NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 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
The passenger front, and both back windows no longer function. This appears to be a common issue when searching the internet. There is also an issue with the keyless start, as it often does not recognize that the fob is in the vehicle, or gives a low batter warning (with a new battery). As there was already a recall on the sensor for the blind spot warnings and such, there appears to be wide spread electrical and sensor issues with this year/make/model. The windows pose a safety risk if someone is trapped in a vehicle that the doors won't open.
Some time while driving on empty roads Fuel Economy warning light beeping and automatically emergency brake . It happened on me more than 5 times.
AEB system is initiating emergency braking at random times. Both on surface street, and the freeway on ramp. With and without weather, and without any obstacles or cars in the way. The vehicle comes it a complete stop when this happens and puts the driver in significant danger. At this point the dealer observed warning code on the dashboard, but it did not engage. Message relating to that the AEB may deploy. When it does happen Emergency Brake is on the dashboard. After it happens vehicle can resume driving. Various indicines happened last year. We took it to Ken Garff Nissan (11155 So. Jordan Gateway in South Jordan, Ut. 84095. They could not find the problem or get the problem reproduced. They recommended turning off the safety features when driving. We have done that for a year. Then on 1-15-26, the safety system was on and the break engaged and brought the car to a stop on the freeway on ramp. The car is now at Ken Garff Nissan (777 So. West Temple SLC, Utah) It has been there for 2 weeks. This is the dealer that saw the code, but the system did not engage.
Rattling noise coming from the belt assembly. Tensioner pulley is shaky and alternator had a piece brake off causing metal shavings to fly around.
I got in the car to start it and it would not start. This happened at the car wash one morning. It didn’t give me any warnings of a bad battery and the only way I started it was to have someone jump it. This has happened 4 times now. It takes several minutes for the battery to charge to start the car. I have been stranded 2 times and could not get to work on time 2 times.
While driving down the highway along with other traffic the car went into limp mode and lost power instantly almost causing an accident. Come to find out the engine bearings caused the engine to go on it without any warning signs. This car has been maintenanced and taken care of and had the same issue happen that the other nissans have had that they have the recall out for.
Purchased brand new with 0 miles. The system malfunction popped up and engine would not turn over after running perfectly fine a hour prior.Had to get towed to dealership and found a faulty battery luckily I still had 100 or so miles left on my warranty.Happened again last month the same exact thing except this time I had to get a jump off after several minutes the engine finally turned over.
Since having my Nissan 2021 Sentra I have for one, had to replace the battery in it twice. On a more serious note, it is now stopping the car at random and unnecessary times stating an object is in front of me. It happens once a while ago and I did not have any other signs, and it was just for a second, so I tried not to stress about it. Now it is happening more often and just this morning happened three times. Causing my car to come to a complete stop, it is very dangerous and I am not sure what I am to do about it.
Passenger side power windows and driver side rear window on occasion will stop working.
The competent that continues to fail is the emergency response breaks. They continue to stop at random times creating a very unsafe environment while I drive daily. I do have this on video and my car is available for inspection at any time. I just recently finally got the emergency break system on video since it is so random and plan on making an appointment with my local Nissan Dealer. I did have a visit recently regarding the recall for the tire rods. My car continues to make odd sounds and I paid over $1000 to get it fixed with all new tires. These problems have began since the day I got my car. I have bought over 10 wheels due to issues with the tire rods. The video we finally were able to get was last night regarding the emergency stop systems, it does not let me add to the complaint but I can send to any email if needed as well as the local Nissan dealer did inspect and work on the car for my tires and tire rods.
Rear windows and passenger window are malfunctioning. They stay open and will not close. Takes many attempts, and push start car on and off attempts. Takes hours for them to work again. Currently not using rear windows. To be on the safe side.
I've had multiple issues with my vehicle since I purchased the brand new car in 2021. - One year after purchase, I was left stranded when my alternator stopped working. - In 2023, I went i took my car to the Georgesville Nissan dealership in Columbus Ohio to get another key programmed. A process that should of taken one day took several weeks because my Vin# was not properly registered to my vehicle. This is a major safety issue, had something happened to my car (damage, theft, etc.) its possible that it could not have been identified, fixed properly. - I was also just made aware (after being stranded when my battery went out) that the wrong manuafacturer batter was installed in my vehicle. It should have been AMG and it was a flooded battery in my car. I had several technicians verify that it was an original battery that should have never been installed. This is a safety issue, I am not fully aware to the extent of how an incorrect battery may have damaged or corroded other compenets of my vehicle prematurely.
