been trying to get my car fixed for the tire rod recall and to this date 5/4/2024 they cant fix it and send me on my way this is outrageous i already had this replaced once a few years ago when i was originally leasing this they need to be quicker 9 months really? This isnt okay
There has been numerous battery drains, can't charge phone without draining battery. I got and error code P062F Internal Control Module EEPROM. ERROR. and a battery power supply error code
Issues with the door.. My key can’t open the driver door with the unlock button.. Also back door has same issue .. Had it fixed on passenger door when I have warranty but issue keeps happening ..
Rear door no longer wants to lock automatically
Malfunction Brakes from glares on the road (especially in the rain) And now has a Malfunction warning.
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to function as intended. The contact stated when the vehicle was driven over a pothole and the steering wheel shook erratically. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the failure was not duplicated. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was advised to schedule an appointment for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by the independent mechanic. In addition, the contact stated that upon an inconclusive diagnostic test, all four tires were replaced and balanced, and the tie rod was replaced however, the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact referenced Voluntary recall PM985; however, the vehicle was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was 50,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while her son was reversing from a driveway, a Springfield Public School bus crashed into the rear of the vehicle. There was no beeping sound from the camera alerting the driver of an oncoming vehicle. The camera screen was frozen. There were no reported injuries, air bag deployment, or fire. A police report was filed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Recall Number 23V-628000 (Back Over Prevention). The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
Dealership is refusing to repair recall: NHTSA Recall Number: 23V581000 Manufacturer Recall Number: R23B3 On [XXX] approx [XXX] I backed out of a parking spot in a strip mall parking lot in Oceanside, NY. When I shifted into drive, I completely lost the ability to steer. Luckily I was in a parking lot and was able to avoid a collision with another vehicle or pedestrian. I had my car towed to Nissan of Rockville Centre (Long Island, New York), where they advised that my tie rod broke, which damaged the tire rack, and the repair would be $3200. I was advised to put a claim into my insurance. Upon researching, I found that this part was in fact being recalled for this very issue. Dealership is claiming outside forces, however I was pulling out of a parking spot extremely slowly when this incident occurred, with no potholes or debris in the parking lot that could've caused the damage. Nissan Consumer Affairs and the dealership both have given me the runaround for almost two months waiting on their warranty department to either approve or deny the claim. Meanwhile, I have spent over $4000 on rental vehicles to be able to continue working, still waiting for their decision. This has been going on since late March and it is 5/19/24 at the date of this complaint. My car was inspected when I bought it the lease in January/ February of this year, and has been serviced multiple times without the dealership noting the recall, perhaps because the "remedy is not yet available"? I am thankful that this tie rod didn't snap while I was commuting to work on the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn. Nissan is not taking responsibility for this malfunction and associated damage. They are still in possession of my vehicle since late March, refusing to repair the recalled parts, when I am still receiving email and text alerts from Nissan to have the recall repaired urgently! It already broke and the dealership is blaming me. I am requesting support in having this issue remedied. Thank you. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Child lock windows seem to be activated, even though, button isn't pushed in. I cannot roll any window down except drivers window.
Bad vibration in steering wheel. Feels extremely unsafe due to tie rods.