NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 142 owner complaints for the 2011 Nissan Sentra.
Recalled components: electrical system. Most-described problem: stalling or shutting off (20 complaints, 14%). Most-reported area: electrical system (34 complaints, 24%; median mileage when it happened: 81,000).
Fewer complaints than a typical Sentra year
The 2011 drew 32 owner complaints in its first three years, against about 64 for a typical Sentra year. Best years are picked only from 2016 on, since counts for older years say less: owners filed fewer complaints in the early 2010s.
Years to avoid: 2013; best year: 2023. Based on owner complaints, not adjusted for sales.
The zinc coating applied to the terminal stud bolt was thicker than specification. This can result in a voltage drop that may cause difficulty starting the vehicle and could cause damage to the engine control module (ecm).
Risk: This issue can cause the engine to stall while the vehicle is in motion and it may not be possible to restart the engine after it stopped, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Nissan will notify owners and dealers will replace the positive battery terminal and cover, free of charge. The recallbegan on january 23, 2012. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 sentra vehicles equipped with mr20 engines, manufactured from may 11, 2010, to may 22, 2010, and july 8, 2010, to october 25, 2010.
Due to a machining irregularity, the bolt/washer surface on the positive battery terminal cable end may allow for a gap to occur in the contact area of the terminal. This can result in a voltage drop that may cause difficulty starting the vehicle and could cause damage to the engine control module.
Risk: This issue can cause the engine to stop running while the vehicle is in motion at low speed with a difficult or no start increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will replace the positive battery terminal cable end with a new one free of charge. The safety recall began pn november 29, 2010. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2010-2011 sentra vehicles, manufactured from may 22, 2010, through july 8, 2010.
NHTSA listing: SENTRA.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
NHTSA's investigations file, dated Oct 2, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2011 Nissan Sentra.
What owners report
Owners have filed 142 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Sentra. Below, they are sorted by the problems owners describe and by the areas NHTSA files them under. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Problems owners describe
Stalling or shutting off20 · 14%
Median 96,400 miles at failure, from 18 reports with mileage
Median 81,000 miles at failure, from 30 reports with mileage
Engine30 · 21%
Median 75,500 miles at failure, from 24 reports with mileage
Air bags20 · 14%
Powertrain18 · 13%
Median 91,500 miles at failure, from 17 reports with mileage
Stability control17 · 12%
Median 88,600 miles at failure, from 16 reports with mileage
Brakes13 · 9%
Steering8 · 6%
Unknown or other18 · 13%
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%. Mileage is shown where at least 15 owners reported it.
Nissan Sentra recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2011 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2013 Sentra drew the most (150) and the 2011 drew 32.
Owner complaints
2011: 142 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Nissan Sentra
Model year
Complaints
2010
144
2011
142
2012
180
2013
638
2014
380
2015
351
2016
270
2017
230
2018
185
2019
222
2020
205
2021
132
2022
81
2023
20
2024
41
2025
30
2026
16
Safety recalls
2011: 2 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Nissan Sentra
Model year
Recalls
2010
3
2011
2
2012
0
2013
6
2014
5
2015
3
2016
6
2017
3
2018
2
2019
2
2020
4
2021
3
2022
2
2023
1
2024
3
2025
4
2026
1
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
In the 142 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2011 Nissan Sentra, the problems described most are stalling or shutting off (20), the check engine light coming on (15), and hesitation or slow acceleration (11). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can describe several problems.
Is the 2011 Nissan Sentra safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2011 Nissan Sentra earns 4 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
Is NHTSA investigating the 2011 Nissan Sentra?
No. NHTSA's investigations file, dated Oct 2, 2026, lists no investigations for the 2011 Nissan Sentra.
How do I check if my Sentra has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Nissan dealers for vehicles up to 15 years old from first sale.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Oct 2, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Oct 2, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA investigations file, dated Oct 2, 2026. Defect petitions, which ask NHTSA to open an investigation, are listed apart and only while open. Audit queries, which check whether a company met its recall and reporting duties rather than whether a vehicle has a problem, are not listed.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: SENTRA.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.