Car · Nissan problems

2016 Nissan Sentra problems

270 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Nissan Sentra. The most reported area is power train (transmission and drive) (47% of them). NHTSA also lists 85 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: 13. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 270 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)127 · 47%
• Engine and engine cooling48 · 18%
• Electrical system45 · 17%
• Other or unknown43 · 16%
• Speed control and throttle27 · 10%
• Air bags24 · 9%
• Service brakes21 · 8%
• Fuel system19 · 7%

10 smaller areas not shown (53 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 85 repair bulletins from Nissan for the 2016 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. NTB23-018GReceived March 8, 2024

   Electrical system

   Software update for infotainment issues.

8. NTB18-031FReceived February 8, 2024

   Electrical system

   Nissanconnect navigation system software update to resolve several issues.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2016 Nissan Sentra. Recall repairs are free at a Nissan dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 16V485000June 29, 2016

   Electrical system

   The engine room harness may have a terminal pin too large to maintain a connection with the Engine Control Unit (ECU).

2. 21V135000March 3, 2021

   Exterior lighting

   The brake light switch may become contaminated, preventing the circuit from closing and the brake lights from illuminating.

3. 17V253000April 13, 2017

   Air bags

   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.

See all 6 recalls for the 2016 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) 127 complaints · 47%

• 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

Engine and engine cooling 48 complaints · 18%

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

Electrical system 45 complaints · 17%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Speed control and throttle 27 complaints · 10%

• Throttle body cleaning$75 to $180
• Throttle body replacement$290 to $900

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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)

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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.

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2016 Nissan Sentra: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2016 Nissan Sentra?

Of the 270 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2016 Nissan Sentra, 127 (47%) name power train (transmission and drive), and 48 (18%) name engine and engine cooling. 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 2016 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 18 of the 270 complaints as involving a crash and 2 as involving a fire. They also reported 13 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2016 Nissan Sentra have?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2016 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 85 repair bulletins for the 2016 Nissan Sentra.

More

• 2020 Sentra problems
• 2019 Sentra problems
• 2017 Sentra problems
• 2015 Sentra problems
• 2014 Sentra problems
• 2013 Sentra problems
• 2016 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.