2021 Nissan SENTRA - Ratings, Complaints and Recalls

The 2021 Nissan Sentra has an overall safety rating of 5, which is the highest score possible. This means that the car performs excellently in various crash scenarios, including frontal and side crashes. Additionally, it has stability control, collision warning, and lane departure warning systems as standard features, enhancing the safety of the vehicle by helping the driver avoid potential accidents.

In terms of specific crash ratings, the Sentra received a 5-star rating in most categories, indicating a high level of protection for both drivers and passengers. It also has top scores for rollover and side pole crash scenarios.

Despite its impressive safety features and ratings, it is worth noting that there have been 72 complaints reported for this model, as well as 3 recalls. While these numbers are not alarmingly high, they suggest that there have been some issues reported by owners that may need attention. It is always recommended for owners to stay up to date on recalls and address any potential concerns promptly to ensure the continued safety of their vehicle.

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Top stats at a glance

Complaint Count

72

Recall Count

3

Investigation Count

0

Safety Rating

5/5

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Safety Features

2021 Nissan Sentra 4 DR FWD Safety Features

Here are the safety features that come as standard on the 2021 Nissan Sentra 4 DR FWD

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

ESC is an advanced safety feature in vehicles designed to help drivers maintain control during challenging driving conditions. By continuously monitoring various factors such as steering angle, vehicle speed, and individual wheel speeds, ESC can detect and reduce the risk of skidding or loss of control. It achieves this by automatically applying brakes to specific wheels to stabilize the vehicle.

Standard
Forward Collision Warning (FCW)

Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is a safety feature in vehicles that helps prevent frontal collisions by alerting the driver of an imminent collision with a vehicle or obstacle ahead. Using sensors such as radar or cameras, FCW monitors the distance and speed of vehicles in front, and if it detects a potential collision, it provides visual and/or auditory warnings to prompt the driver to take evasive action.

Standard
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)

Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is a safety feature in vehicles that alerts drivers when their vehicle unintentionally drifts out of its lane without signaling. Utilizing cameras or sensors to monitor lane markings on the road, LDW detects when the vehicle crosses these lines and triggers visual, auditory, or haptic alerts to notify the driver of potential lane departure.

Standard

2021 Nissan Sentra 4 DR FWD Safety Ratings

Here we have the crash and rollover ratings for the 2021 Nissan Sentra 4 DR FWD Where possible we've included the ratings for the oldest and latest models of this car so you can compare how the safety ratings have changed over time.

Frontal Crash Ratings

Combines Driver and Passenger star ratings into a single frontal rating. The frontal barrier test simulates a head-on collision between two similar vehicles, each moving at 35 mph.

Test 2005 Score 2021 Score 2024 Score
Overall Front Crash Rating Not Rated 4 Not Rated
Front Crash Driver Side Rating 4 5 Not Rated
Front Crash Passenger Side Rating 4 3 Not Rated

Side Crash Ratings

Combines Side Barrier and Side Pole Star Ratings into a single side rating.

Test 2005 Score 2021 Score 2024 Score
Overall Side Crash Rating Not Rated 5 5
Side Crash Drivers Side Rating 2 5 5
Side Crash Passenger Side Rating Not Rated 5 5
Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Front Not Rated 5 5
Combined Side Barrier Pole Rating - Rear Not Rated 5 5
Overall Side Barrier Rating Not Rated 5 5

Rollover Ratings

The Rollover Resistance test measures the risk of rollover in a single-vehicle, loss-of-control scenario.

Test 2005 Score 2021 Score 2024 Score
Rollover Rating Not Rated 5 5
Rollover Possibility % 0% 0% 0%
Dynamic Tip Result No Tip No Tip
Side Pole Crash Rating Not Rated 5 5

Complaints for the 2021 Nissan SENTRA

This chart show the number of complaints for each car component. A Higher number of complaints could indicate that this car might have a common fault. Something to look out for when purchasing one.

Component Complaints

Choose a component to see what complaints people have made about them.

