Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1984 Sentra.
The 1984 Nissan Sentra, a compact car of its era, is powered by an engine that requires 3.5 quarts of oil with a choice of viscosities including 20W-40, 20W-50, or 5W-30. Notably, this model year recorded only five total owner complaints—the most common issue being with the seat belts—and carried zero recalls, making it an exceptionally reliable entry in the Sentra lineage. When viewed against the model's broader complaint history, which peaked at 638 grievances in 2013 and saw its lowest count of eight in 2026, the 1984 Sentra's near-flawless record underscores its status as a particularly trouble-free early-generation example.
Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.
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.
| Year | Trim / engine | 0–60 | ¼ mile | HP | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | XE 3-door Hatchback 1.5L I-4 | 12.70 sec | 18.60 sec | 67 hp | FWD |
| 1986 | SE Coupe 1.6L I-4 | 13.40 sec | 19.20 sec | 69 hp | FWD |
Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.
This engine holds 3.5 qt of 20W-40 / 20W-50 / 5W-30 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.
| Brake Fluid | DOT 3 |
| Engine Oil | 20W-40 · 20W-50 · 5W-30 · 10W-30 · 10W-40 |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 3.5 qt |
| Engine Oil | 15W-40 · 5W-30 |
| Engine Oil Capacity | 3.8 qt |
| Power Steering Fluid | ATF |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
The provided year-by-year federal record spans 1990 through 2026 and does not contain an entry for 1984, so the target year cannot be plotted against the arc that opens with 41 complaints in 1990 and climbs toward generation peaks of 333 complaints in 2002 and 638 in 2013. What the JSON does provide for 1984 are isolated subcategory counts: two seat-belt complaints and one each in seats, electrical system, and visibility, alongside one crash complaint and zero fire complaints, with no overall complaint total, recalls, investigations, or TSBs supplied. Because these are fragmentary subcategory metrics without an annual baseline, they cannot be meaningfully aligned with the escalating volumes visible from 1990 onward. The limited scope of documented 1984 issues suggests minimal federal filing activity, though the data does not specify whether this reflects low failure incidence, reduced exposure, or reporting sparsity. Therefore, the 1984 Sentra presents no flagged systemic defect pattern in the available record and remains a viable vintage candidate, contingent on a thorough pre-purchase inspection to address age-related wear.
All 5 complaints on record, top 4 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.
Showing 3 of 3 bulletins on record with NHTSA.
| Bulletin | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| NTB-09-101 | 2010-09-30 | Tires | NISSAN: TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS) WARNING LIGHT ON/FLASHING. NO MODELS OR… |
| NTB-09-129 | 2010-09-13 | Equipment | NISSAN: VENT CONTROL VALVE REPLACEMENT. WHEN REPLACING THE EVAP CANISTER VENT CONTROL… |
| NTB-09-030 | 2009-04-06 | Electrical System | NISSAN: THE 12 VOLT BATTERY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND IS… |
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
3.5 qt of ABOVE 50 degrees F: 20W-40 OR 20W-50, BELOW 60 degrees F: 5W-30 OR 10W-30, ABOVE 0 degrees F: 10W-30 OR 10W-40, per the factory manual.
NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.