2001 Nissan Sentra Problems, Recalls & Reliability
309 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2001 Nissan Sentra, alongside 8 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 41/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 61,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2001 sits among all Sentra years
What owners report
“Received recall notice 01v357000. Consumer's "engine" light is illuminated, but the dealer states that the vehicle's problem has nothing to do with the recall and is a warranty issue. Therefore, the dealer is refusing to service, free of charge, under recall.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 Sentra
“While traveling on the highway without prior warning. The vehicle shut down completley. And also there were no brakes the dealership is aware of the problem. Nlm”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 Sentra
“The consumer hit a vehicle in front due to the rear wheels locking up and a possibility of no front brakes. Scc ph”— owner report to NHTSA, 2001 Sentra
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 145 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 61,225 miles. Half of those reports fall between 39,000 and 95,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (8)
CERTAIN ANZO COMBINATION HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS WHICH FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS,…
Fix: ANZO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE HEADLAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN MAY 9, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ANZO USA AT 909-468-3688.
ON CERTAIN ELECTRIC VEHICLES, THE FRONT SUSPENSION TRANSVERSE LINK'S BALL JOINT BRACKET MAY BREAK FROM STRESS CONCENTRATION AT A NOTCH CREATED BY SURFACE ROUGHNESS AND THE SHAPE OF THE MATERIAL CUT-LINE.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRACKET ON THESE VEHICLES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN DECEMBER 15, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE CIRCUIT BOARD FOR THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR OR CAM POSITION SENSOR MAY HAVE AN IMPROPER SOLDER JOINT DUE TO SOLDER DEFORMATION CAUSED BY HEAT STRESS ACCELERATED BY THE EXISTENCE OF FLUX RESIDUE DURING THE SOLDERING PROCESS.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CRANK POSITION SENSORS. CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR(S), AND IN SOME CASES, THE VARIABLE TIMING CONTROL SENSOR(S). VEHICLES INVOLVED IN A PREVIOUS RECALL CAMPAIGN, 01V357, ARE…
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE QG18DE ENGINE OR QR25DE ENGINES, THE FOAM MATERIAL USED FOR THE INTERIOR LINING OF THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) BOX EMITS SULFUR AS IT CURES.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE INSIDE LINING MATERIAL FROM THE ECM BOX. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON DECEMBER 22, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THESE VEHICLES WERE MISSING TAMPERPROOF CAPS THAT PREVENT HORIZONTAL…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A TAMPERPROOF CAP OVER THE HORIZONTAL ADJUSTMENT SCREW FOR BOTH HEADLAMPS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JANUARY 14, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON…
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 1.8 LITER ENGINE. THE ENGINE COULD STOP RUNNING WHILE BEING DRIVEN DUE TO A DEFECTIVE CRANK POSITION SENSOR. THIS COULD ALSO RESULT IN THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" WARNING LIGHT COMING ON OR REDUCED…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CRANK POSITION SENSORS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN DECEMBER 10, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT…
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE COOLING HOLES IN THE STEEL WHEEL MAY HAVE BURRS ON THEIR EDGES AS A RESULT OF IMPROPER MANUFACTURING. THESE BURRS CAN CAUSE CRACKS AS THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. CRACKS CAN PROPAGATE BETWEEN ADJACENT COOLING…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR CRACKS AND REPLACE THE WHEEL IF CRACKS ARE DISCOVERED. OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL BE CONDUCTED IN TWO PHASES. THE FIRST MAILING BEGAN OCTOBER 1, 2001, ASKING OWNERS TO BRING…
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. ONE OR MORE OF THE THREE BOLTS USED TO ATTACH EACH FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARM TO THE BODY ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY MANUFACTURED.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ATTACHMENT BOLTS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 30, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO…
Technical service bulletins
67 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and visibility & wipers — are on file for the 2001 Nissan Sentra. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2001 Sentra TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2001 Nissan Sentra reliable?
The 2001 Nissan Sentra drew 309 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 41/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).
What are the most common 2001 Nissan Sentra problems?
The top reported problems for the 2001 Nissan Sentra are engine (114 complaints), electrical (49), and wheels & tires (28).
At what mileage do 2001 Nissan Sentra problems show up?
Owners most often report 2001 Nissan Sentra problems around 61,225 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 39,000 and 95,000 miles.
Does the 2001 Nissan Sentra have recalls?
8 recall campaigns apply to the 2001 Nissan Sentra. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.