NHTSA Safety Recalls
2002 Nissan Sentra Recalls
The 2002 Nissan Sentra has 14 NHTSA safety recalls on file, the newest reported on December 1, 2020.
A recall covers a range of VINs, not every 2002 Nissan Sentra. Whether a recall on your own car is still open shows only on a VIN check; recall repairs are free.
- Recalls
- 14
- Owner complaints
- 304
- Crashes reported
- 19
- NHTSA crash test
- ★★★★☆
NHTSA campaigns
filed with NHTSA
6 fires
frontal crash, no overall star before 2011
On a 2002 Nissan Sentra, the 17-character VIN is on the driver-side dashboard, visible through the windshield, or on the door jamb sticker.
14 recalls on the 2002 Nissan Sentra
Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module
- Campaign
- 20V747000
- Reported
- December 1, 2020
- Vehicles affected
- up to 3,930
- Risk NHTSA names
- injury and death
- NHTSA advisory
- do not drive until repaired
- Same campaign
- also 2003–2006 Sentra
Air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module
- Campaign
- 20V008000
- Reported
- January 9, 2020
- Vehicles affected
- up to 307,962
- Risk NHTSA names
- injury and death
- Same campaign
- also 2003–2006 Sentra, 8 other models
Air bags
- Campaign
- 15V287000
- Reported
- May 15, 2015
- Vehicles affected
- up to 1,090,569
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash, injury and death
- Same campaign
- also 2003–2006 Sentra, 7 other models
Engine and engine cooling
- Campaign
- 07V527000
- Reported
- November 14, 2007
- Vehicles affected
- up to 653,910
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2005–2006 Sentra, 1 other model
Engine and engine cooling
- Campaign
- 03V511000
- Reported
- December 10, 2003
- Vehicles affected
- up to 70
- Same campaign
- also 2000–2001, 2003 Sentra
Engine and engine cooling
- Campaign
- 03V455000
- Reported
- November 17, 2003
- Vehicles affected
- up to 630,000
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2000–2001, 2003 Sentra, 8 other models
Electrical system: ignition: module
- Campaign
- 03V477000
- Reported
- November 14, 2003
- Vehicles affected
- up to 276,000
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2000–2001, 2003 Sentra
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
- Campaign
- 03V084000
- Reported
- March 11, 2003
- Vehicles affected
- up to 338,000
- Risk NHTSA names
- fire
- Same campaign
- also 1 other model
Unknown or other
- Campaign
- 02V056000
- Reported
- February 15, 2002
- Vehicles affected
- up to 9,640
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- only the 2002 Nissan Sentra
Exterior lighting: headlights
- Campaign
- 01V376000
- Reported
- December 12, 2001
- Vehicles affected
- up to 81,393
- Federal standard
- FMVSS 108, lamps and reflective devices
- Same campaign
- also 2001 Sentra
Exterior lighting: headlights
- Campaign
- 06E023000
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2000–2001 Sentra, 17 other models
Exterior lighting
- Campaign
- 06E064000
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2003 Sentra, 19 other models
Exterior lighting: headlights
- Campaign
- 09E025000
- Risk NHTSA names
- crash
- Same campaign
- also 2003 Sentra, 46 other models
Air bags: frontal: driver side: inflator module
- Campaign
- 22E066000
- Risk NHTSA names
- injury and death
- Same campaign
- also 2003–2006 Sentra, 3 other models
2002 Nissan Sentra complaints by year
NHTSA has received 304 owner complaints about the 2002 Nissan Sentra, the newest on February 24, 2026. Of these, 19 describe a crash (6%) and 6 a fire; owners reported 22 injuries.
In complaints about the 2002 Nissan Sentra, the component group named most often is the engine and engine cooling (42%), followed by the electrical system (18%) and the air bags (10%).
4 of the 2002 Nissan Sentra's 14 recalls also concern the engine and engine cooling.
Where 2002 Nissan Sentra owners gave the mileage (209 complaints), the median was 71,000 miles.
Component groups named in complaints
- Engine And Engine Cooling127
- Electrical System54
- Air Bags30
- Engine27
- Power Train20
- Vehicle Speed Control20
Complaints received, by year
| 2002 | 1 | |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 48 | |
| 2004 | 40 | |
| 2005 | 34 | |
| 2006 | 25 | |
| 2007 | 22 | |
| 2008 | 27 | |
| 2009 | 12 | |
| 2010 | 19 | |
| 2011 | 12 | |
| 2012 | 7 | |
| 2013 | 9 | |
| 2014 | 15 | |
| 2015 | 8 | |
| 2016 | 6 | |
| 2017 | 10 | |
| 2018 | 2 | |
| 2019 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 4 | |
| 2025 | 1 | |
| 2026 | 1 |
Complaints about the 2002 Nissan Sentra peaked in 2003, when NHTSA received 48. 40% arrived between 2001 and 2005, the model year's first years on the road.
Adjusted for how many complaints NHTSA received about all 2002 vehicles, the 2002 Nissan Sentra drew 1.4× the complaints of the median Nissan Sentra year in the same window: 7th highest of the 23 ranked years.
NHTSA crash-test stars
- Overall: none before 2011
- Frontal: 4/5
- Side: 2/5
The 304 complaints about the 2002 Nissan Sentra are unverified owner reports, and a model sold in large numbers collects more of them.
Nissan Sentra by model year
Other 2002 Nissan models
Newest record on this page: February 24, 2026. Data: NHTSA recall and owner-complaint files. How these figures are counted