2016 Nissan Sentra Transmission & Power Train Problems
NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN · data through 07/12/2026
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
How power train ranks on this vehicle
Share of the 266 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2016 Nissan Sentra overview page.
What owners report
“CAR CVT TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND SHUDDERING WHILE IN MOTION ALSO STAHLING WHILE ENTERING FREEWAY, CROSSING INTERSECTIONS, AND WHILE TURNING.”NHTSA complaint 11282488 — filed 11/26/2019
“CAR WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW AND AT 64K MILES TRANSMISSION FAILED. VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE ON ACCELERATION THEN IT WOULD JUST SHUT DOWN ON THE…”NHTSA complaint 11278459 — filed 11/06/2019
“CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSIONS (CVTS) STARTS SHIFTING BACK AND FORTH ABNORMALLY BETWEEN GEARS. IT SHUDDERS, SHAKES, AND JERKS WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT…”NHTSA complaint 11267879 — filed 10/11/2019
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Power Train complaints by year filed
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2016 Nissan Sentra have transmission & power train problems?
Power Train is the most-reported problem area on the 2016 Nissan Sentra: 121 of 266 complaints on file (45.5%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.
How many complaints does the 2016 Nissan Sentra have in total?
266 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 18 involved a crash, 2 involved a fire, 13 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.
What does NHTSA's power train category include?
NHTSA groups complaints about the transmission (automatic or manual), driveline, axles, transfer case and related parts under a single component category called POWER TRAIN. This page reports that category as NHTSA defines it.
