The Lemon Index2017 Nissan Sentra.
The 2017 Nissan Sentra is one of the most reliable years by owner complaints: 82 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 36, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about transmission & drivetrain, it has 3 recalls, and it gets 27 to 32 mpg combined. The best Nissan Sentra year is 2011.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 231 owner complaints, owners reported:
Every Nissan Sentra year. 2017 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 15K to 81K miles on the car (104 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 40K–92K miles
- engine complaints mostly came at 12K–77K miles
Recalls 3
- lights 2021
The brake light switch may become contaminated, preventing the circuit from closing and the brake lights from illuminating.
- electrical 2018
In these models, over time, the weight on the key ring and road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position to the accessory position, turning off the engine.
- airbags 2017
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.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Nissan told dealers about
Nissan sent dealers 183 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- 2017 SENTRA; CVT JUDDER AND/OR P0746/P0965 STORED IF YOU CONFIRM The customer reports a…
- CLICKING NOISE FROM FRONT OR REAR AXLE DURING TAKE-OFF/ACCELERATION This bulletin has been…
- 2017 sentra; engine turns off or hesitates when accelerating from a stop during hot ambient…
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Safety
Crash test details
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nissan Sentra 4 DR FWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Nissan Sentra NISMO 4 DR FWD | not rated | not rated | not rated | ★★★★☆ |
Fuel cost and engines
About $2000–2950 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 1.6L 4-cyl, 1.8L 4-cyl.
In owners' words
The idle on my 2017 Nissan Sentra sr turbo surges every now and then, and when it is below ~55 degrees outside, it feels like it runs rough when it is in neutral (6 speed manual).
2017 Nissan Sentra owner · NHTSA complaint 11307128
More owner reports
My transmission is skipping when driving it has skipped and when stop then I go it skips like if jumps a speed today 2/27/20 it has happed twice while stopes and then go
NHTSA complaint 11311938
My 2017 Nissan Sentra sr is doing the same exact thing that other Sentra and other Nissan s transmission messing up it doesn't make any sense. They say my Sentra don't fall under the recall
NHTSA complaint 11308525
Quick answers
Is the 2017 Nissan Sentra reliable?
Yes, it is one of the most reliable by government complaints. It drew 2.8× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 36; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Nissan Sentra year by this measure since 2010 is 2023.
What are the most common 2017 Nissan Sentra problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are transmission & drivetrain (24%), engine (18%) and airbags (16%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2017 Nissan Sentra have?
3 safety recalls (latest: lights). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2017 Nissan Sentra get?
27 to 32 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
Is the 2017 Nissan Sentra safe?
NHTSA gave it 4 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.
At what mileage do 2017 Nissan Sentra problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 15,400 and 81,000 miles. The middle report was at 44,000 miles, from 104 complaints.
Does the 2017 Nissan Sentra have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 24% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2017 Nissan Sentra cost in fuel a year?
About $2000 to $2950 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2017 Nissan Sentra have?
1.6L 4-cyl, 1.8L 4-cyl.
What Nissan Sentra year is better than the 2017?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2011, 2017 and 2010.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works