2013-2016 ALTIMA AND SENTRA; REAR OXYGEN SENSOR VOLTAGE INSPECTION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2014 Nissan Sentra engine problems
moderate Owners of the 2014 Nissan Sentra have filed 25 NHTSA complaints about the engine, typically surfacing around 77,000 miles at roughly $3,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See engine across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
25
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
| Model year | engine complaints |
|---|---|
| 2010 Sentra | 23 |
| 2011 Sentra | 18 |
| 2012 Sentra | 16 |
| 2013 Sentra | 36 |
| 2014 Sentra (this page) | 25 |
| 2015 Sentra | 17 |
| 2016 Sentra | 11 |
| 2017 Sentra | 15 |
| 2018 Sentra | 9 |
What stands out
Owners have filed 25 engine 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.
No new NHTSA engine complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 5 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 engine 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.
CAN COMMUNICATION â NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Engine Control Module (ECM) Reprogram and Oxygen Sensor Voltage Inspection Voluntary Emission Service Campaign Dealer Announcement: Nissan is conducting a Voluntary Emission Service Campaign to reprogram the Engine Control Module (ECM) and inspect the oxygen (O2) sensor voltage on certain MY2013-2016 Nissan Sentra SULEV vehicles identified in Service Comm. If the voltage is OK, no repair is necessary. If the voltage check results are âNo Goâ, dealers will diagnose and repair per the electronic service manual (ESM), and remedy any diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) that may have been masked by a failure to detect the short circuit to ground condition. The current level software installed on
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗VOLUNTARY EMISSION SERVICE CAMPAIGN 2013-2016 SENTRA; ECM REPROGRAM AND OXYGEN SENSOR VOLTAGE INSPECTION INTRODUCTION Nissan is conducting this voluntary emission service campaign, on certain specific model year 2013-2016 Sentra vehicles, to reprogram the ECM (if applicable), and then inspect the oxygen (O2) sensor voltage. This service will be performed at no charge to the customer for parts or labor. IDENTIFICATION NUMBER Nissan has assigned identification number P1A25 to this campaign. This number must appear on all communication and documentation of any nature dealing with this campaign. DEALER RESPONSIBILITY Dealers are to repair vehicles falling within range of this campaign that enter
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2013-2016 ALTIMA AND SENTRA; REAR OXYGEN SENSOR VOLTAGE INSPECTION SERVICE INFORMATION Nissan is committed to providing the highest levels of product quality and customer satisfaction. Therefore, Nissan is extending the emission warranty on the Rear Oxygen Sensor in the case of a short-to-ground condition to 20 Years or 200,000 miles, whichever occurs first. All other warranty terms, limitations, and conditions remain unchanged. During the warranty extension period, customers are eligible for annual Rear Oxygen Sensor voltage checks, upon request, to determine if a Rear Oxygen Sensor short-toground condition exists. If a Rear Oxygen Sensor short-to-ground condition does exist, Nissan will in
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of the 2014 Sentra report the CVT transmission as the dominant failure mode. It fails prematurely—typically between 66,000 and 95,000 miles—causing loss of power, hard shifting from a stop, jerking, hesitation between gears, and complete stalling at various speeds. One owner's transmission fluid was dangerously low with no visible leak. Multiple mechanics and Nissan technicians confirmed CVT failure. Replacement costs run $3,800 to $5,000; one owner paid $4,607.83 including car rental. Nissan issued a recall and extended warranty (7 years/100,000 miles) for some 2014 Sentras, but many owners' VINs were excluded, forcing out-of-pocket repairs.
Separate from transmission issues, owners report unexplained engine stalling at traffic lights, on highways at speeds of 35–70 mph, and during freeway merge operations. One owner experienced stalling on an unlit desert highway at night—a serious safety risk. Dealers frequently cannot recreate or diagnose the stall condition. A PCV valve was identified as a known issue causing stalls and shifting problems, with a technical manual update available per one dealership service advisor. A few owners also report mass air flow sensor faults (P0101) that recur after replacement, and isolated reports of fuel injector and transmission modulator failure, though these are less common in the cluster.
