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Nissan · NHTSA safety record

2026 Nissan Sentra

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

Owners have filed 16 safety complaints about the 2026 Nissan Sentra with the US government. Of those, 1 describes a crash, 1 mentions a fire, 1 person was injured and no death is recorded. One recall campaign is open against it, covering the seats.

The most complained-about system is back-over prevention, named in 3 complaints, 19% of the total.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers February 2026 to September 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

16 complaints on file

16

Complaints

1

Describe a crash

1

Mention fire

1

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 6 · 38%
BACK OVER PREVENTION 3 · 19%
WHEELS 3 · 19%
ENGINE 2 · 13%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 2 · 13%
LANE DEPARTURE 2 · 13%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 2 · 13%
AIR BAGS 1 · 6%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 1 · 6%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 · 6%
SERVICE BRAKES 1 · 6%
SUSPENSION 1 · 6%
0 4 8

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 16.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA has not crash tested the 2026 Nissan Sentra. Its New Car Assessment Program tests a selection of each year's vehicles and does not reach motorcycles, heavy trucks, motorhomes or most low-volume models, so an absence here says nothing about how the vehicle would perform. It is not a low score.

What owners have reported about this vehicle is below, and it is a different question: a crash test measures what happens to the people inside in a controlled impact, while a complaint records what broke during ordinary use.

Recall campaigns

1 on file

SEATS

26V145000 · March 13, 2026

The defect
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2026 Kicks and Sentra vehicles. The hook bracket of the front seat frames may be insufficiently welded, which can cause the front seat frames to become loose. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 207, "Seating Systems" and 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."
The risk
A loose seat may not restrain the occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the front seat assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 18, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261. Nissan's number for this recall is PMA64. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 13, 2026.

Nissan North America, Inc. · up to 15 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

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

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed

Was going down some s curves when the car started trying to turn me to the left when I needed to go right. I started trying to correct it but I had no control of the steering wheel. The car then immediately accelerated which in turn made me flip end over end 3 times . My air bag didn't deploy and my seat belt let me fly out the seat and bounce around the car

NHTSA complaint 11756363. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire

I was driving on the highway at about 75 mph with the cruise control set and suddenly heard a small pop noise. The check engine light then began to flashing so I pulled over immediately I put the car in park and the car started smoking smoke was filling the cab through the air vents I didn’t even have time to pop the hood and check once I got out the car exploded and I do not exaggerate when I say it exploded the entire front end went boom and was engulfed in flames the car was brand new I just got it 3 months ago with 9 miles on the dash it only had 4k st the time of the incident. My safety was put at risk because I could have died and been burned alive other people would see smoke panic

NHTSA complaint 11763967, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On XXX, while driving a 2026 Nissan Sentra rental with approximately 5,000 miles, I was traveling about 75 mph on a freeway in [XXX]. The vehicle suddenly and unexpectedly rapidly decelerated/braked and became disabled. I had no warning before the failure and was barely able to get partially out of the travel area. After stopping, the vehicle was effectively immobilized. I could not shift it into neutral or otherwise move it safely completely out of danger. The steering/wheels would not allow us to move the vehicle normally. During the incident, the vehicle displayed a message stating that a system/software update was required. During the update process, I was unable to operate the

NHTSA complaint 11765933, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

WHEELS
Safety issue. I was on the highway when I has a flat. I opened the trunk to get the jack and spare , but to my surprise I found only styrofoam where the spare and jack should be. I called the dealer where I purchased the car and was told Nissan no longer provides those items. This was a real safety concern for me. Im a [XXX] female, often traveling out of town alone and I find Styrofoam! I was stuck on the side of the road...alone. More concerning to me was what if this had been my [XXX] granddaughter sitting there alone. Autos should always have basic safety equipment. Dealers should not be allowed to only provide a spray foam sealant. This flat was a tire replacemnet, a sealant will not

NHTSA complaint 11760169, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING
Subject: Request for Assistance Regarding Safety Concern with 2026 Nissan Sentra , I am writing to respectfully request your assistance regarding a significant concern with my recently purchased 2026 Nissan Sentra. When I purchased this new vehicle, I did so with the expectation that its safety features and technology would meet the quality standards associated with the Nissan brand. Unfortunately, I have experienced an issue with the rear backup camera that has left me concerned and disappointed. Shortly after taking delivery of the vehicle, I noticed that the backup camera produces an image that appears blurry and lacks the clarity necessary to confidently identify objects, pedestrians,

NHTSA complaint 11754724, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES
Subject: Complaint Regarding Greenacres Nissan – Sale of Vehicle With Immediate Safety Issue and Failure to Provide Resolution I am submitting this complaint regarding Greenacres Nissan and the handling of my vehicle purchase. I purchased a vehicle from Greenacres Nissan and took delivery on 7/3/26. Within five days of delivery, the vehicle developed a serious safety-related issue that made it unsafe to operate. I immediately contacted the dealership and returned the vehicle. The dealership currently has possession of the vehicle because it is unsafe to drive. I was informed that the repair requires a part that is on backorder, with no estimated arrival date. I was advised the repair could

NHTSA complaint 11752264, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Nissan Sentra

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2025 30 4 —
2024 41 3 —
2023 20 1 —
2022 81 2 —
2021 132 3 —
2020 205 4 —
2019 222 2 —
2018 185 2 1
2017 230 3 —
2016 270 6 —
2015 351 3 —
2014 380 5 —
2013 638 6 1
2012 180 0 —
2011 142 2 —
2010 144 3 —

Other 2026 Nissan models

Rogue 45 Frontier 9 Armada 8 Kicks 7

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Nissan on this site — 205 vehicles.

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. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

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