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 ↗2015 Nissan Sentra engine problems
moderate Owners of the 2015 Nissan Sentra have filed 17 NHTSA complaints about the engine 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 →
Complaints
17
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
| Model year | engine complaints |
|---|---|
| 2011 Sentra | 18 |
| 2012 Sentra | 16 |
| 2013 Sentra | 36 |
| 2014 Sentra | 25 |
| 2015 Sentra (this page) | 17 |
| 2016 Sentra | 11 |
| 2017 Sentra | 15 |
| 2018 Sentra | 9 |
| 2019 Sentra | 3 |
What stands out
No new NHTSA engine 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 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 2015 Nissan Sentras describe engine and transmission failures that leave them stranded or unsafe. The most alarming pattern is sudden stalling without warning—one owner's car shut down completely at highway speed in 2011 and again at 141,000 miles, both times requiring crank sensor replacement. Nissan refused recall coverage, claiming it applied only to 2005 models with larger engines.
The CVT transmission is the second major complaint. Owners report violent jolting, erratic power loss, and RPM surges—especially between 75 and 85 mph or in hot weather. One owner paid $4,100 for replacement; another's car dropped from 65 to 40 mph without driver input, creating near-accidents. Nissan took no action despite knowing these transmissions have systemic issues.
Check-engine lights tied to mass airflow sensors plague multiple vehicles. Cleaning or replacing the MAF sensor doesn't fix the problem; owners end up back in the shop with the same code (P0101) and the light returning shortly after repair. One owner had it replaced at purchase but failure recurred years later.
Hesitation, shuddering, jerking, and loss of power occur across the mileage spectrum—as low as 50,000 miles. Dealerships sometimes cannot diagnose the root cause, leaving cars unrepaired.
Same Nissan Sentra engine reports on nearby years: 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2016 · 2017
Failure modes owners describe
Crank Sensor Failure
Engine stalls without warning during highway and local driving, forcing the vehicle to coast to safety. Owners report a pattern of recurrence—one owner had the same failure in 2011 at 95k miles, then again at 141k miles. Nissan initially offered a recall only for 2005 Sentras with 2.5L engines, leaving affected owners without factory support.
When: 95,000 miles (first occurrence); 141,000 miles (second occurrence)
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden engine stall with no warning; Difficulty restarting immediately; restarts after a few minutes; Slowing down after restart; No pre-warning signs before stall
Repairs/costs cited: Crank sensor replacement performed at Nissan dealership (2015 incident) and Firestone (2011 incident)
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan stated recall applied only to 2005 Sentra with 2.5L engine; affected owner's 2005 1.8S model excluded from recall coverage
CVT Transmission Failure – Power Loss and Erratic Shifting
2015 Sentra with CVT transmission develops severe power loss, sudden acceleration and deceleration, and violent jolting during highway driving. One owner bought the car used and was not informed of known CVT issues by the dealership. Repair quote reached $4,100 for transmission replacement. Owners report the transmission 'dies' and becomes nearly undrivable at low speeds (capped at 20 mph in one case).
When: 54,620 miles to 85,000 miles; 66,000 miles noted in separate complaint
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden acceleration and deceleration; Loss of power while driving, especially at highway speeds (60–85 mph); Violent jolting and shuddering when accelerating; RPMs raising and lowering erratically; Engine revving as if attempting to change gears; Vehicle speed drops (e.g., 65 to 40 mph) without operator input; Hesitation when pressing accelerator; Reduced top speed (limited to 20 mph in one case); Loud engine noise without corresponding speed increase; Feels like transmission 'cannot stay in gear'
Codes mentioned: P2895
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership quoted $4,100 for complete transmission replacement; one owner had cruise control repaired under warranty, but it failed again post-warranty
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan refused to provide warranty support or recall coverage despite documented CVT issues in Jatco transmission (75% Nissan-owned); no recall initiated
Mass Air Flow (MAF) Sensor Failure – Check Engine Light
Check engine light illuminates at startup and remains on. Cleaning the MAF sensor temporarily resolves the issue, but the light returns shortly after. Complete sensor replacement also fails to prevent recurrence. Vehicle continues to run rough with hesitation despite parts replacement.
When: 68,000 miles; also reported at unspecified mileage by multiple owners
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light illumination at startup and persistent illumination; Engine puttering and hesitation; Check engine light returns after MAF sensor replacement; Check engine light cycles on and off repeatedly
Codes mentioned: P0101
Repairs/costs cited: MAF sensor cleaned; replacement MAF sensor installed; issue persists despite both interventions. One owner had MAF replaced at Carmax 2 years prior, but component failed again.
Engine Stalling – Undetermined Cause
Multiple owners report sudden engine stall or complete shutdown while driving at moderate speeds (40–60 mph). Vehicle either stalls briefly and restarts or requires towing. Dealership diagnostics could not identify the root cause in at least one case. Shaking, jerking, and loss of power accompany some stall events.
When: 50,000 to 85,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle stalls while driving; Complete shutdown of engine; Shaking and jerking before stall; Loss of motive power; Vehicle may restart briefly, then require towing
Repairs/costs cited: One independent shop replaced starter; dealership diagnostic at Chapman Nissan could not determine cause and did not repair. Vehicle not repaired in multiple cases.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified in at least two cases but no recall or service bulletin issued
Engine Hesitation and Sluggishness – Speed-Dependent
Vehicle becomes sluggish and loses responsive acceleration in the 75–85 mph speed range, with erratic RPM fluctuations. Problem worsens in hot weather (over 100°F). Engine revs loudly but power delivery is unpredictable and unstable.
When: 54,620 miles; also at unspecified mileage during hot weather (over 100°F)
Symptoms owners cite: Sluggish acceleration in 75–85 mph speed range; Erratic RPM fluctuations; Loss of power followed by sudden power surge; Condition worsens in hot weather; Vehicle suddenly slows and will not move (requiring shutdown and restart)
Synthesized from 17 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Have driving issues.. 3 times lose power. Transmission issues. Mileage still low (66.000) Jumping while drivering.. vibration
Had engine trouble with your 2015 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 2015 Nissan Sentra?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 17 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?
Based on the 17 complaints filed, engine issues most often appear around 83,671 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 $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/2015/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.