1992 Nissan Sentra
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Nissan › Sentra › 1992
These records cover every 1992 Nissan Sentra. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Owner complaints
62 complaints8 involved a crash15 involved a fire5 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Electronic stability control (esc) · Engine · Fuel/propulsion system
Going straight, the vehicle was starting to lose power first. Causing the engine to bottle out of control nearly crashing, luckily regaining the car's control, as the engine shut down but still had momentum, to park at a empty lot. When attempting to jump start the car (imagining the battery simply…
Going straight, the vehicle was starting to lose power first. Causing the engine to bottle out of control nearly crashing, luckily regaining the car's control, as the engine shut down but still had momentum, to park at a empty lot. When attempting to jump start the car (imagining the battery simply died) the engine was not receiving gas (even at little over half tank) and when in movement it would seem fine at rest but pressing the gas the car would move for 5 feet fine but start to thrust itself causing the car to jolt forward several time before going to a complete shut down. No push start nor jump start was successful at trying to get my family back home safely. When this wasn't enough an electrical wire short out nearly catching the car on fire. Thus ending the middle of the night with pushing the car to a home depot (luckily a county officer help push the vehicle the rest of the way). recap: axles are bad on the left side of the vehicle fuel lines are bad electrical wiring are at a highly dangerous the doors lock and unlock as they please (all this was discovered in 4 hours as the vehicle did not last long, the driver only had this car for less than 30 days. And we where not aware that this vehicle was in poor shape as the seller said it was in good condition.) this vehicle IS a death trap. thank goodness no one died.
- Air bags
I was coming back from taking my wife to work and I was getting ready to go through the green light when a car ran the red light which made me t-bone him. My airbags did not deploy, and my whole front end got pushed almost to the windshield. I had a cardiac arrest and when the ambulance got there…
I was coming back from taking my wife to work and I was getting ready to go through the green light when a car ran the red light which made me t-bone him. My airbags did not deploy, and my whole front end got pushed almost to the windshield. I had a cardiac arrest and when the ambulance got there they had to bring me back to life. I have a lot of bruising on my chest where I hit the steering wheel. I'm having problems with my knee. I've got a lot of contusions inside my body. I have a bruise where my seatbelt caught me. I was in hospital from february 12 2015 to february 16 2015. *tr
- Unknown or other
After parking the car following a brief errand, the car caught fire for no apparent reason. Although it was 20 years old, it was in good condition. The entire front of the car burned, it was totaled. It took the fire department about half an hour for the fire to be extinguished.
- Electrical system
I bought this car for my 17-year-old daughter for her first car. It was in mint shape with only 81,000 miles at purchase. On the date stated she went to start the car to go to work. Upon starting the car smoke immediately came from under the hood near the firewall. She shut the car off and opened…
I bought this car for my 17-year-old daughter for her first car. It was in mint shape with only 81,000 miles at purchase. On the date stated she went to start the car to go to work. Upon starting the car smoke immediately came from under the hood near the firewall. She shut the car off and opened the hood. there was a fire on the driver's side and rear firewall with flames and smoke coming from the engine wiring harness. She shut the hood and called the fire department. When the fire department arrived the car was still on fire and had consumed most of the engine compartment and had spread through the firewall and into the dash. The car was cold and had not been run since the previous day. after doing some research after the fire especially with reports from the nhtsa there must be a defect with the wiring harness with the sentras. Has the nhtsa investigated these claims by other people of sentra's of the same year same component catching fire? While no one was hurt in this fire I can see how this could have been devastating. The car was parked very close to my house and could easily have spread to a structure fire. Please investigate this complaint as well as any other complaints for this model car from other owners. there IS defiantly some sort of defect with the wiring harness on the sentras of this year model and a recall should have' already been called after reading all the complaints to the nhtsa. *tr
- Engine and engine cooling
TL* the contact owns a 1992 nissan sentra. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle emitted an odor that made him dizzy. The contact also stated that a doctor confirmed that carbon monoxide was inhaled during the failure. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and the manufacturer was notified. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 155,000 and the current mileage was 160,000.
