2011 Nissan Sentra Engine Problems

Your 2011 Nissan Sentra has ongoing transmission problems that are affecting how it drives and feels unsafe — you've experienced the car losing speed on the highway, which created a dangerous situation with a tractor trailer. You discovered after purchase that the vehicle was previously salvaged, which wasn't disclosed to you at the time of sale. A transmission inspection and potential rebuild or replacement may be needed to restore safe operation.

Your 2011 Sentra's CVT transmission is experiencing jerking, hesitation, and loss of power, with check engine codes P1778 and P0776 appearing. These symptoms indicate a transmission malfunction that makes the car difficult to drive safely. Fixing this issue will likely require transmission repair or replacement, which is a major and expensive repair.

Your car stalls while driving at different speeds, and the traction control and check engine warning lights turn on. A mechanic replaced the catalytic converter, but the stalling problem continued. The issue started around 160,000 miles and hasn't been fully resolved.

While driving at 70 mph, your car's engine suddenly stalled without warning, though you were able to restart it. The dealership checked your vehicle but found no active recalls and did not perform any repairs. This stalling issue at highway speed could be dangerous and may indicate a fuel delivery, ignition, or sensor problem that needs diagnosis.

While driving at low speed and stopped at a stop sign, your engine didn't respond when you pressed the accelerator and all engine warning lights appeared on the dashboard. After turning the engine off and restarting it, the vehicle started normally and ran without any issues or warning lights. The engine sounds normal and the problem hasn't returned since.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN SENTRA. WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING A TURN, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUED DRIVING, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED RANDOMLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VALLEJO NISSAN (LOCATED AT 3287 SONOMA BLVD, VALLEJO, CA 94590, (707) 656-4483) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE REPAIR FEES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH A RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000.

THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING, JERKS, AND HESITATE WHEN ACCELERATING. THE RPM JUMPING UP AND DOWN WHAT IS GOING ON HAD TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP BEFORE ABOUT THE WHINING NOISE AND THE RPM...

MY ENGINE BLEW THE MECHANIC SAID IT COULD BE MY TRANSMISSION OR MY HEAD GASKET 3,500 TO FIX

IT WAS DRIVING OK ON A SCHOOL PARKING LOT, NO WARNING LIGHTS FOR CHECK ENGINE OR BATTERY; AND AFTER PARKING & TURNING OFF THE ENGINE THE CAR DID NOT RESTART ANYMORE. BATTERY IS GOOD, FUEL PUMP IS GOOD TOO, NO BLOWN FUSES, NOTHING SEEMS WRONG BUT SIMPLY IT WON'T RESTART! *TR

ACTUALLY LESS THAN A YEAR FROM PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, A TICKING STARTED IN THE ENGINE EVEN AFTER ROUTINE OIL CHANGES. BEFORE IT HIT 50000 MILES, WHEN STARTING THE CAR IT WOULD HESITATE AND WHEN IT WAS CHECKED OUT A CELL IN THE BATTERY BURNED OUT AND IT WAS A LITTLE OVER A YEAR OLD. WHEN I LOOKED UP RECALLS THERE WAS SOMETHING CONCERNING THE BATTERY AND WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP THEY STATED SINCE IT WAS JUST OVER THE 50000 MARK IT WASN'T COVERED. AS FOR AS THE ENGINE THEY STATED STATED " THAT'S JUST THE ENGINE, THEY ALL HAVE A TICK." *TR

I BOUGHT A CAR FROM EMOTORS WEST LESS THAN 30 DAYS AGO AND THE CAR DIED ON ME IN THE NEXT 3 DAYS AND THEY KEPT MY CAR FOR 3 DAYS I JUST GOT IT BACK TODAY AND JUST DIED ON ME AGAIN... I JUST WANT TO GET MY MONEY BACK... *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A GATE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED ABNORMALLY AS IT INDEPENDENTLY DECELERATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT AFTER MERGING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, SHE ATTEMPTED TO INSPECT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHEN SHE NOTICED A BURNING ODOR. SEVERAL MINUTES LATER THE VEHICLE EXPLODED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,000.

IN 2007, NISSAN RECALLED MORE THAN 140,000 ALTIMAS DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF FIRE RELATED TO THE CARS AIR FILTER. THERE WAS SUBSTANTIAL MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE LARGE RECALL. WE OWN A 2011 NISSAN SENTRA, WHICH WE PURCHASED FOR OUR TEENAGE DAUGHTER. ACCORDING TO COURTESY NISSAN IN RICHARDSON, TEXAS, THE CAUSE OF A RECENT VEHICLE BREAK DOWN WITH OUR SENTRA WAS AN AIR FILTER FIRE, WHICH ALSO CAUSED FIRE DAMAGE TO THE AIRBOX. THIS IS THE SAME DEFECT WHICH RESULTED IN NISSAN'S 2007 RECALL. (I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE FIRE-DAMAGED AIR FILTER AND AIRBOX, AS WELL AS THE FIRE-DAMAGED PARTS.) THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SERIOUS AND UNRESOLVED SAFETY ISSUE, ONE THAT NISSAN PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGED AND PROACTIVELY ADDRESSED WITH THE 2007 RECALL. NISSAN CORPORATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT HAS DENIED THAT THE ISSUE WITH THE 2007 ALTIMAS IS THE SAME ISSUE WITH OUR 2011 SENTRA, EVEN THOUGH THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP STATED CLEARLY TO US IN WRITING THAT THE AIRBOX/AIR FILTER CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE AIR FILTER IN A TWO-YEAR-OLD CAR SHOULDN'T CATCH ON FIRE. AND IT CERTAINLY SHOULDN'T CATCH ON FIRE IF AIR FILTER FIRES IN NISSANS WERE SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO RESULT IN A MAJOR RECALL OF NISSAN VEHICLES IN 2007. *TR

