Component Record

Nissan Sentra 2003 Engine Problems

111 distinct owners reported a engine problem on the 2003 Nissan Sentra - 62% of all complaints for this model year.

Recall Coverage111 complaints

111 complaints; 3 recall campaigns cover this system.

Campaigns Covering This System

03V455000Reported November 17, 2003 - 630,000 vehicles potentially affected

Recall covering the engine system, reported to NHTSA on November 17, 2003. The campaign covers an estimated 630,000 vehicles across all affected models.

03V511000Reported December 10, 2003 - 70 vehicles potentially affected

Recall covering the engine system, reported to NHTSA on December 10, 2003. The campaign covers an estimated 70 vehicles across all affected models.

06V242000Reported July 7, 2006 - 294,166 vehicles potentially affected

Recall covering the engine system, reported to NHTSA on July 7, 2006. The campaign covers an estimated 294,166 vehicles across all affected models.

Other Systems on This Model Year

Electrical System37 Fuel and Propulsion System18 Air Bags16 Unknown Or Other9 Power Train9 Brakes9

How to Read These Counts: complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not failure rates. Older and higher-volume vehicles accumulate more reports, and counts are not adjusted for vehicles sold - no per-sales rate or reliability ranking is shown, because the public data does not support one.

Data as of October 30, 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaints, recalls, and investigations files (U.S. Government public domain). DefectRecord is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. For your specific vehicle, use NHTSA's VIN lookup. Report an error.