9.3

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
40,250 miles
Total Complaints:
3 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (3 reports)
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problem #3

Apr 212010

Sentra SE 1.8L 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 40,700 miles

Just like all the others. Check engine light on/off at will for two years. Code 4 diagnosis. Coils switched to confirm Dx. Rough starts, rough idles, heater worked in warm, no heat in cold weather, coolant added twice but drained. Then came trouble starting. Yesterday no start on third time for the day. Today when I picked it up $69 towing charge and total bill of $215, Mechanic says engine light off, 3 spark plugs changed. Couldn't removed other plug because was fused to aluminum cylinder. Removal could have caused head gasket to blow. Mechanic warns problem not fixed. Told me "Some cars are just lemons, you should trade it in." During the past two years, Nissan has refused to fix under so-called 5 year, bumper to bumper warranty. What's needed here is a class action suit. Like others, despite no problem with two previous Altimas, I will never buy Nissan again, and will warn all my friends of same.

- Joan L., NVan, BC, Canada

problem #2

Mar 162009

Sentra V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 72,000 miles

To begin... I bought this car used at a Chevy dealership in June 2008 with 56000 miles on it. Everything was fine with the car when i test drove it, carfax... you name it. it was the perfect first car for me. They offered lifetime transmission warranty as long as I got a tune up/oil change at this dealership every 3,000 miles. The day I was to pick the car up from the lot, the dealership called and said that when they went to start the car, it didn't start properly. they had to turn the key a few times for it to start and that it was a minor problem. they claimed they fixed it, but a week later i had the same problem after a few hours of not driving it. the service engine soon light came on, so i brought it back to the dealership, they said they fixed it (it was still under the 30 day warranty) and i was good to go. not even 5 days later this problem happened again! i was so frustrated, i just wanted to drive my new car! i brought it back, and they sent it to a nissan dealership who finally ended this misery!

a few months later, i scheduled for an oil change and a few days before i was to bring it in, the heat would stop working on the drivers side. it would switch, sometimes it worked, sometimes it wouldn't. it was very frustrating because this time, i had to pay $200 to get it fixed, and to this day the heat still doesn't work properly.. it works but not as well.

then one morning i went to start the car and the lights were flickering like a horror movie and the car was making this terrible sound and all of the radio stations reset along with the clock. i needed a new battery! it cost me about $90.

after a huge snow storm, i tried to start the car to go to work and the car wouldn't start at all. it was the same problem with the starter from the beginning. this problem came back but only worse. after a few days of not driving it, a mechanic came to my house and started it somehow, and i was instructed not to turn the car off because we didn't know if it would start again. i had to keep the spare in the ignition and use my normal set of keys to lock the car when i went into work or the store or whatever. i noticed that my car has a lot of trouble starting in rainy/snowy weather after this incident. but anyway, i needed a new timing belt, and my radiator fluid began to burn a lot (i think?) so every week my dad would have to add radiator fluid. how annoying! by this point i was at about 65,000 miles. im not sure how much the timing belt cost, my dad paid as a christmas gift :/

in march of 09 i noticed the thermometer gauge was wicked high, so i called my dad, he checked it out... my car was burning more radiator fluid AND oil! not to mention, every few days the service engine soon light would come on then just turn off... i dont even take it seriously anymore because it always comes on then a few days later it turns off. right now the car is at around 80,000 miles. ( i do a lot of commuting to work and school). AND the car still has problems starting once in a while.

my point is... this car was definitely a LEMON and i now understand why the owner traded it in at 58000 miles. who would have thought! i still drive this car, its very good on gas, but i just hope that it will last me a little longer to save up for a better car!

- Wendy D., Warwick, RI, US

problem #1

Nov 042005

(reported on)

Sentra LE

  • 8,000 miles

I have taken my 2005 Nissan Sentry back to the dealership twice, once with tow service. Once there, they told me they could not get it to duplicate, so they could not fix it.

THE PROBLEM - ENGINE LIGHT FLICKERS RAPIDLY, ENGINE STALLS WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATER

- wprice102544, gladewater, TX, US