Nissan Rogue Years to Avoid
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 6,994 NHTSA complaints, the Nissan Rogue years to avoid are 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022 and 2023 — the worst logged up to 6× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by transmission failures. Updated August 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of August 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 429 | 234 | 5 | CAUTION |
| 2009 | 320 | 153 | 3 | SOLID |
| 2010 | 282 | 198 | 2 | SOLID |
| 2011 | 361 | 258 | 2 | CAUTION |
| 2012 | 317 | 209 | 2 | SOLID |
| 2013 | 606 | 429 | 1 | CAUTION |
| 2014 | 433 | 242 | 10 | CAUTION |
| 2015 | 545 | 237 | 9 | CAUTION |
| 2016 | 536 | 287 | 7 | AVOID |
| 2017 | 588 | 333 | 5 | AVOID |
| 2018 | 609 | 357 | 3 | AVOID |
| 2019 | 330 | 179 | 3 | CAUTION |
| 2020 | 147 | 56 | 1 | BEST |
| 2021 | 268 | 125 | 10 | CAUTION |
| 2022 | 240 | 203 | 6 | AVOID |
| 2023 | 647 | 457 | 6 | AVOID |
| 2024 | 168 | 73 | 4 | CAUTION |
| 2025 | 168 | 18 | 3 | SOLID |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume; verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Nissan Rogue. Full methodology.
Common Nissan Rogue problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Nissan Rogue are transmission, electrical, drivetrain, body. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Transmission overheating and loss of power
· Nissan Rogue 2008–2018Corroborated by 35 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 1,602 transmission complaints across 2008–2018, typically 34,595–210,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $3,000–$10,000.
CVT transmission loss of power / limp mode
· Nissan Rogue 2013–2018Corroborated by 185 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 896 transmission complaints across 2013–2018, typically 30,000–180,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $1,500–$10,000.
CVT transmission stalling and failure to restart
· Nissan Rogue 2013–2016Corroborated by 40 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 743 transmission complaints across 2013–2016, typically 49,000–180,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $8,000.
Airbag warning light malfunction
· Nissan Rogue 2008–2017Corroborated by 9 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 319 electrical complaints across 2008–2017, typically 95,000–160,000 miles.
Rear differential failure
· Nissan Rogue 2015–2018Corroborated by 3 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 292 drivetrain complaints across 2015–2018, typically 83,600–130,000 miles.
Door lock failure / malfunction
· Nissan Rogue 2012–2018Corroborated by 14 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 220 body complaints across 2012–2018.
Airbag system failure and malfunction
· Nissan Rogue 2015Corroborated by 2 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 81 electrical complaints across 2015.
Why these years stand out
2016 Nissan Rogue: 536 owner complaints on federal record, 287 of them severe, plus 7 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Nissan Rogue.
2017 Nissan Rogue: 588 owner complaints on federal record, 333 of them severe, plus 5 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Nissan Rogue.
2018 Nissan Rogue: 609 owner complaints on federal record, 357 of them severe, plus 3 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Nissan Rogue.
2022 Nissan Rogue: 240 owner complaints on federal record, 203 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Nissan Rogue.
2023 Nissan Rogue: 647 owner complaints on federal record, 457 of them severe, plus 6 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Nissan Rogue.
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FAQ
What years of the Nissan Rogue should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Nissan Rogue years to avoid are 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022 and 2023 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by transmission issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Nissan Rogue?
The 2020 Nissan Rogue shows the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Nissan Rogue verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Nissan Rogue's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Nissan Rogue before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Nissan Rogue reliable?
The Nissan Rogue's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 6,994 NHTSA owner complaints, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022 and 2023 rate "avoid", while 2020 shows the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Nissan Rogue?
The most-reported problem area for the Nissan Rogue is transmission, followed by electrical and drivetrain. Confirmed failures include transmission overheating and loss of power, cvt transmission loss of power / limp mode, cvt transmission stalling and failure to restart. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Nissan Rogue across every model year on record. Retrieved August 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered; a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Nissan Rogue, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.