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#BS-2021-NISSEN-8CEA2021 Nissan SentraProblems, Recalls & Reliability
Based on reports from 219 owners and 3 recalls for this exact model.
Data updated ·NHTSA complaints through October 28, 2026
Preliminary Verdict
Red Flag
Based on 219 complaints, 28 crashes, 3 fires, and 3 recalls. Complaint rate is 4.0x the class average.
Top reported problems
automatic braking system locks up for no reason
3 complaints • Severity 10/10
lock unlock will not work-unable to get in or out of car
1 complaints • Severity 8/10
sloshing noise from gas tank
1 complaints • Severity 6/10
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Mechanic Inspection Checklist
38 owners reported electrical issues — failures commonly reported around 25K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (16 reports) • Median: 25K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Electrical (38 reports).
Also in your report
Owner Intelligence
AI-synthesized themes from real complaints
Buyer Lot Checklist
Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers
Negotiation Talking Points
Data-backed dollar deductions
Buy / Skip Verdict
Final recommendation with conditions
Where the complaints fall
2021 Nissan Sentra: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Electrical Issues
Electrical complaints account for 17% of all reports filed for the 2021 Nissan Sentra, with 38 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 25,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 25K-mile mark.
Steering Issues
Steering complaints account for 17% of all reports filed for the 2021 Nissan Sentra, with 37 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to steering-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking Issues
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking complaints account for 14% of all reports filed for the 2021 Nissan Sentra, with 30 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to forward collision avoidance: automatic emergency braking-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Brakes Issues
Brakes complaints account for 11% of all reports filed for the 2021 Nissan Sentra, with 25 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to brakes-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.
Complaint trend by year
Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2021 Nissan Sentra. Recent trend: stable.
Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own
Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict
Recall History (3 recalls)
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. The left and/or right tie rod may be bent.
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Sentra vehicles. The left and/or right tie rod may bend.
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
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."
Recall severity analysis & seller scripts
The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
2021 Nissan Sentra NHTSA Safety Ratings
Overall
★★★★★5 of 5 stars
Frontal crash
★★★★★4 of 5 stars
Side crash
★★★★★5 of 5 stars
Rollover
★★★★★5 of 5 stars
From NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings). Where NHTSA tested more than one version of this vehicle, the lowest rating is shown.
The worst model year for the Nissan Sentra is the 2015 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is transmission.
2021 Nissan Sentra vs. Class Average (Midsize Cars)
This vehicle
219
Class avg
54
4.0x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical midsize cars vehicles.
Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.
About this data
NHTSA Complaints
Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 219 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 3 recalls found for this vehicle.
Repair Cost Data
Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.
Last updated . NHTSA complaints received through October 28, 2026; safety ratings from NHTSA's 5-Star program.
Other Nissan Sentra Model Years
2021 Nissan Sentra: Frequently Asked Questions
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Get the Full 2021 Nissan Sentra Report
10 sections of AI analysis based on 219 owner reports. Know before you buy.