2011 Nissan Sentra: jerking or lurching

Filed May 22, 2025 · Engine · VA

To Whom It May Concern, I’m writing to express my deep frustration and disappointment with Nissan over the CVT failure in my 2011 Nissan Sentra. There are no active recalls listed for my vehicle, yet I’m experiencing the same transmission failure thousands of others have reported—jerking, hesitation, loss of power, and check engine codes P1778 and P0776. I purchased this car 3–4 months ago as a single mother trying to rebuild my life. I chose this vehicle specifically because I thought it would be a dependable, affordable option to get back on my feet. Instead, I’m now stuck with a car that’s barely driveable, a dangerous transmission, and no support. It feels like punishment for trying to do things the right way. I understand warranties expire, but Nissan is a million-dollar company, and the CVT transmission issues are a known and ongoing defect. You should not continue to profit while customers are left stranded and burdened with thousands in repairs due to faulty engineering. It’s not just inconvenient—it’s harmful. This kind of failure makes life significantly harder for people who are already struggling. I’ve contacted Consumer Affairs. I was disconnected mid-call and haven’t received help opening a case. I now need reliable transportation to care for my child and maintain the progress I’ve worked so hard for. I’m requesting that Nissan review this case and offer some form of goodwill assistance or reimbursement. I should not have to choose between feeding my family and fixing a transmission that should have never failed this early. Please take responsibility. Do better for the people who trusted your brand.

Filed Apr 28, 2021 · 119,850 miles · UT

I went on a road trip that was 240 miles each way. We were about half way when you began to have problems. I realized the car was having problems at that half way point because it was jerking ,clanking, stalking check engine light. My car could only go 60mph on the way home on I-15. People were flashing their lights and riding my ass. I eventually had to get off the nearest exit, in payson utah, just make sure I would be okay. Normally my car gets about 36mpg on the freeway but it was getting about 20mpg on the way home. Initially I took it to a local service mechanic shop and they changed the fluid charged me $286.00 and they recommended a transmission shop to look at the vehicle. The transmission shop mechanic diagnosed bad internal parts in the transmission. With estimated repairs of $3500.00. The car currently has been 120,140 miles. It broke down 04/18/2021

Filed Apr 29, 2020 · Brakes, Driver assistance · 10,000 miles · NC

Having issue while driving. Abs brake system light comes on and car jerks violently. Have to stop and turn off car and all lights. Push the ABS light button and start car again to repeat. Happens several times a day. Car has stopped twice on its on when this has occurred. Was driving from out of town on back roads and had to stop about every 10 minutes to stop and turn off car. Notice it was worse than before. Difference in roads from home. Roads I was on were several winding road. Did not got better even if I drove slowly.

Filed Mar 5, 2020 · Driver assistance, Electrical · 93,000 miles · IN

Like many other complaints I am reading I have had multiple times I have been driving down the road and my vdc off light will appear and my car will start jerking and have trouble accelerating, I then have to get over to the side of the road and shut my car off for a few, this luckily has only happened to me in the city as after it happened I was too worried to take it on the highway. With this many issues/complaints nissan really needs to look into this before it costs someone their life

Filed Mar 4, 2020 · Brakes, Driver assistance · 138,000 miles · IL

Purchased the vehicle in june 2016, service engine light came on in october (approximately 60,000-70,000 miles) when temp dropped below 55 degrees. Took it to a mechanic, code read p0101. Find nissan has posted a bulletin on this.followed all guidelines. He cleaned the maf sensor. Light went off. Next, day light comes back on. Go back, have sensor replaced. Light comes back on. Checks for vacuum leaks, change air filter blow out air box and surrounding components. Light still on. Take car for a diagnosis every few months to ensure its still the same thing and nothing else. No problem with cars drivability. Fast forward to 2019, vdc/ ABS lights come on. Call nissan, tell me they cant help because my car was out of warranty. Nisan has posted bulletin for this issue follow all guidelines for repairs via their bulletin, all the way down to the $700 wheel speed sensor. Lights go off. But that started a new issue. My vdc/ABS lights will spontaneously come on causing my car to jerk violently at speeds between 20-30mph (or 2,500 RPM) causing me to stop dead in traffic, park the car, take the key out (it must be out!), wait a few seconds, turn it back on. Fast forward to this week (3/2/20) my car stalls out going 70 MPH down the highway between to semis. Everything just shuts down. I literally almost died. Call nissan and they tell me, my car isn't part of the recall, outside of the warranty, nothing we can do. Go to nissan dealer. They want to charge $150 to diagnose. So I went elsewhere, got it diagnosed for free had maf cleaned, new air filter, codes reset. Light goes off. Driving home, car stalls again at 70 MPH. No lights on dash. Have codes read immediately, no codes. Nothing. Wake up, drive to school, service engine light comes on, immediately stalls on highway. Immediately have does read: three p0101 codes in row. I literally fear for my life and have no other choice.

