On 10/4/2007. While driving Nissan sentra 2007 ,the vehicle/brake malfunction causing vehicle to travel for about a 100 yards before crashing into a fence. The vehicle sustain front damage of over $6.000. I was lucky not to sustain any injury. *tr
2007 Nissan Sentra brakes problems
severe 13 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $450 · see brakes across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
13
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$450
7crashes
1fire
9injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 13 brakes complaints filed for the 2007 Nissan Sentra, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 0-25,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA brakes complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 18 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: The 2007 Sentra has documented brake system defects affecting multiple components—most critically the master cylinder, which can fail silently and completely without warning, and rear brake lines prone to corrosion. These are safety-critical failures that have resulted in crashes and injuries; some owners never received recall notices despite being included in the campaign, so verify recall status independently before purchase.
The 2007 Nissan Sentra brake complaints center on catastrophic system failures without warning. The most common issue is master cylinder failure: the brake pedal suddenly goes to the floor with zero stopping power, often in heavy traffic or on highways. Owners report the cylinder itself contains brake fluid but internal seals have failed, preventing pressure buildup. Several crashes resulted, with two occupants injured in one incident. Despite NHTSA issuing recall campaign 08V311000 for this exact defect, multiple owners never received notices and learned about the recall only after paying $1,000–$1,300 out of pocket for repairs.
Rear brake lines corrode at attachment points where corrosion protection is missing, creating another complete brake loss hazard on the highway. A third pattern involves brakes becoming rock-hard and unresponsive simultaneously with engine power loss and heavy smoking—one vehicle experienced this repeatedly even after transmission replacement, leaving the owner in limbo after multiple dealer visits and a tow-truck bill of over three months.
Across all narratives, air bags failed to deploy in several crashes. No warning lights preceded most brake failures, catching drivers off guard at highway speeds.
Same Nissan Sentra brakes reports on nearby years: 2008
Failure modes owners describe
Master cylinder internal failure
Master cylinder loses braking pressure, often silently, causing complete brake failure despite adequate fluid level. Customers report brake pedal goes to floor with no stopping power. Defect appears to involve internal seals or pistons allowing fluid to bypass without external leakage.
When: Between 1,063 and 155,000 miles; several incidents reported early in ownership (~25k–50k miles)
Symptoms owners cite: Brake pedal goes to floor with no resistance; No braking response when pedal depressed; No warning lights initially (failures occur without brake warning illumination); Brake warning light may illuminate later or not at all; Abnormal noise when depressing brake pedal (reported in one case)
Repairs/costs cited: Master cylinder replacement; one owner paid $1,300 at Firestone for master cylinder and booster replacement; units found full of brake fluid despite no braking action
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign ID 08V311000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Foundation Components: Master Cylinder); some owners did not receive recall notices despite VINs being included in campaign; dealer stated Nissan would not inspect vehicles; one owner reported being told vehicle 'cleared' the brake master cylinder recall after dealer inspection
Brake line corrosion and failure
Rear brake lines corrode severely at attachment points where corrosion protection is absent, leading to potential complete line failure and total brake loss on highway.
When: Mileage not explicitly stated in narrative; occurred on highway driving
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of brakes on highway; Visible severe corrosion on rear brake line at attachment points
Repairs/costs cited: Rear brake line replacement required; owner noted corrosion at attachment points lacked corrosion protection
Unresponsive brakes with possible limp-mode engine condition
Brakes become hard and unresponsive in conjunction with engine power loss and high RPM condition, resembling emergency brake engagement or transmission limp mode. Multiple occurrences on same vehicle despite dealer repairs.
When: November through February; repeated incidents over approximately 3 months
Symptoms owners cite: Brakes very hard and unresponsive; No engine power; car will not exceed 20 mph; Engine RPM climbs to 5,000 while car barely moves; Smoke from engine compartment; Feels like emergency brake is engaged or brake pedal pushed all the way down; Loss of vehicle control
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer initially diagnosed and replaced output speed sensor; later replaced CVT transmission; problems persisted even after transmission replacement
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan extended CVT transmission warranty to 10 years/120,000 miles; dealer unable to replicate problem on multiple visits
Synthesized from 13 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
I found while researching an issue on my Nissan sentra 2007 that there was a recall on the master cylinder in 2008 because the same issue that just happened to me could happen. I never received a recall notification and apparently I was not on the list but my brake light came on and I had the maintenance shop check my brakes they said my pads were fine. That I was probably having an issue with…
Tl*the contact owns a 2007 Nissan sentra. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer for routine maintenance and informed them that the brakes were not working properly. The dealer stated that the vehicle did not have an ABS recall and it was not covered under the warranty. On november 5, 2008, while driving approximately 30 MPH, the brakes failed when the contact attempted to stop. She…
My wife was involved in an accident last night in our 2007 Nissan sentra, she rearended the car in front of her that stopped short, she slammed on the brakes when it happened and there was no response(the car didn't slow down at all) and the air bags did not go off, she hit the car in front of her between 30-40 MPH, and she hit her head on the steering wheel, luckily there was no severe injuries,…
Had brakes trouble with your 2007 Nissan Sentra?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the brakes problem on the 2007 Nissan Sentra?
It's a meaningful issue. 13 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $450.
At what mileage does the brakes typically fail?
Across the 12 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most brakes failures cluster between 8,000 and 140,000 miles, with the median around 47,800. A quarter of owners report trouble before 8,000; a quarter make it past 140,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $450 for brakes repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to brakes?
No active recalls currently cover brakes issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2007/Nissan/Sentra.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.