Used 2006 Nissan Sentra Consumer Reviews
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Keeps truckin'
I bought this car new in July of '06. I drive 500 miles a week more or less and now have 235,500 miles on it. I did have a problem with the fuel pump and crankshaft sensor about a hundred thousand miles ago. It would start the second time every time for the longest while but eventually it worsened. I replaced a starter as a result Had a garage replace the fuel pump and it was better but got worse again. Finally took it to the dealer and got the crankshaft sensor replaced. I think it's been a great little car. All the interior buttons still work and the air is cold still after 8 1/2 years. If it dies tomorrow, I'd still think it's a great little car. The most reliable car I've ever had.
Still solid at 194k miles
I have the '06 S "Special Edition" model. I bought it used with around 30k miles and at 194k I've not had one mechanical issue. The single cd player in the car started eating cds and can't be used and the 6 disc Rockford Fosgate changer likes to eat them as well...so I don't use them. I think the entire Rockford system is junk and just a cheap version of their normal products. The backseat is not meant for adults at all, it is miserable for hauling adult passengers or anyone over about 5'4" tall. I used my Sentra to commute 3 hrs a day for work and it never let me sit and never broke down. Keep up with maintenance and it's a good car. *UPDATE I have passed 245,000 miles at this point and the only thing I have chosen to do is replace the rear wheel bearings and rusted exhaust parts. Mind you they didn't fail, but a service tech over torqued my lug nuts on the rear and stretched the threads so that the lug nuts, even when torqued, wouldn't stay tight. I decided if I was replacing all the studs I might as well replace the bearings too. I also installed all new exhaust from the CAT back, but that was to pass a state inspection, not b/c it had failed. My goal is to hit 300,000 miles on this car before I even consider replacing it.
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- 1.8 S SedanMSRP: $2,499117 mi away
- 1.8 SedanMSRP: $3,950180 mi away
- 1.8 S SedanMSRP: $4,450180 mi away
Great car for those with a low budget in mind.
Its a very cheaply made car in just about every category but it does its job well. Bought my 2006 Sentra with 120k miles on it and its about to cross over 200k miles very shortly and i've replaced nothing, everything is still original on it and going strong. My car does has the hard hot start that so many people are having but with almost 200k miles, nothing has failed and i've never been left stranded so i just live with it.
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Doesn't start from first try
2006 Nissan special edition; have trouble with starting, especially in hot weather; does not start from first try. Should be recalled.
Great performer
This is my second Sentra; the other is a standard 2002. From experience I know the cars are reliable and strong. I decided to buy a SPEC-V because I wanted the performance and comfort. I could have gotten a Mazda 3 for less and the driving experience was similar; but the Sentra has tons more room and has good cargo room for a small car. Very likely my next car will also be a Nissan.
1.8special edition great on gas
This car should have a higher mpg rating I get 34 around town and on the highway I get 40+ mpg so I love the fuel economy. I got the car in 2013 with 88,000 miles on it and have only put tires on it and your normal oil changes I run full synthetic oil. The only thing I've replaced were the fog lights and that was only because a rock broke the glass on one of them. It is easy to replace them I did it myself. This is a great little car my oldest son will get this car in two years when he starts driving then two years after that my youngest will use it also and I know this car will be going strong then just like it is now! I also love the 6CD changer and the subwoofer in the trunk! Today is March 30th and I'm adding to my original post here I'm now at almost 111,000 miles and I'm still getting mid to upper 30's for around town mpg and low 40's for highway mpgs most of the time more I'm still using full synthetic oil and I'm now using higher octane fuel which not only improves the mpg even more but it helps to clean the fuel system and the performance. The funny thing is I'm getting the mpg of a new sentra if not better and mine is 10 years old.
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Love this car!
I bought this car in 07 with 19k on it. Added a Greddy Spectrum Elite catback and Falken Ziex tires. It is fun, and gets decent mileage, and handles really well. My only complaints are: The rings are weak, and my oil consumption has tripled (73k on it now), and sometimes when downshifting into 2nd, it pops out of gear. Keeping oil in it is simple, however, and I just hold the stick in 2nd to prevent the annoyance.
trooper
I own a 2006 model and I get an average of 32 mpg. I drive this car everywhere: Mexico, camping, OFF-ROAD, alot of highway/freeway driving, go to the snow resorts, put my dirtbike in the back of the seat/trunk (when open). So far this car has over 150,000 miles and runs perfect! not a single problem. I always change the oil and air filter (and maintain the car clean). I'm sure my little trooper will last over 200,000 miles. =D
Fix the fuel pump!
