2017 Nissan Sentra: Hesitates while accelerating
Common wear/failure (not a recall)
Symptoms
Owners of the 2017 Sentra report: hesitates while accelerating. CarComplaints.com lists 4 owner complaints, average mileage 57,800 miles.
NHTSA has 76 owner complaints for the 2017 Sentra in this area. Examples:
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11741244 (filed 06/01/2026): “The contact owns a 2017 nissan sentra. the contact stated while driving the vehicle he could tell the vehicle gears were slipping, on a different occasion the vehicle downshifted on its own suddenly almost causing a crash. the contact stated there were times w…”
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11741125 (filed 05/31/2026): “I have been experiencing the cvt transmission slipping the last two weeks. i contacted nissan so see if my vin was a vehicle affected by 2017 cvt transmission recalls. they advised me it was not affected because my vin did not match their systems affected ve…”
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: none clearly reported. Check for open recalls and extended warranty coverage with a dealer before paying out of pocket.
DIY difficulty: Pro
Diagnosis needs a scan tool; repair or replacement needs a lift, transmission jack and the manufacturer's fluid fill/relearn procedure. (Our assessment.)
Cost
CarComplaints.com owners report a typical repair cost of about $5,000 (owner-reported average, not a quote).
Typical parts (search links, no affiliate codes)
AutoZone · O'Reilly · Advance · RockAuto
Sources
Page last updated .