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2019 Nissan Sentra: engine and transmission complaints

ELEVATED COMPLAINT SIGNAL
37%
67 of 180 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

37% of relevant owner complaints on the 2019 Nissan Sentra are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is elevated. Worth an independent inspection before you commit to one.

Better than 58% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 41 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 30%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
67
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
221
this model year
Fires reported
1
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
2
16 crashes · 18 injuries

Complaints by component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM64 · 29%
POWER TRAIN54 · 24%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER45 · 20%
SERVICE BRAKES38 · 17%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE35 · 16%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING28 · 13%

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 221
2020
8%
16 of 204
2021
9%
11 of 131
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.

Cleaner alternatives

Same car, a better year

Other compact cars with no elevated signal in 2019

The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.

What owners reported

POWER TRAIN,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),S11/20/2019CRASH3 INJURED
DRIVING ON FREEWAY LESS THAN 35 MPH, CAR MADE LOUD NOISE FOR 1-2 MINUTES AT SAME TIME I FELT UNDER FLOOR BOARD SOMETHING PULLING. I TRIED TO SLOW DOWN, BRAKES DIDN'T WORK. I REAR ENDED A CAR. THE CAR GEAR SHIFT POPPED INTO REVERSE; I PRESSED HARDER ON BRAKES & THEY FINALLY WORKED. I NOTICED A BIG LIGHT ON THE DASHBOA…
SUSPENSION,POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM05/20/2026
Transmission Failure of drive train Acknowledged by Dealer Inspection by Dealer No warning signs prior to failure
POWER TRAIN05/03/2026
I am filing this complaint against Nissan North America due to a recurring transmission failure in my 2019 Nissan Sentra VIN#: [XXX] . Timeline of Events: Initial Purchase: November 2022 (61,000 miles). First Failure: September 2023 (~75,000 miles). Nissan replaced the transmission under the extended CVT warranty …

Three of 67 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on this model year (2)

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Nissan Sentra vehicles. The brake light switch may become contaminated, preventing the circuit from cl…
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport…

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2019 Nissan Sentra

Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.

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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. Combined across 3 body styles NHTSA files separately.