CLICKING NOISE FROM FRONT OR REAR AXLE DURING TAKE-OFF/ACCELERATION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2012 Nissan Sentra powertrain problems
severe Owners of the 2012 Nissan Sentra have filed 64 NHTSA complaints about the powertrain, typically surfacing around 74,000 miles at roughly $2,500 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See powertrain across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
64
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
| Model year | powertrain complaints |
|---|---|
| 2008 Sentra | 17 |
| 2009 Sentra | 3 |
| 2010 Sentra | 15 |
| 2011 Sentra | 16 |
| 2012 Sentra (this page) | 64 |
| 2013 Sentra | 305 |
| 2014 Sentra | 179 |
| 2015 Sentra | 168 |
| 2016 Sentra | 125 |
1crash
3injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 64 powertrain complaints filed for the 2012 Nissan Sentra, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 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
Powertrain accounts for 36% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 10 categories tracked.
Owners have filed 64 powertrain complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering powertrain 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.
CLICKING NOISE FROM FRONT OR REAR AXLE DURING TAKE-OFF/ACCELERATION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗CLICKING NOISE FROM FRONT OR REAR AXLE DURING TAKE-OFF/ACCELERATION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Nissan is conducting this voluntary service campaign to reprogram the Transmission Control Module (TCM) for the CVT transmission on certain specific 2013 ? 2014 Sentra, 2012 ? 2014 Versa Sedan, and 2014 Versa NOTE vehicles.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Nissan is conducting this voluntary service campaign to reprogram the Transmission Control Module (TCM) for the CVT transmission on certain specific 2013 ? 2014 Sentra, 2012 ? 2014 Versa Sedan, and 2014 Versa NOTE vehicles.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2012 Sentra CVT transmission is a chronic problem across the model. Owners describe sudden, unwarned loss of power at highway speeds—engine revs but car won't accelerate past 40–50 mph, or drops to 10–20 mph without warning. These episodes occur on uphill stretches, in hot weather, or during long highway drives, and they last minutes to hours. After turning the car off and restarting, normal power returns—temporarily. No check engine light appears in most cases. Some owners report the transmission making loud whining noises and overheating after only 20–30 miles of highway driving once failure sets in.
Owners also describe jerking and hesitation when accelerating from a stop or during merges, with the engine revving several seconds before the transmission engages. Shifter binding and refusal to shift into Park are reported, trapping drivers unable to remove the key. One owner had a rear main engine oil seal fail at 7,000 miles, requiring transmission removal.
Nissan extended its CVT warranty to 10 years / 120,000 miles for 2007–2010 and 2013+ Sentras but explicitly excluded 2011–2012 models, despite owners confirming the transmissions are identical. Most 2012 owners face full replacement costs of $4,000–$5,000 once failures occur, typically between 60,000 and 100,000 miles. Dealers have repeatedly declined to repair or cover failures on these model years.
Same Nissan Sentra powertrain reports on nearby years: 2010 · 2011 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015
Failure modes owners describe
Loss of power / limp mode on highway acceleration
Vehicle suddenly loses ability to accelerate beyond 40-70 mph or drops to 10-20 mph without warning, even with pedal fully depressed. Often occurs on uphill stretches or extended highway driving. Vehicle enters fail-safe/limp mode, dropping RPM ceiling. No check engine light in many cases. After stopping and restarting, car resumes normal operation temporarily before issue recurs.
When: 40,000–144,000 miles; varies by owner—some at 30 minutes of driving, others after 3+ hours on highway
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden inability to accelerate past 40–70 mph despite full pedal pressure; RPM ceiling drops to 3000 or below; Vehicle enters limp mode / fail-safe mode; No warning light or message in many instances; Shaking and jerking during loss of power; Power returns after car is turned off and restarted, then fails again later; Occurs frequently on uphill sections or in hot weather
Codes mentioned: P1722 (EST Vehicle Speed Signal), P0744 (Torque Converter Solenoid), P1778 (Step Motor), P1788 (Step Motor)
Repairs/costs cited: CVT transmission failure, requiring full replacement. Owners cite costs of $3,500–$5,000+. One owner reports AAMCO stated CVT cannot be economically rebuilt—cheaper to replace entire transmission. Torque converter solenoid unit cost cited as $1,116.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan extended CVT warranty to 10 years / 120,000 miles for 2007–2010 Sentras and 2013+ models, but excluded 2011–2012 model years despite identical transmissions. Some owners report Nissan covers 60% of repair cost after dealer diagnosis. Extended warranty does not apply to 2012s in most owner accounts.
