The 1998 Nissan Sentra has 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 512,387 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 76 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the air bags. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
VISIBILITY98V0930001998-05-05512,387 affected
Defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. WATER CAN ENTER AND DISPLACE THE GREASE IN THE WIPER ARM LINKAGE BALL JOINT WHERE THE WIPER LINKAGE ATTACHES TO THE WIPER MOTOR LINKAGE.
Consequence
THIS CAN RESULT IN GRADUAL WEAR OVER A PERIOD OF TIME INSIDE THE JOINT THAT COULD LEAD TO THE SEPARATION OF THE WIPER LINKAGE ASSEMBLY FROM THE WIPER MOTOR LINKAGE AT THE BALL JOINT. A LOSS OF WINDSHIELD WIPER FUNCTION CAN RESULT IN THIS SEPARATION OCCURS.
Remedy
TO PREVENT GREASE FROM BEING WASHED OUT OF THE JOINT, THE DEALERS WILL MODIFY BY ADDING A WATER DIVERSION SEAL THAT WILL PREVENT WATER FROM ENTERING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE BALL JOINT AREA.
Complaints by component
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
12
11crashes5injuries
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
6
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:LINKAGES
5
AIR BAGS
3
3crashes4injuries1deaths
SUSPENSION
3
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
2
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
2
1crashes2injuries
Total complaints76
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“Coming to a stop in a l turn lane, with foot definitely only on brake, at under 3 mph. Just as I stopped, brake faded, engine raced, and car surged violently forward, simultaneously. I barely controlled this surge with extreme brake pressure. Event lasted approximately 5 seconds. It did not trip a…”
“Coming to a stop in a l turn lane, with foot definitely only on brake, at under 3 mph. Just as I stopped, brake faded, engine raced, and car surged violently forward, simultaneously. I barely controlled this surge with extreme brake pressure. Event lasted approximately 5 seconds. It did not trip a…”
“1998 nissan sentra was struck by unit 2 struck in the rear as the consumer began having engine trouble and started slowing down. This caused sentra to go off the right side of the roadway and overturn in the ditch. Bf (ohio traffic crash report # 10-0414-89)*jb updated 04/22/11 *bf”
“1998 nissan sentra gxe would not take fuel. At the gas pump, the pump would click off, like the tank was full. It would take less than a gallon of gas at a time. *tr I took it to be serviced and questioned if there was a recall and I was told that there was just a bulletin on it. I never located…”
“I have a 1998 nissan sentra and the problems I have with this car is my ignition switch. My key gets stuck in my ignition sometimes and my car doesn't want to start at times. This problem is becoming more and more consistent over the ten years I've had it. I've had problems with my engine multiple…”
“I have a 1998 nissan sentra and the problems I have with this car is my ignition switch. My key gets stuck in my ignition sometimes and my car doesn't want to start at times. This problem is becoming more and more consistent over the ten years I've had it. I've had problems with my engine multiple…”
“I have a 1998 nissan sentra and the problems I have with this car is my ignition switch. My key gets stuck in my ignition sometimes and my car doesn't want to start at times. This problem is becoming more and more consistent over the ten years I've had it. I've had problems with my engine multiple…”
“Tl*the contact owns a 1998 nissan sentra. While driving 30 mph, the windshield wipers shut off without warning. The dealer stated that the wiper arm linkage separated from the wiper motor linkage. The dealer stated that the vin was excluded from nhtsa campaign id number 98v093000…”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1998 Nissan Sentra as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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