NISSAN: CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT SET AND DTC P0605 IS STORED.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2012 Nissan Sentra cruise control problems
severe Owners of the 2012 Nissan Sentra have filed 12 NHTSA complaints about the cruise control at roughly $600 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See cruise control across all vehicles →
Complaints
12
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
| Model year | cruise control complaints |
|---|---|
| 2008 Sentra | 10 |
| 2010 Sentra | 4 |
| 2011 Sentra | 4 |
| 2012 Sentra (this page) | 12 |
| 2013 Sentra | 19 |
| 2014 Sentra | 9 |
| 2015 Sentra | 21 |
| 2016 Sentra | 11 |
1crash
What stands out
No new NHTSA cruise control complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 3 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering cruise control on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
SERVICE INFORMATION The "Lock / Unlock request buttons" that are located on the outside door handles of vehicles with Intelligent Key can be disabled (or enabled) through either the "Comfort & Conv." settings of the Audio/Visual/Navigation system, orthrough the "Combination Meter settings" depending on the vehicle model, year and trim level. NOTE: In some instances this feature may be unintentionally disabled. Please verify the status of this feature before any further diagnostic is performed. Please see this bulletin for further details.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
A recurring pattern across these complaints is sudden loss of power during highway driving, especially on long-distance trips. Owners report the vehicle drops from 70–80 mph down to 20–60 mph without warning, even with the throttle fully pressed. The transmission is often audibly overworking, running high RPMs with no actual power delivery. These episodes typically resolve after pulling over and letting the engine cool for 20–40 minutes, then driving resumes normally.
Several owners tie this to the CVT transmission overheating. One owner learned from a shop that hot CVT fluid reduces power as a limp-mode protection. Nissan issued a recall for a CVT cooler part, but coverage ends at 60,000 miles—leaving owners over that threshold to pay $800+ out of pocket. One owner with nearly 126,000 miles found the problem persisting even after the recall service. A throttle pedal position sensor was identified as the culprit in at least one case, with the dealership reporting 300 vehicles affected by the same part shortage. One narrative involves a braking failure where the pedal apparently failed to slow the car. Repair costs quoted run from $800 to $3,000, and some shops said the issue cannot be fixed.
Same Nissan Sentra cruise control reports on nearby years: 2013 · 2015
Failure modes owners describe
Transmission Limp Mode / Loss of Acceleration During Highway Driving
The CVT transmission enters a reduced-power state during highway driving, particularly on long-distance trips or when climbing hills, causing sudden loss of acceleration. Vehicle speed drops sharply (from 70–80 mph down to 20–60 mph) regardless of throttle input. Drivers report the transmission is audibly overworking and the engine runs at high RPM with zero power delivery. The condition typically resolves after pulling over and letting the engine cool for 20–40 minutes.
When: Typically occurs after 1–2 hours of highway driving or climbing hills; more frequent in warmer weather (spring/summer). Affects vehicles at various mileages (40k to 126k miles).
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden loss of acceleration on highways despite pressing gas pedal fully; Vehicle speed drops 20–30 mph without driver input; High RPM with no power (transmission hunting for gears); Problem resolves after cooling period of 20–40 minutes; More frequent in warm weather; Check Engine light may or may not illuminate
Codes mentioned: CVT fluid overheating condition
Repairs/costs cited: Narrative #2 mentions CVT cooler part replacement cost at $800+ (labor and parts). Narrative #1 involved transmission replacement. Narrative #6 reports oil change and transmission flush did not resolve the issue. Narrative #8 reports dealership quoted $3,000 to fix.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Narrative #2 mentions Nissan issued a recall warranty for CVT cooler part installation, but coverage ended at 60,000 miles; owner was denied coverage for vehicle over that mileage. Narrative #3 notes owner had the vehicle serviced for a 'recall on this model for transmission failure' approximately one year prior but still experiences failure symptoms. Narrative #6 notes warranty had expired with dealership unable to help.
Throttle Pedal Position Sensor Failure
The throttle pedal position sensor malfunctions, causing the vehicle to drop into limp mode or lose power during highway driving. Check Engine light illuminates and the car loses acceleration capability. One owner reports the dealership identified this as the fault and placed the part on backorder; the dealership also reported 300 other vehicles with the same part failure.
When: Narrative #7 occurs during highway driving after 3 weeks of ownership (used car). No specific mileage stated.
Symptoms owners cite: Check Engine light illuminates; Car drops from 60 mph to 20 mph within minutes; Loss of acceleration capability
Codes mentioned: Throttle Pedal Position Sensor fault
Repairs/costs cited: Throttle Pedal Position Sensor replacement required; part on backorder at dealership. Dealership reported 300 other similar cases.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Part identified as a known issue affecting multiple vehicles; however, part was on backorder and not readily available. Dealership reached out to Nissan corporate after holding vehicle for 2 weeks.
Sudden Loss of Power / Brake Failure Event
Vehicle suddenly loses power and/or braking ability without warning. One owner reports depressing brake pedal near an intersection and the vehicle instead increased speed, crossed through a lawn, and struck another vehicle. This represents a total loss of control event.
When: Narrative #12 occurs at approximately 11:30 PM approaching an intersection.
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden loss of braking response when brake pedal depressed; Vehicle appears to accelerate instead of brake; Total loss of control
Synthesized from 12 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
While traveling down the interstate doing the normal speed limit, I was forced to pull over to the emergency lane so cars can pass me. My car lost power to the engine without notice. No check system engine lights were not activated during this time. Car and Trucks were having to swerve over in other lanes to keep from rear ending me and causing a major wreck. This happen several weeks ago again…
Had cruise control trouble with your 2012 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 cruise control problem on the 2012 Nissan Sentra?
It's a meaningful issue. 12 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $600.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Based on the 12 complaints filed, cruise control issues most often appear around 71,319 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $600 for cruise control 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 cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control 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/2012/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.