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All cars · Nissan Sentra · Transmission

Nissan Sentra transmission problems by year.

Worst years for transmission complaints per car sold: 2013 (288 complaints), 2014 (164 complaints), 2015 (153 complaints). Fewest since 2010: 2021, 2023, 2025.

Nissan Sentra
Photo shows a 2013 Nissan Sentra. Mr.choppers, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 · background removed

Transmission complaints owners filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) for each model year, per 100,000 cars sold. A complaint counts when it's filed under the transmission, or under the power train and the owner describes the transmission (shifting, slipping, gears, CVT). It's an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and older years have had longer to collect complaints.

200066.1 per 100K sold200187.2 per 100K sold20021514.1 per 100K sold200399.5 per 100K sold200465.6 per 100K sold200543.3 per 100K sold200686.8 per 100K sold20071514.1 per 100K sold20081616 per 100K sold200922.4 per 100K sold20101313.8 per 100K sold20111513 per 100K sold20125652.6 per 100K sold2013288223 per 100K sold201416489.5 per 100K sold201515375.2 per 100K sold201611252.2 per 100K sold20176328.8 per 100K sold20184119.2 per 100K sold20194926.5 per 100K sold202055.3 per 100K sold202121.6 per 100K sold202222.6 per 100K sold202321.8 per 100K sold202442.6 per 100K sold202532 per 100K sold

What owners describe

Hard or jerky shifting22%
Lost power while driving19%
Slipping13%
Transmission replaced12%
Delay or hesitation9%
Shudder7%

Share of this model's transmission complaints that mention each symptom. One complaint can mention several.

Transmission and power train recalls

  • 2025 2026

    The front left-side driveshaft may not be fully seated in the continuously variable transmission (CVT) assembly, which can cause a transmission fluid leak and loss of drive power.

Recall repairs are free at any dealer. Check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

In owners' words

Car failed to move forward. Loss of transmission while going up hill was very dangerous. Ideals high and intermittent working.

2013 Nissan Sentra owner · NHTSA complaint

Transmisssion is not shifting correctly it sticks and stop. Our car has. 44,000 miles on it. It sometime will not go forward

2013 Nissan Sentra owner · NHTSA complaint

Quick answers

Which Nissan Sentra years have transmission problems?

By transmission complaints filed with NHTSA per car sold, the worst Nissan Sentra years are 2013, 2014, 2015.

What are common Nissan Sentra transmission problems?

Owners most often describe hard or jerky shifting, lost power while driving, slipping.

Which Nissan Sentra years have the fewest transmission complaints?

Since 2010, the Nissan Sentra years with the fewest transmission complaints per car sold are 2021, 2023, 2025.

See every problem, not just the transmission: Nissan Sentra reliability by year. How we count

Updated

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