- Electrical system
Parked car, smoke emerged from hood near wind screen, then paint bubbled in middle of hood. Seconds late, engine burst into flames, and car was incinerated. Prior to this, car was well maintained, housed in garage, and had just passed its tough nyc annual inspection. There was no smell of gasoline…
Parked car, smoke emerged from hood near wind screen, then paint bubbled in middle of hood. Seconds late, engine burst into flames, and car was incinerated. Prior to this, car was well maintained, housed in garage, and had just passed its tough nyc annual inspection. There was no smell of gasoline prior to blaze, and no apparent problem with the car. Vehicle was destroyed, and fire department was unable to say what caused fire. *Ak
- Service brakes, hydraulic
Brakes lock in emergency and normal braking, causing skids, 3 near-misses over the last week. *la
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
While driving and without any indication vehicle stalls. Dealer has been contacted, but can't duplicate problem. Please provide further information.*ak
- Power train › Automatic transmission · Visibility › Power window devices and controls
#1: I have a nissan sentra 92 model with automatic transmission. when I first start to drive it when its cold, the transmission runs just fine. it upshifts normally as it should all the way up to overdrive (4TH gear) for normal highway speed. however, after ive driven it for about 30 minutes…
#1: I have a nissan sentra 92 model with automatic transmission. when I first start to drive it when its cold, the transmission runs just fine. it upshifts normally as it should all the way up to overdrive (4TH gear) for normal highway speed. however, after ive driven it for about 30 minutes in stop-&-go traffic or when it has been driven at highway speeds (40-65 mph) & made several stops in traffic (i.e.: it has warmed-up) the transmission would fail to upshift above the 3RD & 4TH gear (overdrive). I would have to rev the engine rpm up to around 4,000 rpm to accelerate the car to about 40 mph and continue to rev it up to 5,000-6,000 rpm to accelerate it further to 45-60 mph. I know this IS not normal for this car because the engine has never run that high before to reach those speeds. I've always driven this car with overdrive engaged & I've never towed anything with it ever. #2:  front passenger side power window plastic assembly where the cable attaches to the regulator broke. *ak
- Service brakes, air › Antilock
Antilock brakes on 1992 sentra ser with original dunlop tires completely shut down when applied in even wet conditions. brakes will not re-engage even when transitioning onto dry pavement unless then are totally released and reapplied. there IS no braking action when these defective antilock brakes engage!
- Electrical system › Ignition
On 6/12/2000, while my wife was driving our 1992 nissan sentra out of her company's parking lot, at 5 mph, an odor started coming into the car through its air vent. one minute later, smoke started coming from under the left side of the hood. within 3 minutes, she very quickly drove back to her…
On 6/12/2000, while my wife was driving our 1992 nissan sentra out of her company's parking lot, at 5 mph, an odor started coming into the car through its air vent. one minute later, smoke started coming from under the left side of the hood. within 3 minutes, she very quickly drove back to her office, raised the car's hood, and found the ignition wiring on fire. she dumped water on the fire and put it out. she then called the fire dept. To come and make sure the fire was out. the fire dept. And police both showed up. they instructed her to have the car towed to our auto repair shop, and not to turn on the ignition switch. we did as they instructed. I came to her office and waited for the tow truck to arrive. our mechanic said that there was no outside cause for the wiring to catch fire. nothing was touching the wiring, no wires were exposed, the wiring bundle was not rubbing up against anything, and the wiring was in its original wrapped, bundled loom. he said that there was no other cause for this fire except the ignition resistor capacitor was defective from the factory, and that it failed, got hot, and burst into flames. he told me to report this incident to nhtsa as a defect in this car's wiring system. (i bought this car new, have never had any work done on any wiring, nor the ignition system, except tune-ups. the last tune-up was done on 12/15/1999, and the only thing done was new spark plugs, new distributor cap & rotor, and new pcv valve installed. the wiring has never been touched, and had no logical reason to burst into flames except for a factory defect in the wiring ignition resistor capacitor, as my mechanic has stated, in a letter to nissan motor corp., p.o. Box 191, gardena, ca., 90248.) nissan has agreed to pay half of my repair costs, since my car's 3-YR warranty has expired. they should pay the whole cost, because this part should've never failed. I filed a fire report with them, file no. Ca3175439. *Ak
- Tires
Initially, I thought this was an isolated incident. but ever since the investigation into bridgestone/firestone began, I have been thinking about what *could* have happened to my wife. she was driving the car the day the tire separated, and fortunately, it was not on the front axle. my belief…
Initially, I thought this was an isolated incident. but ever since the investigation into bridgestone/firestone began, I have been thinking about what *could* have happened to my wife. she was driving the car the day the tire separated, and fortunately, it was not on the front axle. my belief now, in light of this recent development, IS that they have been hiding information for quite a long time.( dot number: tire size: 17570r13 )
- Electrical system › Wiring › Front underhood
On 6/12/2000, while my wife was driving our 1992 nissan sentra out of her company's parking lot, at 5 mph, an odor started coming into the car through its air vent. one minute later, smoke started coming from under the left side of the hood. within 3 minutes, she very quickly drove back to her…
