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Nissan · 7th gen (B17) · 2013–2019

Nissan Sentra (2013–2019): Problems, Reliability & Repair Costs

The B17 Sentra is a roomy, cheap-to-buy compact with one serious liability: the Jatco CVT. The 2013–2017 cars in particular are prone to CVT slipping, shuddering, and outright failure, and the engine is genuinely underpowered. It can be a fine econo-box if you buy a documented one and treat the transmission fluid as a maintenance item — but a neglected CVT here is a $3,000–$4,500 repair on a car that isn't worth much.

4/10 CarCaseFile
reliability score

Engines

  • MRA8DE — 1.8L gasoline, 130 hp
  • MR16DDT — 1.6L turbo gasoline, 188 hp

Transmissions

  • Jatco CVT7 (JF015E) — cvt
  • manual , 6-speed
  • Jatco (SR Turbo-specific) — cvt

Drivetrain

FWD

Body

sedan

Should you buy a 2013–2019 Nissan Sentra?

Buy with your eyes open, or walk. The B17 Sentra is cheap for a reason — the Jatco CVT in the 2013–2017 cars fails often enough that it dominates the ownership story. If you must have one, strongly prefer a 2018–2019 car (improved CVT and updated software), get a pre-purchase inspection focused on the transmission, and confirm the CVT fluid has actually been changed. Better still, find the rare 6-speed manual or an SR Turbo with the manual. Avoid the worst-rated early cars (2013–2015) unless the CVT has documented recent work and the price reflects the risk.

Best years

2018, 2019

Years to avoid

2013 (most-complained-about year — CVT, brakes, recalls), 2014–2015 (same CVT and drivetrain issues)

Pre-purchase inspection checklist

  • ☐Drive it from cold and hot: feel for CVT shudder, hesitation, or a flare in RPM that doesn't match acceleration — the classic belt-slip tells.
  • ☐Ask for proof the CVT fluid was changed (Nissan called it lifetime; independent shops change it ~every 30k). No record on an early car is a red flag.
  • ☐Check whether the car is within the CVT class-action coverage (extended to 7 years / 84,000 miles on affected years) and whether any CVT repair was already done.
  • ☐Test the brakes hard from speed; pump the pedal at a stop. A pedal that sinks toward the floor points to the known early master-cylinder problem.
  • ☐Scan for stored codes including P0101 (MAF/airflow) — there's a TSB for an illuminated MIL with P0101 on 2013–2015 cars.
  • ☐Confirm recall work is done by VIN (fuel-pump relay stall recall and others apply to early cars).
  • ☐On SR Turbo / DI cars, listen for cold-start rattle and ask about any carbon-cleaning history.

Common Nissan Sentra problems & repair costs

CVT transmission failure (Jatco CVT7)

$3,000–$4,500
transmission severe 2013–2019 (2013–2017 worst) ~60k–100k mi

Symptoms: Shuddering or juddering at steady speed, hesitation then a sudden surge, RPM flaring without matching acceleration, whining or grinding noise, jerking, and in late stages loss of power or limp mode. Overheating can trigger warning lights and accelerate the damage.

Fix: Reman or replacement CVT; some early failures are addressed with valve-body or software work but most are full unit replacements. Nissan's class-action settlement extended coverage on affected years to 7 years / 84,000 miles — outside that window the repair is on the owner and can exceed the car's value. Changing the CVT fluid on schedule is the single best prevention.

Sources: CarComplaints — 2013 Sentra CVT failure, NHTSA — 2013 Nissan Sentra complaints, Nissan Sentra CVT class-action settlement (widely reported)

Brake master-cylinder failure (pedal sinks to floor)

$300–$700
brakes safety 2013–2014 ~30k–65k mi

Symptoms: Brake pedal goes spongy and travels toward or all the way to the floor, sometimes intermittently. Pumping may temporarily restore some pedal. Reported at surprisingly low mileage.

Fix: Master-cylinder replacement and brake-system bleed. NHTSA's defects office opened an investigation into 2013–2014 Sentra/Versa brakes. On any early car, treat a sinking pedal as urgent.

Sources: CarComplaints — 2013 Sentra master cylinder, The Car Connection — 2013–14 Sentra/Versa brake investigation

Engine stalling (fuel-pump relay / control module recalls)

$0–$400
engine safety 2013–2014

Symptoms: Engine stalls or loses power while driving. Two distinct early-car causes: a CVT control-module fault (2013 recall) and a fuel-pump relay that can fail (2014 recall).

Fix: Recall remedies are free at a Nissan dealer — confirm completion by VIN. Out-of-recall stalling on these cars is typically traced to the relay, ignition components, or sensors.

Sources: NHTSA — 2013 Nissan Sentra recalls, CarParts — Nissan Sentra reliability and common problems

MIL on with P0101 (mass airflow / airflow code)

$100–$350
engine minor 2013–2015

Symptoms: Check-engine light with code P0101 (mass-airflow circuit range/performance). May come with no obvious driveability change.

Fix: Nissan issued a TSB for this. Fix ranges from cleaning/replacing the MAF sensor to an ECM reprogram per the bulletin; diagnose before throwing parts at it.

Sources: NHTSA TSB — 2013–2015 Sentra MIL ON with P0101

A/C and heater complaints

$200–$1,200
hvac moderate 2013–2019

Symptoms: A/C blows warm, weak cooling, or intermittent operation; some heater/blower complaints. Lower volume than the transmission and brake issues but recurring.

Fix: Depends on cause — recharge and leak repair on the low end, compressor or condenser replacement on the high end. Have it diagnosed rather than assuming the worst.

