2018 Nissan Sentra Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sentra years
- About as many complaints as other years 11th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 4 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 185 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Nissan Sentra. That ranks 11th out of 32 Sentra model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (46 complaints, 25%), typically at around 75,500 miles. Complaints mention 17 crashes, 3 fires, 10 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 185owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 17complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 46 | 25% | 75,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 38 | 21% | 30,206 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 38 | 21% | 23,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 32 | 17% | 39,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 24 | 13% | 37,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 22 | 12% | 45,400 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 19 | 10% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 15 | 8% | 66,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 9 | 5% | 46,500 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 7 | 4% | 3,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 7 | 4% | 30,061 | — | — |
| Steering | 6 | 3% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 3% | 19,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 2% | 24,599 | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 2% | 32,519 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 1% | 67,694 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 1% | 66,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 Nissan Sentra recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch
Problem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Nissan Sentra vehicles. The brake light switch may become contaminated, preventing the circuit from closing and the brake lights from illuminating.
Risk: The brake lights may not illuminate, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the brake light switch and install a protective grommet, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 1, 2022. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800867-7769. Nissan's number for this recall is PM971.
Back over prevention: sensing system: camera
Problem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.
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 2018 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start one day after several attempts and was accompanied by the AEB (Automatic Emergency Braking) sensor and check engine warning lights. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who replaced the battery…
On Wednesday July 8, 2026 at approx 7:45 AM The powertrain system failed entirely due to a catastrophic malfunction of the Xtronic CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission), which completely and instantly failed with absolutely no prior dashboard warning lamps, check engine lights, or symptoms…
At right under 67,000 miles, the car made a loud pop when I went to accelerate from a stop light. The car would only work in reverse at that point. I'm being told that the CVT needs to be replaced. The car isn't even worth the cost of a new transmission.
My vehicle stalled. I had to get someone to help me move it out if a busy traffic thoroughfare. It was making odd noises then was stuck in reverse only. I took it to my mechanic who informed me the transmission had failed and that I needed a new one. I work from home and do not drive my vehicle…
My brake lights suddenly wouldnât turn on and my car wouldnât start. We replaced the brake light switch and it worked for a short while, but it stopped working the same day almost causing several collisions as brake lights wonât turn on. There was a recall on this issue with this year and…
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 | 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 Sentra | 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.
Similar Nissan models
Embed this 2018 Nissan Sentra badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Nissan Sentra?
Owners most often report power train, service brakes, unknown or other problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 46 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Nissan Sentra?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 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 2018 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.