Car · Nissan problems

2013 Nissan Sentra problems

638 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 Nissan Sentra. The most reported area is power train (transmission and drive) (49% of them). NHTSA also lists 128 service bulletins and 6 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 20. Deaths: 1.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 638 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Power train (transmission and drive)311 · 49%
• Service brakes97 · 15%
• Air bags96 · 15%
• Engine and engine cooling91 · 14%
• Other or unknown64 · 10%
• Speed control and throttle51 · 8%
• Electrical system43 · 7%
• Fuel system37 · 6%

14 smaller areas not shown (79 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 128 repair bulletins from Nissan for the 2013 Nissan Sentra. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. NTB09-131CReceived April 29, 2026

   Body and structure

   Certification label and VIN plate replacement service information Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement "Certification Label" or "VIN Plate/Label" may be needed.

2. NTB19-071DReceived October 22, 2024

   Air bags

   If you confirm DTC B00A0-00 (OCCUPANT DETECTION SENSOR UNIT) is stored, AND OCS zero point reset cannot be performed, (continued on the next page).

3. NTB13-027DReceived July 19, 2024

   Electrical system

   CAN communication - network diagnostic flow chart.

4. NTB13-107GReceived July 19, 2024

   Electrical system

   Vehicle key not detected / authenticated, engine will not start.

5. NTB09-081KReceived June 7, 2024

   Visibility and wipers

   Windshield cracking.

6. NTB13-028IReceived June 7, 2024

   Visibility and wipers

   Removing foreign material from the window glass.

7. NTB08-097LReceived October 6, 2023

   Steering

   Diagnosis of vehicle pull (drift) and/or steering wheel off-center.

8. NTB23-053Received July 11, 2023

   Electrical system

   Silicone-based lubricant or grease CAN damage electrical components.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2013 Nissan Sentra. Recall repairs are free at a Nissan dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 16V242000April 26, 2016

   Air bags

   The front passenger seat belt bracket may become deformed if it is used to secure a Child Restraint System (CRS).

2. 16V244000April 26, 2016

   Air bags

   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.

3. 15V681000October 20, 2015

   Air bags

   The affected vehicles received an incorrect occupant classification system (OCS) control unit during a repair.

See all 6 recalls for the 2013 Nissan Sentra, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Sentra will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Power train (transmission and drive) 311 complaints · 49%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Service brakes 97 complaints · 15%

• Brake pad replacement (front)$190 to $400
• Brake rotors and pads (front)$320 to $790
• Brake pad replacement (rear)$180 to $420
• Brake caliper replacement (one wheel)$240 to $590
• Brake fluid flush$75 to $180

Air bags 96 complaints · 15%

• Airbag clockspring replacement$230 to $670
• Airbag / occupant sensor replacement$220 to $750

Engine and engine cooling 91 complaints · 14%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

0 of 17 characters

Look up this VIN

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

Get quotes for your Nissan Sentra

Tell us the job and your ZIP. Free, takes a minute.

Job

ZIP

WhenAs soon as possibleThis monthJust planning

Your name

Phone

Email

Add a phone, an email, or both.

Anything we should know? (optional) I agree that Fair Price and the car repair shops and lead marketplaces listed on our Partners page, or their agents, may call and email me at the number and email I provided about my request, including by automated technology, even if my number is on a Do Not Call list. Ticking this box is how I give this consent. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms. Get quotes

Fair Price is not a contractor or a repair shop. Who sees your request

2013 Nissan Sentra: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2013 Nissan Sentra?

Of the 638 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 Nissan Sentra, 311 (49%) name power train (transmission and drive), and 97 (15%) name service brakes. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2013 Nissan Sentra reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 24 of the 638 complaints as involving a crash and 4 as involving a fire. They also reported 20 injuries and 1 death. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2013 Nissan Sentra have?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2013 Nissan Sentra. Recall repairs are free at a Nissan dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 128 repair bulletins for the 2013 Nissan Sentra.

More

• 2020 Sentra problems
• 2019 Sentra problems
• 2017 Sentra problems
• 2016 Sentra problems
• 2015 Sentra problems
• 2014 Sentra problems
• 2013 recalls
• All Nissan recalls
• Nissan problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.