It's a small car but you get great MPG. The sound system is very nice and the aux jack is great for a MP3 player or to plug in a GPS. I have 66,000 on my 2006 Sentra Special Edition. The only problem that I have with it is the fuel pump issue. It never starts up on the first try. There should be a recall on this problem. This is my first Nissan and may be my last.
Fuel Pump
I bought this car in 2009 with about 25k miles on it. I've had it about 3.5 years and overall it's not been a bad vehicle. I too have had problems with the fuel pump but that has been going on for years and it's always started up the second time I turn it over. I have had the motors in the rear windows go out twice (once on either side) which cause the windows to go down and not go back up and that's a bit annoying. Also, like most small cars it doesn't handle very well in snow or heavy rain. But the car has been reliable and a great first car for me. The fuel economy is great!
For the price you can't complain
I have owned this Sentra for more then two years. The only thing that broke so far, was the CD player. It would not play CDs. Other then that I have no problems. I generally get 31 mpg and have no problems speeding up or braking. Back seat area is cramped if the car has passengers over 6 feet all. Seats are comfortable enough but the head rest could go an inch higher. The track area is great. Engine is noisy when going over 3.5 rpm. Overall I am very happy with the car and would purchase another Sentra.
Average
Bought at 54,000 miles. It's now July 2011. Currently at 96,100 miles. Fuel pump is the biggest problem. Delay in starting about 33% of all starts. Already have had to replace it once. As of yet, that's been the biggest repair (that, and the rotors). Handling is nimble, but not hugely solid. The driving experience isn't hugely amazing. I've had the nagging feeling ever since purchasing it that I could have gotten something better. It's a basic car. Don't expect anything special. The jury's still out on how reliable this car will be and I'm strongly debating trading it in for something brand new. It'll definitely worth it if it lasts beyond at least 175,000. I expect around 150,000.
I Love This Car
From what i can tell you as far as owning this car, it is great all around. If you're in the Import Tuning scene, then this is a definite alternative to the Honda Civic SI. This car flies like it's no tomorrow and it will throw your head back into the headrest. Nismo has all kinds of parts for it as well as other aftermarket companies so you'll be killing most 4- bangers on the road. the engine sound is wonderful especially at the top end of the RM range band. It also handles like a dream. In short, if you buy this car, you deffinitely won't be disappointed
2006 sentra
we should all get togeather and swarm nissan and make them fix this fuel pump problem. to many having that problem
An awesome little car
Some of these reviews amaze me. My husband purchased ours new in '06 and it is now 5 years old & has 140,000mi plus on it & runs and drives great. The gas mileage is awesome too. My husband changes our own oil (using synthetic oil & always changes the air filter) The sticker said the car would get 31mpg highway but our average is usually 31.9 and we do tons of driving in town. The last trip we went on I drove 120miles half of it was stop & go the other half was highway and my average for the trip was 38.8mpg (thats fabulous) We could get that kind of gas mileage all the time if we tried (and no we don't shut off the a/c)
Poor quality Nissan car
Bought the car new in 2006 and had problems with throttle body system and fuel system repeatedly. Luckily, I purchased a warranty that handled it. Right under 75k miles (warranty expiration)it was in the shop again for throttle body issues. less than one month later and 2k miles over warranty, I'm still having similar issues and Nissan Corporation will not repair. I lose power while on the freeway and it has put me in dangerous situations. I will never buy a Nissan again because Nissan Corporate does not back their vehicles or parts.
Should have, could have
I bought this car considering the reputation the company has yet was and still am disappointed in the workmanship as well as the issues off the lot. I continually have a squeaking belt, my front rotors are warped which is like a bad idea of ABS brakes. The interior is noisy, the sound system seems to be getting worst. The car fails to smoothly shift between first and second gear and it is real easy to hit the shifter out of gear while going (automatic). And what is with my window always fogging up?
