Reliable Auto DB

2017 Nissan Sentra reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2017 Nissan Sentra has 230 complaints with NHTSA after 10 years, or 20 per year. That is about even with the other Sentra years here. Their median is 22 complaints per year. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Switch, Ignition, and Air bags.

2012 Nissan Sentra
Photo by Throwawayacc222, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC0
Complaints

230

Per year

20

Recalls

3

Years on the road

10

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (76 of 230), then Engine (48) and Electrical system (33). Those filings include 29 that report a crash, 6 that report a fire, and 18 that report an injury.

Next to 2016 and 2018

The 2016 Sentra has 270 complaints, 21 per year, and the 2018 has 185 complaints, 23 per year. The 2017 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2016. The 2017 has fewer complaints per year than the 2018.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2017 Nissan Sentra. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (3)

Recall exterior lighting, brake lights, switch 2021-03-03 · NHTSA campaign 21V135000
Summary Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Nissan Sentra vehicles. The brake light switch may become contaminated, preventing the circuit from closing and the brake lights from illuminating.
Remedy Dealers will replace the brake light switch and install a protective grommet, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 1, 2022. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800867-7769. Nissan's number for this recall is PM971.
Recall electrical system, ignition 2018-08-22 · NHTSA campaign 18V551000
Summary Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2017 Nissan NV200, Sentra, NV3500 Van, NV3500 Bus, NV200 Taxi, NV1500, NV2500 Van, Chevrolet City Express, 2017-2018 Frontier, Versa Note, and Versa Sedan vehicles that have a mechanical (physical) key ignition system. 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.
Remedy Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the production information on the ignition switch, and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669.
Recall Air bags 2017-04-13 · NHTSA campaign 17V253000
Summary Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 LEAF and 2014, 2016 and 2017 Sentra vehicles. 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.
Remedy Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 7, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

Complaints by component (230 total)

Powertrain
76
Engine
48
Electrical system
33
Speed control
32
Air bags
26
Service brakes
21
Exterior lighting
15
Steering
14
Structure
9
Fuel and propulsion system
7
Wheels
5
Electronic stability control (ESC)
4
Seat belts
3
Forward collision avoidance
2
Seats
2
Suspension
2
Engine and engine cooling
1
Hydraulic brakes
1
Traction control
1
Visibility
1
Visibility and wipers
1
Show 13 more Show less
Crash-flagged

29

Fire-flagged

6

Injury reports

18

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

62017232018312019222020332021332022282023212024202025132026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "My 2017 Sentra is suffering from the exact silicone outgassing defect detailed in Recall 21V135000. My replacement switches keep failing because the car requires the updated protective grommet, but Nissan is excluding…"
    Service brakes · filed 2026-07-23
  • "My car was legally parked on the street near my apartment, and was hit about a month ago that left my car totaled and my trunk completely crushed in, and the back seat caved in. My car was then hit a 2nd time two weeks…"
    Air bags · filed 2026-07-16
  • "The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving the vehicle he could tell the vehicle gears were slipping, on a different occasion the vehicle downshifted on its own suddenly almost causing a…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-06-01
  • "I have been experiencing the cvt transmission slipping the last two weeks. I contacted Nissan so see if my vin was a vehicle affected by 2017 cvt transmission recalls. They advised me it was not affected because my vin…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-05-31
  • "The CVT transmission on my 2016 Nissan Sentra is failing. This seems to be an ongoing issue with Nissans CVT that I have researched. Dealerships are saying they are not replacing the transmissions because it is outside…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-05-14

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2017 Nissan Sentra 4 DR FWD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2017 Nissan Sentra NISMO 4 DR FWD Not rated Not rated Not rated 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Sentra 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic (AV-S7) Front-wheel drive 27 33 29 MPG $2750
Sentra 1.8L, 4-cyl Automatic (variable gear ratios) Front-wheel drive 29 37 32 MPG $2050
Sentra 1.6L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 26 32 28 MPG $2850
Sentra 1.8L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 27 35 30 MPG $2150
Sentra Nismo 1.6L, 4-cyl Automatic (AV-S7) Front-wheel drive 25 30 27 MPG $2950
Sentra Nismo 1.6L, 4-cyl Manual 6-speed Front-wheel drive 25 31 27 MPG $2950

Specs and fitment

7th generation (B17), 2012–2019
Body styles Sedan
Oil 0W-20 (1.8L and 2.0L) , 4.875 qt capacity
Tire size 205/55R16 to 215/45R18 (trim dependent)

Known issues for this generation

NHTSA campaign 17V253000. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 LEAF and 2014, 2016 and 2017 Sentra vehicles. 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. In the event of a crash, if the front passenger air bag doesn't deploy properly, it can increase the risk of injury to passengers. Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 7, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

Compare

Previous year 2016 Nissan Sentra Next year 2018 Nissan Sentra See every Nissan Sentra model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2017 Nissan Sentra reliable?

The 2017 Nissan Sentra has 230 complaints with NHTSA after 10 years, or 20 per year. That is about even with the other Sentra years here. Their median is 22 complaints per year. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Switch, Ignition, and Air bags.

What are common problems with a 2017 Nissan Sentra?

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (76 of 230), then Engine (48) and Electrical system (33). Those filings include 29 that report a crash, 6 that report a fire, and 18 that report an injury.

Is the 2017 Nissan Sentra more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2016 Sentra has 270 complaints, 21 per year, and the 2018 has 185 complaints, 23 per year. The 2017 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2016. The 2017 has fewer complaints per year than the 2018.

Has the 2017 Nissan Sentra been recalled?

The 2017 Nissan Sentra has 3 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2017 Nissan Sentra?

Owners have filed 230 complaints about the 2017 Nissan Sentra with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2017 Nissan Sentra get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2017 Nissan Sentra is 28.8 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Sentra take?

0W-20 (1.8L and 2.0L)

What does NHTSA recall 17V-253 cover on the Nissan Sentra?

NHTSA campaign 17V253000.

What generation is the 2013 Nissan Sentra?

7th generation (B17) (2012-2019).