Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2004 Nissan Sentra
NHTSA data on file today
The 2004 Nissan Sentra has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns and 197 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #22E066000 Replacement Air Bag Inflator May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #20V747000 Frontal Passenger Air Bag Inflators May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #20V008000 Frontal Passenger Air Bag Inflators May Explode NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #15V287000 Passenger Air Bag Inflator may Rupture NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #06V242000 CRANK ANGLE SENSOR ENGINE STALL NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Engine and Engine Cooling 59 complaints
- Air Bags 32 complaints
- Electrical System 28 complaints
- Engine 26 complaints
- Fuel System, Gasoline 25 complaints
- Fuel/Propulsion System 8 complaints
Of the 197 complaints on file, 20 report a crash; across all 197 complaints, owners report 18 injuries and 1 death (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $5,000–$12,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2004 Nissan Sentra has a below-average rating due to numerous complaints about engine and cooling system issues, with 59 related complaints. The vehicle's recalls mostly involve airbag inflator problems, which are significant but widely reported across various manufacturers for this period. Overall, the data is somewhat limited, but consistent issues with critical components highlight potential reliability concerns.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine cooling | Unknown | $500–$1,500 | common |
| Airbags | Unknown | $1,000–$2,000 | common |
| Electrical system | Unknown | $300–$800 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter change every 5,000 miles
- Brake fluid replacement every 20,000 miles
- Coolant replacement every 60,000 miles
- Transmission fluid change every 30,000 miles
- Inspect timing belt every 60,000 miles
- Replace air filter every 15,000 miles
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Check engine light
- Rough idling
- Frequent overheating
- Fuel smell in cabin
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2004 Nissan Sentra at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.