RecallMyCar

2003 Nissan Sentra Recalls, Complaints & Specs

7 safety recalls list the 2003 Nissan Sentra, and owners have filed 180 complaints with NHTSA. At least one recall carries a do-not-drive or park-outside advisory. Check your own VIN below.

7
safety recalls
180
owner complaints to NHTSA
13 / 1
complaints citing a crash / fire
22–28
MPG combined (EPA)

7 safety recalls for the 2003 Nissan Sentra

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Inflator module (air bags) and air bags Do not drive

    NHTSA 20V747000 Reported 3,930 vehicles potentially affected Nissan North America, Inc.

    Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2002-2006 Sentra vehicles whose passenger air bags were previously inspected and may have been released without replacing the Takata air bag inflator. In the event of a crash, Takata frontal passenger air bag inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after…

    Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been completed. Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will re-inspect the vehicle and, if necessary, replace the air bag inflator, free of charge.…

  2. Inflator module (air bags)

    NHTSA 20V008000 Reported 307,962 vehicles potentially affected Nissan North America, Inc.

    Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2001-2003 Maxima, 2002-2006 Sentra, 2002-2004 Pathfinder, 2007-2011 Versa Sedan and Versa Hatchback, 2001-2004 Infiniti I30 and I35, 2002-2003 Inifiniti QX4, 2003-2008 Infiniti FX35 and FX45 and 2006-2010 M35 and M45 vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with non-desiccated, frontal…

    Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflators with alternate desiccated inflators, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2020. Owners may contact Nissan customer…

  3. Air bags

    NHTSA 15V287000 Reported 1,090,569 vehicles potentially affected Nissan North America, Inc.

    Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2001-2003 Nissan Maxima, 2002-2004 Pathfinder, 2002-2006 Sentra, 2002-2003 Infiniti QX4 and I35, 2003 FX35 and FX45, and 2001 I30 vehicles. Upon deployment of the passenger side frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

    Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on June 15, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261. Note: On December 18,…

  4. Engine and engine cooling

    NHTSA 06V242000 Reported 294,166 vehicles potentially affected NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

    On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.5l engine, the crank angle sensor is affected by temperature variations. Under certain driving conditions, these variations in temperature can be large enough to cause a brief interruption in the signal output from the sensor.

    Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the ECM free of charge. The recall began on august 21, 2006. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

  5. Engine and engine cooling

    NHTSA 03V511000 Reported 70 vehicles potentially affected NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

    On certain electric vehicles, the front suspension transverse link's ball joint bracket may break from stress concentration at a notch created by surface roughness and the shape of the material cut-line.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the bracket on these vehicles. Owner notification began december 15, 2003. Owners should contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

  6. Engine and engine cooling

    NHTSA 03V455000 Reported 630,000 vehicles potentially affected NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

    On certain passenger vehicles, the circuit board for the crank position sensor or cam position sensor may have an improper solder joint due to solder deformation caused by heat stress accelerated by the existence of flux residue during the soldering process.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the crank position sensors. Camshaft position sensor(s), and in some cases, the variable timing control sensor(s). Vehicles involved in a previous recall campaign, 01v357, are also included in this…

  7. Electrical system: module

    NHTSA 03V477000 Reported 276,000 vehicles potentially affected NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

    On certain passenger vehicles equipped with the qg18de engine or qr25de engines, the foam material used for the interior lining of the electronic control module (ECM) box emits sulfur as it cures.

    Remedy: Dealers will remove the inside lining material from the ECM box. Owner notification began on december 22, 2003. Owners should contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

180 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2003 Nissan Sentra have filed 180 complaints with NHTSA; 13 describe a crash and 1 describe a fire. Reports cite 8 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 73,042 miles. Complaints peaked in 2009 with 22 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“My rear windshield make a loud bang, and shattered and fell into pieces during a short and otherwise non-eventful commute to work. I had no knowledge of prior cracks or damage, or being hit with anyth”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, March 4, 2026 · Unknown or other

“Both my catalytic converters stopped up st same time.”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 11, 2024 · Engine

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2003 Nissan Sentra. Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined22–28 mpg
City / Highway20–25 / 25–33
FuelRegular
EPA classCompact Cars
Engine4 cyl, 1.8/2.5 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd; Manual 6-spd

Compare Nissan Sentra model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Nissan Sentra model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1982 Nissan Sentra11
1983 Nissan Sentra11
1984 Nissan Sentra03
1985 Nissan Sentra06
1986 Nissan Sentra06
1987 Nissan Sentra136
1988 Nissan Sentra137
1989 Nissan Sentra141
1990 Nissan Sentra239
1991 Nissan Sentra263
1992 Nissan Sentra062
1993 Nissan Sentra058
1994 Nissan Sentra099
1995 Nissan Sentra3117
1996 Nissan Sentra3141
1997 Nissan Sentra3108
1998 Nissan Sentra158
1999 Nissan Sentra059
2000 Nissan Sentra6171
2001 Nissan Sentra7236
2002 Nissan Sentra10304
2003 Nissan Sentra7180
2004 Nissan Sentra4197
2005 Nissan Sentra5170
2006 Nissan Sentra5116
2007 Nissan Sentra1154
2008 Nissan Sentra3167
2009 Nissan Sentra155
2010 Nissan Sentra3144
2011 Nissan Sentra2142
2012 Nissan Sentra0180
2013 Nissan Sentra6638
2014 Nissan Sentra5380
2015 Nissan Sentra3351
2016 Nissan Sentra6270
2017 Nissan Sentra3231
2018 Nissan Sentra2185
2019 Nissan Sentra2222
2020 Nissan Sentra4206
2021 Nissan Sentra3132
2022 Nissan Sentra281
2023 Nissan Sentra120
2024 Nissan Sentra341
2025 Nissan Sentra430
2026 Nissan Sentra116

Checking a specific 2003 Nissan Sentra

How do I know if my 2003 Nissan Sentra has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 7 campaigns currently list the 2003 Nissan Sentra; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Nissan dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 03V455000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Nissan models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.