2020 Nissan Sentra
Gas Midsize car
The 2020 Nissan Sentra is sold in the U.S. as a gas midsize car with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Sentra, is EPA-rated at 33 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of D. Owners have filed 204 complaints, most often about forward collision avoidance. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sentra | Gas | FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | 29 | 39 | 33 | $1,900 |
| Sentra SR | Gas | FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | 28 | 37 | 32 | $1,950 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
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Recalls (4)
Back Over Prevention
highProblem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Altima and 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. Damage to the camera harness can cause distortion or loss of the rearview camera display image. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the rearview camera and harness for damage and replace them as necessary. If no damage is found, the dealer will apply protective tape and reroute the rearview camera harness. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 19, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23C3.
Steering
highProblem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Sentra vehicles. The left and/or right tie rod may bend.
Risk: A bent tie rod can break and cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners are advised to contact their dealer for transport assistance if they are experiencing an off-center steering wheel or vibration. As an interim repair, dealers will inspect and replace any bent or broken tie rods, free of charge. Once newly designed parts are available, dealers will replace both left and right tie rods, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed November 27, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23B3.
Exterior Lighting
highProblem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020 Sentra vehicles, equipped with LED headlights. The right-hand headlight aim may be misaligned. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamp, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: An improperly aimed headlight may reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the right-hand headlight, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 10, 2022. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R20B4.
Steering
highProblem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. The left and/or right tie rod may be bent.
Risk: A bent tie rod can break, causing a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the left and/or right tie rods as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 5, 2021. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PM985.
Owner complaints
204 complaints filed
8 involved a crash, 0 a fire, 2 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2020: 10 · 2021: 32 · 2022: 21 · 2023: 41 · 2024: 56 · 2025: 33 · 2026: 11
Most-cited components
- Forward Collision Avoidance — 76
- Steering — 55
- Unknown Or Other — 47
- Electrical System — 44
- Service Brakes — 25
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Crash ratings
| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 DR FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | 10% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking.
Compare the 2020 Sentra with
Other Sentra model years
2026 Sentra
1 recalls · 14 complaints
D2025 Sentra
4 recalls · 28 complaints
D2024 Sentra
3 recalls · 37 complaints
A2023 Sentra
1 recalls · 19 complaints
C2022 Sentra
2 recalls · 81 complaints
C2021 Sentra
3 recalls · 130 complaints
B2019 Sentra
2 recalls · 221 complaints
B2018 Sentra
2 recalls · 185 complaints
C2017 Sentra
3 recalls · 230 complaints
F2016 Sentra
6 recalls · 269 complaints
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 42472, 42473). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.