Good car for first time driver!
I got this car for my 16th birthday, I've never had any problems in the year since then. It is a poorly made car, low end of Nissan for sure, but for a first car it was great. Very easy to drive and gets great gas mileage. The fuel pump is an issue for me just like everyone else who mentioned it, my car has never not started, but it does take two tries sometimes. Other than that I love it! Great first car, I wouldn't buy it if it wasn't for a teen or college student though.
Car shuts off in traffic!
Nissan does NOT care about customer safety. My sentra had 154,000 miles on it. It was well maintained..engine was sound, except for the fact that it shut off for no reason while driving on the highway. There were many recalls on this issue and according to Nissan my car "was not included in the recall". I had 4 mechanics try and diagnose the problem to no avail. The dealership was even at a loss as to what the issue was. 4 months after I spent over 1,000.00 in tires, belts,spark plugs, multiple diagnostic tests I narrowly missed being run over by a truck when my car shut off on the highway, Took it to the dealership AGAIN and AGAIN no one knew what the problem was..I traded it in for a new car..sad part was I was 1.000.00 in the hole and owed 2200.00 on it...I was given 300.00 for my "trade-In"...stay far away from this car. Nissan should recall all VIN # it is a death trap.
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Should have gone for that Subaru
After a bad run with several used cars, I decided to go for a nice, reliable new car. After seriously considering a Subaru Impreza and a Honda Civic, the Sentra 1.8S Special Ed. was so well equipped for the price that I couldn't pass it up. My father's '87 lasted 150k miles, so what was there to worry about? Well, here it is: in less than 24k miles I've gone through 1 front door seal, a rear wheel bearing, 2 belts, 1 fuel pump, and out of nowhere, the rear brake drums went off-round (lots of meat on the pads 1k miles ago). Otherwise, the car is what I would expect from a low-priced compact car: zippy enough, passable steering and a semi-comfortable ride.
My 3rd Sentra!
I bought this car a few months ago, of which had replaced my 1993 Sentra that floated away from flood waters cause by Hurricane Katrina. Compared to my other two Sentras (a 1989, also) this years model is more stylish then the older models I've had. The car is fun to drive, as it has always been. And is a perfect car for the 'new driver,' because it is just as easy to drive/park as it is fun. Gas milage is still great (right now I'm averaging around 27 miles to a gallon), but I find that this year model drinks a bit more gas then the others I've owned. Also, the ride is a bit looser and the car does tend to sway during hard turns. The seats are finaly more comfortable, but still no leg room.
It worked but
Bought this car used in 08 w/ 66k miles on it. Within 1st month, fuel injector pump needed to be replaced. Within 1st yr, 2 motor mounts needed to be replaced 3 times each to no fault of my own, leaving my mechanic puzzled. My mechanic says this car has lots of electrical problems. I bought this car because a friend had one that I loved but ended up being a better car for passenger. It didn't drive very well & the transmission didn't like to shift smoothly. Auto open trunk also stopped working for no apparent reason. I would have kept driving it if it wasn't totaled in an accident (to no fault of the Sentra, poor thing couldn't compete with an SUV!) The seat belts and airbags work great!
Not as good as I would expect
I got a good deal on this car but I still expected more. The transmission seems to be slipping already when getting out of first. The trunk release works any time so what is the valet key for? MPG I get about 26-30 on the average. My M3 gets 22-26 so to me it is not that much better. Also the remote locks stop working from time to time. Have to go through the steering wheel to get to the trip computer. Should have bought a Civic which has a cheaper true cost to own if you sell it after 3 years.
Fun when it works, never again though
This car had 11,900 miles when I purchased it and was like new. It was great when it was working but I have had a multitude of problems and issues. It won't crank easily after the engine has been warmed up, it turns over and over forever before starting. Dealer fixed it once but it's doing it again and now it's not under warranty. The crankshaft sensor has gone bad and is a listed recall but Nissan says my VIN wasn't affected, obviously. Now the car wants to turn off while driving. It consumes oil like crazy, have to add oil in between changes. Fun to drive when it's working but not worth the headache. Nissan doesn't honor anything, steer clear.
