Nissan Sentra Recall Issued Over Defective Brake Lights

As a result of problems with brake lights that may not illuminate properly, more than 800,000 Nissan Sentra sedans are being recalled by the manufacturer.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the Nissan Sentra recall on March 5, warning owners the brake light switch may become contaminated with grease, preventing the circuit from closing and the lights activating. This may increase the risk of an auto accident if other drivers do not recognize a vehicle is slowing or has stopped.

The recall comes after an issue was discovered with a silicone-based grease, which may result in the break light switch becoming contaminated with built-up residue. This would further lead to an open circuit issue and an inoperative stop lamp switch.

The NHTSA warns owners may notice a malfunction light on, the rear stop lights may not illuminate and potentially the engine may not start.

The recall affects Nissan Sentra vehicles from model years 2016 through 2019, which were manufactured between December 1, 2015 and November 23, 2019.

NHTSA released a report on March 4 stating that potentially 807,376 Sentra’s are involved in the nationwide recall. Nissan also mentioned that it is not aware of any crashes or injuries related to the problem. This does not affect other Nissan or INFINITI models due to the uniqueness of where the parts are located in the 2016-2019 Nissan Sentra models.

“This issue is unique to Model Year 2016-2019 Nissan Sentra vehicles due to the combination of clevis pin grease that uses a high concentration of silicon, and a bulb system that uses a high current switch,” the NHTSA warns. “Specifically, the layout of the clevis pin and brake lamp switch being in close proximity to one another is unique on the Sentra model.”

Nissan will notify owners of affected vehicles at the beginning of April 2021. Dealers will replace the brake light switch and install a protective grommet at no cost to the owner. Also, remedy parts will be made available in fall of 2021.

Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7769 or use Nissan’s recalls site.