Same Nissan Sentra engine reports on nearby years: 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2015 · 2016
Failure modes owners describe
CVT transmission failure
CVT transmission premature failure causing loss of power, difficulty accelerating, hard shifting, and complete stalling. Multiple owners report needing full CVT replacement, with some vehicles having under 100,000 miles.
When: 77,000–95,000 miles reported; some as early as 66,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of power during acceleration; Sporadic stalling at various speeds (10 mph to 70 mph); RPM fluctuation and surging; Hard shifting from stop and between gears; Hesitation and jerking during acceleration; Inability to reach safe highway merge speeds; Vehicle lurching forward unexpectedly; Transmission fluid dangerously low without leakage
Codes mentioned: Transmission scan showing issues (narrative #2), P0101 (mass air flow sensor fault, secondary issue)
Repairs/costs cited: CVT replacement: $3,800–$5,000+ reported. One owner paid $4,607.83 including car rental at 77,000 miles. Fluid replacement attempted in one case but transmission still required replacement.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan issued recall/extended warranty (7-year/100,000-mile) for some 2014 Sentras with CVT, but many owners' VINs were not covered. Extended warranty offered for 2007–2010 models but not extended to 2014 model year. Dealers unable to recreate or diagnose issues in early reports.
Engine stalling without warning
Engine cuts off unexpectedly during driving at various speeds without illuminating warning lights. Vehicle occasionally restarts after delay; acceleration recovery varies.
When: Early mileage (12,000–35,000 miles) through higher mileage (57,000–77,000 miles)
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden engine stall at traffic light (stopped position); Engine stall while on highway at 35 mph, 60 mph, and 70 mph; Engine stall during freeway downshift/construction zone; Stall recovers after turning engine off and restarting; Stall recurs on numerous occasions after initial incident; No warning light illuminated at time of stall (some cases)
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs documented in narratives. One dealer advised bringing vehicle in but no service record provided. Most owners did not pursue repair.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified in one case (narrative #9) but technician unable to duplicate failure. Dealers unable to diagnose root cause in multiple cases.
Mass air flow (MAF) sensor fault
Check engine light illuminates due to mass air flow sensor or mass air filter issues. Replacement does not always resolve the underlying problem.
When: 91,000 miles (narrative #11); recurring over one year period (narrative #13)
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light illumination; Engine light on/off intermittently over extended period
Codes mentioned: P0101 (mass air flow sensor fault)
Repairs/costs cited: Mass air flow filter replacement performed in one case (narrative #7) but failure recurred. One owner reports technician installed updated clip but issue persisted.
PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) valve malfunction
PCV valve identified as a known issue causing engine stall and improper gear shifting. Marked as technical manual update by dealership service advisor.
When: Not specified in narrative
Symptoms owners cite: Engine dies; Inability to shift correctly
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recognized as known issue with technical manual update available per dealership (narrative #18).
Fuel injector and transmission modulator failure
Fuel injector failure and transmission modulator failure occurring during driving. Vehicle immobilized after only three months of ownership.
When: Three months after purchase
Symptoms owners cite: Fuel injector blowout; Transmission modulator failure
Repairs/costs cited: Repairs required but cost not specified in narrative.
Vehicle unable to move after noise in reverse
Loud noise occurs when shifting from reverse to park; vehicle becomes immobilized and will not move.
When: Not specified in narrative
Symptoms owners cite: Loud noise during reverse-to-park shift; Vehicle loses all movement capability
Synthesized from 25 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Please reference NHTSA issue 11383950 submitted dec 17, 2020. This is another issue related to the prior submitted dec 17th. On dec 26 the engine light came on. The car was taken to the dealer. The dealer asked if we had extended warranty, which we do not, and then took the car in for inspection. That same day we received notification (screenshots attached) that CVT assemply needs to be…
Had engine trouble with your 2014 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 engine problem on the 2014 Nissan Sentra?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 25 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Across the 16 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most engine failures cluster between 57,000 and 95,000 miles, with the median around 77,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 57,000; 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 $3,100 for engine 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 engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine 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/2014/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.