2004 Nissan Sentra Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 59 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the 2004 Nissan Sentra, 30% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 69,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “position sensor” (17% of reports).
- 59engine and engine cooling complaints
- 69,000median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $1,200typical repair cost reported by owners
- 43%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Position sensor: mentioned in 10 of 59 complaints (17%)
- Spark plugs: mentioned in 7 of 59 complaints (12%)
- Service engine: mentioned in 6 of 59 complaints (10%)
- Head gasket: mentioned in 5 of 59 complaints (8%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine and engine cooling repair on the 2004 Nissan Sentra at $1,200, and half of them between $510 and $1,750.
Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2008–2011), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 55 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 59 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 1 an injury.
Nissan Sentra engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Sentra | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2015 Sentra | 1 | 0% | 50,000 |
| 2014 Sentra | 3 | 1% | 38,125 |
| 2013 Sentra | 4 | 1% | 3,200 |
| 2012 Sentra | 1 | 1% | 60,000 |
| 2011 Sentra | 4 | 3% | 24,850 |
| 2010 Sentra | 8 | 6% | 51,938 |
| 2009 Sentra | 2 | 4% | 9,070 |
| 2008 Sentra | 10 | 6% | 37,500 |
| 2007 Sentra | 11 | 7% | 48,697 |
| 2006 Sentra | 14 | 12% | 66,500 |
| 2005 Sentra | 48 | 28% | 69,500 |
| 2004 Sentra | 59 | 30% | 69,000 |
| 2003 Sentra | 86 | 48% | 69,321 |
| 2002 Sentra | 127 | 42% | 72,000 |
| 2001 Sentra | 93 | 39% | 54,230 |
| 2000 Sentra | 72 | 42% | 62,020 |
| 1999 Sentra | 6 | 10% | 88,000 |
| 1998 Sentra | 4 | 7% | 83,000 |
| 1997 Sentra | 6 | 6% | 38,000 |
| 1996 Sentra | 9 | 6% | 30,000 |
| 1995 Sentra | 12 | 10% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Engine and engine cooling
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.5l engine, the crank angle sensor is affected by temperature variations. Under certain driving conditions, these variations in temperature can be large enough to cause a brief interruption in the signal output from the sensor.
Risk: If the interruption in the signal from the sensor is so brief that the electronic control module (ecm) logic does not have time to diagnose the condition, the engine may stop running without warning while the vehicle is driven at a low speed increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will reprogram the ecm free of charge. The recall began on august 21, 2006. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2004 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH, the engine began to run roughly and the vehicle was shaking. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated no warning light was…
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 nissan sentra. While driving approximately 45 mph, the engine stalled without warning. After multiple attempts,the vehicle restarted and the "check engine" warning indicator illuminated. An independent diagnostic test displayed a code of p0335, which indicated that the…
My car stalled while driving. I was going the speed limit of 45 mph and without warning my car just lost power & stopped. I was lucky enough to be able to coast off the road without getting into an accident. I was on an 8-lane very busy road in a middle lane. At the first moment, the service engine…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2004 Nissan Sentras have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 59 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the 2004 Nissan Sentra (30% of the 197 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2004 Nissan Sentra engine and engine cooling?
Yes: 1 safety recall list engine and engine cooling. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems start?
The median reported mileage is 69,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the 2004 Nissan Sentra?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,200 (half paid between $510 and $1,750), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the 2004 Nissan Sentra?
The most frequent phrase is “position sensor”, in 10 of 59 complaints, followed by “spark plugs” (7).
See all 2004 Nissan Sentra problems or engine and engine cooling problems across all Sentra years.