Electric steering rack has play and causes violent shaking. Huge safety risk as this could have complete failure and cause accidents. Vehicle started showing symptoms at 68,000 miles and after reading separate forums, many others have experienced these same issues. No warning lights appear on the dash and no inspection by safety highway patrol. This is a serious issue especially given I do not appear to be the only person experiencing this. The steering and suspension seem to be a common issue on this call given the recall on the tie rods.
The door lock actuators in my 2021 Nissan Sentra have malfunctioned, causing my doors to unexpectedly lock or unlock. Three of the four doors are affected, including the front driver's side door and both back doors. This is a serious safety concern that can potentially lock me inside the car. This can make it difficult to leave the vehicle during an emergency. It has also put my vehicle at risk for theft. No warning lights or messages have occurred indicating there is a problem. There are no recalls for my vehicle due to this problem. I took my car into the local Nissan dealership in Kansas City, and they gave me a price quote of $884.05 to fix the problem.
I and many others have noticed that the 2020+ Nissan Sentra has a very common issue with its window switch where the driver side window works, but all passenger windows get stuck refusing to roll up or down, or do so very slowly. I have had people try to come up to my window where I could not properly shut it, I have had to leave my window partially open over night, and in the rain.
The contact owned a 2021 Nissan Sentra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V581000 (Steering) through mail and email and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list because the vehicle was totaled. The dealer and the manufacturer were contacted.
Steering wheel vibrates and has become difficult to steer. Occurs often. While on the freeway, vehicle has come to a stop in 2 different occasions, it just stopped for 4-5 seconds. Back up camera is blurred, mainly in the center.
Automatic emergency brake engaged while driving when there was not a car directly in front of me. There were no obstructions on the road and cars in the lanes next to me were not merging into my lane.
The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, his aunt entered the vehicle and attempted to start the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. Neither a dealer nor an independent mechanic was contacted or made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 75,094.
As I was driving home on the highway, something happened with my car where I couldn't control the car. It swerved back and forth on it's own until it finally stopped and cut off on it's own. There were no messages or symptoms prior to the failure. My car has been with Nissan who said they were going to investigate it and I cannot get a call back from Nissan Consumer Affairs.
The rear door locks on my vehicle fail to lock and unlock properly, especially using the power lock switches or key fob. This is not an occasional issue — it happens every single day. This is a major safety concern because the back doors often cannot be opened at all, which puts my children at risk of being trapped inside during an emergency or accident. In addition, the rear windows frequently get stuck and will not roll down. This is also a daily occurrence. It makes the problem even more dangerous because the windows cannot be used as an emergency exit if the doors fail. These issues are consistent and ongoing. Because the vehicle is used to transport children, the defective door locks and windows create a significant safety hazard that could prevent occupants from exiting the car quickly in an accident, fire, or similar emergency.
Break Switch Malfunctions that leaves the car unable to start.
ALL 4 TIRES HANKOOK 215/45R18 89V ARE SHOWING INNER SIDEWALL IRREGULAR TIRE WEAR AND BALDING ON EDGES. THERE ARE RECALLS ON TIE ROD ASSEMBLY FROM 6-16-2021 AND 8-14-2023 I PURCHASED THE CAR 4-2024 AND THE RECALL WAS NOT FIXED TILL 10-2024 TO MY KNOWLEDGE FOR THE FIRST TIME. I HAVE NOT HAD THE CAR FOR A YEAR AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 2 OF THE ORIGINAL TIRES I PURCHASED THE CAR WITH. ONE WITH A HUGE BUBBLE AND INNER SIDEWALL IRREGULAR WEAR COST $285.44 AND THE SECOND SIDEWALL IRREGULAR WEAR THREAD SHOWING AND HOLE TOO CLOSE TO THE SIDEWALL COULD NOT BE REPAIRED COST $274.06 AND A4 WHEEL ALLIGNMENT AT $129.95. PER DEALER RECOMMENDATIONS I MUST REPLACE THE OTHER 2. I RECORDS OF ALL MAINTANCE INCLUDING TIRE ROTATIONS COMPLETED.MAY THIS IRREGULAR WEAR ON THE SIDEWALL BE DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF TIME TIE RODS WENT WITHOUT BEING REPAIRED.