On 6/12/2000, while my wife was driving our 1992 nissan sentra out of her company's parking lot, at 5 mph, an odor started coming into the car through its air vent. one minute later, smoke started coming from under the left side of the hood. within 3 minutes, she very quickly drove back to her office, raised the car's hood, and found the ignition wiring on fire. she dumped water on the fire and put it out. she then called the fire dept. To come and make sure the fire was out. the fire dept. And police both showed up. they instructed her to have the car towed to our auto repair shop, and not to turn on the ignition switch. we did as they instructed. I came to her office and waited for the tow truck to arrive. our mechanic said that there was no outside cause for the wiring to catch fire. nothing was touching the wiring, no wires were exposed, the wiring bundle was not rubbing up against anything, and the wiring was in its original wrapped, bundled loom. he said that there was no other cause for this fire except the ignition resistor capacitor was defective from the factory, and that it failed, got hot, and burst into flames. he told me to report this car fire to nhtsa as a defect in this car's wiring system. (i bought this car new, have never had any work done on any wiring, nor the ignition system, except tune-ups. the last tune-up was done on 12/15/1999, and the only thing done was new spark plugs, new distributor cap & rotor, and new pcv valve installed. the wiring has never been touched, and had no logical reason to burst into flames, except for a factory defect in the wiring ignition resistor capacitor, as my mechanic has stated, in a letter to nissan motor corp., p.o. Box 191, gardena, ca., 90248.) nissan has agreed to pay half of my repair costs, since my car's 3-YR warranty has expired. they should pay the whole cost, because this part should've never failed. I filed a fire report with them, file no. Ca3175439. *ak
- Air bags › Frontal
Consumer was traveling about 50mph & another cut the consumer off. consumer ran on the outside of the embankment & rand head-on into a tree. Upon impact, airbags didn't deploy. consumer IS trying to contact the manufacturer.*ak
- Unknown or other
Paint IS fading,was informed that the manufauter used bad primer, the problem IS called delamination. was also informed the gm has repainted cars but nissan issued no such recall. as it stands right now, I have no trade in value for my car which should. No safety defect indicated in summary. *ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine
While driving on road and making a sharp turn or slowing down, vehicle will just cut off, or make a loud knocking noise when accelerating, then sound stops. if sitting at a red light or at stop sign, it vibrates very badly. took it to a local mechanic. . Dealer was told that vehicle has a bad injector inside the third cylinder. *ak
- Power train › Manual transmission · Vehicle speed control
Without warning the 5TH gear "pops"out of gear and into neutral, causing the engine to rev. this first happened to me when I was traveling at approximtely 60 m.p.h., with the cruise control engaged. *ak
- Electrical system › Wiring › Front underhood
This wiring harness appeared faulty from the factory, and it took 44000 miles for it to rub through and short out the wiring, causing the fire and engine stoppage. *ak
- Power train › Automatic transmission
The transmission won't upshift from 1ST to 2ND.
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
When warming up in the morning it cuts out and I would have to pump it several times to get it running. I was at a busy intersection and I stepped on the accelerator and it died almost in the middle of the intersection. This happen to my wife also.*ak
- Structure › Body › Trunk lid
Substantial amount of water found in trunk. no leaks are apparent. there are openings that the rear seatbelts go through. through these openings a trail of water/dirt are apparent. it seems that the water IS getting in through this area. whether it IS coming down through the rear window seal…
Substantial amount of water found in trunk. no leaks are apparent. there are openings that the rear seatbelts go through. through these openings a trail of water/dirt are apparent. it seems that the water IS getting in through this area. whether it IS coming down through the rear window seal or up from below IS indeterminable by me. the plugs have been removed from the bottom of the trunk to release the water, but this IS not a correction of the problem only a temporary solution. *ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe · Power train › Axle assembly · Seat belts › Front › Anchorage · Seats › Front assembly › Recliner · Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components · Steering › Hydraulic power assist › Pump
Brakes whine every time pedal IS pressed. Interior light stays on in automatic mode due to door being ajar, light not turning off. Seat belts in both front seats and one back seats due not stay hooked. They come undone while driving. Also, passenger seat does not always lock. It slides when someone…
Brakes whine every time pedal IS pressed. Interior light stays on in automatic mode due to door being ajar, light not turning off. Seat belts in both front seats and one back seats due not stay hooked. They come undone while driving. Also, passenger seat does not always lock. It slides when someone sits there after the seat has been lowered to allow access to back seat. Seat belt light does not always turn off, sometimes takes a few minutes, sometimes never. Also, trans axle not in all the way, and power steering return leaks . muffler brackets stretched,and not securely holding muffler (muffler broke into two pieces). car only has appx 54000 miles on it, and everything seems like it starting to fall apart. Any help or information. *ak
- Power train › Manual transmission
While driving in 5TH gear at approximately 65-70 mph,transmission downshifted. high pitched whining occurred. Transmission started leaking fluid. Seal IS broken. Unsure if trans has other problems. Only 53000 miles on car! Any help?
