The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,504.
The worst 2012 Nissan Sentra problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Transmission68
- Engine40
- Acceleration22
- Airbags20
- Body17
- Electrical13
- Visibility11
- Fuel system10
- Steering9
- Brakes7
- Suspension6
- Driver assistance4
- Wheels3
- Locks2
- Tires2
- Lights1
- Seat belts1
- Seats1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2012 Nissan Sentra
CVT failure 25Transmission failure 20Check engine light 18Loss of power 16Won't shift 10Sunroof shattered 10Jerking 9Stalling 8Airbag light 6Harsh shifting 6No deployment 5Power steering loss 5
Trouble codes owners of the 2012 Nissan Sentra mention
P0744 4P1722 3P1778 2
Recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Technical service bulletins for the 2012 Nissan Sentra 108
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Wiring harness repair information
- Certification label and VIN plate replacement service information
- CAN communication codes – diagnostic tips and guidelines
- CAN communication – network diagnostic flow chart
- Vehicle key not detected / authenticated, engine will not start
- Windshield cracking
- Removing foreign material from the window glass
- Window glass warranty information
- Diagnosis of vehicle pull (DRIFT) and/or steering wheel off-center
- 12 volt battery testing for in-service vehicles service information
2012 Nissan Sentra fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4‑cyl | FWD | 24-26 | 30-34 | 26-29 |
| 2.5L 4‑cyl | FWD | 21-23 | 28-30 | 24-26 |
What 2012 Nissan Sentra owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
My ABS light and skid light is staying on all the time.
The contact owned a 2012 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while her boyfriend was driving at 40 MPH and passing a side street, another driver traveling in a Subaru failed to yield. As a result, the Subaru collided with the passenger side of the contact's vehicle sending the vehicle careening off the roadway and into a wooded area only coming to a complete stop after colliding with a tree. The air bags did not deploy resulting in the driver sustaining injuries that the contact attributed to the failure. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss by the insurance provider. A police report was filed and injuries were reported. The driver was transported to an area hospital by EMT and treated for bruised ribs and pain in his neck, chest, back, abdomen, and knees. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
car stalled no power in gas pedal traveling across for lane traffic just lost power to the gas pedal. was able to pull over and tuned off car after a few minutes of sitting power was restore and was able to drive again I have been told this is a transmission issue I am not sure but defiantly a safety issue losing power like that
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to turn on the headlights, the air bags deployed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to Special Coverage Adjustment: 23520 Passenger Presence Sensor (PPS) Module; however, the VIN was not included in the Special Coverage Adjustment. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 174,000.
The rearview mirror fell off the windshield and was hanging by the wires, which was found when entering the vehicle to drive; when touched, the wires and everything fell the rest off the way off the windshield. Glass from the windshield broke off with the rearview mirror. This was hazardous to be missing while driving and has prevented visibility and impacted safety. A mechanic is repairing the vehicle and has never seen anything like this issue, but upon looking up this specific problem, it appears many Nissan Sentra owners have experienced the same issue.
Our nissan Sentra with 106K miles the car lost nearly all power as my son was turning onto the freeway. He could only drive 16 miles an hour and it was hopping and jumping through a 8 lane freeway/highway intersection while he tried to get into a parking lot off the road. He turned it off, waited 5 minutes, and turned it back on, but it was still slowly hopping and jumping. After another 10 minutes my husband drove it for about 10 minutes and it operated normally. This same behavior happened in 2019 with 82k miles at a large intersection. It suddenly lost power and slowly hopped through the intersection. At 60k the cruise control buttons on the steering wheel quit working. When we asked the Nissan Dealership about it, we were told that was typical and it would slowly lose all the functionality of the steering wheel controls. All the functionality was gone by 70k miles. We have learned that Nissan's transmissions are very problematic and these situations are typical as you get closer to 120k miles. We planned to have this car for several more years. If we sell it and buy a different car we are out several thousand dollars or if we keep it we will likely have to pay for a new transmission also several thousand dollars.
Leaking transmission oil. Also burning engine oil a week after doing an oil change to the point there is no oil but no leaks.
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled and, on several occasions, and the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who replaced the ignition switch, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was later taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the ignition switch needed to be replaced a second time. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 79,000.
******* delete voq ******* this complaint is being marked for deletion because it is an inadvertent duplicate of odi# 11502677*djr ******* delete voq *******
Compare the 2012 Nissan Sentra
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Other model years
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Questions about the 2012 Nissan Sentra
Is the 2012 Nissan Sentra reliable?
Owners have filed 180 complaints about the 2012 Nissan Sentra, close to a typical Sentra model year.
What is the 2012 Nissan Sentra year score?
The 2012 Nissan Sentra scores 75 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Nissan Sentra: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Nissan Sentra?
Transmission and drivetrain, with 68 complaints, typically around 71,000 miles. Next is engine (40).
How many recalls does the 2012 Nissan Sentra have?
No recalls on record.
What year does the Nissan Sentra have bad transmission?
The Nissan Sentra model years with the most transmission complaints are 2013 (311 complaints), 2014 (183 complaints) and 2015 (173 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2012 Nissan Sentra get?
Official estimates for the 2012 Nissan Sentra range from 24 to 29 mpg combined. The most efficient version (2.0L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 24-26 city and 30-34 highway.
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