Transmission slipping / jerking on acceleration from stop
Vehicle hesitates or jerks when starting from a stop or accelerating at low speeds. Transmission either slips without engaging, or lurches forward violently. At 28,000 miles, owner reports car loses power momentarily then jerks forward. At low-speed takeoff, car travels 3–4 mph initially, causing potential rear-end collision risk.
When: 28,000–112,000 miles; occurs during takeoff, lane changes, intersection crossing
Symptoms owners cite: Delay or hesitation when pressing accelerator from stop; Violent jerking or lunging forward after delay; Transmission slips—engine revs but car does not move for several seconds; Harsh, uncontrolled acceleration once engagement occurs; Jerking at 20–30 mph during regular driving; Loss of control feel during acceleration
Codes mentioned: Transmission-related codes (general), Slip indicator light activation in at least one case
Repairs/costs cited: Owners report diagnosis of CVT transmission defect. Repair costs $3,500–$4,500. One dealer required brake repair before diagnosing transmission issue.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan acknowledged extended warranty to 60,000 miles in at least one case, but warranty began at manufacturing date, not purchase date, leaving some owners out of coverage by 9 months.
Torque converter and valve body failure
Transmission suddenly goes into safe/limp mode without warning. Engine power cuts out, power steering and brakes are disabled or severely compromised. No warning lights or chimes. Vehicle may become difficult to steer or brake, creating extreme collision risk in traffic.
When: Various mileages, no pattern—incidents reported at 28k, 85k, 102k miles
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden loss of all engine power without warning; Power steering disabled or severely hard to operate; Brakes disabled or unresponsive; Vehicle enters safe mode involuntarily; No warning light or chime before failure; Difficulty steering car to safety after failure; Transmission override of braking (car does not stop even with brakes fully applied)
Codes mentioned: P0744 (Torque Converter Solenoid), P1788 (Step Motor)
Repairs/costs cited: Replacement transmission required, cost $4,156–$5,000+. One owner had 100-mile tow bill on top of repair.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan extended CVT warranty for 2003–2010 and 2013+ models, but not 2011–2012. Nissan took one vehicle off road for 49 days but made no repairs, then released it still exhibiting transmission problems.
Transmission whining noise and overheating
Transmission makes loud whining or whistling noise. At highway speeds (60–70 mph), transmission overheats after short driving intervals (20–30 miles). Vehicle shakes, slows dramatically, and may come to a near stop. Issue worsens over time; at 100k+ miles, transmission slips constantly at highway speeds.
When: 57,000–112,000 miles; overheating occurs after 20–30 miles of highway driving once failure progresses
Symptoms owners cite: Loud whining or whistling noise from transmission; Foul smell from transmission; Shaking and slowing at highway speeds (60–70 mph); Vehicle comes to near-complete stop on interstate; Transmission overheats, car must cool before moving again; After 100k miles, continuous slipping at highway speeds
Codes mentioned: General transmission codes (not specified in most complaints)
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer found metal in transmission, requiring rebuild or replacement. Wheel bearing repair addressed some shaking but not transmission noise. Belt replacement recommended in one case. Owners cite repair costs in $3,500–$5,000+ range.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: In one case, Nissan offered 60% cost assistance after dealer diagnosed metal debris in transmission. Extended warranty (110,000–120,000 miles) missed some owners at 112,000 miles.
Shifter binding / park gear engagement failure
Vehicle refuses to shift into Park gear, or shifts into Park only after multiple attempts over 5–10 minutes. In some cases, shifter locks in Neutral and will not move to Drive or Reverse. Key cannot be removed from ignition until car is in Park, trapping driver. Reverse incident: vehicle shifted into Reverse when in Drive without driver input.
When: 484 miles (very early); 36,500–56,000 miles; intermittent across life of vehicle
Symptoms owners cite: Gear will not shift into Park despite multiple attempts; Shifter stuck in Neutral; will not shift to Drive or Reverse; 5–10 minute delay before gear finally engages Park; Vehicle shifted to Reverse on its own while in Drive, without driver moving shifter; Key stuck in ignition (cannot be removed unless car is in Park); Clunking noise under driver's seat associated with key-release cable; Key scrapes when removed; doors may not unlock after key extraction
Repairs/costs cited: Key release cable identified as root cause in multiple cases. Shifter assembly replacement quoted at $637. No repair performed in most cases.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan issued two Technical Service Bulletins addressing shift issues but no recall. Dealers often unable to diagnose intermittent failures.
