2005 Nissan Sentra recalls and problems

The 2005 Nissan Sentra has 5 safety recalls and 170 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Nissan dealer.

Urgent: recall 20V-747 carries a "do not drive" warning. Contact a dealer before driving.
Recalls
5
Complaints
170
Crashes / fires
13 / 4
Injuries / deaths
13 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2005 Nissan Sentra vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2005 Nissan Sentra recalls

Recall 20V-747: Air Bags

Do not driveReported Dec 1, 2020 · 3,930 vehicles affected · Nissan North America, Inc.

Problem: 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 long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: 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. The recall began January 22, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PM964.

Recall 20V-008: Air Bags

Reported Jan 9, 2020 · 307,962 vehicles affected · Nissan North America, Inc.

Problem: 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 passenger air bag inflators containing phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant that were used as interim remedy parts for previous Takata recalls. These inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: 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 service at 888-737-9511 or Infiniti customer service at 888-810-3715.

Recall 15V-287: Air Bags

Reported May 15, 2015 · 1,090,569 vehicles affected · Nissan North America, Inc.

Problem: 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.

Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: 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, 2015 Nissan informed NHTSA of an amendment of this recall to remove 2004-2005 Infiniti FX35 and FX45 vehicles.

Recall 07V-527: Engine and Engine Cooling

Reported Nov 14, 2007 · 653,910 vehicles affected · NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Problem: On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.5l engine, the crankshaft position sensor can overheat causing a brief interruption in the signal output from the sensor.

Risk: If the interruption in the signal from the crankshaft position sensor is so brief that the electronic control module (Ecm) logic does not have time to diagnose the condition, the engine may stop running without warning while the vehicle is driven at a low speed increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will reprogram the ECM free of charge. Certain my 2006 altimas which have been previously remedied under recall campaign 06v223 (Nissan r0606) are not included in this recall since the reprogramming for 06v223 also included this reprogramming. The recall began on december 31, 2007. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

Recall 05V-269: Fuel System, Gasoline

Reported Jun 7, 2005 · 44,000 vehicles affected · NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, a vapor hose located in the fuel tank may not have been formed correctly during the manufacturing process. When the vehicle is parked with a full fuel tank, fuel may flow into the vapor hose, which is connected to a vapor canister.

Risk: The vapor canister could become full, and excess fuel could spill out onto the ground. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.

Fix: Dealers will check the vapor hose connections in the fuel tank to determine if a poor seal exists. If a poor seal is identified, a new fuel tank will be installed free of charge. The recall began on august 15, 2005. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

2005 Nissan Sentra problems reported by owners

Problem areaReports
Engine and Engine Cooling54
Engine33
Air Bags21
Fuel System, Gasoline21
Electrical System18
Fuel/Propulsion System15
Power Train11
Service Brakes, Hydraulic8
Unknown or Other6
Vehicle Speed Control5
Visibility4
Service Brakes4

Most reported parts

  • Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine — 17
  • Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System — 6
  • Power Train › Automatic Transmission — 4
  • Electrical System › Horn — 3
  • Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage — 3
  • Suspension › Front — 2
  • Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline — 1
  • Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System — 1

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 76,200 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2005 Nissan Sentra complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Service Brakes · reported Oct 27, 2025
I purchased a 2005 Nissan Sentra on [XXX] from TMZ Auto Sales. The front passenger and driver side calipers, rotors, brake pads, brake hoses, front driver side hub bearings and knuckle hook up, were replaced by me, and the left passenger side ball joint needs to be repaired. All repairs were done within 30-60 days of purchase. The dealer replaced the front driver side caliper and brake, but I had to replace them a second time, and the dealership also replaced the sensor that he thought needed to be replaced, but the check engine light is still on. I was driving to and from work with my…
Air Bags · reported Mar 1, 2023
Nissan Dealer locally will not repair my vehicle as per the recall for my air bags. Have driven out of town to a Nissan dealer and they said they did not have the part in stock and could not fix it. I would like to have my car fixed before the passenger air bag EXPLODES.
Vehicle Speed Control · at 123,000 miles · reported Jul 27, 2021
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving 30-35 mph, the vehicle revved up and accelerated without warning. The contact downshifted to slow the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 123,000.
Air Bags · reported Jul 16, 2021
I had an appointment for 10am I called ahead to confirm the estimated amount of time I was told it would take 2-4 hours. When I arrived they refused to service my vehicle they claimed they we're busy and refused to service my recall and treated me like a nuisance and with little respect. I spoke to the Nissan representative of San Leandro on Marina Blvd.
Engine · at 64,000 miles · reported Sep 16, 2019
I brought my car into the dealership for service and they said it has a blown head gasket.they also said that it would cost $2500 and this car only has 64000 miles on it.the dealer said that this is a known issue with the 2005 nissan sentra 1.8 engine.

Other Nissan Sentra years

Compare all Nissan Sentra years · All Nissan models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2005 Nissan Sentra have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2005 Nissan Sentra: 20V-747 (air bags), 20V-008 (air bags), 15V-287 (air bags), 07V-527 (engine and engine cooling), 05V-269 (fuel system, gasoline). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2005 Nissan Sentra?

Owners report engine and engine cooling problems most often (54 reports), followed by engine (33). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 76,200 miles.

Are Nissan recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Nissan dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.