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2018 Nissan Sentra: Problems, Recalls and MPG

What this means

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2018 Nissan Sentra, most recently filed March 2021. Owners have filed 185 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the power train. In NHTSA crash tests it earned 4 stars overall.

Data summary generated from official records. Methodology Data: NHTSA, DOT, EPA · Refreshed Oct 6, 2026
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Recalls (2)

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2018 Nissan Sentra. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗

Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.

Check on NHTSA ↗
Listed for 2018 Nissan Sentra. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 21V135000 Filed Mar 3, 2021

Brake Lights May Not Illuminate

Exterior lighting · brake lights · switch
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2016-2019 Nissan Sentra vehicles. The brake light switch may become contaminated, preventing the circuit from closing and the brake lights from illuminating.
Consequence
The brake lights may not illuminate, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the brake light switch and install a protective grommet, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 1, 2022. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800867-7769. Nissan's number for this recall is PM971.
60.6% repairedof 807,376 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 21V135000
Listed for 2018 Nissan Sentra. Not checked against your VIN.
Recall 19V654000 Filed Sep 12, 2019

No Back-Up Camera Display Image/FMVSS 111

Back over prevention · sensing system · camera
Official NHTSA text
Summary
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Consequence
The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.
80.4% repairedof 1,228,830 vehicles
Manufacturer report to NHTSA · Source: US DOT recall completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026
Check your VIN on NHTSA or ask a dealer to check campaign 19V654000

PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.

Owner complaints (185)

185 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The power train is mentioned most often.

17involved a crash
3involved a fire
10injuries reported
1deaths reported

As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.

Most-reported components

Complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Nissan Sentra, by component (top 10). One complaint can list several components, so these add up to more than 185.Source: NHTSA ODI owner complaints · Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 · Report a data error

How 2018 compares with other Sentra years

Best and worst Sentra years →
2014201520162017201820192020202120222023
This year (2018)Other yearsStill collecting reports

Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Crash tests: 4 stars overall

Overall★★★★☆
Frontal crashDriver 4★ · Passenger 4★★★★★☆
Side crashDriver 5★ · Passenger 5★★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
RolloverRollover risk 11.8%★★★★☆
Front seat of a modern car with the seat belt buckled across the passenger seat
Compare fairly. Compare stars only between vehicles of similar size and weight. Ratings apply to the tested configuration.

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2018 Nissan Sentra 4 dr fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Fuel economy: up to 32 mpg combined

32
mpg combined
29
city
37
highway
EPA annual fuel cost
$2,100
CO₂ tailpipe
279 g/mi
EPA class
Midsize Cars

What it costs you to run

$2,041per year
$170per month
469gallons a year

Miles ÷ 32 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.

EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.

Specs by configuration

2018 Nissan Sentra configurations with EPA data
Engine · transmissionDriveCity / Hwy / CombEPA $/yrCO₂ g/mi
1.8 L 4-cyl · CVTFront-Wheel Drive29 / 37 / 32$2,100279
1.8 L 4-cyl · 6-speed manualFront-Wheel Drive27 / 35 / 30$2,250297
1.6 L 4-cyl · AV-S7 CVTFront-Wheel Drive27 / 33 / 29$2,850307
1.6 L 4-cyl · 6-speed manualFront-Wheel Drive26 / 32 / 28$2,950318
1.6 L 4-cyl · 6-speed manualFront-Wheel Drive25 / 31 / 27$3,050330
1.6 L 4-cyl · AV-S7 CVTFront-Wheel Drive25 / 30 / 27$3,050330

Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.

Used blue SUV on a sunny dealer lot with its hood open and a clipboard on the fender

Looking at a 2018 Sentra for sale?

Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.

All Sentra years

Where to next

2018 Nissan Sentra FAQ

How many recalls does the 2018 Nissan Sentra have?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns: 21V135000 (brake), 19V654000 (rear camera). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.

What are the most common 2018 Nissan Sentra problems?

Owners filed 185 complaints with NHTSA. Power train (46), Service brakes (40), Unknown or other (38) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.

What mpg does the 2018 Nissan Sentra get?

EPA rates the 1.8 L 4-cyl · CVT version at 29 city, 37 highway and 32 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.

What safety rating did the 2018 Nissan Sentra get?

NHTSA rated the 2018 Nissan Sentra 4 dr fwd 4 stars overall, with 4 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (11.8% rollover risk).

How does the 2018 Sentra compare with other years?

Among the 2014–2021 Nissan Sentra model years at least five years old, the 2021 drew the fewest complaints (132) and the 2014 the most (380). The 2018 drew 185. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.

How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes

Processing

  • Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
  • Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.

Limitations

  • Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
  • Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
  • Recent model years are still collecting reports.

Review

Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.

Changelog

  • 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.
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