Problems · NHTSA complaints

2004 Nissan Sentra problems

Owners filed 197 complaints about the 2004 Nissan Sentra with NHTSA between Feb 2004 and Dec 2025. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (59).

Complaints
197
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
20
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
18
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine and engine cooling59
  2. Air bags32
  3. Electrical system28
  4. Engine26
  5. Fuel system, gasoline25
  6. Fuel/propulsion system8
  7. Power train7
  8. Vehicle speed control7
  9. Service brakes, hydraulic6
  10. Steering5
  11. Structure4
  12. Service brakes4
  13. Fuel system, other3
  14. Equipment3

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
200419
20055
20068
20078
200818
200922
201026
201116
20128
201311
20149
201516
201610
201710
20182
20190
20201
20210
20223
20232
20240
20253

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Engine and engine cooling

59 reports1 crash1 related recall
“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 illuminated. The contact pulled off the road safely where the vehicle stalled. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle, but eventually had the vehicle towed to his residence. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact researched the failure online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 06V242000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 31, 2022Engine and engine coolingODI 11459124

Air bags

32 reports12 crashes4 related recalls
“The contact owns a 2004 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at an independent mechanic, the vehicle was diagnosed computer system failure, causing the vehicle to fail to start. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V287000 (Air Bags), which was associated with the VIN. The manufacturer had the vehicle towed to the dealer. The dealer informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The dealer notified the manufacturer that the contact had refused to pay for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not repaired and remained with the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 28, 2025Electrical system, Air bagsODI 11696056

Electrical system

28 reports
“DRIVING & ALL GAUGES IN DASHBOARD TURNED OFF. THE SAME DAY, THE CAR DIDN'T RESPOND NORMALLY WHEN GAS PEDAL WAS PRESSED. THE GAS PEDAL WAS PRESSED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE CAR TOOK IN GAS. PARKED CAR, & LATER THAT DAY RESTARTED CAR. CAR AGAIN DIDN'T RESPOND WELL WHEN PRESSING ACCELERATOR. GAUGES STILL NON OPERATIONAL. CAR DIED & BATTERY TESTED BY AAA. BATTERY FOUND TO BE OK, BUT CHARGING SYSTEM WAS ISSUE. TOWED TO TOW YARD & TOLD ALTERNATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. NEW, NOT REBUILT, ALTERNATOR REPLACED BY COUSIN & FUSE (NOT SURE WHICH ONE) WAS FOUND TO BE BLOWN & REPLACED. GAUGES WORKED AFTER FUSE & ALTERNATOR REPLACED. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SEVERAL DAYS LATER. CKED CAR ON AUTO ZONES FREE DIAGNOSTIC TOOL & DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE U1001 CAN COMMUNICATION LINE & P0462 SECONDARY CODE GIVEN. CAR DIED AGAIN BOUT WEEK LATER & TOWED TO PEP BOYS. PEP BOYS SAID BATTERY NEEDED REPLACEMENT, SO I HAD AAA TEST IT & AAA SAID ITS THE CHARGING SYSTEM. AAA REPLACED THE BATTERY AFTER MUCH ADO. CAR TAKEN BACK TO PEP BOYS FOR 'ELECTRONIC DIAGNOSIS' & THEY SAID ALTERNATOR! ALTERNATOR TESTED AT SEPARATE BATTERY SHOP & TESTED FINE. LATER FOUND METER FUSE BLOWN. TOOK TO MECHANIC…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 10, 2016Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 10905168

Engine

26 reports
“IN THE MORNING, CAR TOOK MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO START. IN AFTERNOON, AFTER HAVING SAT FOR AN HOUR, IT WAS AGAIN HARD TO START. DROVE APPROX. 1/2 MILE ACROSS HIGHWAY INTO A PARKING LOT, SLOWED AND CAR STALLED. RESTARTED AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, DROVE APPROX. 1/4 MILE AND CAR STALLED AS I SLOWED AGAIN PRIOR TO ATTEMPTING TO TURN INTO PARKING SPACE. WOULD NOT RESTART UNTIL LEFT SIT FOR APPROX. AN HOUR.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 16, 2016EngineODI 10907200

Fuel system, gasoline

25 reports
“VEHICLE WOULD START TO LEAK GAS WHENEVER THE TANK WOULD BE FULL AND PARKED FOR MORE THEN FEW HOURS. THERE ALREADY IS A RECALL (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V269000 ) FOR THE SAME VEHICLE BUT FOR 2005 MODELS. THE FACT THAT I'M EXPERIENCING THE SAME EXACT ISSUE MAKES ME BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A HIGHER NUMBER OF CARS THAT ARE ALSO AFFECTED. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 21, 2013Fuel system, gasolineODI 10553250

Fuel/propulsion system

8 reports
“VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN STARTING & STALLS OUT OR SHUTS DOWN WHEN SLOWING DOWN OR COMING TO A HALT. IF LET TO SIT FOR A WHILE IT WILL RESTART, BUT HAS LEFT ME STRANDED MULTIPLE TIMES. CRANK SENSOR REPLACED AS WELL AS ALL FLUIDS. HAVE HAD IT CHECKED FOR CODES, BUT NOTHING SHOWS UP. CAR WAS RECENTLY PURCHASED IN LATE MAY 2016. VENDOR REPAIRED SEVERAL ITEMS,BUT NOW CAR IS OUT OF VENDOR WARRANTY.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 14, 2016Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10906318
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.