Sources: CarComplaints — 2013 Sentra AC/heater

Set the CVT aside and the B17 Sentra is genuinely cheap to run: parts are common and inexpensive, the 1.8L is simple, and routine maintenance is light. The catch is that the CVT can erase years of those savings in one repair. Budget for proactive CVT fluid changes (~every 30k miles) as cheap insurance, keep up with brakes, and treat any transmission shudder as a stop-and-diagnose event, not a wait-and-see. On a documented later car driven gently, total cost of ownership is low; on a neglected early car, it's a coin flip on the transmission.

DIY repairs & parts

Change the CVT fluid (the maintenance that matters most)

moderate 1–2 hrs saves ~$120–$250

Tools: Floor jack + jack stands, Drain pan, Socket set, Fluid pump / funnel for the fill, OBD2 scanner with CVT temp readout (for correct fill temp)

  1. Warm the car briefly, then lift and support it level — fill level on a CVT is temperature-sensitive.
  2. Place the drain pan, remove the drain plug, and measure exactly how much fluid comes out so you can match it.
  3. Reinstall the drain plug; refill through the fill/charging port with the correct Nissan NS-3 CVT fluid (only NS-3).
  4. Bring the fluid to the specified temperature window using the scanner, then set the level per the charging-pipe procedure.
  5. Clear any codes, test drive, and recheck for leaks. Repeat a drain-and-fill again soon on a neglected car to dilute old fluid.

Parts

Cabin & engine air filter change

easy 20 min saves ~$50–$110

Tools: Screwdriver (cabin filter cover)

  1. Open the glovebox, release the side stops to drop it fully, and pull the cabin-filter cover.
  2. Slide out the old cabin filter; insert the new one with the airflow arrow pointing down.
  3. For the engine filter, unclip the airbox lid, drop in the new panel filter, and re-clip.

Parts

Front brake pads & rotors

moderate 1–2 hrs saves ~$150–$300

Tools: Floor jack + jack stands, Lug wrench, Caliper piston compressor / C-clamp, Socket and hex set for caliper bolts, Torque wrench

  1. Loosen lug nuts, lift the front, support on stands, and remove the wheels.
  2. Unbolt the caliper, hang it from the spring (don't stress the hose), and remove the old pads.
  3. Compress the caliper piston, then remove the bracket and slide off the old rotor.
  4. Fit the new rotor, reinstall the bracket, install new pads, and rebuild the caliper onto the bracket.
  5. Torque everything to spec, pump the pedal until firm before moving, and bed the brakes in gently.

Parts

Some parts links are affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no cost to you. We only list parts that fit this generation.

The short version

The 2013–2019 Nissan Sentra is a lot of cheap, comfortable compact car — and its story is almost entirely about one part: the Jatco CVT. On the 2013–2017 cars especially, this transmission is prone to shuddering, slipping, overheating, and outright failure, often between 60,000 and 100,000 miles. It was the subject of a class-action settlement that extended coverage to 7 years / 84,000 miles on affected years.

The other recurring knock is the engine. The 130-hp 1.8L is genuinely underpowered, and the CVT’s droning under hard acceleration makes it feel slower than it is. That’s a driveability complaint, not a defect — but it’s a real part of living with the car.

What that means when you’re shopping

If you’re looking at a 2013–2015 Sentra, treat the transmission as the whole ballgame. Drive it cold and hot, feel for any shudder or RPM flare, and demand proof the CVT fluid was actually serviced. No record on an early car is a walk-away signal unless the price already reflects a possible $3,000–$4,500 transmission.

A 2018–2019 car is the safer used buy — the CVT and its software were improved — but you should still get a transmission-focused pre-purchase inspection. The smartest move on this generation, if you can find it, is the rare 6-speed manual or an SR Turbo, which sidesteps the CVT’s worst reputation and fixes the power problem with 188 hp.

Two early-car safety notes: some 2013–2014 cars suffered premature brake master-cylinder failure (a pedal that sinks to the floor), which NHTSA investigated, and early cars had stall-related recalls — confirm by VIN that the recall work is done.

How this file is built: failure modes and cost ranges are compiled from NHTSA complaint, recall, and TSB data, CarComplaints owner reports, the Nissan CVT class-action settlement, and owner reporting, then sanity-checked against shop-floor experience. Cost figures are independent-shop estimates and vary by region. Spot something off? Tell us.

Viral car myths, checked

Frequently asked questions

Which Nissan Sentra years should I avoid?

The 2013 car is the most-complained-about of the generation, and 2014–2015 share its CVT, brake, and drivetrain issues. If you're buying a B17 Sentra, the 2018–2019 cars are the safer pick — they got an improved CVT and software updates — but you should still verify the transmission on any of them.

Is the Nissan Sentra CVT covered by a recall or warranty extension?

It wasn't a recall, but a class-action settlement extended CVT coverage on affected years to 7 years or 84,000 miles, whichever comes first. Many cars fall outside that window now, which is exactly why the transmission has to be checked before you buy — out of coverage, a CVT replacement runs $3,000–$4,500.

How long will a B17 Sentra last?

The 1.8L engine itself can comfortably pass 150,000–200,000 miles when maintained. The limiting factor is almost always the CVT. A car whose CVT fluid has been changed on a real schedule, or one with the 6-speed manual, has a much better shot at high mileage than a neglected early automatic.

Is the Sentra underpowered?

The 130-hp 1.8L is widely described as underpowered, especially with the CVT droning under acceleration. It's fine as basic transportation but not lively. If you want real punch, the 2017–2019 SR Turbo with 188 hp is the one to find, ideally with the 6-speed manual.

Should I change the CVT fluid even though Nissan called it lifetime?

Yes. Independent transmission shops almost universally recommend changing the CVT fluid roughly every 30,000 miles. The fluid breaks down from heat, and clean fluid is the single most effective way to extend the life of a Jatco CVT. Use only Nissan NS-3 fluid.