2002 Nissan Sentra: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2002 Nissan Sentra: 10 recalls, 318 owner complaints and up to 27 mpg combined.
Recalls
10 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer, plus 4 equipment/tire recalls that can apply. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Exterior lights Vehicle recall #01V376000 · 2001 · 81,393 vehicles
What's wrong: 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these vehicles were missing tamperproof caps that prevent horizontal headlamp adjustment.
Why it matters: These caps are installed to prevent misadjustment of the headlamps.
The fix: Dealers will install a tamperproof cap over the horizontal adjustment screw for both headlamps. Owner notification began January 14, 2002.
Other / unknown Vehicle recall #02V056000 · 2002 · 9,640 vehicles
What's wrong: On some passenger vehicles equipped with a Nissan-approved accessory floor mat that was installed either at the assembly plant or by the dealer, due to the length of the driver side floor mat, a small amount of mat movement could cause the mat to interfere with the accelerator pedal and not allow the pedal to release after it is depressed.
Why it matters: If this occurs unexpectedly, it could lead to a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the driver side floor mat and if it is a Nissan floor mat subject to this recall, the dealer will replace both the driver and passenger side floor mats. Owner notification began March 18, 2002.
Engine & cooling Vehicle recall #03V084000 · 2003 · 338,000 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain vehicles equipped with the 2.5 liter engine, the exhaust pipe hanger pin May catch debris from the road that could be ignited by contact with the main catalyst. Also on 2002 altima and sentra vehicles, certain engine operating conditions May cause the pre-catalyst to overheat and damage the catalyst substrate.
Why it matters: Either of these two conditions could result in a fire.
The fix: Dealers will remove the protruding portion of the exhaust pipe hanger pin. In addition to the corrective action, in order to reduce the risk of fire in the event of poor or improper maintenance that could result in oil spillage, heat shield(s) will be installed on the pre-catalyst and exhaust tube.…
Electrical Vehicle recall #03V477000 · 2003 · 276,000 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain passenger vehicles equipped with the qg18de engine or qr25de engines, the foam material used for the interior lining of the electronic control module (ECM) box emits sulfur as it cures.
Why it matters: If one of the resistors inside the ECM has a crack on the surface coating, the gas May cause corrosion of the resistor. This could cause the malfunction indicator light to come on, poor drivability (idle instability, poor accelerator), or the engine to stop running during vehicle operation, which…
The fix: Dealers will remove the inside lining material from the ECM box. Owner notification began on December 22, 2003. Owners should contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Engine & cooling Vehicle recall #03V455000 · 2003 · 630,000 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain passenger vehicles, the circuit board for the crank position sensor or cam position sensor May have an improper solder joint due to solder deformation caused by heat stress accelerated by the existence of flux residue during the soldering process.
Why it matters: This could cause the "service engine soon" warning light to come on, create a no start condition, cause reduced engine power, or cause the engine to stop running without warning during vehicle operation, which could result in a crash.
The fix: Dealers will replace the crank position sensors. Camshaft position sensor(s), and in some cases, the variable timing control sensor(s). Vehicles involved in a previous recall campaign, 01v357, are also included in this new campaign. The replacement sensors used in that campaign are also affected.…
Engine & cooling Vehicle recall #03V511000 · 2003 · 70 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain electric vehicles, the front suspension transverse link's ball joint bracket May break from stress concentration at a notch created by surface roughness and the shape of the material cut-line.
Why it matters:
The fix: Dealers will replace the bracket on these vehicles. Owner notification began December 15, 2003. Owners should contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Engine & cooling Vehicle recall #07V527000 · 2007 · 653,910 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: 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.
The 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.
Airbags Vehicle recall #15V287000 · 2015 · 1,090,569 vehicles
What's wrong: 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.
Why it matters: 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.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on June 15, 2015.
Airbags Vehicle recall #20V008000 · 2020 · 307,962 vehicles
What's wrong: 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)…
Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The 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.
Airbags, Airbags Vehicle recall #20V747000 · 2020 · 3,930 vehicles
What's wrong: 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…
Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The 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.
4 aftermarket equipment / tire recalls replacement parts sold to fit this car, not the car itself
Exterior lights Equipment recall #06E023000 · 2006 · 292,000 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain anzo combination headlamp assemblies sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles. Some combination lamps are not equipped with amber side reflectors which fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Why it matters: Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
The fix: Anzo will notify owners and replace the headlamps free of charge. The recall began May 9, 2006.
Exterior lights Equipment recall #06E064000 · 2006 · 4,029 vehicles
What's wrong: Certain tradesonic combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Combination lamps not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
Why it matters: Lack of amber side reflectors in the lamps will decrease lighting visibility to other drivers and May possibly result in a vehicle crash.
The fix: Tradesonic will notify owners and replace the lamps free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during July 2006.
Exterior lights Equipment recall #09E025000 · 2009 · 42,540 vehicles
What's wrong: Dope, Inc. is recalling 42,540 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
Why it matters: Decreased lighting visibility May result in a vehicle crash.
The fix: Dope, Inc. will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on July 28, 2009.
Airbags, Airbags Equipment recall #22E066000 · 2022 · 375 vehicles
What's wrong: Nissan north america, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain air bag inflator replacement service parts that May have been installed as part of a theft or collision repair. The parts include certain passenger-side air bag inflators designed to fit Infiniti 2002-2003 qx4, 2006-2010 m35 and m45; Nissan 2001-2003 maxima, 2002-2006 sentra, and both driver and passenger-side inflators designed to fit 2007-2012 versa sedan…
Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the inflators as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 14, 2022.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 8 mention a fire, 22 injuries and 0 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Engine & cooling (131): the most common themes are stalls / loses power (52), warning light on (29), noise or vibration (12).
- Electrical (55): the most common themes are stalls / loses power (28), electrical failure (18), warning light on (10).
- Airbags (32): the most common themes are fails to deploy (7), deploys unexpectedly / inflator (3), warning light on (3).
- Engine (27): the most common themes are stalls / loses power (13), warning light on (7), noise or vibration (2).
The 2002 Nissan Sentra has 318 owner complaints, ranking #4 of 37 Sentra model years for complaints (2.0× the average Sentra year). Complaints peaked in 2003 (49 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 4 years old, at a median of 71,000 miles. Neighboring years: 2001 (236 complaints, 7 recalls), 2003 (180 complaints, 7 recalls).
Engines & fuel economy (EPA)
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 L 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 24 | 32 | 27 | Regular |
| 1.8 L 4-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 24 | 31 | 26 | Regular |
| 2.5 L 4-cyl | Manual 5-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 21 | 27 | 23 | Regular |
| 2.5 L 4-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 20 | 25 | 22 | Regular |
| 2.5 L 4-cyl | Manual 6-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | 19 | 26 | 22 | Regular |
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2002 Nissan Sentra.
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FAQ
Does the 2002 Nissan Sentra have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 10 vehicle recalls for the 2002 Nissan Sentra, plus 4 equipment or tire recalls that can apply. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2002 Nissan Sentra problems?
Owners have filed 318 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are engine & cooling (131), electrical (55), airbags (32).
What gas mileage does the 2002 Nissan Sentra get?
EPA ratings run up to 27 mpg combined (1.8 L, Manual 5-spd), across 5 engine and transmission combos.
Where can I get a 2002 Nissan Sentra repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.