Too many defects
This was my 2nd Sentra and our family's 6th Nissan since 1988. I also purchased the same model/year for my daughter, which was clearly a mistake. This will be my last Nissan as both the quality and reliability have decreased tremendously! My daughter and I both have problems with the fuel pumps needing replaced multiple times because of a defect. We are getting ready to take our vehicles back to the dealership for the 3rd time for fuel pump issues. Belts had to be replaced at 20k miles, because as dealership said, "they're inferior". Back window jammed due to defective part in door (back window was hardly used). These aren't quality cars anymore.
06 Sentra SE-R Spec V
I bought a yellow SE R Spec V in February, I love how it stuck out in the lot. In fact, the day I bought it I got a speeding ticket. I love the car, it's so much fun to drive. Doesn't go too well in the snow with those little tires but that's okay. Everything else works great and it has been very reliable. It would be nice to have audio controls on the steering wheel, and would like to have better gas mileage. Overall the car is excellent.
A truly good car.
Best model: 1.8 S Special Edition. Edmonds' data and reviews are wrong. This is an excellent vehicle. Bought this used with 18K miles. For 10 months have driven car in the city or making short commutes. We also have taken two long trips of 2600 miles. I was a mechanic for years. Note: our other car is a Cadillac with all of the bells and whistles. 1.8 Special Edition model has good looking wheels and spoiler, keyless entry, etc. In terms of features it has more than our Cadillac excepting power seats. Interior is typically basic for an economy car. The leg room is fine for anyone under 6'3. Mileage is 33 with 1.8 Liter engine and auto trans. Handles well. Super sound. Nice car.
Fun, But a Niche Car
Overall, this has been a fun car to drive around town and to the beach in. Not recommended for long trips, as the seat comfort is lacking. This car was not purpose built to be a grand tourer. Handles like a go-kart, accelerates like a bullet with the 6-speed manual. Engine and road noise can be annoying. Bumps are a bit jarring due to sporty suspension and lo-pro wheels. Great around-town car.
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Good Value, Nice Features
Overall this is a great car. It was significantly cheaper than a Honda Civic and somewhat cheaper than the Toyota Corolla. I've had it a while and it doesn't disappoint. My wife has a new Corolla, and although it gets better gas mileage than my Sentra, I don't think it has as much going for it. The car runs great, gets good gas mileage, and has a lot of nice features for a car that cost less than $14k. Only problems are some squeaks in the dash. Took it to the dealer twice who "never heard the squeak". Dealer experience purchasing it was good; service dept less than acceptable.
Great car to begin with!
Well I bought this car when I was 16 years old and it had around 60,000mi on it, it caught my eye because it had a sporty look to it (SE-R trim) And at the price point it seemed very reasonable to me. I’ve put 35,000mi on it in the two years of ownership and It’s a great daily driver! The car runs like a champ (I maintained it myself) through proper oil changes and maintenance. Front Sits are okay for short drives max 2 hours before they become painful and start hurting your back. Rear sits are very tight but still livable. Interior is cheap and squeaky. Yet the Car Handles well in corners and has decent acceleration for what it is. Parts are cheap and it doesn’t take much to fix most things on your own. Would I buy the car again? Probably not, but I was a great car to begin with while building up or going through credit, income, career, school, or just buying your first car. If you need a cheap car that is reliable and cheap to maintain this car is for you.
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my #1 nissan & not my last 1
I Drive at least 100 miles a day to and from work in city & highway travel I average 35 MPG never did ever get that mileage from my Pontiac grand-am .The Nissan sentra special edition has more standard features than the grand-am se has and a lower price also.There is no wind noise &very little road noise un like the Grand-am had .I rate this car very highly and can understand why you don't see many on the used car lots
Nissan Sentra 2006
I bought my Sentra 1.8 about a year ago, bought at 58k miles and now at 70k, starting to notice hard start up and a drop in gas mileage. On ave I was getting 30mi to a gallon and now about 25-28mi to a gallon. Now going on the hunt to figure out if the fuel pump that everyone seems to be having issue with is the problem or something else. Going to start cheap and work my way to pump. Mechanic friend thinking it could be fuel filter or air/fuel sensor. So going to check those first then do pump. Hope this will be the end to my problems for awhile. The only other problem is with my six cd changer likes to skip and not play cd's even ones that are new. but that is least my worries.