- Power train › Clutch assembly
When driving vehicle at any speed, vehicle lost power. when using the clutch and trying to go into another gear, the vehicle won't pick up speed. *ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system
On november 11, 1998 my daughter was driving south on interstate 57 by askum, il. Going 65 mph. She claims the engine lost power and she had to naviage the car to the side of the road to avoid being rear ended by oncoming traffic. the car lost all power and would not restart. She got out of the…
On november 11, 1998 my daughter was driving south on interstate 57 by askum, il. Going 65 mph. She claims the engine lost power and she had to naviage the car to the side of the road to avoid being rear ended by oncoming traffic. the car lost all power and would not restart. She got out of the car and looked under the hood. She was crying and cut herself lifting up the hood. she saw lots of gray smoke coming from the engine and got back in the car and phoned me on a cellular. I told her to call 911 and I also called them. the illinios state police arrived quickly and ordered a tow truck. The car never started again. It IS still sitting in my driveway and our mechanic told me this model has no indicator light to signal that it IS overheating .this causes it to overheat on the highway since most people are watching the road and not the hot/cold gauge. I feel this major flaw caused my daughter to be in grave danger and that it contributed to the car being effectively worthless at this point. I also noted in the "owner's manual on page 5-8 that the manufacturer addresses options " if you feel a lack of engine power "or your car overheats. This would indicate to me that this model has a history of loss of engine power and overheating. despite the car's history the manufacturer never put an indicator light to designate that the car IS overheating putting drivers on the expressway in grave danger of major accidents.
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Stalling
There is no summary currently available
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10243708DIAGNOSIS 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.
- 10239062SILICONE-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.
- 1023906012 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. IMPORTANT: CPX-900 is now an accepted testing tool to use along with or in place of the DSS-5000 CPX-900 operating instructions are found at: https://nissancpx900.midtronics.com/ DSS-5000 operating instructions are found at: https://nissandss5000.midtronics.com/ DCA-8000 is now a required testing tool to be used for all warranty replacement decisions. The DCA-8000 is also a more efficient charger than previously available, and will charge any available 12 volt lead acid battery safely and accurately as long as all precautions and inputs are made correctly. The DCA-8000 operating instructions are found at: https://nissandca8000.midtronics.com/
- 10235729RADIO 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.
- 10235710INTELLIGENT KEY REPLACEMENT OR SWAPPING BETWEEN VEHICLES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Discard all previous versions of this bulletin.
- 10235707VEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 10232658REMOVING FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM THE WINDOW GLASS This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 10232657WHEEL BEARING COLLISION DAMAGE This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 10232656WINDSHIELD CRACKING This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 10232652DIAGNOSIS 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.
- 10206391STRUT AND SHOCK ABSORBER REPLACEMENT GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 10192305SERVICE INFORMATION Information necessary to service the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) safely is included in the "RESTRAINTS" section of the Electronic Service Manual (ESM) for each vehicle. IMPORTANT: Turn the ignition switch OFF, disconnect both battery terminals, and wait at least 3 minutes before performing any service on the SRS. See this bulletin for further detail.
- 10192233Nissan Original Equipment or Genuine Accessory Alloy wheels, along with their finish coating (clear, chrome, titanium, etc.), are specifically developed to achieve Nissan design and performance standards. These Original Equipment or Genuine Accessory wheels are subjected to testing to ensure they meet Nissan's standards. Nissan Original Equipment Alloy or Genuine Accessory wheels subjected to aftermarket chroming may no longer continue to meet these standards and may be seriously damaged. Therefore, Nissan most strongly discourages, and recommends that these wheels NEVER be subjected to, aftermarket chroming. See this bulletinfor further detail.
