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 16 complaints against the 2023 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 2023 Nissan Sentra complaints directly on the NHTSA complaint database.
The 2023 Nissan Sentra has generated 16 NHTSA complaints and has 1 active recall. If your 2023 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.
The 2023 Nissan Sentra has generated 3 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: “Rear back up camera just turned purple out of no where” (NHTSA Complaint #11669635)
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 2023 Nissan Sentra include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 2 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “Key Fob consistently displays “Low Battery” on the dashboard even after replacing the batteries on both key fobs. However, when using the remote start…”
Engine and cooling problems are among the most serious defects under California’s Song-Beverly Act. Owners of the 2023 Nissan Sentra have reported issues including stalling, overheating, loss of power, rough idling, excessive oil consumption, and check engine lights that return after dealer repairs. With 1 NHTSA complaint on record, this defect pattern is well-documented. Owner reports include: “The contact owns a 2023 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled and unintendedly decelerated. The vehicle was driven to the parking lot and came to a complete stop. The vehicle was restarted and driven to the residence. Upon arrival at the residence, the vehicle failed to restart with the check engine warning light illuminated. An independent mechanic arrived at the residence, and the mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine had seized. The local dealer was contacted, and an estimate for the repair was provided. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer and was not repaired. The mechanic stated that the engine was cracked and was a rebuilt engine, not a new engine. The contact purchased a used engine from a salvage yard for replacement. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.” (NHTSA Complaint #11722181)
Steering defects can create unpredictable vehicle behavior and qualify as safety-related under California lemon law. Reported issues on the 2023 Nissan Sentra include pulling, vibration, loss of power steering, and electronic steering warnings. 1 NHTSA complaint have been filed in this category. Owner reports include: “After 8 months of driving my car brand new I started experiencing multiple intermittent malfunctions in the dash board & infotainment system. I have documentation of DTC codes current in my ECU. These codes each dealership refused to find and instead replaced my car battery, wiping the codes & replacing my infotainment system after it completely failed. After repeated repair attempts each dealership failed to successfully repair under warranty & told me to drive the car as normal when these malfunctions continued. These electrical malfunctions were at one point affecting my alternator which I also have documentation of. The car has lost power yet the engine stays running while I am driving. My handsfree is intermittent everyday. I am now way past my warranty & extended warranty due to following dealerships advice to drive the car as normal and bring back. These ongoing malfunctions create unreasonable safety risk which I believe falls under 49 U.S.C. Chapter 301 — the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act. A third party diagnostics shop told me my car would have to be taken apart to find the grounding issues as this is clearly a manufacturing defect. These repairs have cost me money and I refuse to keep paying these dealerships if they aren’t willing to resolve the core problem. I get constant push back from each dealership. I’ve already engaged with Nissan consumer affairs, a Lemon Law attorney, and filed with my State AG, AG recommended while undergoing an IDR that I file a complaint here as well. Please help.” (NHTSA Complaint #11719365)
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 2023 Nissan Sentra include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 1 NHTSA complaint have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “The Malfunction symbol/ABS light comes on once a week & will not allow me to crank my car and i have to jump it off to get it back started. My car is bought from a rental car agency Jan 2025 who provided me the receipts that the car was taken care of properly. Within the first week of purchase, the vehicle would not start & the malfunction and/or ABS symbol would appear and happens once a week since i purchased the vehicle January 2025. According to Google, this UNWANTED ABS or malfunction warning is very COMMON in the Nissan Sentra. Seems as if this is an unwanted problem occurring in several year models, it should be recalled. It is a safety hazard for all involved.” (NHTSA Complaint #11654288)
The following 1 recall has been issued for the 2023 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: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: An air bag that deploys improperly may not protect the driver as intended during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front driver’s air bag assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan’s numbers for this recall are PD103, PD104, and PMA34.
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 2023 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 2023 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 2023 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.
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