Never again
The high price of fuel made it necessary to downsize to smaller vehicles. After owning 3 other Sentras I bought a pair of loaded 06s. The aluminum wheels and Firehawk tires are junk. I have replaced 3 rims and 4 tires because they are so poorly made the won't stand up to midwestern highways. This isn't just an expense but a danger. I am looking into the possibility of a product liability suit.
Unreliable
I'm very disappointed in this car. It just got its second fuel pump about 6,000 miles ago which is going bad again, the rack and pinion had to be replaced soon after purchase, the drivers door seal leaked water and had to be replaced, the radio stopped playing out of the passenger side speakers and had to be replaced, the drivers window regulator has been replaced three times and still doesn't work properly (the dealer also broke the glass twice), the air conditioner doesn't blow cold unless your on the highway, when you turn the air conditioner on it makes a weird noise, and their is a squealing noise when you start the car and the dealer/nissan customer service are not help at all.
Transmission Problems
Bought this car for my husband because of a traveling job. It only had 3000 miles when I got it. at 72605 miles we had to get a new transmission (3-19- 08) on 5-9-08 at 77732 miles had to get the whole assembly kit again (thank god under the transmission was under warranty still) and the snap ring had popped off. here we are at 92000 miles and having to get the transmission worked on again. all this car has been for us is trouble.
Best gas mileage car ever!!
This is my 3rd Nissan Sentra. The first 2 lasted 240k and 320k. This one is heading for 400k if the body will hold. With the 1.8L engine, manual 5 spd transmission, Amsoil 0w-30 full synthetic oil, full synthetic in both the manual transmission and the transaxle, this car averages 38-44mpg with cruise control on and at 65 mph. I use my Garmin Nuvi to sync my speedometer and find it is 3mph slow. Bad points: Slow acceleration Good points: Great in the snow, even in WNY winters. Very reliable. Only dealer service I have had is having the belts (timing, alternator, water pump) changed every 60k. Oil changes at 10-15K miles using Amsoil filters.
Best fun for the price
I have only driven the car a couple days and about 250 miles, still not broken in yet. Handles great for a front driver, Brembo brake option recomended, they work excellent. Was looking for a good car under 18K and this was the only one near that price. Civic is way too overpriced for me and no other car was even close to the Spec V in that price range. It wasn't too hard to find but had to get my blue one from Birmingham (100 miles away) after another dealer sold the black one I wanted from under my dealer. No noises, nice tight solid car, no complaints as far as quality of the car for the price. Test drive one and you will know how nice they are. Buy one.
Won't buy another nissan
Bought the car used in 2008 with just under 30k. Since then the radio has quit working (twice). It was the upgraded fosgate one. The transmission has squeaked, nissan wouldn't cover it under powertrain warranty, rear wheel bearing went out, fuel pump, and the belt has squealed on and off since we got it. Exhaust started leaking around 50k miles. The engine is loud when your in the car, and there is a ton of road noise. Car has overall been a nightmare, full of problems. Completely dissappointed. Not at all what I expected from a modern, name brand car. Won't ever buy a nissan again.
Victim of Nissan
Got the car in 2008 with 28,000 miles on it. These are the things that went wrong in the first month: Every rim was bent or warped, glove box fell out, muffler pipe needed to be replaced, bad battery, the window regulators were obviously starting to fail, and, most importantly, the car does not want to start in hot weather. This last reason is a mountain of a problem because, even though we went through with an extended warranty, the dealership can't get the car to have start up issues. Either that's my luck or they're lying so they don't have to fix it, despite the fact that I know it's the fuel pump. They won't fix it under warranty unless they can "diagnose" it. Nissan is trash.
