All about the 2016 Nissan Sentra recalls
When it arrived on American shores in 1982, the Sentra was the first front-drive subcompact car in Nissan’s lineup. Fast forward to today, and it has become one of their best-selling models. However, even popular cars eventually end up with a recall.
How many recalls have been issued for the 2016 Nissan Sentra?
As of August 2020, there were 5. These include:
- The airbag harness connector can be disconnected
- Seat support failure causes OCS error
- Occupant classification system failure
- Airbag inflator manufacturing error
- ECU and wiring harness connection failure
Fortunately, in this article, we will cover each of these 2016 Nissan Sentra recalls in detail, including how to resolve them.
Airbag harness connector failure
NHTSA Callback ID: 16V436000
When your car detects an impact, it sends a signal from the sensor to the airbag through the wiring harness. For certain 2016 Sentras, a faulty connector in the passenger side airbag wiring harness can disconnect without warning and prevent this from happening.
Once disconnected, the airbag will not deploy in the event of a crash, leaving your passenger at risk of serious injury.
To remedy this problem, technicians only need to inspect the wiring harness to see if this problem occurs. If so, they can replace the entire passenger airbag module and main body wiring harness.
Seat support failure causing OCS error
NHTSA Callback ID: 16V242000
The occupant classification system (OCS) automatically determines whether an adult or child is seated in the seat. Based on this information, it will decide whether or not to deploy the airbag during a collision.
In the 2016 Sentra, OCS could not make this determination correctly due to a defective passenger seat assembly. When using the child restraint system, it may become deformed and prevent the system from deactivating the airbag functionality.
If the airbag inflates with a child in the seat, this could cause serious injury or even death.
To solve the problem, technicians must reinforce the defective bracket to prevent it from deforming when the child restraint system is used. Then they have to reprogram the airbag control unit and the OCS electronic control unit.
Occupant classification system failure
NHTSA Callback ID: 17V253000
The OCS system could also work backward and not detect when an adult is sitting in the passenger seat.
If this happens, the airbag will not deploy in the event of a crash, leaving your passenger at risk of serious injury. A simple software update completely solves this problem. Technicians only need to update both the OCS electronic control unit and the airbag control unit.
Airbag inflator manufacturing error
NHTSA Callback ID: 16V244000
When airbags deploy, inflators must instantly dispatch and inflate them to adequately cushion the body in the event of an impact. On the 2016 Nissan Sentra, this may not occur due to a manufacturing error.
To resolve the problem, the front passenger side airbag inflator must be replaced.
Bad connection between ECU and wiring harness
NHTSA Callback ID: 16V485000
The engine room harness is responsible for sending signals to the drivetrain to help it start and keep it running. On the Sentra, this harness has an oversized terminal pin, allowing it to disconnect from the engine control unit.
If this happens while driving, the vehicle could stop and cause an accident. It can also happen when the car is parked, causing the engine to not start the next time you try.
Technicians can simply replace the incorrect terminal pin with the correct one to prevent it from disconnecting. With this replacement, the engine control unit can send the correct signals, allowing your engine to perform as expected.
How do you handle an open recall for a 2016 Nissan Sentra?
Not sure if your Sentra is included in one of the recalls above? Just go to the NHTSA site and find your model using the VIN. Then call the Nissan Customer Service Team at 1-800-647-7261 to find out where to have the work done.
You can also call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236. When you call, you will not only know which authorized stores to go to but also what to expect during repairs.
