2002 Nissan Sentra Engine And Engine Cooling:engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE · data through 07/14/2026

41Engine And Engine Cooling:engine complaints

13.5%Of all 304 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine and engine cooling:engine ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING67 · 22%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE41 · 13.5%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM30 · 9.9%

ENGINE27 · 8.9%

AIR BAGS26 · 8.6%

Share of the 304 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2002 Nissan Sentra overview page.

What owners report

“2002 NISSAN SENTRA COMPUTER (ECM) WENT BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON THE ECM IN 2004 BUT WAS…”NHTSA complaint 10134517 — filed 09/20/2005

“DT: 2002 NISSAN SENTRA. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE CAR SHUT OFF, TOOK THE CAR TO A MECHANIC. WENT ON THE NISSAN WEBSITE AND…”NHTSA complaint 10134246 — filed 08/25/2005

“2002 NISSAN SENTRA HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE CHECK ENGINE SOON LIGHT ILLUMINATING ON THE DASHBOARD.”NHTSA complaint 10117320 — filed 03/29/2005

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2002 Nissan Sentra have engine and engine cooling:engine problems?

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2002 Nissan Sentra: 41 of 304 complaints on file (13.5%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2002 Nissan Sentra have in total?

304 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 22 involved a crash, 8 involved a fire, 22 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine and engine cooling:engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.