Filed Jul 11, 2019 · Driver assistance, Fuel system · 115,000 miles · WI

On june 18 2019 I was driving 55 MPH on the belt line in madison, wi. With my newborn daughter. When all of a sudden the car started lurching, I had no control. In heavy traffic I was afraid of causing in accident. The brakes were hard and if I pushed on the gas it started lurching out of control. I was finally able to pullover and noticed the voc light was on. I pushed the voc button to turn it off. But it wouldn't turn off. I called my father larry. He told me to turn off the car wait a minute. Turn it back on. To see if the voc would reset. It did reset. The problem continues I taken my car into different locations for inspection. I see a lot of people have the same problem on this website. However my car does not fall into the recall. Why? It affects steering (lack of) brakes (non existent) gas (causes lurching). Very dangerous for me & my newborn. Not to mention those around me. My car has 115,000 miles.

Filed Apr 17, 2019 · 103,000 miles · AR

Check engine light is on, when I accelerated on the gas it the car started to jerk and it wouldn't let me get past 40 MPH. After I stopped at a stop sign, the car would not move faster than 20 MPH before it started jerking. I called a mcclarty nissan dealership in north little rock and they told me that the recall listed on this website did not affect my car even though your website does when I look it up by the VIN like they did.

Filed Mar 13, 2019 · Driver assistance · 126,500 miles · KS

I'm driving normal on the road with no condensation on roadway, when all of a sudden the "vdc off" indicator light is illuminated and the car looses speed and jerks. I pull off to the side of road. Turn car completely off. Wait a few minutes to turn car back on. Car may operate normally for a few minutes and then again the "vdc off" light is back along with the jerking. I can be either on the highway (which is extremely dangerous) or driving on the city streets. When I am stopped at a stop light, stop sign or even backing out my driveway I am having issues with the "vdc off". When I am stationary after turning my car off and back on again, sometime it is still on and thecrpm is revving up and down. My foot is neither on the brake or the gas pedal. This last time 3/11/2019. It has been doing this off and on starting since january 2019.

Filed May 21, 2018 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · 10,000 miles · FL

At random times the vdc off indicator will turn on while driving. It can not be turned off and it is impossible for your car to go over 40 MPH without constant jerking. You have to pull over, shut down and restart your car multiple times until the indicator doesn't come back on. Some times this is impossible and will never go away until car has been shut off for an hour or so. This can occur at any time when the car is in motion or even at a stop light, the indicator will come on and the jerking will begin. Very dangerous.

Filed Apr 26, 2018 · Engine · 95,000 miles · GA

The transmission is slipping, jerks, and hesitate when accelerating. The RPM jumping up and down what is going on had to take it to the dealership before about the whining noise and the RPM...

Filed Mar 21, 2018 · CT

About a couple months after I purchased the car a service engine soon light started to turn on and off, so I took it to get checked at auto zone. They then told me that it was a sensor or spark plug. The light went off but then about a year later I was driving and a vdc off light along with a traction light came on while I was driving, causing the car to jerk so much that I have to pull over and shut it off for a few minutes. When I turn the car back on it gone. I started to search for similar issues to see if any other nissan like mine were having this problem, and found that this is a common issue . I checked to see if there was any recalls which there isn't but one of the recalls you have listed, has similar problems to which im having. It's now to the point when I put my car in reverse for some reason it shuts off or if I brake to much the issue worsens. Please help!

Filed Jan 18, 2012 · Transmission · 12,000 miles · CA

The following problem with the car can potentially cause bodily injury. Please record and compare with similar complaints. When the vehicle is warmed up (after about 20 minutes of driving) and the gas pedal is pressed genteelly, it experiences severe rocking back and forth motion during the driving. It unexpectedly accelerates and then unexpectedly decelerates, occasionally to almost complete stop, repeatedly. The tachometer reading will suddenly jump to above 3000 RPM and swiftly jump back down below 1000 --' all within 2-3 seconds. Then it returns to normal range at 1000 -1600 RPM depends on amount of gas pedal applied. The car accelerates and decelerates in sync with the RPM changes. When the car is decelerating, the car makes squeaking noise and it feels like the brakes are applied to the maximum. If the gas pedal is continuously pressed at the same level, above symptoms repeat at uneven intervals, frequently in between every 5-10 seconds. If the gas pedal is pressed more, the above symptoms get worse with larger range of RPM changes, louder noise, and more severe jerking. When the vehicle is stopped with the engine on, it is hard to start moving and accelerate -- lack of power and the RPM suddenly jumping up and down. According to the dealer, a coil inside the transmission is at fault and the connection between the engine and the transmission was assembled wrongly.