MY SON WAS DRIVING MY CAR NISSAN SENTRA 2011 ON 405 FREEWAY IN THE CARPOOL LANE AT ABOUT 65MPH. THE ENGINE CUT OFF. HE TOLD ME THAT HE TRIED TO GET OVER WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL COASTING BUT THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY STOPPED IN ONE OF THE LANES. HE PUT ON THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS AND CALLED HOME. HE TOLD US THAT THE CAR HAD CUT OFF AND WOULDN'T START BACK UP. HE SAID THAT OTHER CARS WERE JUST FLYING BY AT FAST SPEED. WE TOLD HIM AND HIS FRIENDS TO STAY IN THE CAR WHERE WE FELT IT TO BE SAFER AT THE TIME. THEN HE SAID I AM ABOUT TO GET HIT. FOR MINUTES WE DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON. THE DRIVER THAT HIT THE REAR OF THE CAR LET MY SON AND 2 OTHER PEOPLE GET IN HIS CAR AND HE DROVE THEM OFF OF THE FREEWAY. MY SON CALLED THE HIGHWAY PATROL AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION. HE WAS TOLD THAT THE CHP WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT. WHEN MY HUSBAND AND I ARRIVED AT THE LOCATION WHERE MY SON,HIS FRIENDS AND THE DRIVER OF THE CAR THAT HIT HIM WERE WAITING, WE NOTICE A POLICE CAR. THE POLICEMAN SAID HE JUST SAW THEM THERE AND CAME OVER. WHEN CHP FINALLY CAME OVER TO WHERE WE WERE WAITING, THE CHP OFFICERS EXPLAINED TO US THAT THE VEHICLE WAS HIT A SECOND TIME AND THAT TWO PEOPLE WERE CARRIED IN AN AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE WAS PUT ON A TOW TRUCK AND BROUGHT OVER TO WHERE WE WERE ALL WAITING. THE REAR OF THE CAR WAS TOTALLY SMASHED. THERE WAS NO LONGER A BACK SEAT OR TRUNK. WHEN MY SON SAW THE CAR HE WAS GLAD THAT THEY HAD GOTTEN OUT OF THE CAR BECAUSE ONE OF HIS FRIENDS WOULD HAVE GOTTEN SMASHED UP IF THEY HAD STAYED IN THE CAR. BY THE WAY, THE CAR WAS NOT OUT OF GAS BECAUSE I FILLED THE TANK UP WITH GAS MYSELF THE PREVIOUS DAY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, SHE WAS ADVISED BY A PASSING DRIVER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND TO EXIT IMMEDIATELY. THE CONTACT AND A PASSENGER WERE ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE JUST AS THE VEHICLE EXPLODED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY DID NOT RESPOND. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

BRAND NEW CAR UNDER 4K MILES ON IT I WAS DRIVING BETWEEN 60-65MPH ON THE BUSY I95N OF FORT LAUDERDALE MIAMI CARS SPEEDING UP TO 70MPH WITH MY FAMILY ON A VACATION THEN ALL OF SUDDEN THE SERVICE LIGHT POP UP AND AFTER THAT THE CAR LOST ITS POWER SO I COASTED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD REALLY SCARY. IT SEEMS THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THIS SENTRAS ARE STILL ACTIVE EVEN WITH NEW CARS SO NISSAN ARE WE GONNA WAIT FOR THE NEXT INCIDENT? *TR

ON DEC. 11, 2011, THE CAR WOULD NOT START IN THE MORNING. WENT BACK IN THE AFTERNOON AND STARTED FINE. ON DEC. 12, 2011, THE CAR HESITATED TO START IN THE MORNING. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED BATTERY. ON DEC. 19, 2011, THE CAR WOULD NOT START AT FIRST AND ONLY STARTED WHEN BRAKE WAS PUMPED SEVERAL TIMES, AND STILL HESITATED TO START. THE CAR WOULD NOT GO FASTER THAN 40 MPH, WITH THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR, AND THE RPMS WOULD NOT GO PAST 2. AFTER EVERY STOP THE CAR TOOK 2 MINUTES TO GET BACK UP TO 40 MPH. TOOK TO THE SHOP, THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. *TR