2012 Nissan SentraProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 180 owner complaints about the 2012 Nissan Sentra, most often about the power train. It has no vehicle safety recalls on record.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 1, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: Ethan Llamas, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where the 2012 Nissan Sentra has problems
180 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 68 | 1 |
| Engine | 39 | 7 |
| Vehicle speed control | 22 | 1 |
| Air bags | 20 | 8 |
| Structure | 17 | 4 |
| Electrical system | 13 | 0 |
| Visibility | 10 | 1 |
| Steering | 9 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 9 | 1 |
| 14 other systems | 31 | 2 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2012 Nissan Sentra recalls and how many were fixed
No vehicle safety recalls are on record for this model year.
When do power train problems start?
71kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 48 power train complaints. 81% were reported before 100,000 miles.
2012 vs. every other Sentra year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Sentra median. How we score
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
2012 Nissan Sentra safety ratings
2012 Nissan Sentra 4 DR FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Rollover: 4 stars (11.6% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
What Sentra owners report
Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
Our nissan Sentra with 106K miles the car lost nearly all power as my son was turning onto the freeway. He could only drive 16 miles an hour and it was hopping and jumping through a 8 lane freeway/highway intersection while he tried to get into a parking lot off the road. He turned it off, waited 5…
Leaking transmission oil. Also burning engine oil a week after doing an oil change to the point there is no oil but no leaks.
The Transmission is making a whining nose and smells terribly bad! When driving on the interstate and parkways; after the car reaches 60 -70 miles, the car starts shaking and slows down; almost coming to a complete stop and we have to either get over in the slow lane and/ or sometimes, we have to…
Own a 2012 Sentra?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.