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2016 Nissan Sentra

Gas
Midsize Cars
3 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-09-11
F
Safety Signal
52 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
RecallsNHTSA campaigns6
Complaintsowner reports to NHTSA269
Crash ratingNHTSA overall4★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA33 mpg
20262025202420232022202120202019201820172016

The 2016 Nissan Sentra is sold in the U.S. as a gas midsize car with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Sentra FE, is EPA-rated at 33 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of F. Owners have filed 269 complaints, most often about the power train. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
Sentra FEGasFWD1.8L 4-cyl303833$1,900
SentraGasFWD1.8L 4-cyl293732$1,950
SentraGasFWD1.8L 4-cyl273530$2,100

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 37196, 37195, 37194.

Factory warranty running out?

The 2016 Nissan Sentra is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.

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Recalls (6)

Source: NHTSA recall database
▲high

Exterior Lighting

PM971
807,376 vehicles
ProblemNissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Nissan Sentra vehicles. The brake light switch may become contaminated, preventing the circuit from closing and the brake lights from illuminating.RiskThe brake lights may not illuminate, increasing the risk of a crash.FixDealers will replace the brake light switch and install a protective grommet, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 1, 2022. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800867-7769. Nissan's number for this recall is PM971.
NHTSA campaign 21V135000reported Mar 3, 2021Nissan North America, Inc.
▲high

Air Bags

30,038 vehicles
ProblemNissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 LEAF and 2014, 2016 and 2017 Sentra vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error within the air bag inflators, the passenger frontal air bag may not properly deploy in the event of a crash.RiskIn the event of a crash, if the front passenger air bag doesn't deploy properly, it can increase the risk of injury to passengers.FixNissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 7, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
NHTSA campaign 17V253000reported Apr 13, 2017Nissan North America, Inc.
▲high

Electrical System

1,522 vehicles
ProblemNissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016 Sentra vehicles manufactured April 11, 2016, through April 26, 2016. The engine room harness may have a terminal pin too large to maintain a connection with the Engine Control Unit (ECU).RiskIf the engine room harness loses connection to the ECU, the vehicle may not start or the engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash.FixNissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the terminal pin on the engine room harness, free of charge. The recall began on August 15, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
NHTSA campaign 16V485000reported Jun 29, 2016Nissan North America, Inc.
▲high

Electrical System

4,355 vehicles
ProblemNissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016 LEAF vehicles manufactured February 24, 2016, to March 23, 2016, and Sentra vehicles manufactured February 9, 2016, to March 4, 2016. The wiring harness connector may disconnect from the dual-stage passenger air bag.RiskIf the wiring harness disconnects, the passenger air bag may not to deploy during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.FixNissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the wiring harness connector for proper engagement and, if necessary, replace the passenger air bag module and main body harness, free of charge. The recall began on August 9, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
NHTSA campaign 16V436000reported Jun 15, 2016Nissan North America, Inc.
▲high

Air Bags

645,898 vehicles
ProblemNissan 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.RiskIf 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.FixNissan 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.
NHTSA campaign 16V242000reported Apr 26, 2016Nissan North America, Inc.
▲high

Air Bags

3,296,947 vehicles
ProblemNissan 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 crashRiskIf 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.FixNissan 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 par
NHTSA campaign 16V244000reported Apr 26, 2016Nissan North America, Inc.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
269complaints filed

18 involved a crash · 2 a fire · 13 injuries · 0 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2016: 5 · 2017: 16 · 2018: 43 · 2019: 36 · 2020: 34 · 2021: 22 · 2022: 36 · 2023: 18 · 2024: 23 · 2025: 27 · 2026: 9

Most-cited components

Power Train127
Engine47
Electrical System44
Unspecified43
Vehicle Speed Control27
Air Bags24

What owners describe

“The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle started slowing down and the RPM indicator was circling around. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to pull over and turn the vehicle off and restart three times and then drove to the dealer to have th…”Mar 22, 2022 · Power Train · NHTSA owner report
“The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the RPM's were rising however, the vehicle was decelerating. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to regain control of the vehicle and drive to his destination. The contact took the vehicle to the local …”Mar 21, 2022 · Power Train · NHTSA owner report
“The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated the vehicle overheated and stalled. The oil, engine, and battery warning lights were illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V135000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local…”Mar 14, 2022 · Engine · NHTSA owner report

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
4 DR FWD★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆12%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.

Compare the 2016 Sentra with

2016 Toyota Camry →2016 Toyota Corolla →

Other Sentra model years

A

2026 Nissan Sentra

1 recalls · 14 complaints

D

2025 Nissan Sentra

4 recalls · 28 complaints

D

2024 Nissan Sentra

3 recalls · 37 complaints

A

2023 Nissan Sentra

1 recalls · 19 complaints

C

2022 Nissan Sentra

2 recalls · 81 complaints

C

2021 Nissan Sentra

3 recalls · 130 complaints

D

2020 Nissan Sentra

4 recalls · 204 complaints

B

2019 Nissan Sentra

2 recalls · 221 complaints

B

2018 Nissan Sentra

2 recalls · 185 complaints

C

2017 Nissan Sentra

3 recalls · 230 complaints

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

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