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Nissan · NHTSA safety record

2010 Nissan Sentra

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

144

Complaints

11

Crashes

4

Fires

8

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2010 Nissan Sentra have filed 144 safety complaints with NHTSA between February 2010 and January 2026. The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 50 of them (35%). The typical failure was reported at 69,316 miles, the median across the 105 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 3 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (3)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES

11V579000 · December 15, 2011

The defect
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010-2011 SENTRA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MR20 ENGINES, MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 11, 2010, TO MAY 22, 2010, AND JULY 8, 2010, TO OCTOBER 25, 2010. THE ZINC COATING APPLIED TO THE TERMINAL STUD BOLT WAS THICKER THAN SPECIFICATION. THIS CAN RESULT IN A VOLTAGE DROP THAT MAY CAUSE DIFFICULTY STARTING THE VEHICLE AND COULD CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM).
The risk
THIS ISSUE CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AND IT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE AFTER IT STOPPED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy
NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL AND COVER, FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALLBEGAN ON JANUARY 23, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. · up to 33,803 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES

10V555000 · November 12, 2010

The defect
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010-2011 SENTRA VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 22, 2010, THROUGH JULY 8, 2010. DUE TO A MACHINING IRREGULARITY, THE BOLT/WASHER SURFACE ON THE POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL CABLE END MAY ALLOW FOR A GAP TO OCCUR IN THE CONTACT AREA OF THE TERMINAL. THIS CAN RESULT IN A VOLTAGE DROP THAT MAY CAUSE DIFFICULTY STARTING THE VEHICLE AND COULD CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE.
The risk
THIS ISSUE CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STOP RUNNING WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AT LOW SPEED WITH A DIFFICULT OR NO START INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL CABLE END WITH A NEW ONE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN PN NOVEMBER 29, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. · up to 13,737 vehicles across all model years covered

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM)

10V401000 · September 10, 2010

The defect
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES THAT WERE EQUIPPED WITH A GARMIN NUVI MODEL 750 NAVIGATION SYSTEM. THE BATTERIES CONTAINED IN THE AFFECTED GPS UNITS CAN OVERHEAT.
The risk
OVERHEATED BATTERIES COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
The remedy
NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY GARMIN TECHNICIANS BY REPLACING THE BATTERY AND INSERTING A SPACER ON TOP OF THE BATTERY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GARMIN DIRECTLY AT 1-866-957-1981 OR NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. · up to 7,948 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 144.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 50 35%
ENGINE 35 24%
AIR BAGS 31 22%
POWER TRAIN 18 13%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 13 9%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 11 8%
STEERING 9 6%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 8 6%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 8 6%
SUSPENSION 7 5%
TIRES 4 3%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 3 2%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2019 at 18.

2010 2019 2026
2010 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

3 injured · crash · 3,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 65 MPH WHEN SHE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH IN WHICH THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MODERATE INJURIES TO THE BACK AND SEVERE BRUISING OF THE STOMACH. TWO PASSENGERS SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK, BACK AND CHEST AS A RESULT. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE AIR BAGS WOULD ONLY DEPLOY DEPENDING ON THE WEIGHT OF THE PASSENGER IN THE FRONT SEAT. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT AN INVESTIGATION WOULD BE PERFORMED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A DECISION IF HER INSURANCE COMPANY WOULD DEEM THE VEHICLE AS DESTROYED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3,000. UPDATED

NHTSA complaint 10369388, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed

AUTO ACCIDENT 2 5 2016 HIT A TREE HEAD ON. AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY MAJOR HEAD INJURY. RT 295 NEW JERSEY . I FILE THIS ON BEHALF OF MR WILLIAM VANVELSON AGE 55 . HE IS IN COOPER HOSPITAL CAMDEN NJ. HE IS STILL IN COMA

NHTSA complaint 10839860. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 45 MPH OVER A BRIDGE WHEN HE TRAVELED OVER A PATCH OF ICE. THE VEHICLE SLID AND CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE DIVIDER AS ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE LEFT ARM AND LEG. THE CONTACT WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE AND CONTINUED TO HAVE SEVERE PAINS FOLLOWING THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO BODY SHOP BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED OR INSPECTED FOR THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA complaint 10435131. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · 64,107 miles

I WAS IN A HEAD ON COLLISION ON 1-19-14, MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN IT HIT THE TREE, ONLY MY PASSENGER CURTAIN BAGS. I WAS NOT DIAGNOSED WITH MY INJURIES BY THE ER, I RECEIVED 15 FRACTURED RIBS DIAGNOSED ON 1-31-14 AND AN ACETABULER FRACTURE DIAGNOSED LAST WEDNESDAY. I AM UNABLE TO PUT ANY WEIGHT ON MY RIGHT LEG AS IT IS A DISPLACED FRACTURE.THIS INJURY IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO MY AIRBAG NOT DEPLOYING. I HAVE EXHAUSTED ALL THE TIME I CAN POSSIBLY TAKE FROM WORK. I AM WORKING 10 HR DAYS AND WORK IN A CALL CENTEI WAS IN A HEAD ON COLLISION ON 1-19-14, MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN IT HIT THE TREE, ONLY MY PASSENGER CURTAIN BAGS. I WAS NOT DIAGNOSED WITH MY INJURIES BY THE ER, I RECEIVED 15

NHTSA complaint 10575276, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
As I was driving on the freeway 65 mph my car completely lost all Speed and the more I accelerated the more my car decreased speed and eventually it shut itself off as i stopped the car as I pulled over there was no time to make it to a safe area for a safe pull over i was on a bridge calling for help from my insurance. The car did not want to start at first about 45 minutes later my car started again and was able to drive away. I had no idea what happened. Then I was driving almost to 3 months down the road it does it again on the freeway i was in slow lane driving 65 was able to exit quickly so there was no accident as I pulled over it did the same exact thing to me again and I waited

NHTSA complaint 11708564, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
Driving and all the sudden went from 20mph to not even 5mph was able to limp it to a mechanic who said the trans cvt was most likely the problem didnt know nissans has that issue of a fail safe.. thankfully wasn't on a busy road going 80. Have also hurd knocking under the hood a couple times before were couldn't get that figured out.

NHTSA complaint 11671211. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

VISIBILITY

100,000 miles

The contact owns a 2010 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the rear glass fractured after the contact activated the defroster to attempt to defrost the windows. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA complaint 11643393. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
The car stalls while the vehicle is in motion and has difficulty starting. The car stalls each time after it comes to a complete stop at lights or a stop sign makes it very dangerous

NHTSA complaint 11641718. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

crash · towed

Involved in a motor vehicle t-bone collision. Driver airbag deployed but the panel did not fully come off. Bottom section of the airbag/horn cover came off. Top section did not separate from the rest of the wheel.

NHTSA complaint 11620845. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured

Driver airbag randomly went off while driving down the road. Did NOT hit anything, no potholes, or anything that could have set the airbag off. Additionally, the airbag was extremely hot when it went off and burned the drivers arms and face.

NHTSA complaint 11568272. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Nissan Sentra

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2026 13 1 —
2025 27 4 —
2024 34 3 —
2023 19 1 —
2022 80 2 —
2021 129 3 —
2020 204 4 —
2019 221 2 —
2018 184 2 1
2017 230 3 —
2016 267 6 —
2015 350 3 —
2014 380 5 —
2013 638 6 1
2012 180 0 —
2011 142 2 —

Other 2010 Nissan models

Altima 380 Rogue 282 Maxima 275 Versa 267 Murano 189 370Z 110 Frontier 59 Cube 55

Every Nissan on this site — 200 vehicles, 319 recall campaigns and 5 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst