2002 Nissan Sentra Power Train
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN SENTRA. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION AND THE RPMS WOULD NOT INCREASE OVER 1,000. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE DEALER STATED THAT A NEW RPM WAS NEEDED INSTEAD OF REPROGRAMMING THE CURRENT ONE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH THE IGNITION TURNED OFF, THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY ROLLED AWAY AND CRASHED INTO A POLE. AN OCCUPANT WAS PRESENT IN THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED BUT WAS NOT INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 186,385.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACTED STATED THAT WHEN IDLING AT A STOP LIGHT, THE ENGINE WOULD SUDDENLY STALL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE AND THE DEALER REPAIRED THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT LATER WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WAS REPAIRED A SECOND TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 161,000.
LOSS OF POWER IN REVERSE AND ALL UPSHIFTING. *TR
DT: CONTACT STATED TRANSMISSION FELL APART AT 38,456 MILES, AND THE SECOND ONE FELL APART A T39,007 MILES. CONTACT TALKED TO THE DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION . BUT HE SAID THEY WOULD ONLY PUT REBUILT PARTS INTO IT. CONTACT WOULD LIKE A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE FIRST ONE WAS PUT IN ON 7-1-05. SHE ASSUMED THE FIRST TRANSMISSION WAS NOT PUT TOGETHER CORRECTLY, AND THE SECOND ONE WAS REPLACED WITH REBUILT PARTS ON 7-26-05. *AK
MY TRANSMISSION IS TERRIBLE. I CAN'T GET INTO REVERSE. IT IS CLUNKY. THAT'S WHY THEY CHANGED IT FOR 2004. IT ALWAYS POPS OUT OF GEAR. IF I TAKE IT TO THE DEALER, THEY'LL JUST TELL ME IT'S MY DRIVING LIKE THE OTHER 1000 PEOPLE OUT THERE I GUESS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. IT NEEDS TO RECALLED AND REPLACED WITH THE 04 TRANSMISSION. THIS IS RIDICULOUS.*AK
TRANSMISSION GRINDING NOISE GOING INTO 3RD GEAR. CLUNK NOISE FROM LEFT FRONT SUSPENSION. *AK
TRANSMISSION IS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT INTO 2ND AND 3RD GEAR. THE SITUATION IS WORSE ON COLD MORNINGS, EVEN AFTER LETTING THE CAR WARM UP, AS SUGGESTED BY DEALER. AT TIMES, AFTER VECHICLE IS MOVING THE GEAR SELECTOR CAN NOT BE PLACED IN NEXT GEAR, CAUSING VECHICLE TO ROLL DOWN STREET UNDER NO POWER UNTIL THE GEAR LEVER WILL ENGAGE.*AK
WHILE BRAKING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON SIX OCCASIONS. *JB *CB *NLM
1. INTERMITTENT MANUAL TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS SINCE CAR PURCHASED NEW. GEARS GRIND, REFUSE TO GO INTO PROPER GEAR, POP OUT OF GEAR (WHEN DRIVING!) PROBLEMS ARE NOT CONTINUAL, BUT DO SEEM TO BE INCREASING. DEALER TELLS US THERE IS NO PROBLEM, AS IT CANNOT BE REPLICATED.. CAR REFUSED TO START ON ONE OCCASION, TOWED TO DEALER, WHERE IT "STARTED UP RIGHT AWAY." PROBLEM HAS NOT RECURRED SINCE.*AK
THE TRANSMISSION (6SPD OF THE SPEC V MODEL) IS DEFECTIVE. 3RD GEAR SYNCHROS GO BAD, SHIFTING FEEL CLUNKY/KNOTCHY TO WHERE ITS HARD TO GET IN GEAR ESPECIALLY WHEN ITS COLD. TOOK IT IN THE FIRST TIME ON 3/26/02 AND THEY DECIDED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. DEALER PULLED TRANSMISSION 1. WITHOUT DISCUSSING IT WITH ME AND 2. WITHOUT HAVING THE PART IN STOCK. TOOK 2 WEEKS TO GET THE NEW TRANSMISSION IN WHICH IF WE HADNT FOUGHT WITH THEM THEY WERENT PLANNING ON GIVING US A RENTAL. NOW IM TAKING IT IN AGAIN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. GRINDING AS IT GOES INTO 3RD. THIS TIME THEY SAY THEY ARE REPLACING IT WITH A 2003 TRANSMISSION AND IT SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. SO APPARENTLY NISSAN IS AWARE OF THE DEFECT. SINCE ITS ON 2 OCCASION I WILL PUT THE LATER DATE. THE FIRST TIME IT WAS TAKEN IN 3/26/02 AND REPLACED 4/11/02 AND NOW IM TAKING IT BACK IN ON 4/30/03 TO BE FIXED AGAIN
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2002 Nissan Sentra has 11 Power Train complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.