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2014 Nissan Sentra problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

VERY HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
71%
233 of 326 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

71% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2014 Nissan Sentra are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.

Worse than 93% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 54 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 61%).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2014 Nissan Sentra have transmission problems?

Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 233 of 326 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2014 Nissan Sentra concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (71%), and the largest group is filed under power train (182). For comparison, the 2013 scores 71% and the 2015 scores 73%. On a test drive, check for shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
233
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
380
this model year
Fires reported
6
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
5
27 crashes · 18 injuries

Complaints by component

POWER TRAIN182 · 48%
ENGINE62 · 16%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER58 · 15%
AIR BAGS51 · 13%
SERVICE BRAKES36 · 9%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM32 · 8%

The years either side

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

How the 2014 compares with other Nissan Sentra years

Of the 13 Nissan Sentra years with enough complaints to score, the 2014 is the 2nd-worst on engine and transmission share (71%). The worst is the 2015 (73%), the best the 2020 (8%). By volume, the 2014 drew 380 complaints (233 drivetrain), against 638 for the 2013 and 351 for the 2015.

Nissan Sentra years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2014 Nissan Sentra

  • The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2014 Nissan Sentra said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
  • What the repair costs. Typical transmission repair ranges, to price into your offer.
  • Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
  • Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
  • What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
  • Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.

What one owner reported

POWER TRAIN08/29/2025FIRECRASH2 INJURED
Transmission failed, as I went to turn left it stalled and on coming traffic had to slam on there brakes and 6 veh. Ran into each other i dud not get hit but feel so bad that the 2914 nissan sentra i drive caused this traffic hazard. 2 people had to go to the hospital. It should be illegal to sell these cars with ctv …

One of 233 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

2014 Nissan Sentra engine and transmission recalls

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns on the 2014 Nissan Sentra, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

5 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
air bags17V253000 · Apr 2017
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2015-2017 LEAF and 2014, 2016 and 2017 Sentra vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error within the air bag inflators, the passenger frontal air…
air bags: sensor: occupant classification16V242000 · Apr 2016
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2016 Sentra vehicles manufactured June 4, 2012, to April 9, 2016. The front passenger seat belt bracket may become deformed…
air bags: sensor: occupant classification16V244000 · Apr 2016
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60,…
air bags: frontal15V681000 · Oct 2015
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima and Pathfinder vehicles, 2013-2014 Nissan Sentra vehicles, 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles, 2014-2015 Infiniti QX60…
electrical system: software14V138000 · Mar 2014
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Altima, LEAF, Pathfinder, and Sentra, model year 2013 NV200 (aka Taxi) and Infiniti JX35 and model year 2014 Infiniti Q50…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.

Checking one particular 2014 Nissan Sentra? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.

Questions people ask about the 2014 Nissan Sentra

Does the 2014 Nissan Sentra have transmission problems?

Owner complaints say yes, heavily, as a model-year pattern. 233 of 326 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2014 Nissan Sentra concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (71%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the transmission and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

What is the most common problem with the 2014 Nissan Sentra?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2014 Nissan Sentra is power train: 182 of 380 complaints (48%) name it, followed by engine (62) and air bags (51). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.

Is the 2014 Nissan Sentra reliable?

On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 71% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (very high signal). That is worse than 93% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 13 Nissan Sentra years we score, it ranks 2nd-worst. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2014 Nissan Sentra?

No. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns on the 2014 Nissan Sentra, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Nissan Sentra years are better?

Among the Nissan Sentra years we track, the 2020 (8%), the 2021 (9%) and the 2022 (16%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2014 (71%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/nissan-sentra

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.