Research · Midsize Cars

2021 Nissan SentraRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls and 133 owner complaints for the 2021 Nissan Sentra. Most complaints involve forward collision avoidance (40) and steering (40). The EPA rates it 32–33 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.

Combined MPG
32–33mpg
EPA · 2 versions
NHTSA overall
5of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
3campaigns
Latest Sep 2023
Owner complaints
133
Top: forward collision avoidance
Fuel cost / yr
$1,950est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

3 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Back over prevention: camera

Free remedy

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Altima and 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. Damage to the camera harness can cause distortion or loss of the rearview camera display image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Back over preventionReported Sep 8, 2023NHTSA 23V628000

Steering: tie rod assembly

Remedy pending

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Sentra vehicles. The left and/or right tie rod may bend.

SteeringReported Aug 15, 2023NHTSA 23V581000

Steering: tie rod assembly

Free remedy

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. The left and/or right tie rod may be bent.

SteeringReported Jun 17, 2021NHTSA 21V461000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

133 complaints filed with NHTSA · Jun 2021 – Oct 2026
  1. Forward collision avoidance40
  2. Steering40
  3. Electrical system38
  4. Service brakes24
  5. Engine7
  6. Suspension6
  7. Vehicle speed control6
  8. Exterior lighting6
  9. Wheels5

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

By model year

Complaints for each Sentra model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
2000171
2001245
2002333
2003180
2004197
2005170
2006116
2007154
2008167
200955
2010144
2011142
2012180
2013638
2014380
2015352
2016270
2017231
2018185
2019223
2020207
2021133
202281
202320
202441
202531
202619
Crashes reported
15
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
9
Deaths reported
0
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 3, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Forward collision avoidance

40 reports2 crashes
“The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while her son was driving at approximately 30-35 MPH, a yellow triangle warning light illuminated, and the vehicle independently applied the brakes forcefully and made a sharp left turn. The vehicle then rolled over twice and landed upside down in a ditch. The driver crawled out through broken glass. The contact stated that the air bags deployed as needed. The contact arrived at the scene and transported the driver to the hospital. The contact's son sustained lap belt bruises on the lower stomach and upper legs, a cut arm, neck, back, and rib pain, a neck contusion, and slightly forward-displaced C2 and C3 vertebrae. A Police report was filed. The vehicle was towed, inspected, and deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The dealer was contacted and informed that the vehicle might have experienced phantom braking. The contact was referred to the manufacturer for assistance. The manufacturer was contacted and advised the contact that a fee was required for a third-party investigator to retrieve data from the Event Data Recorder (EDR). The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 23, 2026Forward collision avoidanceCrash reportedODI 11773155

Steering

40 reports11 crashes1 fire
“The scope of repair required fixing a recalled tie rod that suffered a catastrophic failure, which directly caused the vehicle’s ADAS, Advanced Emergency Braking (AEB), and collision detection systems to crash. Berman Nissan promised a legally compliant, safe repair but breached this agreement by returning an unsafe vehicle, failing to road-test the steering component (verified by identical check-in/out mileage), and intentionally scrubbing trouble codes to conceal active safety failures. Staff explicitly refused all safety assistance, failed to secure my signature on any authorization paperwork from tow to pick-up, and Nissan corporate stated they were 'not legally required' to resolve the hazards. Service personnel stonewalled the issue, and management only escalated the matter to Service Director Mark Yalda after I disclosed I possessed concrete video proof of the identical mileage and unsigned invoices.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 15, 2026Steering, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11750579

Electrical system

38 reports
“The infotainment/radio system in my 2021 Nissan Sentra intermittently reboots and produces static. When this happens, the backup camera freezes or shuts off completely. This has occurred while I was actively reversing, causing a sudden loss of rear visibility. The screen either goes black or restarts, making the backup camera unavailable. This is a safety concern because the backup camera is required for safe reversing, and the failure happens without warning. The issue occurs repeatedly and is not driver-related. The problem appears to be related to the head unit malfunctioning, which disables the backup camera system.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 27, 2026Electrical systemODI 11733950
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

2 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Midsize Cars
Engines
2.0L 4-cyl
Transmissions
Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 3, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Sentra
Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L · Front-Wheel Drive
293933$1,950268
Sentra SR
Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L · Front-Wheel Drive
283732$2,000283
  • Sentra
    Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    29 city · 39 hwy · $1,950/yr
    33
    mpg comb.
  • Sentra SR
    Auto (variable gear ratios), 4 cyl, 2.0 L
    28 city · 37 hwy · $2,000/yr
    32
    mpg comb.
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 3, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

1 tested variant
Overall rating
5/ 5
5 of 5
Nissan Sentra 4 DR FWD
Frontal crash
4 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
5 of 5
Rollover risk
9.9%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 3, 2026Vehicle 15524
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2021 Sentra questions

How many recalls does the 2021 Nissan Sentra have?

3 safety recalls as of Nov 3, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2021 Nissan Sentra problems?

Owners filed 133 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are forward collision avoidance (40), steering (40), electrical system (38). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2021 Nissan Sentra get?

The EPA rates the 2021 Nissan Sentra at 32–33 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (2 versions rated).

How safe is the 2021 Nissan Sentra?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2021 Nissan Sentra 5 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 3, 2026