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2019 Nissan Sentra problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

ELEVATED COMPLAINT SIGNAL
37%
67 of 181 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 1,790 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 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 2019 Nissan Sentra have transmission problems?

More than most. The pattern is elevated rather than severe. 67 of 181 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2019 Nissan Sentra concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (37%), and the largest group is filed under power train (54). For comparison, the 2018 scores 43% and the 2020 scores 8%. 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
67
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
222
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 OTHER46 · 21%
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 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 2019 Nissan Sentra

What one owner 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…

One of 67 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 2019 Nissan Sentra?

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2019 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.

2 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
exterior lighting: brake lights: switch21V135000 · Mar 2021
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Nissan Sentra vehicles. The brake light switch may become contaminated, preventing the circuit from closing and the brake lights…
back over prevention: sensing system: camera19V654000 · Sep 2019
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model; one of NHTSA's listings did not answer when this page was built, so the list may be incomplete. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2019 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.

Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.

Questions people ask about the 2019 Nissan Sentra

Does the 2019 Nissan Sentra have transmission problems?

More than most; the pattern is elevated rather than severe. 67 of 181 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2019 Nissan Sentra concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (37%). 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 2019 Nissan Sentra?

No. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2019 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 2019 (37%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2019 Nissan Sentra?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2019 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. Combined across 3 body styles NHTSA files separately.