2000 Nissan Sentra — Known Issues & Recalls

Your car stalled while you were driving at 70 mph, forcing you to pull over and have it towed. Your car is part of a recall for an ignition module problem in the electrical system, but the dealer refused to repair it. The manufacturer was notified and you were waiting for a response. The fix will likely involve replacing the faulty ignition module.

Your car completely shut down while driving on a city street—first the radio cut out and the airbag warning light came on, then you smelled burnt plastic and the engine lost all power, including headlights and dashboard lights. When you tried to accelerate, the car went into reverse instead of forward. The car started right up the next morning and your mechanic couldn't find any problem, though this has happened before (in 2007 it was the mass airflow sensor, and in 2009 it was the EGR control valve). A complete electrical diagnostic and inspection of the fuel injection system may be needed to find the cause.

Your car cranks over and turns over when you try to start it, but the engine won't actually fire up and run. This happened after the car was running fine earlier—you drove it home, waited an hour or two, and then it wouldn't start when you tried again. Getting the engine to actually ignite may require checking the fuel system, spark plugs, or other ignition components.

Your car has had a long-standing idle problem where it stalls immediately after starting unless you give it gas, and the idle occasionally surges up and down at stops. More critically, your ignition coil fuse keeps blowing repeatedly — it failed after a week of normal operation, blew again the next day, and now blows instantly when you turn the key to start, leaving your car unable to start. You'll likely need to have a mechanic diagnose why the fuse is repeatedly failing, as it suggests an underlying electrical issue in the ignition system rather than just a bad fuse.

Your dashboard gauges—including the speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, temperature gauge, and odometer—stop working together at random times while you're driving, then suddenly start working again with a clicking sound. When they stop, some gauges get stuck in place while others swing to the corner of their range. The gauges eventually come back on, though the odometer display disappears and reappears. This is likely an electrical connection or instrument cluster issue that may require replacing the instrument cluster or repairing the wiring connections that feed power to it.

Your car lost power while accelerating from a stop, and the check engine light came on. There's a recall for this exact electrical issue, but your vehicle's VIN wasn't included in the recall coverage. The manufacturer wouldn't help, and the problem hasn't been fixed. The issue likely involves the ignition module, which controls when your engine's spark plugs fire.

Your car stalled while driving at 10 mph, and the check engine light came on. A dealer couldn't figure out what was causing it, though you noticed your symptoms matched a previous recall related to the ignition module. The problem wasn't fixed, and it continued happening as you drove from 117,000 to 128,000 miles.

Your car won't start due to an electrical ignition module issue. The dealer initially repaired it under a recall, but the same problem happened again a few months later. When you returned, the dealer said the recall was never actually done and your car exceeded the mileage limit for the recall coverage, so they wouldn't repair it. The fix would involve replacing or repairing the ignition module.

Your car shuts off unexpectedly during long-distance driving, and when this happens, your brakes stop working. This is a serious safety issue that needs immediate attention. The problem likely involves your engine stalling and the power brake system losing pressure when the engine dies.

Your car failed its smog check because the manifold catalytic converter is not functioning properly. When you contacted the dealer to buy a replacement part, they said they no longer stock it and it's not available from aftermarket suppliers either. You'll need to find an alternative catalytic converter solution, which may involve sourcing a used part, having a custom converter fabricated, or consulting with a muffler shop that specializes in emissions components.

Your check engine light came on, then your car jerked and stalled while driving. This happened multiple times. A dealer diagnosed a failed oxygen sensor as the cause, but the vehicle wasn't repaired. Replacing the oxygen sensor should resolve the stalling and check engine light.

You were hit from behind in a severe multi-car collision that totaled your car. Your airbags did not deploy during the crash, even though the impact was severe enough to push your trunk to the front seat and crush the front of your car. You suffered shoulder, neck, and shoulder injuries from striking the steering wheel. Replacing or repairing the airbag system would involve inspecting the airbag sensors, control module, and replacing any faulty components.

You were involved in a front-end collision at 20-30 mph with a stationary vehicle, resulting in heavy frontal damage to your car. Your airbags did not deploy despite the severity of the impact, which was confirmed by a police officer at the scene. The only thing that prevented serious injury was your seatbelt. Diagnosing this issue will require a mechanic to inspect the airbag system's sensors, wiring, and deployment mechanisms to determine why they failed to activate.

Your car is having trouble starting in the morning — the engine won't turn over, but it usually starts later in the day. You'll also notice the check engine light comes on with a "Service Engine Soon" message. A mechanic diagnosed that your crankshaft position sensor has failed and needs to be replaced. Additionally, your car is stalling while driving at various speeds, though you can restart it. Replacing the crankshaft position sensor should resolve both the starting and stalling issues.

Your engine stalls when you press the brake pedal, even at low speeds like 20 mph, though it restarts and runs normally afterward. This stalling happens intermittently and recurs over time. A mechanic diagnosed a faulty cam position sensor as the likely cause. The fix will involve replacing the cam position sensor.

Your car's engine shut off while you were driving at 65 mph, then restarted after 10 minutes before shutting off again after about 2 miles. A mechanic diagnosed the problem as faulty crankshaft and camshaft sensors. You mentioned there may be a recall on your vehicle. Replacing the crankshaft and camshaft sensors should resolve the stalling issue.

Your car's engine shut off suddenly while you were driving at 65 mph, forcing you to coast to the shoulder. After restarting and driving about 2 miles, it shut off again. A mechanic determined the problem was with the crankshaft and camshaft sensors, which tell your engine's computer critical timing information. The sensors will likely need to be replaced to restore normal engine operation.

Your car has lost engine power and won't shift into overdrive. You're concerned this might be related to a Takata inflator issue or another defect. You need to know if there's a recall available for your vehicle.

Your headlights and turn signal lights stopped working when you tried to use them while driving. Additionally, fuel spilled out of the fuel tank opening when you were refueling, even though the tank wasn't full. The issues may require inspection of the electrical system for the lighting and replacement or adjustment of the fuel filler neck component.

Your car jerks or hesitates when you press the gas pedal and apply load, and it won't accelerate beyond 3000 RPM. You've already replaced the ignition coils and throttle position sensor without improvement. Your mechanic believes a safety recall may be responsible, but Nissan says no applicable recalls exist for your vehicle.