1998 Nissan Sentra Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 1998 Nissan Sentra most often describe airbags that did not deploy in collisions, followed by wiper linkages that separated and reports of unintended acceleration when braking or stopping. Many wiper complaints say the 98V093000 recall did not cover their VIN, and some acceleration complaints describe pedal placement or an engine that raced. Where recorded, sample mileage is mostly between about 60,000 and 130,000 miles, with the highest near 266,000 miles.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Airbags did not deploy in crashes

   • 12 complaints (21%)
   • median 167,601 mi at 6.3 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 12 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2005

   Owners describe collisions, often at about 30 to 40 mph, in which the frontal airbags did not deploy, including head-on, rear-end, and rollover crashes. Some report injuries from the seat belt or from being thrown forward, and some say the dealer or manufacturer was notified without a clear answer. Some were told that the airbags may not have been supposed to deploy in a rear impact, and others say the reason was unknown. Where recorded, sample mileage is about 69,000 to about 266,000 miles, and the crashes described were mostly at about 30 to 40 mph.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the airbag warning light is on, and have a shop scan the airbag system for stored fault codes before buying. Ask for any prior crash or airbag repair records before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Driving approx 30-40mph and rear ended another car which my airbags did not deploy and my car was totalled. Reported to Nissan and nothing was done regarding it.”

   NHTSA complaint #10053084, filed 2004-01, 69,400 miles

   “I was driving down a back road and my front passenger side went off the road into the sand, causing the tie-rod to break. The car shot to the left and I hit a brim of sand and rocks causing the car to roll several times over. I was going approximately 65 MPH and the frontal airbags did not deploy.”

   NHTSA complaint #10043450, filed 2003-10
2. 2
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Wiper linkage separates, recall coverage disputed

   • 8 complaints (14%)
   • median 110,000 mi at 9.0 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2001–2008

   Owners describe the windshield wiper linkage separating at the ball joint or the wipers stopping, sometimes while driving at about 30 mph or in heavy rain. Some say the linkage was replaced but separated again, and others say a dealer sought payment for a motor on a wiper complaint. Many say the 98V093000 wiper recall was not applied to their vehicle because the dealer or manufacturer said the VIN was excluded, and some describe water getting into the ball joint. Sample mileage is about 69,000 to about 127,000 miles where recorded, and some failures happened while driving at about 30 mph or in heavy rain.

   Recall 98V093000

   What to check: Ask whether the 98V093000 wiper linkage recall has been checked against the VIN, and inspect the linkage ball joint and wiper motor for play or separation. During a drive in light rain, run the wipers at each speed to confirm they work smoothly.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Windshield wipers stopped working. It seems to be part of the recall that is part of this make and model, however, Nissan claims that while my car is the same make, model, year of recall, and falls within the affected vins that my car is not involved...”

   NHTSA complaint #10213478, filed 2008-01, 120,000 miles

   “My wipers have never worked properly. The other day, they completely stopped working. I checked online, and found that my car was part of a recall. I contacted Nissan, the manufacture. At first, they said my car was affected, that they would call to make sure that my car had not already been brought in (I am the second owner). I consulted my friend, who I bought the car from. She told me that the wipers were always a little off, but that she never got notice of a recall, and never got them fixed. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10179092, filed 2007-01, 127,000 miles
3. 3
   Vehicle speed control

   Unintended acceleration when braking or stopping

   • 7 complaints (12%)
   • median 255,000 mi at 21.4 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1999–2019

   Owners describe the car accelerating unexpectedly after the brake pedal was pressed, especially when coming to a stop or going down an incline, and some say the engine raced or the car surged despite heavy brake pressure. Some say the brake and accelerator pedals are too close together, and that the dealer found nothing wrong and suggested both pedals were pressed. Some complaints describe the car running into a building or an object while parking. Sample mileage is recorded for only some of these complaints, reaching about 255,000 miles, and many events occurred while stopping, parking, or slowing.

