2020-2021 Nissan Sentra Steering Wheel Vibration

Nissan has identified a defect affecting the steering in certain 2020-2021 Sentra vehicles. The problem could lead to loss of steering control.

In July 2020 Nissan received a customer report that the right front wheel of a Nissan Sentra was not responding to steering inputs. Inspection of the vehicle revealed the right front tie rod had fractured into two pieces although there was no sign of an accident or damage to the vehicle. An investigation into the incident revealed deformation from bending of the tie rod that led to a fracture at the ball end housing. Nissan continued to identify seven (7) more warranty reports related to the problem.

According to the defect report, the left and/or right side tie rod may be bent on the affected vehicles. A bent tie rod condition may impair the driver’s ability to steer the vehicle. The steering wheel may be off-center and/or experience vibration. In the worst case scenario, if the tie rod breaks, it can lead to a partial loss of steering control.

Nissan has identified and corrected certain manufacturing process issues as potential sources for impact damage to the tie rod. They will be asking owners of affected vehicles to return to their dealership to have the left and right tie rods inspected and replaced as necessary. Nissan's number for this recall is PM985 and the NHTSA campaign number is 21V-461.