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2015 Nissan Sentra problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

VERY HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
73%
225 of 307 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

73% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2015 Nissan Sentra are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.

Worse than 94% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 44 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 64%).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2015 Nissan Sentra have transmission problems?

Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 225 of 307 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2015 Nissan Sentra concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (73%), and the largest group is filed under power train (172). For comparison, the 2014 scores 71% and the 2016 scores 68%. On a test drive, check for shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
225
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
351
this model year
Fires reported
3
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
3
23 crashes · 23 injuries

Complaints by component

POWER TRAIN172 · 49%
ENGINE68 · 19%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER54 · 15%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL49 · 14%
AIR BAGS44 · 13%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM25 · 7%

The years either side

2010
50%
56 of 144
2011
43%
54 of 142
2012
63%
101 of 180
2013
71%
388 of 638
2014
71%
233 of 380
2015
73%
225 of 351
2016
68%
162 of 270
2017
61%
116 of 230
2018
43%
68 of 185
2019
37%
67 of 222
2020
8%
16 of 205
2021
9%
11 of 132
2022
16%
12 of 81
2023
too few complaints

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2015 Nissan Sentra

What one owner reported

POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER02/25/2022CRASH1 INJURED
The transmission quit working in rush our traffic in St. Louis, Missouri. The incident nearly caused a severe accident, if it hadn't been for two alert drivers during rush hour. After sitting for approximate sixty minutes waiting for a tow truck. Just before the the tow truck arrive another tow driver was going to p…

One of 225 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2015 Nissan Sentra?

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2015 Nissan Sentra, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

3 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
air bags: sensor: occupant classification16V244000 · Apr 2016
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60,…
air bags: sensor: occupant classification16V242000 · Apr 2016
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Sentra vehicles manufactured June 4, 2012, to April 9, 2016. The front passenger seat belt bracket may become deformed…
latches/locks/linkages15V453000 · Jul 2015
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2015 Nissan Rogue vehicles manufactured June 9, 2015, to June 10, 2015, and 2015 Nissan Sentra and Versa Note vehicles manufactured…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2015 Nissan Sentra? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2015 Nissan Sentra

Does the 2015 Nissan Sentra have transmission problems?

Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 225 of 307 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2015 Nissan Sentra concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (73%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the transmission and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2015 Nissan Sentra?

No. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns on the 2015 Nissan Sentra, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Nissan Sentra years are better?

Among the Nissan Sentra years we track, the 2020 (8%), the 2021 (9%) and the 2022 (16%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2015 (73%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2015 Nissan Sentra?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2015 Nissan Sentra has an elevated transmission complaint pattern, so treat it as a car that needs proof: service records showing transmission work, a cold-start test drive, and an independent pre-purchase inspection focused on the transmission. A well-kept or already-repaired example can be a fine car; an unknown one is a gamble.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.