2016 Nissan Sentra: Wire shorted out resulting in no brake lights
Common wear/failure (not a recall)
Symptoms
Owners of the 2016 Sentra report: wire shorted out resulting in no brake lights. CarComplaints.com lists 1 owner complaints, average mileage 24,500 miles.
NHTSA has 45 owner complaints for the 2016 Sentra in this area. Examples:
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11763062 (filed 09/09/2026): “The ecu problem is a major issue the vehicle is stalling, not starting, just malfunctioning tremendously while on the road in traffic while driving it stalls in traffic, shuts off in traffic. i was told this was a issue back in july 2017 the same issue has occ…”
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11741557 (filed 06/02/2026): “Odometer fraud. the contact purchased a 2016 niss. the contact stated that they discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. the vehicle was a private sale/dealer sale. at the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 107,242. it was lat…”
Likely causes
Sources do not establish a single root cause; diagnosis is needed. Owner-reported fixes are listed below.
Fix, in plain English
Most common owner-reported solutions on CarComplaints.com: replacing the entire wire harness (1 reports). Check for open recalls and extended warranty coverage with a dealer before paying out of pocket.
DIY difficulty: Moderate
Finding and splicing chewed wiring is doable with a multimeter and patience but can be time-consuming; harness replacement is pro work. (Our assessment.)
Cost
CarComplaints.com owners report a typical repair cost of about $3,000 (owner-reported average, not a quote).
Typical parts (search links, no affiliate codes)
AutoZone · O'Reilly · Advance · RockAuto
Sources
- CarComplaints.com: Wire shorted out resulting in no brake lights (2016 Sentra)
- NHTSA complaints API, 2016 Sentra
Page last updated .