2013 Nissan Sentra
The Verdict
Worst problem area
Transmission & Drivetrain
Transmission & Drivetrain leads by volume: 311 of 638 complaints (49%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Engine include more fire reports (3) than those mentioning any other identified area.
Complaints filed rose from 180 in 2012 to 638 in 2013.
Data last changed . Sources: NHTSA complaints and recalls, EPA fuel economy data. Methodology
Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | vs. 2013 Midsize Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 2,150–3,250 | 2,150–3,250 | 1,900–2,100 | 1,900–2,100 | 1,900–2,100 | |
| Combined MPG | 24–29 | 24–29 | 30–33 | 30–33 | 30–33 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 21–26 / 28–34 | 21–26 / 28–34 | 27–30 / 35–39 | 27–30 / 35–38 | 27–30 / 35–38 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 306–370 | 306–370 | 267–297 | 265–298 | 268–298 | |
| Complaints filed | 142 | 180 | 638 | 380 | 351 | |
| Recalls issued | 2 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 3 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 19 | 10 | 24 | 27 | 23 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 6 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 3 | |
| Injuries reported | 14 | 10 | 20 | 18 | 23 | |
| Deaths reported | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Configurations compared | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2013 Nissan Sentra have?
6 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Sep 16, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2013 Nissan Sentra?
Transmission & Drivetrain: 311 of 638 NHTSA complaints (49%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2013 Nissan Sentra get?
EPA rates it 30–33 MPG combined across 4 configurations.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2013 Nissan Sentra?
EPA estimates $1,900–$2,100 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (4)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Manual 6-spd | 4 | 1.8L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Midsize Cars | 27 mpg (low) | 35 mpg (low) | 30 mpg (low) | $2,100 (high) | 297 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 4 | 1.8L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Midsize Cars | 30 mpg (high) | 38 mpg | 33 mpg (high) | $1,900 (low) | 268 g/mi |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 4 | 1.8L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Midsize Cars | 29 mpg | 38 mpg | 33 mpg (high) | $1,900 (low) | 273 g/mi |
| Configuration 4 | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 4 | 1.8L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Midsize Cars | 30 mpg (high) | 39 mpg (high) | 33 mpg (high) | $1,900 (low) | 267 g/mi (low) |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 91 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 311 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 37 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical | 43 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Brakes | 110 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Steering | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 101 | 12 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 52 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 9 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 64 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (6)
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION · Campaign 16V244000 · Apr 26, 2016
Defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.
Consequence: If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669, Infiniti customer service at 1-888-833-3216 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION · Campaign 16V242000 · Apr 26, 2016
Defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Sentra vehicles manufactured June 4, 2012, to April 9, 2016. The front passenger seat belt bracket may become deformed if it is used to secure a Child Restraint System (CRS). The deformed seat bracket may cause the Occupant Classification System (OCS) to incorrectly classify the installed CRS, resulting in the front passenger air bag to not be turned off as designed when a CRS is in the seat.
Consequence: If the frontal passenger air bag deploys in the event of a crash when a child seat is installed in the front passenger seat, there will be an increased risk of injury to the child in the CRS.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will reinforce the seat belt bracket as well as reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU), free of charge. The recall began on June 13, 2016. Owners are warned not to install a CRS in the front seat. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL; AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION · Campaign 15V681000 · Oct 20, 2015
Defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima and Pathfinder vehicles, 2013-2014 Nissan Sentra vehicles, 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles, 2014-2015 Infiniti QX60 vehicles and 2014 Infiniti QX60 Hybrid vehicles. The affected vehicles received an incorrect occupant classification system (OCS) control unit during a repair. These OCS control units may incorrectly classify the front passenger seat as empty, when it is occupied by an adult.
Consequence: If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger air bag would be deactivated. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted) could increase the risk of injury to the passenger.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the OCS software, free of charge. The recall began on November 30, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE · Campaign 14V138000 · Mar 25, 2014
Defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Altima, LEAF, Pathfinder, and Sentra, model year 2013 NV200 (aka Taxi) and Infiniti JX35 and model year 2014 Infiniti Q50 and QX60 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the occupant classification system (OCS) software may incorrectly classify the passenger seat as empty, when it is occupied by an adult.
Consequence: If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger airbag would be deactivated. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted) could increase the risk of injury to the passenger.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the OCS software, free of charge. The recall began on April 14, 2014. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
AIR BAGS · Campaign 13V069000 · Mar 4, 2013
Defect: Nissan is recalling certain model year 2013 Altima, LEAF, Pathfinder, Sentra, and Infiniti JX35 vehicles. Sensors within the passenger Occupant Detection System (ODS) may have been manufactured out of specification. This may cause the system to malfunction and permanently suppress the passenger airbag.
Consequence: If the vehicle is involved in a crash necessitating airbag deployment and the passenger airbag is suppressed, there may be an increased risk of personal injury.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ODS sensors and replace them as neccessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 6, 2013. Owners may contact Nissan Customer Service at 1-800-647-7261.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY · Campaign 13V068000 · Mar 4, 2013
Defect: Nissan is recalling certain model year 2013 Sentra vehicles manufactured from September 11, 2012, through October 4, 2012. Some fuel tank assemblies were not properly sealed during the manufacturing process. As a result, a small amount of gasoline may leak from the tank when it is full.
Consequence: A gasoline leak in the presence of an ignition source may lead to a vehicle fire.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tanks as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on April 1, 2013. Owners may contact Nissan Customer Service at 1-800-647-7261.