2017 Nissan Sentra Problems, Recalls & Reliability
341 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2017 Nissan Sentra, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 52/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports, typically around 60,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2017 sits among all Sentra years
What owners report
“Light going on looks like transmission and transmission has been failing when i drive”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Sentra
“I was driving on the highway and noticed that as i accelerated, my rpm would increase but my speed-o-meter wouldn't. And if it did move, it moved very slowly.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Sentra
“The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Sentra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V135000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Sentra
“I bought the car for 15k cash that day, 45 minutes later while driving home on the highway i have an option for eco mode and boost mode, i went to turn on eco mode and nothing i hit it again nothin, 3rd time the eco light came on, then i go for cruze control , 1,2,3,4 trys nothin on 5th it worked,…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Sentra
“When on the highway, my 2017 Nissan Sentra will “lag” when going up hills. The RPMs goes crazy up and down and it’s almost like my vehicle might stall out.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Sentra
“Airbags did not deploy when the car was wrecked, even when the vehicle was hit basically head on”— owner report to NHTSA, 2017 Sentra
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 145 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 44,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 20,000 and 80,120 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
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.
Fix: 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…
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…
Fix: 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…
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.
Fix: 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.
Technical service bulletins
183 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and transmission & drivetrain — are on file for the 2017 Nissan Sentra. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2017 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 2017 Nissan Sentra reliable?
The 2017 Nissan Sentra drew 341 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 52/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).
What are the most common 2017 Nissan Sentra problems?
The top reported problems for the 2017 Nissan Sentra are transmission & drivetrain (76 complaints), engine (49), and electrical (48).
At what mileage do 2017 Nissan Sentra problems show up?
Owners most often report 2017 Nissan Sentra problems around 44,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 20,000 and 80,120 miles.
Does the 2017 Nissan Sentra have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2017 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.