NHTSA Complaints · Active Recalls · California Lemon Law Data
The NHTSA tracks consumer complaints, manufacturer recalls, and safety investigations for every vehicle sold in the United States. These publicly available records are a critical resource for California lemon law cases because they establish patterns of recurring defects.
As of June 2026, the NHTSA has logged 121 complaints against the 2021 Nissan Sentra. Each complaint is filed by a vehicle owner or lessee through the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline or online portal at SaferCar.gov. You can review all 2021 Nissan Sentra complaints directly on the NHTSA complaint database.
The 2021 Nissan Sentra has generated 121 NHTSA complaints and has 3 active recalls. If your 2021 Nissan Sentra has experienced a defect that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple visits, you may qualify for a full repurchase or replacement under California lemon law. Nissan pays all attorney fees when we prevail. You pay nothing.
Steering defects can create unpredictable vehicle behavior and qualify as safety-related under California lemon law. Reported issues on the 2021 Nissan Sentra include pulling, vibration, loss of power steering, and electronic steering warnings. 21 NHTSA complaints have been filed in this category. Owner reports include: “Electric steering rack has play and causes violent shaking. Huge safety risk as this could have complete failure and cause accidents. Vehicle started showing symptoms at 68,000 miles and after reading separate forums, many others have experienced these same issues. No warning lights appear on the dash and no inspection by safety highway patrol. This is a serious issue especially given I do not appear to be the only person experiencing this. The steering and suspension seem to be a common issue on this call given the recall on the tie rods.” (NHTSA Complaint #11699032)
Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2021 Nissan Sentra include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 16 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “Purchased brand new with 0 miles. The system malfunction popped up and engine would not turn over after running perfectly fine a hour prior.Had to get towed to dealership and found a faulty battery luckily I still had 100 or so miles left on my warranty.Happened again last month the same exact thing except this time I had to get a jump off after several minutes the engine finally turned over.” (NHTSA Complaint #11703182)
Advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) defects — including malfunctioning forward collision warnings, lane keep assist failures, and erratic automatic emergency braking — can create dangerous driving conditions. The 2021 Nissan Sentra has 9 NHTSA complaints for this defect type. Owner reports include: “Some time while driving on empty roads Fuel Economy warning light beeping and automatically emergency brake . It happened on me more than 5 times.” (NHTSA Complaint #11722302)
The 2021 Nissan Sentra has generated 6 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “I've had multiple issues with my vehicle since I purchased the brand new car in 2021. – One year after purchase, I was left stranded when my alterna…”
Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2021 Nissan Sentra include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 5 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “Automatic emergency brake engaged while driving when there was not a car directly in front of me. There were no obstructions on the road and cars in the lanes next to me were not merging into my lane.” (NHTSA Complaint #11641476)
The following 3 recalls have been issued for the 2021 Nissan Sentra by the NHTSA or Nissan. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.
Component: STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A bent tie rod can break, causing a loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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.
Component: STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A bent tie rod can break and cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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
Component: BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: A rearview camera that does not properly display an image can reduce the driver’s rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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 Octob
California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2021 Nissan Sentra:
Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Nissan to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Nissan must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.
If your 2021 Nissan Sentra qualifies as a lemon under California law, Nissan may be legally required to:
Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.
Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Nissan a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Nissan dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.
Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Nissan pays your fees if you win.
Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Nissan a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.
Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Nissan is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.
Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.
California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.
If your 2021 Nissan Sentra has a recurring defect, California’s Lemon Law may entitle you to a full refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement — at no cost to you.
Our attorneys answer the questions we hear most from California vehicle owners — fully updated for 2026.
Get a free case evaluation. Nissan pays our fees if you win — you pay nothing upfront.
Check My Refund Amount →