2002 Nissan Sentra GXE review from North America

The check engine light came on soon after I purchased the car. I took it to the dealer who fixed the problem, but never really explained what it was.

There was a significant rattle in the driver's side door when I bought the car. They took apart the door and did something to make the rattle less noticeable. It's not really so bothersome anymore.

The cheap plastic cord that connects the gas cap to the body of the car came loose, so now I have to put the gas cap on top of the car or on the trunk when I'm at the pump. It's a minor annoyance.

Some interior trim pieces have started to come loose. For example, the plastic trim on the driver's side A-pillar just popped off today. I popped it back on. Also, one of the hinges on the driver's side vanity mirror snapped unexpectedly.

The trunk latch mechanism no longer works properly. The trunk actually doesn't close completely as a result. I'm having this (and a couple of other minor issues) taken care of tomorrow (in what will be my last warranty service.)

This is a very fine car, the problems above notwithstanding. One really has the sense that its engine is a thing of quality. I get excellent gas mileage, and the car has never felt underpowered to me.

The interior could stand to be upgraded. The materials (lots of faux chrome plastic knobs and such) are rather cheap, and the fit and finish are not on par with the Toyota Corolla or the Honda Civic. I will say, however, that I have been pleasantly surprised with how well the cloth upholstery has held up over the past 3 years. It's not significantly worse than when the car was new.

One minor thing: the carpeting on the driver's side foot-well has started to come unglued at the very top. I imagine this could cause a problem down the road.