Problems · by component
2019 Nissan Sentra electrical system problems
65 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2019 Nissan Sentra cite electrical system, 29% of all 223 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
65
29% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the electrical system
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I purchased the vehicle [XXX] from CarMax. At that time, it had an active recall which the previous owner did not resolve. I brought the vehicle to Nissan of Irvine on [XXX], at which time they installed new stop lamp switch and rubber grommet. The car proceeded to work fine until it would not turn on at all, and I had to have it towed to the dealership on [XXX]. At that time, they diagnosed it again to be a faulty brake switch and replaced it then. The car worked fine until around August 2026, where it occasionally would not start (which is how it presented the other times). On [XXX], I took it to the dealership again due to the same reason and they diagnosed it again to be a faulty brake switch. They said it would not be covered under the warranty because the car was over by around 500 miles. They quoted the price of around $700 for the inspection, part and labor. I do not feel that I should be responsible for the issue since it was not taken care of correctly the 2 previous times I brought the car in. I also feel that the situation was not taken seriously. The service department even joked "haha, hopefully it doesn't happen again" (this was during the second…”
“The contact owns a 2019 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while his daughter attempted to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start immediately. The contact's daughter pressed the engine Auto Start/Stop button again, the vehicle restarted. The contact had AAA test that the battery, which had no failure, and it was determined that the brake light switch had failed. The cruise control later failed to operate as needed, and the message "Automatic Emergency Braking Malfunction" was displayed. The contact stated that the failure occurred intermittently. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle had previously been repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V135000 (Exterior Lighting). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000.”
“Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2019 Nissan Sentra. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 78,129. It was later discovered from a Carfax Report that the mileage was 86,239.”
“Odometer Fraud. The contact was attempting to purchase a 2019 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that the vehicle was advertised for sale by a local dealer on Facebook Marketplace with a photo of the odometer reading of 72,000 miles. After obtaining a Carfax report for the vehicle, the contact discovered that the mileage was 196,000.”
“I am writing to formally report a safety-related defect in my 2019 Nissan Sentra and to request reimbursement for repair costs associated with this issue. My vehicle experienced a failure of the brake light switch, which prevented the car from starting and disabled the brake lights—posing a serious safety hazard. Although I have been informed that my vehicle is not currently included in Recall Campaign PM971, the symptoms and defective part match the recall description precisely. I have verified my VIN through the NHTSA recall lookup tool, and I am concerned that the recall scope may be too narrow, excluding vehicles that are clearly affected. This defect required immediate repair to restore basic vehicle functionality and ensure safety. I have attached documentation of the repair, including the invoice and diagnostic notes, for your review. I respectfully request the following: Reimbursement for the cost of the brake light switch repair. A formal review of my vehicle’s eligibility for Recall PM971. Consideration for expanding the recall to include additional affected vehicles, including mine. I am submitting this complaint in the interest of safety and…”
“I purchased a 2019 Nissan Sentra SR (VIN: [XXX] ) as a certified pre-owned vehicle from Star Nissan in Bayside, NY on [XXX]. Since the day of purchase, I have experienced repeated failures when trying to start the vehicle using the push-button ignition. Specifically, when pressing the brake pedal to start the car, nothing happens — the brake does not register, and the engine will not start. This issue directly matches the symptoms outlined in NHTSA Recall 21V135 (Nissan Campaign PM971), which addresses a known brake lamp switch defect in 2016–2019 Nissan Sentra models. I was not the original owner and was never notified of this recall. The selling dealership, who had custody of the car when the recall was issued, did not confirm or perform the required repair before reselling the vehicle to me. Nissan Consumer Affairs now claims there are “no open recalls” on my VIN, but the part in question — the brake switch — has never been replaced, and my Nissan service history confirms that it was not repaired. Instead, unrelated components like the brake booster were replaced multiple times, which did not resolve the issue. This defect has created multiple unsafe…”
Showing 6 of 65 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.