Complaint:
"the contact owns a 2021 nissan sentra. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 23v581000 (steering) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. the local dealer was contacted and determined that parts were not yet available. the contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. the contact had not experienced a failure. vin tool confirms parts not available."
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2025-02-09
Complaint:
"the contact owns a 2021 nissan sentra. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 23v581000 (steering) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. the local dealer was contacted. the contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the contact had not experienced a failure. vin tool confirms parts not available."
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2024-06-08
Complaint:
"the contact owns a 2021 nissan sentra. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 23v581000 (steering) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel started to shake. the power steering warning light and the collision warning light was illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the contact had not yet been informed of the diagnostic result. the contact was informed that the parts were not yet available for the recall repair. the contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that parts were not yet available. the contact was provided a case number. the failure mileage was approximately 40,000. vin tool confirms parts not available."
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2023-11-09
Complaint:
"the contact owns a 2021 nissan sentra. the contact stated while driving 30 mph and pulling out of a parking lot on a leveled road surface, the vehicle hit a pothole, and upon attempting to make a turn, the vehicle made a popping sound and the front passenger's side wheel seized. the contact was able to pull to the side of the road. the contact stated that while a bystander was inspecting the front passenger's side wheel, a piece of the tie rod fell onto the ground. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the tie rod had fractured. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact became aware that the vin was included in nhtsa campaign number: 23v581000 (steering) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. the dealer and a second dealer, kraft nissan (3277 mahan dr, tallahassee, fl 32308) were contacted. the manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. the failure mileage was 69,661."
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2023-06-09
Complaint:
"the contact owns a 2021 nissan sentra. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 23v581000 (steering) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. the local dealer was contacted. the contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the contact had not experienced a failure. vin tool confirms parts not available."
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2025-06-08
Complaint:
"i brought this car in january 2023. i was driving on a residential street and after i made a left turn, i loss control of the steering because the tire rods had broke on the right side. i could have gotten into a serious accident; but luckily i only hit the curb. please the attached picture. this happened on 7/30/23"
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2025-06-07
Complaint:
"2021 nissan sentra. consumer writes in regard to nhsta safety recall 21v-461. the consumer stated her granddaughter was driving the vehicle, while merging into traffic, steering went out causing an accident."
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2023-01-02
Complaint:
"the contact owns a 2021 nissan sentra. the contact stated that while turning the steering wheel in either direction, a crackling type noise was present coming from the steering column and the wheel would not immediately turn. the vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the steering box needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not yet repaired. the manufacturer was also notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 33,000."
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2022-05-08
Complaint:
"bent tie rod condition impaired the driver's ability to steer the vehicle"
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2022-01-01
Complaint:
"while driving in the center lane at approximately 40 mph, i heard a loud snap, and immediately lost the ability to steer the vehicle. the vehicle went hard right into the outside lane, i started applying the brakes and brought the vehicle to a stop against the outside curb. the front wheel on the right passenger side had moved forward about 8 inches and pushed the front bumper forward, which had locked up that wheel. the tie rod broke, had i been driving faster or had there been a vehicle beside me, there would have been a major crash. had this happened at highway speed it could have been fatal. the car had never encountered a pothole, a speed bump or anything else that could have contributed to this. clearly a manufacturing defect. any defect that causes a complete loss of the ability to steer has to be the most dangerous defects."
Components Involved: STEERING
Date of incident: 2022-04-10

Recalls for the 2021 Nissan SENTRA

Component Recalls

Choose a component to see what recalls people have made about them.

Recall:
"nissan north america, inc. (nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2021 sentra vehicles. the left and/or right tie rod may be bent."
Consequence:
A bent tie rod can break, causing a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:

Dealers will inspect and replace the left and/or right tie rods as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 5, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PM985.

Component(s) Involved: STEERING > LINKAGES > TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
Date of incident: 2021-06-17
Recall:
"nissan north america, inc. (nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2022 sentra vehicles. the left and/or right tie rod may bend."
Consequence:
A bent tie rod can break and cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:

Owners are advised to contact their dealer for transport assistance if they are experiencing an off-center steering wheel or vibration. As an interim repair, dealers will inspect and replace any bent or broken tie rods, free of charge. Once newly designed parts are available, dealers will replace both left and right tie rods, free of charge. Interim letters are expected to be mailed October 5, 2023. A second letter will be mailed once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23B3. This recall replaces and expands recall number 21V-461. Vehicles previously repaired under 21V-461 will need to have the new remedy completed.

Component(s) Involved: STEERING > LINKAGES > TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
Date of incident: 2023-08-15

NISSAN Overall Complaint Ranking

This table shows the ranking of car manufacturers when it comes to most complaints and recalls. The manufacturer with the most complaints is at the top. However this doesn't necassarily mean they should be avoided. Some manufacturers might just have more popular or affordable cars which a lot of people have bought. Which means there's more scope for a complaint to be made. Use the ranking table below as a part your wider research into buying a car.

NISSAN ranks 5 out of 44 in the complaints ranking table.

Manufacturer Complaint Count Recall Count Ranking
FORD 208,358 3,259 1
CHEVROLET 111,306 2,082 2
TOYOTA 81,019 1,852 3
HONDA 61,937 1,268 4
NISSAN 56,226 930 5
DODGE 45,756 827 6
HYUNDAI 44,150 649 7
GMC 34,441 1,410 8
KIA 29,832 501 9
CHRYSLER 27,698 254 10
TESLA 26,230 730 11
BMW 24,890 1,877 12
VOLKSWAGEN 23,125 829 13
MERCEDES-BENZ 19,066 2,925 14
SUBARU 18,513 703 15
MAZDA 10,599 364 16
PONTIAC 10,430 138 17
CADILLAC 9,434 444 18
AUDI 7,865 1,093 19
BUICK 7,851 279 20
SATURN 7,672 84 21
MERCURY 7,374 135 22
LEXUS 6,373 408 23
LINCOLN 5,897 423 24
ACURA 5,722 382 25
MINI 5,585 366 26
INFINITI 4,000 187 27
MITSUBISHI 3,912 397 28
VOLVO 3,875 727 29
PORSCHE 2,646 1,231 30
SUZUKI 2,272 123 31
FIAT 2,205 80 32
SAAB 1,536 76 33
JAGUAR 1,195 198 34
SMART 528 17 35
GENESIS 436 42 36
ISUZU 249 37 37
ALFA ROMEO 161 37 38
MASERATI 76 46 39
BENTLEY 46 159 40
POLESTAR 42 2 41
LUCID 14 6 42
CODA 4 2 43
MAYBACH 0 0 44

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