NHTSA has received 206 owner complaints about the 2020 Nissan Sentra, or 30.3 per year on the road — fewer complaints than typical (complaint index 0.75, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 83 model-year 2020 vehicles we track, it ranks #49 of 83 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest). Against other Nissan models its rate is 7% higher; against other Compact cars it is 38% higher.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Complaints filed between 2020-05-08 and 2026-10-02. Median delay from incident to filing: 18 days.
206Complaints
30.3Complaints per year on the road
0.75Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
4Recalls
3.9%Share involving a crash or fire
18Last 12 months
Analysis
The previous model year (2019) drew 28.5 complaints per year, fewer than this one. The following model year (2021) drew 22.8 per year, fewer than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2020 model collected 42 complaints, 25% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Electrical (24.8% of complaints), followed by Steering (24.3%) and Driver-assist systems (15.0%). Electrical complaints are 1.6 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 8 reports (3.9%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 2 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 43 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was years three to five (48% of incidents). In the last 12 months 18 new complaints were filed, versus 35 in the 12 months before — down 49%.
NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls for this model year.
Complaint index
vs. all tracked vehicles0.75
vs. other Nissan models1.07
vs. other 2020 models0.8
vs. other Compact cars1.38
Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (42)0.75
Vehicle had AEB System malfunctioning. The brakes did NOT work. The emergency brake barely worked. We were driving on Fathers Day to a family gathering and the system and brakes malfunctioned, yes we collided with the Curb and debris on the side of the road…
Electrical · 2025-06-26 · ODI 11669440 · Crash
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while her son was reversing from a driveway, a Springfield Public School bus crashed into the rear of the vehicle.
Electrical · 2024-04-18 · ODI 11583879 · Crash
2020 Nissan Sentra , had been affected, Fuel system and or transmission has been affected , I also communicated this with Nissan Consumers affairs on 9/1, case number(57016532) they didn’t bother to help. I also went to the dealer twice .
Transmission / powertrain · 2026-10-02 · ODI 11768463
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel was off centered and the vehicle vibrated. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle vibrated while making a turn.
Steering · 2026-07-07 · ODI 11748871
I have an Nissan Sentra sv 2020 and steering rack is causing problems when I drive my car, making my whole steering wheel shake when I go 60 on the highway, it also makes noises when I try to gently press on the gas making my wheels shake violently against…
Steering · 2026-07-06 · ODI 11748419
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA Campaign 23V628000 · 2023-09-08
Summary: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Altima and 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. Damage to the camera harness can cause distortion or loss of the rearview camera display image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and harness for damage and replace them as necessary. If no damage is found, the dealer will apply protective tape and reroute the rearview camera harness. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 19, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23C3.
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY Campaign 23V581000 · 2023-08-15
Summary: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Sentra vehicles. The left and/or right tie rod may bend.
Risk: A bent tie rod can break and cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Owners are advised to contact their dealer for transport assistance if they are experiencing an off-center steering wheel or vibration. As an interim repair, dealers will inspect and replace any bent or broken tie rods, free of charge. Once newly designed parts are available, dealers will replace both left and right tie rods, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed November 27, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23B3. This recall replaces and expands recall number 21V-461. Vehicles previously repaired under 21V-461 will need to have the new remedy completed.
Summary: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020 Sentra vehicles, equipped with LED headlights. The right-hand headlight aim may be misaligned. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamp, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: An improperly aimed headlight may reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the right-hand headlight, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 10, 2022. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R20B4.
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY Campaign 21V461000 · 2021-06-17
Summary: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. The left and/or right tie rod may be bent.
Risk: A bent tie rod can break, causing a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the left and/or right tie rods as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 5, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PM985.
