Nissan Sentra extended warranty: cost, coverage and plans
Why an extended warranty could make sense
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Nissan Sentras are known to have average reliability, so extended warranty options could offer extra protection against unexpected repairs as the vehicle ages.
We’ll break down what a Nissan Sentra warranty covers, how much it costs, what your options are and whether a warranty is worth it in the long run.
All new Nissan Sentras come with a three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty from the factory.
Jump to insightQuotes we received for an extended auto warranty on a 2021 Sentra ranged from $1,053.72 to $1,701.94 a year. That’s more expensive than the average cost of an extended warranty.
Jump to insightNissan has average reliability compared with other vehicles.
Jump to insightGetting an extended warranty on a Sentra gives you peace of mind and protection against repair bills once the factory warranty expires.
Jump to insightNissan Sentra extended warranty coverage
An extended auto warranty is an optional, paid extension of the factory warranty your Sentra comes with. For context, Nissan Sentras come with the following warranties from the factory:
- A three-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty
- A five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty
Factory warranties follow the vehicle, not the owner. So if you buy a 2-year-old car with 20,000 miles on it, you still have one year or 16,000 miles worth of factory bumper-to-bumper warranty remaining.
For an extended warranty on your Nissan Sentra, you have two options:
- Buy the official Nissan extended warranty, called Nissan Security+Plus.
- Buy a plan from a third-party extended warranty company, which allows you to take your car to any ASE-certified mechanic for repairs.
Most Americans can't pay for a $1,000 repair bill with cash, according to a ConsumerAffairs investigation. Nearly 13% of drivers have no way to handle a bill that large — even by borrowing.
Regardless of whether you go with an extended warranty from a dealer or a third-party provider, you’ll typically get the most value by purchasing whichever plan offers comprehensive, exclusionary protection (often called bumper-to-bumper or Platinum). These plans cover 90% or more of the parts on your vehicle. Less comprehensive Gold, Silver and powertrain plans are less expensive, but the coverage they provide may leave you no option but to pay out of pocket for pricey repairs.
Auto warranties only pay for repairs and replacements of specifically covered parts that fail from normal wear and tear, not from damage or accidents. Repairs generally aren’t covered under warranty if you don’t properly maintain the vehicle or you make aftermarket modifications.
In general, here are the differences between what a bumper-to-bumper warranty and a powertrain warranty cover:
| Warranty type | Typical coverage | Not covered |
|---|---|---|
| Bumper-to-bumper | ||
| Powertrain | Parts that create power and deliver it to the wheels | Parts not related to the engine, transmission or drive axle |
Note that some extended auto warranty plans fall somewhere between bumper-to-bumper and powertrain coverage.
» LEARN: What to know about manufacturers’ extended warranties
How much does a Nissan Sentra extended warranty cost?
We were quoted $1,701.94 a year from olive for three years of bumper-to-bumper coverage for a 2021 Nissan Sentra registered in Austin, Texas, with 40,000 miles. From Endurance, the quote for similar coverage was $1,053.72 annually for 30 months of coverage for the same vehicle with the same mileage. Both quotes assumed a $100 deductible. Note that both of these are third-party extended auto warranty companies.
The “official” Nissan extended warranty is called Nissan Security+Plus, and it may cost less than a third-party option. Be sure to get a quote from your local Nissan dealer to compare your options.
In general, quotes for extended auto warranties vary based on coverage, vehicle, deductible, location and other factors. A 2022 Sentra with zero miles typically has cheaper extended warranty options than a 2020 model with 50,000 miles, for example.
It's worth it to get quotes from multiple providers so you get the best deal for an extended auto warranty.
For context, the average cost of an extended warranty is around $1,000 per year of coverage. The quotes we collected for our hypothetical 2021 Nissan Sentra were more expensive by comparison.
It's worth mentioning that a "Gold" or powertrain extended warranty can keep costs lower, but it comes with risks. Lower-level plans only cover a fraction of the parts that a comprehensive plan does, which can leave you frustrated when you have to pay out of pocket for certain repairs.
Extended auto warranty providers may use varying language to describe plans. For example, Endurance provides 30 months and 40,000 miles of coverage with its plans — this is as of your vehicle's current age and mileage. Other providers may use the vehicle's original purchase date as the starting point for calculating coverage, so you'll have to subtract the age and mileage of your car (plus any remaining factory warranty) to determine the length of the coverage you're actually getting.
Is a Nissan Sentra extended warranty worth it?
Yes, a Nissan Sentra extended warranty is worth it. In general, an extended auto warranty is worth it if any of the following are true:
- Your vehicle has a bad reputation for reliability.
- The warranty costs less than you expect to spend on repairs.
- A big repair bill could hurt you financially.
- You don’t mind paying for peace of mind.
Nissan as a brand has average reliability, with J.D. Power ranking Nissan 15th out of 29 car brands for overall dependability. As for the Sentra specifically, RepairPal gave it a 4.0 out of 5.
Many ConsumerAffairs reviewers reported issues with their Nissan Sentras.
“I have 2012 Sentra that just failed transmission. The cost of repair - $4K,” said Maria in Florida.
I had barely reached 70k miles (which is not a lot for a transmission to fail). ”
Jennifer in Florida also had an issue with the transmission: “This past March 2020 my vehicle made a complete stop as I was going 60mph on the highway, the vehicle remained on and did not move in any gear and it is strange since I had barely reached 70k miles (which is not a lot for a transmission to fail).”
This seems to be a common problem among ConsumerAffairs’ reviewers, as Justin from Utah had a similar issue: “The transmission has now went out in my 2016 Nissan Sentra and I still owe over 15,000 on the car. I have no warranties to help me.”
Nissan Sentra models from 2009 to 2013 experienced high failure rates with their continuously variable transmissions (CVTs), leading to a lawsuit and making extended warranties valuable for vehicles from these years. From 2014 onward, however, Nissan improved the CVT, and later Sentra models, like the 2015 and 2017, have proven more reliable.
These stories from real customers mentioning issues with Nissan Sentra maintenance suggest that an extended warranty is a good idea. The likelihood of needing repairs and the prices we found for Nissan Sentra extended warranties means you’re likely to come out ahead by purchasing a protection plan.
Article Sources
ConsumerAffairs writers primarily rely on government data, industry experts and original research from other reputable publications to inform their work. Specific sources for this article include:
- J.D. Power, “Vehicle Dependability Slumps as Rate of Deterioration Increases, J.D. Power Finds.” Accessed Aug. 14, 2024.
- RepairPal, “Nissan Sentra Reliability Rating.” Accessed Aug. 14, 2024.