The car has been towed and moved to another state which is New Jersey and it is being held at an auction company. The car needs to be picked up by Nissan of Garden City and taken back to the dealer shop for the safety recall.
My ABS light randomly come on along side of traction control, front and rear collision assistance lights. Car has had electrical problems since I got it such as sometimes bright headlights won’t come on( they just stay on the dim regardless of what you do) the radio will just freeze and not work at all. Have to unhook the battery to get radio to even reset or even wait days for it to do it itself. DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS CAR. nothing but electrical problems since I’ve gotten it. And it only have 50,000 miles and all regular maintenance has been done
The steering wheel is shaking and vibrates making it worse when i accelerate and also when I turn.
There is a current open recall Campain ID R23B3 on the tie rods requiring replacement, however there is no current remedy per Nissan. This faulty tie rod can break and cause COMPLETE loss of steering, as there is a STOP SALE on this vehicle it is not safe to drive. Vaden Nissan has my vehicle every 5000 miles during each service/oil change from 2021 until 2024. I also notified the Vaden Nissan dealership again of this open recall issue during my last inspection, they rotated the new tires I had to purchase and sent me on my way. While driving my 2021 Nissan Sentra on [XXX] (a moderately busy highway), I experienced noticeable vibrations through the steering wheel, especially when accelerating and making turns. As I attempted to exit the highway, via a curved off-ramp, the steering wheel became extremely shaky and impossible to turn. I struggled to keep the car within the lane and then completely lost steering control. This caused me to veer off the road and nearly into the shoulder. I experienced such panic and fear as my [XXX] nephew was in the car seat in the back of my vehicle and was also extremely frightened. I am now extremely unsatisfied with Nissan and its lack of commitment to sell safe vehicles, I cannot legally resell this vehicle in the current condition and am left with no option but to drive an unsafe car, under the lemon law I have the right to sue. I pray that IF I absolutely have to drive this Nissan Sentra again there are no injuries, life-altering disabilities or possible death incurred to myself of my passengers. As I have followed all proper protocols and require a rental car that is at minimum safe for transportation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Only the drivers window works. The passenger and 2 rear windows won't go up or down.
Tie rods have no remedy, I have my car parked because its unsafe to drive and have called dealer hundreds of time and all they say is they're working on it. How long do I have to wait on a car I am making payments, this is awful
When turning the steering wheel, it make a squeaky noise
The automated break system came on while I was driving 2 times within 3 days without anything being in front, the back or on the side of the car. When this happened there was a few beeping noise and a quick red flash on the dashboard that said maintenance.This started happening the next day after getting an oil change from the Nissan dealership. My safety was at risked because when the car suddenly and unexpectedly stopped it jerked my body forward causing my neck to become sore. This can cause greater injury or worst if I was going any faster. If someone was behind me it could cause them to crash into me which would be doing the opposite of the purpose of the safety feature. I took the car in to the dealership and nothing could be done because there wasn't a code and it didn't happen in the presence of the mechanic. It could be a sensor issue but I don't know and the mechanics seem to be just as clueless and very dismissive. I find this to be unacceptable that I must drive around with a car that can break abruptly at any given time. I do not feel safe driving this car and it should be a safety recall on this issue. I looked online and seen other people complaining about the same issue so I'm sure Nissan knows what's going on and aren't doing anything about it.
Unknown
The check engine light comes on with a malfunction symbol. The car has delay acceleration, jerks, hard shifts.
I am simply writing this complaint because the recall says I should if I feel the manufacturer has failed or is unable to remedy the recall in a timely manner. This recall is over 6 months old with no current remedy available. After 6 months, I would expect a recall that cites a potential increase of a crash to be addressed in a much quicker manner.