   What to check: Ask whether any unintended acceleration complaints or service records exist for this vehicle, and check the brake and accelerator pedals for correct spacing and return. During a slow test drive in an empty area, press the brake to stop and confirm that engine speed does not increase.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Coming to a stop in a l turn lane, with foot definitely only on brake, at under 3 MPH. Just as I stopped, brake faded, engine raced, and car surged violently forward, simultaneously. I barely controlled this surge with extreme brake pressure. Event lasted approximately 5 seconds. It did not trip a trouble code, or recur. Approximately 255,000 miles on chassis. No damage, but risk of it very high. Mcgregor, texas, turning l off of us 84 eastbound onto tx 317 northbound. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11174303, filed 2019-02, 255,000 miles

   “When traveling 20-30 MPH down an incline and upon depressing the brake pedal to make a normal stop, vehicle continued to accelerate, causing unwanted acclearation, even when excessive force was applied to the brake pedal. Consumer has contacted the dealer. Dealer has yet to determine the cause of the problem. Please provide any further details.”

   NHTSA complaint #855561, filed 2000-01
4. 4
   Brakes

   Brake wear, spongy pedal, or master cylinder faults

   • 8 complaints (14%)
   • median 178,500 mi at 14.2 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2019

   Owners describe brakes that wear out quickly, with some saying brakes were replaced repeatedly, and others describe a master cylinder that did not pump fluid properly or left the ABS inactive. Some report a spongy pedal, vibration above about 40 mph, or brakes that faded during a stop. Some say the brakes were repaired more than once but the problem returned. Where recorded, sample mileage is about 102,000 to about 255,000 miles, and a complaint describes repeated brake replacement starting at about 4,800 miles after purchase.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the master cylinder, brake pads, and ABS have been replaced, and whether the brake fluid has been changed. On a test drive, check for a firm pedal, normal stopping, and no vibration or pulsing above about 40 mph.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Since purchase, brakes have required repeated replacement starting at 4,759 miles 2 1/2 months after purchase. 1998-present is the period over which this matter continues to be a problem. Date below is not specific as range cannot be input. The consumer noted that Nissan has taken every opportunity to collect payments for services, that has not corrected the faulty brake problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #10051449, filed 2004-01

   “Master cylinder was not pumping anti-lock brake fluid properly, causing brakes to fail in an emergency stopping situation. Dealer has been contacted. The customer had brakes fixed twice but failed again causing accident. Air bags also failed to deploy.”

   NHTSA complaint #864017, filed 2000-06
5. 5
   Fuel system

   Fuel system faults, smoke, and fires

   Mentioned in 4 of 46 sampled complaints

   Owners describe fuel fill problems, where the pump clicked off after less than a gallon, and a persistent gas smell attributed to a leaking canister in the fuel tank. Other complaints describe smoke and melted carpet from the exhaust area, and a fire that started at a headlight wiring short and spread to other parts of the car. According to complaints, a pressure sensor was replaced, and the owner was told only a bulletin existed and could not locate it. Where recorded, sample mileage is about 83,000 to about 116,000 miles, and some symptoms appeared at the gas pump or while driving.

   What to check: Check for any fuel smell, and ask whether the fuel tank, canister, or pressure sensor has been replaced. Look for scorched wiring or melted trim near the headlights, and ask for any exhaust or wiring repair records.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “To whom it may concern: I purchased my 1998 Nissan Sentra xe/gxe january 27, 2005, from a used auto car dealer. May 18. 2006 defect on the vehicle occurred that caused my vehicle to go up in flames and caused it to be destroyed. The fire started with the head light and leading to other parts of the motor. The fire department was called out to the scene. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10158130, filed 2006-05, 115,513 miles

   “1998 Nissan Sentra gxe would not take fuel. At the gas pump, the pump would click off, like the tank was full. It would take less than a gallon of gas at a time. I took it to be serviced and questioned if there was a recall and I was told that there was just a bulletin on it. I never located the bulletin. The pressure sensor was replaced. That part alone, was over $300. Dollars.”

   NHTSA complaint #10225362, filed 2008-04, 103,000 miles

Buying note. Because airbag non-deployment and wiper linkage separation are among the most frequent concerns, a buyer should ask for any prior crash or airbag repair records and confirm whether the wiper linkage has been replaced. A pre-purchase inspection that checks the airbag warning light, pedal spacing, and brake response in a safe area can help a buyer judge the car's current condition.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 46 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.