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Nissan

2015 Nissan SENTRA

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2015 Nissan SENTRA has 496 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.7x the segment average of 285. The most common issue is transmission problems (35% of all complaints), specifically: tl* the contact owns a 2015 nissan sentra. the contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 mph, the transmission failed to shift properly without warning. the vehicle was taken to the dealer but the failure was unable to be determined. the failure recurred. the manufacturer was notified of. There are 3 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 6 fire reports filed.

6 fire reports 31 crash reports 27 injuries

496

Total Complaints

3

Recalls Issued

/5

Safety Stars

1.7x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 5 of 8)

TRANSMISSION

172 complaints
35%
  • TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT PROPERLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF
  • I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 70 TO 80 MILES FOR HOURS WHILE SUDDENLY I WAS GETTING CLOSE TO MY DESTINATION AND THE CAR WON'T MOVE YOU CAN HERE THE RPM GOING UP TO LIKE 2500 BUT THE CAR DON'T MOVE AT ALL THE GAS PEDAL WAS PRESS OTHER WAY IN BUT STILL WON'T MOVE, IN ORDER TO FIX THE PROBLEM I
  • OUR SENTRA HAS A CVT. IT CURRENTLY HAS LESS THAN 7,500 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. ON THREE (3) OCCASIONS, THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED TO UPSHIFT AS WE MOVED AWAY FROM A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. AT 30 MPH OR LESS, THE TACH IS AT 4,000 RPM. WE HAVE TO FIND A SAFE PLACE TO PULL THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF T
Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 3 crashes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT PROPERLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF

— NHTSA complaint filing

When Problems Appear on the 2015 Nissan SENTRA

Based on 298 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 50K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 0-30K miles range.

Overall complaint distribution by mileage
0-30K
102
30-60K
65
60-100K
87
100-150K
37
150-200K
6
200K+
1

SPEED CONTROL

In line with typicalmedian 46K mi · 28 reports
0-30K
12
30-60K
6
60-100K
9
100-150K
0
150-200K
1
200K+
0

OTHER

In line with typicalmedian 47K mi · 27 reports
0-30K
8
30-60K
8
60-100K
8
100-150K
3
150-200K
0
200K+
0

AIR BAGS

In line with typicalmedian 17K mi · 25 reports
0-30K
18
30-60K
4
60-100K
1
100-150K
2
150-200K
0
200K+
0

ELECTRICAL

In line with typicalmedian 36K mi · 15 reports
0-30K
6
30-60K
6
60-100K
1
100-150K
2
150-200K
0
200K+
0

BRAKES

In line with typicalmedian 19K mi · 14 reports
0-30K
9
30-60K
2
60-100K
1
100-150K
2
150-200K
0
200K+
0

SEATS/RESTRAINTS

In line with typicalmedian 10K mi · 5 reports
0-30K
3
30-60K
1
60-100K
1
100-150K
0
150-200K
0
200K+
0

Mileage figures are self-reported by owners in NHTSA complaint filings. Peak bucket = the mileage range with the most complaints for that component; it reflects when owners noticed and reported problems, not necessarily when the fault first occurred.

Recalls (3)

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION26/04/2016

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.

Risk: If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.

Fix: Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669, Infiniti customer service at 1-888-833-3216 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.

Above-average theft risk

#21 most stolen in 2025

The Nissan SENTRA was the #21 most-stolen vehicle in the United States in 2025, with approximately 4,800 thefts reported to law enforcement.

Notes: Common budget sedan

Source: NICB Hot Wheels 2025 report + HLDI theft loss studies. Model-year ranking; not all years of this model have identical risk.

Fuel Cost Calculator for 2015 Nissan SENTRA

Live EIA prices
Per year
$1,549
Per month
$129
Per mile
12.9¢
MPG
31
City driving (worst-case MPG)
$1,778/yr
Highway driving (best-case MPG)
$1,298/yr

Based on EPA fuel-economy ratings and EIA weekly retail prices (2026-07-20). Real-world cost varies with driving style, trim/engine, terrain, and traffic.