While driving all lights come on dash and flash on and off and says system malfunction while doing 50mph. Suddenly car shuts off while driving with my toddler I then have to push my car off the highway without getting hit This has happen 5 times now
The crash imminent braking system would activate during driving when there isn't a risk. It happens at odd times when there is no cars in front of the vehicle. Also Nissan is stating there's no parts available to fix recall:R23B3
While driving, car brakes by itself. There were no cars in front or behind. Red light flash on dashboard and then snatched brakes by itself. Another time, someone came close behind me and my car stopped by itself again nearly causing the driver to run into the back of me. Sensor light come on. Doesn't recognize my key. It's been reset but same problem.
All power windows stop working except drivers window. None of the window buttons on any of the doors will work when it's cold outside. They start working again in warm weather. Seems like window lock is getting stuck. Sometimes pressing it repeatedly will cause the windows to start working but will stop working again.
The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the emergency brake warning light had illuminated. In addition, the contact stated while depressing the brake pedal the vehicle did not come to a complete stop and rolled forward. The contact stated that they had crashed into a vehicle in front of them. No police report was filed. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the front vehicle sensory and the bumper needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact mentioned that the brake pedal failure reoccured on several occasions. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Sentra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V628000 (Back Over Prevention) 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 made aware of the issue. The contact experienced the failure and stated that while the operating the vehicle, there was a clicking sound while making left turns. The vehicle was driven to the local dealer who determined that the front passenger’s side and driver's side tie rods were cracked. The failure mileage was 60,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
The passenger window and back windows will not roll up or down. The only window that works is the drivers window. This car was bought 2 months ago and stopped working last week.
I was traveling at about 40mph when my vehicle, with no traffic in sight, had the automatic emergency brake go off and reduced my speed to 32mph. My safety concern is what if this happens on the freeway or even while raining. if there was a car behind me what if it caused them to get road rage. ***dashcam video available***
The tie rod collapsed during routine driving causing the vehicle front end to fall in the road.
When the sun is out and there is no clouds obscuring the sunlight my vehicle has night time lights running, dimming the interior of my car making it difficult to see the speed and other dashboard requirements while perfectly bright and sunny outside and 0800AM as well as 1500PM. This has been going on for two months and I took it in to two dealerships. One told me check your manual and the other went further and told me "by Nissan standards it is functioning normally." This doesn't make sense to me as the sun is out, it isn't dark or dim and yet when on automatic lighting my Night lights, not my normal running lights,,are on and causing me unable to see what's on my dash. Also whe. The sun is hitting the front of my car my Nissas blinks the collision indicator showing it won't do it as something is obstructing it but this happens when the sun is directly pointing in certain areas of the sky. More so early morning and late evening just as the sun is rising and falling.
This has happened twice while driving down the road, 2021 Nissan Sentra AEB system locked up the brakes with nothing in front of vehicle to cause the system to be activated.
I brought this car in January 2023 and the Forward Emergency Braking keeps popping on while driving. There are zero cars that were in front of me. This is the 4th time this has happened. With the last 2 incidents happening within the last 24hrs . 10/21/23 & 10/22/23. This is issue that may cause accident.
alternator pulley broke off while driving.
The first week of October my car making a terrible sound. My husband took it to South point Nissan Austin Tx. My brand new car needs a transmission It has trouble shifting gears, Making a loud “jet engine” sound. The dealer promised a loaner and never came through with it. I’m driving it as little as possible. Bumming rides and walking while I await a transmission replacement. Yes you are welcome to inspect No prior warning as I stated it’s a new car with 36,700 miles. I have warranty but this transmission is not safe Will replacement be any better?? It’s same transmission.
Vehicles will slams on brakes as if it is trying to avoid something in front of the vehicle. This has randomly happened several times at different driving speeds. This has been reported to dealership with no resolution because they cannot duplicate. In addition, I have had the same serious recall involving the Tie Rod for my vehicle and there is no resolution. The dealership will tell you how serious the issue is and that there is stop sale on these vehicles to entice you to trade in the vehicle instead of trying to make it right with the consumer.
The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Sentra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V581000 (Steering) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and determined that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.