2016 Nissan Sentra Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2016 Sentra most often describe transmission trouble with the continuously variable transmission (CVT): the engine revs rise while the car slows, the vehicle hesitates or stalls, and in many cases dealers said the transmission needed replacement. Reports of this kind cluster at higher mileage, often above 70,000, and complaints describe them arriving gradually before a sudden loss of power. A second, smaller group covers electrical problems such as no-start conditions, plus brake-light switch and air bag recall work.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   CVT slipping, revving and stalling (transmission)

   • 141 complaints (52%)
   • median 80,000 mi at 4.1 yrs old (77 state mileage)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $4,500 (median of 11 quotes)
   • filed 2017–2026

   Owners describe the engine revving up while the car fails to gain or hold speed, jerking or shuddering under acceleration, and stalling at lights or on the highway. Many say dealers diagnosed a failed continuously variable transmission and quoted a replacement; some report the dealer could not duplicate the fault because no trouble code was stored. Several mention being told their vehicle was outside a warranty extension or not covered by an existing recall by VIN. Mostly reported between roughly 55,000 and 125,000 miles, often during highway driving, uphill, or when pulling away from a stop; some reports come in well under 60,000 miles.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: On a test drive, accelerate from a stop and at highway speed and watch whether engine revs climb without matching road speed, and feel for shudder or hesitation. Ask for transmission service records and whether any CVT warranty extension or reprogramming was applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2016 Nissan Sentra driving in the highway especially, I will have the RPM jump from 2 to 4.5 when driving with cruise control on at 73mph, I lose power and drop to 55-60mph. I depress the gas to bring it back up to speed and the car will jerk and shake before I am able to gain a safe speed again. There is times when I have to pull over, rest for a few minutes and restart my car to get to my destination. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11350715, filed 2020-08, 111,967 miles

   “The CVT in the transmission is failing. When I was driving on the interstate I tried to go 75 and my vehicle would not get up to such speed leading me to drive under 60 until I made it to the nearest exit. When stop my car smelt as if it was a burning smell coming through my vents and under my hood. I then stopped so my car could cool for about a hr then proceed driving home during 40 in the slow lane back home. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11363491, filed 2020-10, 91,000 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Hard starting or no-start, warning lights

   Mentioned in 7 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe the car failing to start or being difficult to start, sometimes with the instrument panel going blank and various warning lights on. Owners report jump-starts, battery replacement that did not resolve it, and dealers diagnosing items such as a brake-light switch or key-authentication problems. In some cases the vehicle was at the dealer for extended periods without a clear fix. Reported across a wide mileage range, from very low mileage to over 100,000, with no single pattern in the complaints.

   Recall 21V135000Recall 16V4850006 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the brake-light switch recall (21V135000) was performed and whether the battery and key fobs have been tested. Start the car cold and hot during the test drive and confirm all warning lights go out.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I am having issues with my car not starting. I see so many other people are having this same problem. I have had this happen to me several times within a month and a half. I go outside to get in my var and it will not start. I have to get jumps and after several times it will start. All other lights be on the car just won't start. Got a new battery from Nissan on thursday oct 8th and still having the same issue as well as a whinning noise coming from under the hood when the cat has not even been driven. We need some help. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11363832, filed 2020-10, 60,000 miles

   “Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2016 Niss. The contact stated that they discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale/dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 107,242. It was later discovered upon checking Carfax, that the mileage was 149,244.”

   NHTSA complaint #11741557, filed 2026-06, 149,244 miles
3. 3
   Brakes

   Brake-light switch fault and repeat failure

   • 17 complaints (6%)
   • median 52,000 mi at 3.6 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2016–2026

   Owners report trouble starting the car that traces to a failed brake-light switch, including cases where the part was replaced under recall but the failure returned. Complaints also describe brake pedal or braking concerns during driving, and one describes a pedal that did not operate in a crash. Some owners say the dealer declined further work or that the VIN was not covered. Spanning roughly 40,000 to 150,000 miles in the sample, with no clear mileage window.

   Recall 21V135000

   What to check: Confirm brake lights illuminate when the pedal is pressed and that the car starts reliably. Ask for the recall repair record and whether the switch has been replaced more than once.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Car started struggling when going at higher speed above 60 MPH especifically when going uphill even if its a small hill on the freeway also when going down hill seems like something is also wrong with the brakes and makes weird sounds almost like the brakes dont want to stop the car took to a mechanic but no warnings come up and seems to be transmission which I did get a notice through mail that their could be possible recall for transmission. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11340424, filed 2020-07, 80,000 miles

   “The contact's son owned a 2016 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an unknown speed, the brake pedal was depressed and failed to operate causing the vehicle to crash into another vehicle. A police report was filed. The contact mentioned that her son sustained bruised chest and the driver from the other vehicle sustained rib inquiries that needed medical attention. The vehicle was destroyed. The vehicle was towed to the tow lot. The dealer was not contacted. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11440186, filed 2021-11, 100,000 miles
4. 4
   Other or unknown

   Paint peeling on roof, hood and quarter panels

   Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe paint lifting and peeling near the top of the windshield, on the hood, and inside the quarter panels near the trunk lid, in some cases on a three-stage white finish. Complaints say the peeling progressed on a vehicle that was only a few years old. Reported in the sample around 80,000 miles, on vehicles roughly four to five years old.

   What to check: Inspect the roof edges, hood front, and trunk seams in daylight for lifting or blistering paint, and ask whether any panels have been repainted.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The paint on the roof, hood, and both left and right quarter panels of the vehicle is starting to come off towards the front of the roof nearest to the top of the windshield, the inside of the quarter panels closets to the trunk lid, and the front top part of the hood. Qm1 I think is the paint code. It's a 3-stage white. I don't believe the paint is supposed to already be peeling off of a 2016 vehicle. I have more photos if necessary.”

   NHTSA complaint #11299022, filed 2020-01, 83,000 miles

   “Brought this 2016 in april of 2020, after I initially drove it , my daughter took over driving it since I'm a disabled veteran. My fiance drove the vehicle in june and realized it was a different feeling with the car . Took it to the shop and they replaced two front tires and perform a tune up . My young daughter pick it from the shop and went off to college in baltimore,maryland. She returned to palm beach in september .after she got home , the car just cut off in the middle of the road unexpected. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11355274, filed 2020-09, 93,300 miles

Buying note. The transmission is the main thing to evaluate on this model year: test it thoroughly at low and highway speeds and ask for service history and any warranty-extension or reprogramming records. Also confirm all open recalls were completed by VIN before purchase.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 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.