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The 2017 Nissan Sentra has 230 NHTSA owner complaints and 3 active recall campaigns on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2017 Nissan Sentra has 230 NHTSA owner complaints and 3 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of September 2026). The most-reported system is powertrain at 74 complaints (~$2,500 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 Sentra | 380 | 5 |
| 2015 Sentra | 351 | 3 |
| 2016 Sentra | 270 | 6 |
| 2017 Sentra (this page) | 230 | 3 |
| 2018 Sentra | 185 | 2 |
| 2019 Sentra | 221 | 2 |
| 2020 Sentra | 204 | 4 |
Average for the segment. Some recurring trouble spots worth knowing about.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: Optional · Lane departure warning: No
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2017 Nissan Sentra 4 DR FWD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: electrical is flagged severe on this model . Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 3 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 6.8/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
SUV driver hit our sentra from behind while stationary; we were the last car in the line of the right lane of traffic and we were at a dead stop. We were hit very hard from behind and we slammed into the SUV in front of us. Driver and passenger airbags did not deploy for either…
The fabric drivers side seat belt is frayed. At least 1/2 of the width of the fabric is not intact. The warranty on the seat belt is 120 months and the dealer said it is not covered by the warranty. No incident has occurred yet, but I am concerned for my safety in the event of…
Car just lost power in highway. Car starts but will barely move as pushing down on gas.
Low beam headlight failed. It is available for inspection. Drove car with only one low beam headlight. Not safe. Yes. Confirmed by independent service center. Had independent mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection. They advised that my passenger side low beam headlight…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
The brake lights may not illuminate, increasing the risk of a crash.
If the vehicle stalls, it can increase the risk of a crash.
In the event of a crash, if the front passenger air bag doesn't deploy properly, it can increase the risk of injury to passengers.
It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 6.8 out of 10 based on 230 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2017 Nissan Sentra has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.
The 2017 Nissan Sentra is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Electrical system: 27 complaints, classified severe; Reliability score 6.8/10 — around the segment average; 3 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the powertrain first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 74 owner complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 6.8 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 230 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is powertrain. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is powertrain, with 74 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop.
The powertrain is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 230 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $2,500, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.