2021 Nissan Sentra Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2021 Sentra most often describe the automatic emergency braking system applying the brakes with nothing in front of the car, and a separate cluster of steering complaints tied to the tie-rod recalls. Electrical complaints, mostly power windows that stop working and battery drain or no-start conditions, are also frequent and often begin in the first two years. Many reports come at low mileage, while steering and electrical reports skew higher.

1. 1
   Steering

   Steering play, noise, or loss of steering (tie rods)

   • 40 complaints (30%)
   • median 33,000 mi at 1.9 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • 9 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2021–2026

   Complaints describe popping or clunking noises when turning, a steering wheel that shakes or has play, and in some cases a tie rod or related front-end part breaking and leaving the driver unable to steer. Owners also report that dealers told them recall parts were not yet available, sometimes for months, and a few say the problem returned after the recall repair. Some reports describe the tie rod failing shortly after an inspection or repair visit. Spread from under 1,000 miles to roughly 70,000 miles, with several reports in the 25,000 to 70,000 mile range.

   Recall 23V581000Recall 21V4610001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Check by VIN whether the tie-rod recalls (21V461000 and 23V581000) have been completed, and ask for the repair paperwork. Listen for popping or clunking while turning at low speed and check the steering wheel for play or vibration at highway speed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Hello, I am reporting a steering-related issue involving the inner tie rods on my 2021 Nissan Sentra. Nissan previously issued safety recall campaign PM985 for bent inner tie rods on certain Sentra vehicles from the same model year. Two separate repair facilities inspected my vehicle and confirmed problems involving the inner tie rods and steering system components. No warning lamps or dashboard messages appeared prior to the issue being identified. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11739878, filed 2026-05

   “My car has a recall for the left and/or right tie rod may be bent. A bent tie rod can break, causing a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash. I brought the car in two days prior (July 3rd) to get fixed but the dealership wasn’t allotted enough mechanics to be able to get to my car, (july 5th) I turned out of a hotel parking lot and my front left tie rod broke. The recall number for Nissan is PM985 and is supposed to be fixed by Nissan with no cost to me. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11530944, filed 2023-07
2. 2
   Forward collision avoidance

   Automatic emergency braking activates with nothing ahead

   • 32 complaints (24%)
   • median 11,382 mi at 1.2 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2021–2026

   Owners describe the car braking hard on its own at highway and city speeds when no vehicle, pedestrian, or object is in the path, sometimes with a brief warning chime or dashboard flash. Several say the dealer could not duplicate the event, and a few report a distance sensor was replaced but the braking recurred. Complaints also describe the AEB or forward-collision warning light staying on or blinking along with a system malfunction message. Often reported within the first few thousand miles, including examples under 1,000 miles and around 11,000 to 12,000 miles.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether any of the AEB/FCW service bulletins or software updates have been applied, and note whether the AEB warning light is lit. A test drive on open road at moderate speed is worth doing to see if the system intervenes without cause.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Vehicles will slams on brakes as if it is trying to avoid something in front of the vehicle. This has randomly happened several times at different driving speeds. This has been reported to dealership with no resolution because they cannot duplicate. In addition, I have had the same serious recall involving the Tie Rod for my vehicle and there is no resolution. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11548994, filed 2023-10

   “So while driving my car, no car infront of or anything running out in the road. Going 45 mph my car automatically slammed on brakes by itself. Causing the car behind me to swing around me to avoid hitting me in my rear. A similar situation happened back in May 2023 resulting me to put the car in the shop & was told it was corrected.”

   NHTSA complaint #11540158, filed 2023-08
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Power windows stop working or stick

   • 40 complaints (30%)
   • median 43,177 mi at 3.0 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2021–2026

   Owners report that the passenger and rear windows stop rolling up or down while the driver window keeps working, or that a window goes down and will not come back up. Several say the dealer looked at the car, sometimes got the window moving temporarily, and then did not complete a repair or ordered parts that did not arrive. Complaints also mention keyless start not recognizing the key fob, overnight battery drain, and infotainment reboots that blank the backup camera. Often reported within the first couple of years of ownership, from near-new to about 50,000 miles.

   Recall 23V6280004 related service bulletins

   What to check: Operate every window from both its own switch and the driver's master switch, and check whether the key fob is recognized promptly at start. Ask whether the battery has ever needed a jump after sitting overnight.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I've had multiple issues with my vehicle since I purchased the brand new car in 2021. - One year after purchase, I was left stranded when my alternator stopped working. - In 2023, I went i took my car to the Georgesville Nissan dealership in Columbus Ohio to get another key programmed. A process that should of taken one day took several weeks because my Vin# was not properly registered to my vehicle. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11675277, filed 2025-07

   “My ABS light randomly come on along side of traction control, front and rear collision assistance lights. Car has had electrical problems since I got it such as sometimes bright headlights won’t come on( they just stay on the dim regardless of what you do) the radio will just freeze and not work at all. Have to unhook the battery to get radio to even reset or even wait days for it to do it itself. DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS CAR. nothing but electrical problems since I’ve gotten it. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11603078, filed 2024-07
4. 4
   Brakes

   Brakes grab, lock, or feel weak

   • 26 complaints (20%)
   • median 14,000 mi at 1.5 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2021–2026

   Separate from the forward-collision braking, owners describe the brake pedal going to the floor with poor stopping, an emergency-brake warning light coming on, and in some accounts the brakes locking or the parking brake applying while driving. Some report the car rolled forward when the pedal was depressed and hit the vehicle in front. Dealers are described as unable to reproduce the condition in several cases. Reported across a wide mileage range, from a few thousand miles to about 25,000 miles in the sampled complaints.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test the brake pedal for a firm feel at a stop and ask whether any brake-related warning lights have appeared. Ask for service records covering brake and sensor work, and note if the parking brake has ever engaged on its own.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On 2 July 2022, I was traveling southbound on Interstate 95 in a rented 2021 Nissan Sentra. While DRIVING the brakes unexpectedly LOCKED and did NOT release, affecting the steering, and causing the vehicle to spin out in a circle across major highway lanes crashing head on into a guardrail on the left side of the interstate. This is a MAJOR SAFETY concern as when an individual is DRIVING a vehicle, they need to be able to control NOT ONLY the direction of the vehicle, but when that vehicle brakes. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11474075, filed 2022-07

   “Brake system failed. Car brake petal was all the way to the floor and grinding to stop. The car didn’t fully stop. Car has be inspected 3 times by dealership. No warning lights on. The car automatic brake goes off randomly and breaks out of no where and put me at risk with causing an accident it has been inspected by dealer as well and this continues to happen. Car jerks and looses power while drive check engine light comes on and blinks. The car has been seen twice by dealer for this issue nothing resolved. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11515711, filed 2023-04

Buying note. Check recall status by VIN for the two tie-rod campaigns and the rear camera harness campaign, and confirm which service bulletins have been applied, since owners frequently report repeat visits for the braking and window issues. A thorough test drive covering braking at highway speed, low-speed turning, and every power window will show a lot about the individual car.

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.