NissanSentra2015Overview/nissan/sentra/2015/base/

2015 Nissan Sentra

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2015 Sentra.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (variable gear ratios)

The 2015 Nissan Sentra is a passenger car equipped with an automatic transmission featuring variable gear ratios, a 4.25‑quart oil capacity requiring 0W‑20 API oil, and EPA fuel‑economy ratings of 29 city, 37 highway, and 32 combined mpg. Owner‑reported data shows 348 total complaints for the 2015 model year, with the power train identified as the leading complaint area and three recalls issued. Across the Sentra’s complaint history from 1990 to 2026, the 2015 total sits well below the peak of 638 complaints recorded in 2013 but above the low of 8 complaints in 2026, placing it in the middle of the model’s reliability range and indicating a moderate complaint volume relative to its lineage.

Model year202520242023202220212020201920182015

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.25 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy29/37/32 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 21R · 470 CCA battery, OE oil filter 1520865F0E. Note the factory front wiper blades is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 21R · 470 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP205/55R16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter1520865F0E
Engine air filter1654630P00
Spark plug22401JA01B alt 22401CK81B
Battery24410ET00B
Front wiper blades288903SG0B discontinued · alt 288903SG1B
Serpentine belt117203SG0B
Thermostat212303RC1A alt 21200ET01A
Cabin air filter272773DF0A

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (variable gear ratios)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length182.3 in
Overall width69.3 in
Overall height59.1 in
Wheelbase106.3 in
Curb weight2851 lb
Track (front / rear)60.2 / 60.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)60/40

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined29 / 37 / 32 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume96 cu ft
Cargo volume15 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Sentra of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.0–10.2 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.00 sec — 2018 SR Turbo
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2016SL 1.8L I-49.50 sec17.40 sec130 hpFWD
2016SL 1.8L I-410.00 sec17.60 sec130 hpFWD
2016SL 1.8L I-410.20 sec18.20 sec130 hpFWD
2013SL 1.8L I-49.20 sec17.20 sec130 hpFWD
2013SL 1.8L I-49.60 sec17.30 sec130 hpFWD
2013SL 1.8L I-49.70 sec17.40 sec130 hpFWD
2018SR Turbo 1.6L Turbo I-47.00 sec15.40 sec188 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.25 qt of 0W-20 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque the oil drain plug to 29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantUse Nissan long life coolant
Engine Coolant Capacity7.0
Engine OilSAE 0W · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.25 qt
Fuel Tank Capacity13.25 gallons
Manual Transmission Fluid80W-90 · GL-4
Manual Transmission Fluid Capacity7.5 Pints

Engine torques

Engine Flywheel Bolts80 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts20 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts25 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts20
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts25
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs19 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts25.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub105.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerNissan
Spark Plug Gap.035 in
Spark Plug Torque14 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity16.0 lbs
Oil TypeGenuine NISSAN A/C System Oil Type S
Oil Capacity3.0 oz
Standard BCI Group Number21R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance470 cca

Service checks

RPM51 @ idle rpm
Engine Compressionpsi 177-200 / max variation 14.5 psi
Intake Valve Lash0.012-0.016 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.012-0.017 in

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 20; Rear: 32 /; Front: 20; Rear: 32
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 122; Rear: 62 /; Front: 122; Rear: 62
ABS Sensor Torque7.0 / NS
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.079; Rear: 0.079 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.059 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness after RefinishFront: .866; Rear: .315
Variation from Parallelism Thickness VariationFront: .0003; Rear: .0006
Maximum Rotor RunoutFront: .0014; Rear: .0039

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs — tightening sequence 1 stages
11.4 ft. lbs., Step 2: 4.3 ft. lbs., Step 3: 7.01.4 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
114 ft. lbs., Step 2: 6514 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 6 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts. Use new bolts coated with clean engine oil. Tighten all bolts to finger tight then continue on with the following procedure.

130.0 ft. lbs.30 ft. lbs
2100 degrees100 degrees
3Loosen bolts 360 degrees in reverse order360 degrees
430 ft. lbs.30 ft. lbs
5100 degrees100 degrees
6100 degrees100 degrees
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
125 ft. lbs., Step 2: 7025 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs at 105,000 mi; coolant at 105,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 105,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 10,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect)
Every 15,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 20,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Drive Axle Assembly (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Steering Gear Box Assembly (inspect)
Every 30,000 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Drive Belt (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Exterior Lighting (inspect) · Headlamp (inspect alignment) · Radiator Cap (inspect)
At 40,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
At 105,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 180,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2015 Nissan Sentra sits within a generation that experienced a significant surge in federal reports starting in 2013, which peaked at 638 complaints. By 2015, complaints had decreased to 348, following a downward trend from the 380 reported in 2014 and continuing through 2017. For the 2015 model specifically, the primary area of concern was the Power Train with 119 complaints, followed by Air Bags with 32, though the data does not specify the root causes of these issues. While this year recorded 3 recalls and 180 TSBs, it notably had zero federal investigations, unlike the 2013 and 2014 models which had three each. This positioning suggests the 2015 model represents a period of stabilization following the high-volume complaints of the immediate prior years. Given the declining trend in complaints and the absence of federal investigations, this is a better year to buy than the 2013 or 2014 models.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
180
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
348
Owner complaints
22 involved a crash · 3 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 348 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train119
Air Bags32
Unknown Or Other26
Engine15
Power Train,Engine11
Power Train,Vehicle Speed Control,Engine10
Vehicle Speed Control10
Power Train,Vehicle Speed Control10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

16V244000Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant ClassificationReported 26/04/2016

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50… Remedy: Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control…

15V453000Latches/Locks/LinkagesReported 21/07/2015

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2015 Nissan Rogue vehicles manufactured June 9, 2015, to June 10, 2015, and 2015 Nissan Sentra and Versa Note vehicles manufactured June 5, 2015, to… Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the date, lot number, and cavity code on the left front and rear door latches, and replace them, as necessary, free of charge…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 180 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
NTB09-131C2026-04-13StructureCERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision…
NTB09-131C2026-04-13StructureCERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision…
NTB13-107G2024-05-20Electrical SystemVEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been…
NTB13-027D2024-05-20Electrical SystemCAN COMMUNICATION – NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended. See…
NTB10-066C2024-05-20Electrical SystemCAN COMMUNICATION CODES – DIAGNOSTIC TIPS AND GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Sentra. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2015 Sentra take?

4.25 qt of SAE 0W-20 Genuine NISSAN engine oil or equivalent Engine oil with API Certification Mark, per the factory manual.

Does the 2015 Sentra have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Sentra get?

EPA figures are 29 city / 37 highway / 32 combined mpg.