Is the 2018 Nissan SENTRA reliable?

The 2018 Nissan SENTRA has 285 complaints filed with NHTSA (1.0x the segment average). Our reliability verdict: average. Most common issue: TRANSMISSION problems.

What are common problems with the 2018 Nissan SENTRA?

Top problems: TRANSMISSION (45 complaints, avg repair $500); BRAKES (40 complaints, avg repair $500); OTHER (38 complaints, avg repair $500). Issues typically appear around 50K miles.

Are there any recalls on the 2018 Nissan SENTRA?

Yes, there are 2 recall(s): BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH. Contact any Nissan dealer to verify if recalls have been completed on your specific vehicle.

How much does it cost to fuel a 2018 Nissan SENTRA?

The 2018 Nissan SENTRA gets 30 MPG combined. At current US average gas prices, driving 12,000 miles per year costs roughly $1600. See the interactive fuel cost calculator on this page for state-specific pricing.

How much does it cost to insure a 2018 Nissan SENTRA?

Estimated US average full-coverage insurance for the 2018 Nissan SENTRA is approximately $1,650/year (sedan-compact class). Actual quotes vary heavily by state, driver age, driving record, and credit — see the interactive insurance estimator on this page for state-specific pricing.

2018 Nissan SENTRA

Q: Is the 2018 Nissan SENTRA often stolen?

The Nissan SENTRA was the #21 most-stolen vehicle in the United States in 2025 with approximately 4,800 thefts (NICB Hot Wheels data). Theft risk tier: above-avg.

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Average

Quick Summary

The 2018 Nissan SENTRA has 285 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.0x the segment average of 285. The most common issue is transmission problems (16% of all complaints), specifically: transmission over heats. transmission has a loud noise and drags since 60,000 miles. There are 2 recalls issued for this model year. ⚠️ 4 fire reports filed.

4 fire reports 16 crash reports 5 injuries

285

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems(top 5 of 8)

TRANSMISSION

45 complaints

16%

• TRANSMISSION OVER HEATS. TRANSMISSION HAS A LOUD NOISE AND DRAGS SINCE 60,000 MILES
• THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT I WAS ONLY ABLE TO USE REVERSE, MY CAR HAS 46000 MILES I HAVE NEVER BEEN LATE ON CHANGING MY OIL AND GETTING THE CAR SERVICED, WOULD NOT RECOMMEND BUYING A SENTRA
• STOPPED GOING FORWARD WHEN AT TRAFFIC LIGHT WILL ONLY GO IN REVERSE. DEALERSHIP SAYS WARRANTY IS UP AND IT WILL COST 4000$ TO FIX. I AM CONFUSED AS TO HOW A CAR THAT WAS BOUGHT 4/20/2018 HAS THE NEED FOR THE TRANSMISSIOM TO BE REPLACED. THIS CAR HAS HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND I DO NOT BELIEVE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TRANSMISSION OVER HEATS. TRANSMISSION HAS A LOUD NOISE AND DRAGS SINCE 60,000 MILES”

— NHTSA complaint filing

When Problems Appear on the 2018 Nissan SENTRA

Based on 146 owner complaints that included an odometer reading. Median mileage at time of complaint: 39K miles. Most complaints cluster in the 0-30K miles range.

Overall complaint distribution by mileage

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

OTHER

In line with typicalmedian 23K mi · 19 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS

In line with typicalmedian 37K mi · 9 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

SPEED CONTROL

In line with typicalmedian 25K mi · 9 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS

In line with typicalmedian 3K mi · 5 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

BRAKES

Later than typicalmedian 30K mi · 29 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

ELECTRICAL

Later than typicalmedian 39K mi · 23 reports

0-30K

30-60K

60-100K

100-150K

150-200K

200K+

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 (2)

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA12/09/2019

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.

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 2018 Nissan SENTRA

Live EIA prices

Annual miles driven: 12,000

Your state (affects local gasoline price)

Per year

$1,600

Per month

$133

Per mile

13.3¢

MPG

City driving (worst-case MPG)

$1,847/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

Show:

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 2018 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.

Your state (affects local premium average)

Full coverage / year

$1,650

Full coverage / month

$138

Liability only / year

$601

vs US avg

-1%

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 age1.00x

= Full coverage estimate$1650

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 2018 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

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

DRIVER ASSIST/CAMERAS(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 285 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
TRANSMISSION: TRANSMISSION OVER HEATS. TRANSMISSION HAS A LOUD NOISE AND DRAGS SINCE 60,000 MILES
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: WITHIN ONE WEEK OF DRIVING THE VEHICLE IT STALLED AS I ENTER ONTO THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE ALSO FEELS AS IF IT'S OUT OF BALANCE AND SHAKES AT SPEED OF 65 TO 70 MPH. AND THE FORWARD EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT DISPLAY/ UNAVAILABLE FRONT RADAR OBSTRUCTION WARNING LIGHT ALSO DISPLAY AT A
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: WHILE DRIVING SLIGHTLY OVER 80 MPH IN UTAH WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT IS 80 MPH, THE GASKET HOLDING DOWN THE WINDSHIELD STARTED TO COME OFF AND HAD TO BE HELD IN PLACE BY CLOSING THE WINDOW ON IT. THIS HAPPENED TO THE GASKET ON BOTH SIDES OF THE WINDSHIELD. THIS WAS A RENTAL CAR. FOR FUTURE DRIVING I
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: MY 2018 NISSAN SENTRA STARTED HAVING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM/WIRE PROBLEMS AFTER HITTING A SMALL PUDDLE GOING UP TO MY TIRES. DAYS LATER THE CAR GOT IT OIL CHANGE HAVE FAMILY OIL COMPANY ON RIDGE AVENUE IN NORRISTOWN PENNSYLVANIA VERY NEXT DAY HAVE TO WORK MY CAR STOP MOVING I JUST STILL RAN I TOOK IT TO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
RECALLS: Verify all 2 recalls have been completed — free at any Nissan dealer
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)