5-Year Gas Price History

EIA weekly retail data · 2021 → today
Current
$4.00
5-year low
$2.78
5-year high
$5.01
Since 2021
+27%

Source: US Energy Information Administration weekly retail gasoline prices.

Estimated Insurance Cost for 2015 Nissan SENTRA

Estimate only, not a quote. Modeled from NAIC + HLDI averages for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver with clean record + full coverage. Your actual quote depends heavily on your age, driving history, credit, ZIP code, and insurer.
Full coverage / year
$1,518
Full coverage / month
$127
Liability only / year
$601
vs US avg
-9%
How this estimate is calculated
US base full-coverage premium$1674
× state (US)1.00x
× vehicle class (sedan-compact)0.93x
× theft risk1.06x
× safety rating1.00x
× vehicle age0.92x
= Full coverage estimate$1518

Coverage assumed: 100/300/100 liability + comprehensive/collision, $500 deductibles. Data sources: NAIC 2024 + HLDI loss studies.

Maintenance & Warranty

Recommended Nissan SENTRA Service Intervals

Oil change
5K mi / 6 mo
Tire rotation
5K mi
Brake fluid
24 months
Transmission fluid
60K mi
Engine coolant
105K mi
Spark plugs
105K mi
Cabin air filter
15K mi
Engine air filter
30K mi
Differential (AWD/4WD)
60K mi

CVT-equipped models (Altima, Sentra, Rogue, Pathfinder) MUST use Nissan NS-3 CVT fluid, not conventional ATF. Frequent CVT service extends life significantly.

"Severe service" conditions (heavy towing, extreme temps, city stop-and-go) typically halve these intervals. Always consult your vehicle's owner's manual for the authoritative schedule.

Nissan New-Vehicle Warranty Coverage

Bumper-to-bumper (basic)
3 yr / 36K mi
Powertrain
5 yr / 60K mi
Hybrid/EV battery
8 yr / 100K mi
Corrosion (rust perforation)
5 yr / unlimited mi
Roadside assistance
3 yr / 36K mi

These are the terms for a new Nissan. If you're buying a used 2015 SENTRA, remaining coverage is usually pro-rated from the vehicle's original in-service date. Not all coverage transfers between owners — check with a Nissan dealer for VIN-specific remaining warranty.

Estimated Repair Costs

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)
$500
ENGINE(~50K mi)
$500
OTHER(~50K mi)
$500
SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)
$500
AIR BAGS(~50K mi)
$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 496 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

  • TRANSMISSION: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT PROPERLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • ENGINE: I BOUGHT A NISSAN SENTRA 2015 ON JANUARY 23RD, 2015, WHEN I TOOK THE CAR FOR THE BLESSING I OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW THAT THE MOTOR DIDN'T HAVE THE ARM THAT GIVES SUPPORT FOR THE ENGINE AND IT'S ASSEMBLED TO THE BODY OF THE CAR. I CHECKED THE MANUAL OF MY CAR ACCORDING TO MY TYPE OF MOTOR MRA8DE AND

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • OTHER: I BOUGHT A NISSAN SENTRA 2015 ON JANUARY 23RD, 2015, WHEN I TOOK THE CAR FOR THE BLESSING I OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW THAT THE MOTOR DIDN'T HAVE THE ARM THAT GIVES SUPPORT FOR THE ENGINE AND IT'S ASSEMBLED TO THE BODY OF THE CAR. I CHECKED THE MANUAL OF MY CAR ACCORDING TO MY TYPE OF MOTOR MRA8DE AND

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • SPEED CONTROL: GAS PEDEL ACCELERATOR MY ITSELF.

    Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500

  • RECALLS: Verify all 3 recalls have been completed — free at any Nissan dealer
  • General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)

NHTSA Safety Rating

No NHTSA safety rating available

At a Glance

Complaints
496
Recalls
3
Fire reports
6
Crash reports
31
Injury reports
27
Segment avg
285

Check a Specific VIN

See recalls for YOUR 2015 Nissan SENTRA