Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1998 Nissan Sentra, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags15
- Visibility13
- Service brakes, hydraulic6
- Vehicle speed control6
- Suspension4
- Engine and engine cooling4
- Electrical system3
- Structure3
- Tires3
- Seat belts2
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 13 injuries and 1 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 13 1998 Sentra vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 8 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1998 Nissan Sentra failed the safety check 2.05% of the time — 20% more often than the average 1998 passenger car (1.71%). Median odometer at inspection: 97,861 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In New Zealand
201 1998 cars are on the New Zealand register; 0% arrived as used imports, 98% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 8.1–8.8 L/100 km (about 27–29 mpg US), CO₂ 186–202 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sentra/200SX · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 9.3 | 6.7 | 8.1 |
| Sentra/200SX · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 10.1 | 7.2 | 8.8 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 1998 Nissan Sentra.
| 1998093 12 May 1998 | Visual System WATER COULD ENTER AND DISPLACE THE GREASE IN THE WIPER ARM LINKAGE BALL JOINT WHERE THE WIPER LINKAGE ATTACHES TO THE WIPER MOTOR LINKAGE. THIS COULD RESULT IN … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. WATER CAN ENTER AND DISPLACE THE GREASE IN THE WIPER ARM LINKAGE BALL JOINT WHERE THE WIPER LINKAGE ATTACHES TO THE WIPER MOTOR LINKAGE.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Nissan told its dealers about the 1998 Nissan Sentra: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 632164 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISED THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR (TPS) ADJUSTMENT PROCEDURE. *TT |
| 631971 | INFORMATION ON NISSAN REVISED TPS ADJUSTMENT PROCDURE. *SLC |
| 631766 | INFORMATION REGARDING ESSENTIAL TOOL: THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR TEST CONNECTOR. *SLC |
| 631760 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISED MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES. *SLC |
| 629210 | SEAT BELT LATCH PLATE RETAINING BUTTON MISSING. *TT |
| 624064 | SUBJECT PERTAINING TO REVISED MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES.*JB |
| 613480 | INFORMATION REGARDING KEYLESS REMOTE ENTRY PROGRAMMING. *TT |
| 609957 | SUBJECT REGARDING A HARD TO START ENGINE DURING HIGH ALTITUDE AND LOW AMBIENT TEMPERATURES CONDITION. *TT |
| 6092407 | VOLUNTARY SAFETY RECALL CAMPAIGN FOR POTENTIAL OF WATER ENTERING WIPER ARM LINKAGE BALL JOINT, RESULTING GRADUAL WEAR INSIDE THE JOINT AND CAUSING THE WIPERS TO STOP WORKING WHILE THEY ARE BEING USED WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. *TT |
| 607942 | VEHICLES WITHIN CERTAIN VIN RANGES MAY EXHIBIT A HORN THAT ACTIVATES RANDOMLY. *TT |
| 607626 | CONCERNS WITH THE FRONT SEAT BELT LATCH PLATE STOPPER BUTTON MISSING. *TT |
| 606571 | INFORMATION REGARDING THE AIR CONDITIONING (A/C) HIGH PRESSURE HOSE SERVICE CAMPAIGN. *TT |
| 606243 | INFORMATION REGARDING KEYLESS REMOTE ENTRY PROGRAMMING. *TT |
| 605048 | VEHICLES WITHIN CERTAIN VIN RANGES MAY EXHIBIT A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ON AND DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0300 STORED. *TT |
| 604788 | SERVICE MANUAL PROCEDURE CHANGE FOR REAR OXYGEN SENSOR DTC(S) P0137, P0138, P0139, P0140, P0141 AND THREE-WAY CATALYST DTC P0420. *TT |
| 604411 | VEHICLE WITHIN VARIOUS VIN RANGES MAY EXHIBIT MISFIRE OR RUNNING ROUGHLY DUE TO SPARK PLUG WIRE(S). *TT |
| 603937 | A REVISED SERVICE PROCEDURE FOR THE ENGINE FRONT COVER / TIMING CHAIN HAS BEEN ADOPTED FOR THE GA16DE. *YC |
| 602602 | SOME VEHICLES ENGINE HAS A MIL 'ON' WITH REAR OXYGEN SENSOR DTC P0137 (MINIMUM VOLTAGE MONITORING) (REAR HO2S) STORED IN THE ECM, USE THE FOLLOWING SERVICE PROCEDURE TO RESOLVE THE INCIDENT. *YC |
| 602099 | VEHICLE WITH (MIL) MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ON AND (DTC) DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0505 STIRED UB ECM. *YC |
| 601723 | VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN ON ENGINE MOUNT REPLACEMENT. *YC |
| 54276 | CONCERNS OF FLAPPER VALVE DELETED FROM FUEL FILLER NECK. *YC |
| 10243708 | DIAGNOSIS OF VEHICLE PULL (DRIFT) AND/OR STEERING WHEEL OFF-CENTER This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
| 10239062 | SILICONE-BASED LUBRICANT OR GREASE CAN DAMAGE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SERVICE INFORMATION Do not apply Silicone-based lubricants or grease to, or around, any interior electrical components. To avoid the risk of death or severe personal injury, do not directly spray Silicone-based lubricant or grease, or inadvertently overspray Silicone-based lubricant or grease onto any interior electrical components. These types of lubricants can be detrimental to the proper operation of electrical components. |
| 10239060 | 12 VOLT BATTERY TESTING FOR IN-SERVICE VEHICLES SERVICE INFORMATION The following Service Information lists NNA procedural recommendations for establishing good connections while performing 12V battery testing. These recommendations are expected to promote uniformity during the connection process, therefore reducing the number of incorrect Test with DCA and Replace results. HINT: If 12 volt batteries are allowed to discharge for a prolonged period of time, battery life may be drastically reduced. This condition may lead to premature battery replacement and customer dissatisfaction. |
| 10235729 | RADIO INTERMITTENTLY REBOOTS DURING AUDIO PLAYBACK VIA BLUETOOTH CONNECTED IPHONE This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)