Engine knock and fuel system misattribution
2.0L engine makes loud knocking noise on cold start and during warm-up. Noise persists at 2000+ rpm even after engine warms. Owner reported knocking to dealer repeatedly; Nissan blamed fuel injectors, ABS brakes, and trunk lid instead of acknowledging mechanical defect. Rear main oil seal was defective, requiring transmission removal for replacement at 7,000 miles.
When: 7,000 miles (oil seal replacement); ongoing cold-start knocking from purchase
Symptoms owners cite: Loud knocking from 2.0L engine on cold start; Knocking persists after warm-up, present at 2000+ rpm; Dust accumulation around engine-transmission junction; Engine oil leak between transmission and engine (rear main seal)
Repairs/costs cited: Rear main engine oil seal replacement required transmission removal, front axle removal, and flywheel work at 7,000 miles. Owner did not report final repair cost.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan refused to acknowledge knocking as mechanical defect, instead attributing it to fuel injectors, ABS brakes, and trunk lid.
Transmission delay / lag on acceleration and CVT catch-up delay
Engine revs up when accelerator is pressed, but transmission does not respond immediately. Vehicle does not move for several seconds while engine is at high RPM. Once transmission engages, car lurches forward. Occurs during lane changes, merges, and normal acceleration.
When: Various mileages, short-term after purchase and at mid-life (50k–70k miles)
Symptoms owners cite: Engine revs high but car does not move for several seconds; Transmission lag / delay of several seconds between pedal press and vehicle motion; CVT does not catch up to engine speed in timely manner; Lurch forward once transmission finally engages; Unsafe during lane changes, merges, and intersections
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer (IPOC Nissan, San Antonio) noted this is typical of CVT transmissions and brushed off complaint.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer service manager stated 'those things happen with CVTs,' indicating no fix expected.
Cruise control and steering wheel control failure
Cruise control buttons on steering wheel stop functioning. Steering wheel controls gradually lose functionality, eventually becoming completely non-responsive. Occurs progressively as vehicle ages; all steering wheel controls reported gone by 70,000 miles.
When: 60,000 miles (cruise control failure); complete loss by 70,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control buttons on steering wheel cease to function; Steering wheel-mounted controls progressively lose functionality; All steering wheel control functions gone by 70k miles; Dealer noted this is typical behavior and warned it would worsen
Repairs/costs cited: No repair attempted; owner informed by dealer this is normal wear.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan dealership stated loss of steering wheel controls is typical and expected to worsen over time.
Synthesized from 64 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 7 most recent
2012 Nissan sentra was bought 3 weeks prior with no problems. While traveling 60 - 70 MPH on a highway the car suddenly stop running and the power steering went out and the vehicle was unable to steer out of the troubled area on the highway. The vehicle broke down in the middle of a highway. After research it seem to be the same actions that has happened to thousands of other Nissan sentras.…
Tl - the contact owns a 2012 Nissan sentra. The contact stated that the vehicle was shifted into drive but instead, the vehicle began to reverse. The contact had to turn the vehicle completely off in order for it to reset and resume normal operation. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who was unable to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not…
Transmission failed with no warning. Vehicle would not move after braking while still in gear. Only 78,000 miles logged.5.5 years old. Exact event: backing slowly out of a driveway (in reverse); braked at end of driveway to look both directions; resumed acceleration (in reverse) as I turned and nothing happened. Vehicle would not "land" in any gear (drive, reverse, low drive, etc). Had to be…
Since purchasing the car new in 2012 upon accelerating after first starting and going about half a mile car makes a clunking noise. Does this all the time after first starting and taking off and can be felt under the driver's side floorboard when it happens. The dealership took it for a test ride and said it is normal in sentra models, but they never checked the bushings to diagnose the source of…
When taking off from any location engine revs to 4000 RPM until up to speed , need to be very easy on gas to get going up to speed , can be dangerous at intersections to get moving quickly if needed
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact drove at a slow speed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with transmission failure. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000.
I was driving through town and was at a stop light when my car would not accelerate at all. No warning signs. No check engine light. It just wouldn't go. Took my car to the Nissan dealer and was advised the transmission has to be replaced. Nissan refuses to assist with any of the cost. It's an automatic CVT transmission.
Had powertrain 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 powertrain problem on the 2012 Nissan Sentra?
It's a meaningful issue. 64 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $2,500.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Across the 39 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most powertrain failures cluster between 63,383 and 95,000 miles, with the median around 74,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 63,383; a quarter make it past 95,000. 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 $2,500 for powertrain 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 powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain 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.