2017 Nissan Sentra Safety Report

The 2017 Nissan Sentra presents a mixed safety picture, with strong crash test performance but significant concerns regarding its powertrain and specific recall-related issues. NHTSA awarded the vehicle an overall 4-star safety rating, including 4 stars for frontal crash, 5 stars for side crash, and 4 stars for rollover, indicating solid protection in collision scenarios. However, the vehicle has accumulated 223 total complaints, with 27 crashes, 6 fires, and 21 injuries reported, suggesting real-world safety incidents beyond crash test performance. A major area of concern is the POWER TRAIN, which accounts for 45 complaints, often related to the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). Owners frequently report issues such as loss of power, hesitation, slipping gears, and complete transmission failure, sometimes at relatively low mileages (e.g., 'CVT failed after only 94K miles'). These failures can lead to dangerous situations, particularly on highways. Other notable complaint categories include UNKNOWN OR OTHER (19 complaints), AIR BAGS (19 complaints), and ENGINE (13 complaints). The vehicle has been subject to three recalls. One recall (NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V135000) addresses brake light switch contamination, which could prevent brake lights from illuminating and increase crash risk. Another recall targets the ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, where a defect could cause the vehicle to stall, increasing crash risk. The third recall (NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V068000) concerns AIR BAGS, specifically a manufacturing error in the passenger frontal airbag inflators that could lead to improper deployment and increased injury risk. While these recalls address critical safety components, the high number of powertrain complaints suggests an underlying reliability issue not fully covered by current recalls. In summary, while the 2017 Nissan Sentra performs well in controlled crash tests, its real-world safety is compromised by prevalent CVT transmission failures and specific recall issues. Potential buyers should be aware of the high incidence of powertrain problems and ensure all recall repairs have been completed.

Our recommendation: Given the high incidence of severe CVT transmission failures and multiple safety recalls, potential buyers should proceed with caution, thoroughly inspect the vehicle's service history for transmission work, and ensure all recall repairs have been completed.