2010 Nissan Sentra Problems, Recalls & Reliability

212 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2010 Nissan Sentra, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 27/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 86,500 miles.

212Complaints
27/100Trouble index
3Recalls
77,000Typical trouble mileage

Typical

Where 2010 sits among all Sentra years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Electrical 53 complaints (25%) · typically ~86,500 miles
“The fuse for the low beam 15 amp the driver side started to blow replaced one time, light would work after approx 2 days blew up again, replaced and started to burn a wire from the wires under the fuse box under the hood. I cannot pin point where the wire is burning and now the light is very dim…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2010 Sentra
Engine 43 complaints (20%) · typically ~79,900 miles
“Was driving and car suddenly wouldn't accerlate and jerking along with check engine light on. Tried to drive it next day but couldn't because car was shaking bad and wouldn't move”— owner report to NHTSA, 2010 Sentra
Airbags 33 complaints (16%) · typically ~64,554 miles
“Airbag light continues to come in after being reset by nissan car dealership service.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2010 Sentra
Other 22 complaints (10%) · typically ~98,000 miles
Transmission & drivetrain 18 complaints (8%) · typically ~80,000 miles
Speed control 11 complaints (5%)

Mileage when trouble shows up

Among the 155 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 77,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 28,000 and 110,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.

Recalls (3)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 11V579000 2011

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010-2011 SENTRA VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MR20 ENGINES, MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 11, 2010, TO MAY 22, 2010, AND JULY 8, 2010, TO OCTOBER 25, 2010. THE ZINC COATING APPLIED TO THE TERMINAL STUD BOLT WAS THICKER THAN…

Fix: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL AND COVER, FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALLBEGAN ON JANUARY 23, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 10V555000 2010

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010-2011 SENTRA VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 22, 2010, THROUGH JULY 8, 2010. DUE TO A MACHINING IRREGULARITY, THE BOLT/WASHER SURFACE ON THE POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL CABLE END MAY ALLOW FOR A GAP TO OCCUR IN THE…

Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL CABLE END WITH A NEW ONE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN PN NOVEMBER 29, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

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

104 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and transmission & drivetrain — are on file for the 2010 Nissan Sentra. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

See the 2010 Sentra TSB list →

Complaint history for this model year

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

2010peak 30 in 20192026

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2010 Nissan Sentra reliable?

The 2010 Nissan Sentra drew 212 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 27/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).

What are the most common 2010 Nissan Sentra problems?

The top reported problems for the 2010 Nissan Sentra are electrical (53 complaints), engine (43), and airbags (33).

At what mileage do 2010 Nissan Sentra problems show up?

Owners most often report 2010 Nissan Sentra problems around 77,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 28,000 and 110,000 miles.

Does the 2010 Nissan Sentra have recalls?

3 recall campaigns apply to the 2010 Nissan Sentra. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.

← 2009 Sentra All Sentra years 2011 Sentra →
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.