2009 Nissan Sentra Problems, Recalls & Reliability

81 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2009 Nissan Sentra, alongside 1 recall campaign and 0 defect investigations. It scores 17/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Airbags leads the reports, typically around 79,000 miles.

One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2009 Nissan Sentra has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.

81Complaints
17/100Trouble index
1Recalls
56,000Typical trouble mileage

Better year

Where 2009 sits among all Sentra years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Airbags 15 complaints (19%) · typically ~79,000 miles
Steering 11 complaints (14%) · typically ~55,500 miles
Brakes & stability 10 complaints (12%)
Wheels & tires 7 complaints (9%)
Electrical 7 complaints (9%)
Engine 6 complaints (7%)

Mileage when trouble shows up

Among the 69 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 56,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 33,000 and 84,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.

Recalls (1)

EQUIPMENT 10V401000 2010

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES THAT WERE EQUIPPED WITH A GARMIN NUVI MODEL 750 NAVIGATION SYSTEM. THE BATTERIES CONTAINED IN THE AFFECTED GPS UNITS CAN OVERHEAT.

Fix: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY GARMIN TECHNICIANS BY REPLACING THE BATTERY AND INSERTING A SPACER ON TOP OF THE BATTERY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON…

Technical service bulletins

86 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2009 Nissan Sentra. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

See the 2009 Sentra TSB list →

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

2009peak 15 in 20172024

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2009 Nissan Sentra reliable?

The 2009 Nissan Sentra drew 81 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 17/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).

What are the most common 2009 Nissan Sentra problems?

The top reported problems for the 2009 Nissan Sentra are airbags (15 complaints), steering (11), and brakes & stability (10).

At what mileage do 2009 Nissan Sentra problems show up?

Owners most often report 2009 Nissan Sentra problems around 56,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 33,000 and 84,000 miles.

Does the 2009 Nissan Sentra have recalls?

1 recall campaign applies to the 2009 Nissan Sentra. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.

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Data updated 2026-08-20 from NHTSA's public records

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.