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2017 Nissan Sentra

Verified August 31, 2026Sources: NHTSA · EPA · vPIC

Compare
Safety
4
of 5 stars
Recalls
3
on record
MPG
29
combined

Open recalls on record

3 safety recalls. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer — check the VIN before you buy.

Vehicle Summary

2017 Nissan Sentra

3 recalls
230 complaints
29 MPG combined
4/5 safety rating

Before You Buy

Confirm all 3 recalls were repaired — a dealer checks by VIN, free
Read the 29 complaints reporting a crash
Review the 230 owner complaints on record
Get a pre-purchase inspection
Check vehicle history report
Verify title is clean

Safety record at a glance

Recall campaigns
3
Owner complaints
230
Complaints citing a crash
29

These are raw counts from NHTSA records. They are not normalized by how many of these vehicles are on the road, so a model that sold in large numbers will tend to show more of everything. We do not publish a composite safety or reliability score.

3 Recalls on Record

These recalls have been issued by the manufacturer. Contact any authorized dealer to verify they have been completed — repairs are free.

Enter your VIN to check if specific recalls apply to your vehicle.

Safety recalls

3 NHTSA campaigns affecting this model year.

  • 18V551000high

    Electrical issue

    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

    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.

    Consequence

    If the vehicle stalls, it can increase the risk of a crash.

    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.

    Full campaign record
  • 17V253000high

    Airbag system issue

    AIR BAGS

    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.

    Consequence

    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.

    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.

    Full campaign record
  • 21V135000high

    Brake system issue

    EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

    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.

    Consequence

    The brake lights may not illuminate, increasing the risk of a crash.

    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.

    Full campaign record

NHTSA crash-test ratings

NCAP star ratings and the underlying test breakdown for the 2017 Nissan Sentra.

  • Frontal crash

    Driver
    4 / 5
    Passenger
    4 / 5
  • Side crash

    Driver
    5 / 5
    Passenger
    5 / 5
    Side pole
    5 / 5
  • Rollover

    Rollover risk
    11.8%
    Dynamic tip
    No Tip

Driver-assistance technologies

Electronic stability control
Standard
Forward collision warning
Optional
Lane departure warning
No

What the ratings mean

NHTSA gives the 2017 Nissan Sentra 4 out of 5 stars overall, below the 5-star median for the 18 comparable 2017 vehicles NHTSA rated in this class.

NHTSA published results for every NCAP test in this program, so the overall star rating rests on a complete set of crash and rollover results.

NHTSA's dynamic test put this vehicle's rollover probability at 11.8% in a single-vehicle crash — the figure behind the rollover star rating, published here because the star alone hides how wide each band is.

NHTSA crash tests

2017 Nissan Sentra Frontal crash crash test
Frontal crash Video
2017 Nissan Sentra Side crash crash test
Side crash Video
2017 Nissan Sentra Side pole crash test
Side pole Video

Fuel economy & emissions

EPA figures for the 2017 Nissan Sentra, with tailpipe CO₂ and class context.

27

City

33

Hwy

29

Comb

Annual fuel cost
$2,600
Tailpipe CO₂
307 g/mi

How this compares

At 29 MPG combined, the 2017 Nissan Sentra ranks 5th of 25 midsize cars EPA rated for 2017 — 4 MPG better than the 25 MPG median for that group.

That places it in the upper third of its class. Fuel cost is unlikely to be the deciding factor against its direct rivals.

EPA puts annual fuel spend at about $2,600, $25 more than the $2,575 typical for the class. Over five years at 15,000 miles a year that is roughly $13,000, a $125 difference against a class-median vehicle.

Tailpipe CO₂ is 307 grams per mile — about 4.6 metric tons over 15,000 miles of driving.

Consumer complaints

230 owner reports filed with NHTSA.

230
Total
29
Crashes
6
Fires
21
Injuries

Most reported components

  • ENGINE106
  • OTHER30
  • AIR BAGS26
  • BRAKES20
  • ELECTRICAL14

Notable Issues

230 consumer complaints filed with NHTSA. 21 reports involve injuries. 29 reports involve a crash.

Most reported problems

engine problems (stalling, power loss, warning lights)106
miscellaneous issues30
airbag concerns (warning light, deployment issues)26

Safety timeline

Every dated recall and NHTSA investigation for the 2017 Nissan Sentra, newest first.

  1. Recall

    Recall 21V135000

    The brake lights may not illuminate, increasing the risk of a crash.

  2. Recall

    Recall 18V551000

    If the vehicle stalls, it can increase the risk of a crash.

  3. Recall

    Recall 17V253000

    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.

Dates are the NHTSA report-received date for recalls and the ODI open/close date for investigations. Crash-test ratings are not shown here because the source does not provide a reliable publication date for them.

Specifications & ratings

Specifications

Body class
Midsize Cars
Drive type
Front-Wheel Drive
Engine
1.6L 4-cyl
Fuel type
Unknown
Transmission
Automatic (AV-S7)
Seats
0

Fuel economy

27

City

33

Hwy

29

Comb

Annual cost
$2,600
Fuel
Premium Gasoline

NHTSA crash ratings

Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover

Explore related

Adjacent model years

All Nissan Sentra years

Common problems

Nissan Sentra problems

1,736 owner complaints analyzed

Systems recalled

Safety timeline

Full timeline
  1. Recall

    Recall 21V135000

    The brake lights may not illuminate, increasing the risk of a crash.

  2. Recall

    Recall 18V551000

    If the vehicle stalls, it can increase the risk of a crash.

  3. Recall

    Recall 17V253000

    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.