2016 Nissan Sentra: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2016 Nissan Sentra: 6 recalls, 270 owner complaints and up to 32 mpg combined.
Recalls
6 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Airbags Vehicle recall #16V244000 · 2016 · 3,296,947 vehicles
What's wrong: 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, qx60 hybrid, and q50 hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan rogue and Infiniti q50, 2015-2016 Nissan murano, murano hybrid, and Chevrolet city express, 2014-2015 Nissan pathfinder hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti jx35 vehicles. In these…
Why it matters: If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
The fix: Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet city express owners will be notified by general motors. Dealers will reprogram the air bag control unit (acu) and ocs electronic control unit (ECU) in altima, maxima, murano, rogue, and sentra vehicles, and replace the ocs ECU in leaf, nv200, nv200 taxi,…
Airbags Vehicle recall #16V242000 · 2016 · 645,898 vehicles
What's wrong: 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 if it is used to secure a child restraint system (crs). The deformed seat bracket May cause the occupant classification system (ocs) to incorrectly classify the installed crs, resulting in the front passenger air bag to…
Why it matters: If the frontal passenger air bag deploys in the event of a crash when a child seat is installed in the front passenger seat, there will be an increased risk of injury to the child in the crs.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will reinforce the seat belt bracket as well as reprogram the air bag control unit (acu) and ocs electronic control unit (ECU), free of charge. The recall began on June 13, 2016. Owners are warned not to install a crs in the front seat.
Airbags, Electrical Vehicle recall #16V436000 · 2016 · 4,355 vehicles
What's wrong: Nissan north america, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016 leaf vehicles manufactured February 24, 2016, to March 23, 2016, and sentra vehicles manufactured February 9, 2016, to March 4, 2016. The wiring harness connector May disconnect from the dual-stage passenger air bag.
Why it matters: If the wiring harness disconnects, the passenger air bag May not to deploy during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the wiring harness connector for proper engagement and, if necessary, replace the passenger air bag module and main body harness, free of charge. The recall began on August 9, 2016.
Electrical Vehicle recall #16V485000 · 2016 · 1,522 vehicles
What's wrong: Nissan north america, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016 sentra vehicles manufactured April 11, 2016, through April 26, 2016. The engine room harness May have a terminal pin too large to maintain a connection with the engine control unit (ECU).
Why it matters: If the engine room harness loses connection to the ECU, the vehicle May not start or the engine May stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the terminal pin on the engine room harness, free of charge. The recall began on August 15, 2016.
Airbags Vehicle recall #17V253000 · 2017 · 30,038 vehicles
What's wrong: Nissan north america, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 leaf and 2014, 2016 and 2017 sentra vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error within the air bag inflators, the passenger frontal air bag May not properly deploy in the event of a crash.
Why it matters: In the event of a crash, if the front passenger air bag doesn't deploy properly, it can increase the risk of injury to passengers.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 7, 2017.
Exterior lights Vehicle recall #21V135000 · 2021 · 807,376 vehicles
What's wrong: 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 from illuminating.
Why it matters: The brake lights May not illuminate, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the brake light switch and install a protective grommet, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 1, 2022.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 2 mention a fire, 13 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Transmission & drivetrain (127): the most common themes are hard / delayed shifting (56), stalls / loses power (34), warning light on (34).
- Engine (48): the most common themes are stalls / loses power (16), warning light on (11), electrical failure (8).
- Electrical (45): the most common themes are electrical failure (12), stalls / loses power (10), warning light on (9).
- Other / unknown (43): the most common themes are warning light on (8), noise or vibration (7).
The 2016 Nissan Sentra has 270 owner complaints, ranking #5 of 37 Sentra model years for complaints (1.7× the average Sentra year). Complaints peaked in 2018 (43 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 4 years old, at a median of 60,255 miles. Neighboring years: 2015 (351 complaints, 3 recalls), 2017 (231 complaints, 3 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 L 4-cyl | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | Front-Wheel Drive | 29 | 37 | 32 | Regular |
| 1.8 L 4-cyl | Manual 6-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 27 | 35 | 30 | Regular |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2016 Nissan Sentra.
Closest thing to the factory manual for most years. Pay once, keep it.
Most $25–$78, one-timePro-shop repair procedures, wiring diagrams and TSBs for your exact car.
From $19.99/mo · $39.99/yrOEM procedures, specs and recall/TSB info, the same source many shops use.
From $19.99/mo · $59.99/yrStep-by-step photos written from a real teardown. Great for first-timers.
Books ~$30–$40 · AllAccess $34.99/moHeads up: we may earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you. Prices checked 2026-10 and can change. We never host or link to pirated manuals. Disclosure
FAQ
Does the 2016 Nissan Sentra have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 6 vehicle recalls for the 2016 Nissan Sentra. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2016 Nissan Sentra problems?
Owners have filed 270 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are transmission & drivetrain (127), engine (48), electrical (45).
What gas mileage does the 2016 Nissan Sentra get?
EPA ratings run up to 32 mpg combined (1.8 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios)), across 2 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2016 Nissan Sentra repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.