2011 Nissan Sentra Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sentra years
- About as many complaints as other years 19th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 4 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 142 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Nissan Sentra. That ranks 19th out of 32 Sentra model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (34 complaints, 24%), typically at around 81,013 miles. Complaints mention 19 crashes, 6 fires, 14 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 142owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 19complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2011 Nissan Sentra problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 34 | 24% | 81,013 | — | — |
| Engine | 30 | 21% | 75,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 20 | 14% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 18 | 13% | 91,458 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 18 | 13% | 103,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 17 | 12% | 88,604 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 8 | 6% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 8 | 6% | 75,500 | — | — |
| Structure | 7 | 5% | 47,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 6 | 4% | 96,945 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 4% | 83,729 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 5 | 4% | 10,100 | — | — |
| Visibility | 5 | 4% | 2,656 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 3% | 24,850 | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 2% | 70,038 | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 2% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 1% | 106,500 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | 21,010 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 47,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1% | 658 | — | — |
| Suspension | 1 | 1% | 88 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | 34,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2011 Nissan Sentra recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables
Problem: 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).
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.
Fix: 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.
Electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables
Problem: 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.
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.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH, the vehicle stalled, and the engine seized. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start…
I purchased a Nissan vehicle that was represented as reliable and safe. Considering Iâm a single mother also still young enough to wanna live not be on the highway and have my car declined speed and a tractor trailer almost hit me like thatâs already happened. This is a known problem. Yeah I…
To Whom It May Concern, Iâm writing to express my deep frustration and disappointment with Nissan over the CVT failure in my 2011 Nissan Sentra. There are no active recalls listed for my vehicle, yet Iâm experiencing the same transmission failure thousands of others have reportedâjerking…
I was driving at low speed 20 mph , stopped at the stop sign , when I pressed acceleration the vehicle did not respond . I checked Dash and I could see all engine warnings light up. I switched off the vehicle and started again it started back with no issues and started running again. The vehicle…
I was in the highway at about 60 mph and the air bag light came on also the check engine light and I heard a sound and my car lost power I was able to get to the side lane then when it stopped all the way I started the car but would not go pass 30 mph and would barely go on reverse took it to…
Other Nissan Sentra years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Sentra | 18 | 1 |
| 2025 Sentra | 31 | 4 |
| 2024 Sentra | 41 | 3 |
| 2023 Sentra | 20 | 1 |
| 2022 Sentra | 81 | 2 |
| 2021 Sentra | 132 | 3 |
| 2020 Sentra | 206 | 4 |
| 2019 Sentra | 222 | 2 |
| 2018 Sentra | 185 | 2 |
| 2017 Sentra | 231 | 3 |
| 2016 Sentra | 270 | 6 |
| 2015 Sentra | 351 | 3 |
| 2014 Sentra | 380 | 5 |
| 2013 Sentra | 638 | 6 |
| 2012 Sentra | 180 | 0 |
| 2011 | 142 | 2 |
| 2010 Sentra | 144 | 3 |
| 2009 Sentra | 55 | 1 |
| 2008 Sentra | 167 | 3 |
| 2007 Sentra | 154 | 1 |
| 2006 Sentra | 116 | 5 |
| 2005 Sentra | 170 | 5 |
| 2004 Sentra | 197 | 4 |
| 2003 Sentra | 180 | 7 |
| 2002 Sentra | 304 | 10 |
| 2001 Sentra | 236 | 7 |
| 2000 Sentra | 171 | 6 |
| 1999 Sentra | 59 | 0 |
| 1998 Sentra | 58 | 1 |
| 1997 Sentra | 108 | 3 |
| 1996 Sentra | 141 | 3 |
| 1995 Sentra | 117 | 3 |
See all Nissan Sentra problems by year, every Nissan model, or the Nissan VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Nissan Sentra?
Owners most often report electrical system, engine, air bags problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 34 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2011 Nissan Sentra?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2011 Nissan Sentra a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Sentra model years, the 2011 has about as many complaints as a typical year, and NHTSA rates it 4 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.