5th Gear Whine
My wife and I really liked the Sentra when we test drove it. It was small (I am 6'2 and 250 lbs) but was comfortable enough for me to drive. There is no room in the back seat behind me when I am driving, but we are getting 38 mpg on the highway, and 33 - 34 combined and fuel efficiency was our goal. One thing that really disturbed me was the engine noise produced at 60 - 65 mph. There is a very audible whine that sounds a lot like electrical feedback. We had the transmission replaced, but the noise never went away. The dealership claimed that it was just part of the 5 speed Sentra. To their credit, I test drove another Sentra yesterday and it whined too. It may not bother you, but check
Nice Little Car
I love this car. This is the first car my parents got for me when I was 16 and I still drive it today. The car has great gas mileage I haven't had any wear and tear problems and it looks great for a car that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. I don't like the interior very much, the back seats are cramped, and the cup holders aren't very well made. In fact, the cup holders broke because they were so flimsy and the ones in the front stink as well. Other than that, this is a fun reliable car, great for a teen getting their first car.
Disappointed
I totally agree with Carolina (first page.) I had a Sentra in the 80's never changed the oil, did any maintenance or anything. Ran like crazy. Now, I totally maintain my 2006 that I bought new and it has had belt replacement, thermostat replacement, heat plate adjustment, and now until it warms up it sound like it's going to fall apart under the hood. Also, the cup holder is too close to the stereo controls. It switches from radio to CD when you bump it. The gas mileage isn't the greatest either. I won't buy another Nissan.
Hope you don't mind replacing rims
In the last two years I have spent $1100 to replace tires and rims. I bought two of these vehicles to save on fuel. The alloy rims and Firehawk tires are unfit for the road. I have replaced three rims and tires due to damage from normal driving, and recently found out a fourth needs to be replaced. I have owned 5 Sentras. These will be my last.
I <3 my Nissan Sentra
This is my first car, and I named her Kiko. I am 5 feet 1 inches tall and a quarter, and this car HAS PLENTY OF LEG ROOM! The only complaint I have about this car is the cup holders in the front (they always turn on a cd player and/or make it impossible to change the cd that I am listening to) I also have fosgate 6 multiple cd changer which sounds awesome. The car is great on gas, only thing to improve this car would be to make it more powerful in the snow, Buffalo Winter snow.
Love the car
This is my first car. As a college student my main focus was safety and reliability. It is a very nice car with 9 speakers, great pickup speed, and very safe. Great price with a lot of wonderful features packed in it. Also gives good mileage.
Recommend
4 years 50,000 miles later fast, fun, easy to drive. front seats are spacious and comfortable. very smooth ride.
Not too bad
Got this car with 14k on it in 06 and has over 60k now. Gas milage is far better than factory sticker. Being 6'3", this car is way small. The cup holders are worthless. The ride is ok, very noisy. Doesn't like to start on first try some times or it starts and dies. Have an on going issue with the plug for the mass air flow sensor. Keeps getting dusty and then the car through an engine code and won't drive, have to blow out the plug to get it to run. Performance is poor, I had an 88 Honda Accord that had a better ride and more pep then this car.
No Problems
I bought my Spec V with 400 miles. Now at 15,300 running premium gas as recommended and synthetic fuel. I average 25.8 mpg. Incredible little car that's extremely pleased me after owning a twin turbo Volvo and an 88 Supra n/a.
Disappointed Nissan Fan
I owned 3 Sentras before this one and a 97 Maxima and Nissan truck. Loved them all. Not this one. It does get good mileage but considering how underpowered it is should do better. The tires it came with were terrible. I replaced them with Falkens on 17" rims and it sure did make the car look nice IMO. (But that's probably just me, the car never seems to turn anyone else's head.) Things I hate: -often does not start on first try -clunky shift from first to second -too underpowered to maintain 65 mph during cruise control without down shifting -drivers side door seal leaks when driving in rain -Service Engine Soon light on at 60 K -lack of safety equip -seats do not go back far enough
Plain-Jane car, bad handling, overpriced
Bought this in December 2006. Nothing special, no power windows or seats. No cruise, no ABS, no AC, wipers have 3 settings, too slow, too fast and 'use only in a monsoon fast'. Car is squirrley on the freeway, extremely noisy, but I've gotten almost 40MPG on roadtrips doing 70MPH. If you do not turn on the power and let it set and beep a few times before turning the engine it stalls or has a hard start. Runs great on regular oil. Interior is very cheap. cupholders are useless and cups can interfere with manual shift knob. Drivers door has always had a tiny and occasional leak.