1992 Nissan Sentra Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe electrical and wiring problems, including engine-compartment fires traced to the ignition wiring and harness, plus stalling or cutting out in cold or damp conditions. A second recurring theme is the seat belts: front belts that lock up, fail to retract, or come unbuckled, several times after repeated dealer visits. Transmission complaints center on the five-speed popping out of gear and an automatic that fails to upshift when warm. Reports span a wide mileage range, with many filed well past 100,000 miles.

1. 1
   Electrical system

   Engine wiring harness fire / ignition wiring burns

   • 17 complaints (27%)
   • median 105,000 mi at 20.2 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 16 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2016

   Owners describe smoke coming from under the hood, often near the firewall or the driver's side, sometimes minutes after starting the car or while driving slowly, followed by flames from the engine wiring harness or ignition wiring. Several cars were destroyed and the fire department responded. Some reports note the harness rubbed through and shorted. In one case the dealer was contacted but the vehicle was not repaired. Reported across a wide range, from roughly 96,000 to 105,000 miles in the sampled complaints, with several incidents shortly after startup.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Inspect the engine wiring harness for chafed, cracked, or repaired sections, especially near the firewall and ignition wiring; ask whether any harness work has been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I bought this car for my 17-year-old daughter for her first car. It was in mint shape with only 81,000 miles at purchase. On the date stated she went to start the car to go to work. Upon starting the car smoke immediately came from under the hood near the firewall. She shut the car off and opened the hood. There was a fire on the driver's side and rear firewall with flames and smoke coming from the engine wiring harness. She shut the hood and called the fire department. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10439212, filed 2011-12, 96,000 miles

   “On 6/12/2000, while my wife was driving our 1992 Nissan Sentra out of her company's parking lot, at 5 MPH, an odor started coming into the car through its air vent. One minute later, smoke started coming from under the left side of the hood. Within 3 minutes, she very quickly drove back to her office, raised the car's hood, and found the ignition wiring on fire. She dumped water on the fire and put it out. She then called the fire dept. To come and make sure the fire was out. The fire dept. And police both showed up. …”

   NHTSA complaint #727521, filed 2000-08
2. 2
   Seat belts

   Seat belts lock up, won't retract, or come unbuckled

   • 7 complaints (11%)
   • typically at 4.0 yrs old
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–1999

   Owners report front seat belts that tighten and will not loosen again, retractors that fail to pull the belt back, and buckles that unlatch or come undone while driving; one report mentions a false seat-belt warning light. In one case a dealer repaired the belt repeatedly without a lasting fix, and another owner was told to contact the manufacturer. The sample gives no mileage for these reports; they were filed from the mid-1990s onward on vehicles of varying age.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Pull each belt out fully and let it retract, check that it locks under a sharp tug, and confirm the buckle latches and holds; ask whether the belts or retractors have been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving a deer jumped in front of vehicle, causing the vehicle to hit the deer. Seat belt did lock nor retract. Also front driver seat belt will not retract properly. Dealer/manufacturer. Were not notified.”

   NHTSA complaint #829933, filed 1998-11

   “Both front seat belts are not operating like they should. When the belt retracts it tightens up around both front passengers and they will not retract back in place to loosen up.”

   NHTSA complaint #808823, filed 1997-02
3. 3
   Engine cooling

   Engine cuts out or stalls while driving

   • 6 complaints (10%)
   • typically at 8.0 yrs old
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2016

   Complaints describe the engine dying without warning while driving, sometimes at a stop or in traffic, and in one case while warming up in the morning with repeated accelerator pumping needed to restart. One dealer could not reproduce the stalling. Another owner was told a fuel injector in the third cylinder was faulty, and one report describes a strong odor and dizziness while driving. Reported at varying mileage; several complaints describe the problem recurring and being worse in cold weather or at low speeds.

   What to check: Ask about any history of stalling or hard starting and whether fuel injection or ignition components were diagnosed; a test drive that includes cold start, idle, and a stop-and-go stretch is worth doing.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When warming up in the morning it cuts out and I would have to pump it several times to get it running. I was at a busy intersection and I stepped on the accelerator and it died almost in the middle of the intersection. This happen to my wife also.”

   NHTSA complaint #705960, filed 1999-04

   “On november 11, 1998 my daughter was driving south on interstate 57 by askum, il. Going 65 MPH. She claims the engine lost power and she had to naviage the car to the side of the road to avoid being rear ended by oncoming traffic. The car lost all power and would not restart. She got out of the car and looked under the hood. She was crying and cut herself lifting up the hood. She saw lots of gray smoke coming from the engine and got back in the car and phoned me on a cellular. I told her to call 911 and I also called them. …”

   NHTSA complaint #703211, filed 1999-02
4. 4
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Five-speed pops out of gear; automatic fails to upshift

   • 9 complaints (15%)
   • typically at 7.3 yrs old
   • filed 1997–2000

   Owners of manual cars describe fifth gear popping into neutral on its own, often at highway speed with cruise control engaged, making the engine rev; one dealer said the transmission needed overhauling and that the linkage could not be adjusted. Automatic owners report that after warming up the transmission stops upshifting into overdrive, plus whining, fluid leaks, and loss of power on acceleration. Reports appear at highway speeds for the manual gear issue, and after roughly 30 minutes of driving once warm for the automatic upshift problem.

   What to check: On a manual, hold fifth gear at steady highway speed and see whether it stays engaged; on an automatic, drive long enough to fully warm up and confirm it shifts into overdrive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Without warning the 5th gear pops out of gear and into neutral, causing the engine to rev. This first happened to me when I was traveling at approximtely 60 m.p.h., with the cruise control engaged.”

   NHTSA complaint #715855, filed 1999-12

   “#1: I have a Nissan Sentra 92 model with automatic transmission. When I first start to drive it when its cold, the transmission runs just fine. It upshifts normally as it should all the way up to overdrive (4th gear) for normal highway speed. However, after Ive driven it for about 30 minutes in stop-&-go traffic or when it has been driven at highway speeds (40-65 MPH) & made several stops in traffic (I.e.: it has warmed-up) the transmission would fail to upshift above the 3rd & 4th gear (overdrive). …”

   NHTSA complaint #733298, filed 2000-10

Buying note. On a car this old, the most useful pre-purchase steps are a close look at the engine wiring harness and a full function check of the seat belts, since both come up repeatedly in owner reports. Have a mechanic check for stalling and transmission behavior on a cold start and a fully warmed-up drive before deciding.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 33 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.