- 10192217If YOU CONFIRM: A vehicle needs to have the brake rotors resurfaced (front or rear). ACTION: Use the ProCut PFM Series on-car brake lathe to perform brake rotor resurfacing and follow the tips listed in this bulletin. - The ProCut PFM Series brake lathe has been chosen as the approved tool for rotor resurfacing. - The ProCut PFM Series brake lathe can be ordered from TECH-MATE at 1-800-662-2001. - ProCut technical support or service can be obtained by calling 1-800-543-6618. NOTE: Brake rotors may need to be resurfaced during routine brake repair or for brake "judder" incidents. - Brake judder: A brake pedal pulsation and/or steering wheel shimmy when braking that occurs when there is too much thickness variation of the brake rotors (see NTB00-033). See this bulletin for further detail.
- 10192216SERVICE INFORMATION - This bulletin is to assist you in responding to customer questions about brake operation, and provides diagnostic and repair information for each item listed, if any should occur. - Most brake incidents fall into the following categories: a. Brake Noise: A squeak, squeal, clunk, or groan that occurs when the brakes are applied or released. b. Brake Judder: A vibration that can be felt in the vehicle, steering wheel or brake pedal when the brakes are applied. c. Pedal Feel: The effort needed to operate the brakes is too high or too low. SERVICE PROCEDURE 1. Verify the condition by road testing the vehicle with the customer. 2. Determine the specific brake incident based on the description in the Service Information above. 3. Follow the appropriate repair procedure(s), listed on the following pages, for your specific incident. See this bulletin for further details.
- 10192145SERVICE INFORMATION This bulletin provides information to identify: - A leaking strut or a shock absorber that qualifies for replacement under warranty. - A strut or shock absorber that has slight oil seepage, a condition which is considered normal, does not affect strut/shock absorber operation or performance, and does not require replacement. - A strut or shock absorber that should be replaced due to rod resistance/noise issues. See this bulletin for further detail.
- 10188377STRUT AND SHOCK ABSORBER REPLACEMENT GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 10178251Expiration Notification Fuel Pump Dealer Announcement ***** Campaign Summary***** In 1993, Nissan launched a Voluntary Service Campaign on certain 1991-1993 Model Year Nissan Sentra (B13) and 1993 Altima (U13) vehicles to inspect and, if necessary, replace the fuel pump. It was determined that the fuel pumps on the subject vehicles may experience accelerated brush wear. Parts specified for this campaign are no longer available through Nissan. This customer service campaign and customer reimbursement for these repairs are no longer available. ***** What Dealers Should Do ***** 1. Service Comm will deactivate U3005 on any unrepaired VINs on July 1, 2020. No further dealer action is required.
- 10177205VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN SENTRA (B13) AND ALTIMA (U13) FUEL PUMPS Service Campaign ID # 93-U3005 is no longer active. Repair orders opened after this bulletins published date are no longer eligible for reimbursement under Campaign ID # 93-U3005. Discard all previous versions of 93U3005.
- 10051767Nissan: lock/unlock request button on outside handle does not respond.
- 10032506Nissan: vent control valve replacement. When replacing the evap canister vent control valve for reason: use the one listed on page 2; for vent control valve replacement procedure, refer to the appropriate section of the electronic service manuals (esm; when installing the new valve, do not add any lube to its o ring; for frontier (D40 series) only, install the protector listed in parts information. Includes 2005-09 frontier. Updated 12/8/10.
- 10031305Nissan: tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light on/flashing. No models or model years listed. Updated on 08-11-2011.
- 10030165Nissan: the 12 volt battery IS an important part of the vehicle electrical system and IS required to stay connected when the engine IS running. To prevent damage to vehicle electronic components follow the instructions/cautions. No model years listed.
- 10000134Nissan essential tool drive plate installer.
- 603937A revised service procedure for the engine front cover / timing chain has been adopted for the ga16de.
- 45792Recall involves replacing the fuel pump in the gas tank for some 1991-1993 nissan sentras. If the fuel pump IS not replaced it could cause the car to stall and not restart.
- 39648Fuel guage inaccurate.
- 393231991-94 sentra ga16de spark knock.
Every Nissan Sentra model year
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