Families shopping for a compact SUV often look at the Nissan Rogue. The Nissan Rogue offers seating for up to five people, good fuel economy, and predictable handling. In a recent review by U.S. News, the 2021 Nissan Rogue finished in a three-way tie for fourth place, ranking it ahead of notable names such as Jeep Cherokee, Hyundai Tucson, and GMC Terrain. However, even amongst all the praise, some common problems keep plaguing the Nissan Rogue. 

The Nissan Rogue receives some common complaints

Ranking third in Car Complaints‘ list of Nissan Rogue problems with 36 complaints is “won’t accelerate/stops while driving.” This problem was most common in 2011 Rogues with about 86,650 miles and costs nearly $3,000 to repair an issue related to the transmission. This issue occurs at highway speeds, with reports of abrupt deceleration from 70 mph while in traffic nearly causing accidents. Most occurrences appear to leave the drivers with enough acceleration to safely exit the roadway but left them stranded there awaiting a tow truck. 

Second place in Car Complaints’ list is the 2015 Nissan Rogue with 26 complaints about the “A/C heater not working properly.” On average, 2015 Rogue owners will experience this issue at around 19,900 miles at the cost of $1,600. Car Complaints only lists one report of replacing an “EVAP” sensor to fix the problem. Of the 26 complaints, heat not working issues are nearly as common as lack of air conditioning. This issue is particularly frustrating as it occurs in vehicles with relatively low miles. 

No. 1 on Car Complaints’ list is the 2013 Rogue with 57 complaints about a “loss of acceleration.” 2013 Rogue owners typically report this problem at around 72,650 miles, and transmission repair is the most common reported solution for $3,140. While Car Complaints ranks this as separate from the 2011 Rogue’s acceleration issue, it appears to be a similar transmission issue due to the reported symptoms and repairs.

The 2019 Nissan Rogue has over 70 complaints about brake problems

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a division of the United States Department of Transportation, is “responsible for keeping people safe on America’s roadways.” This mission statement requires them to monitor systemic vehicle defects that result in injury, death, or economic loss and work with local, state, and federal entities to affect changes in automobile manufacturing practices. 

While the 2019 Nissan Rogue has only been on the road for a couple of years, Car Complaints reports that it has racked up over 70 complaints centering around its automatic braking system. In fact, Car Complaints reports that the Nissan Rogue overall has received over 1,400 complaints concerning brake issues since its introduction in 2008. 

Nissan’s Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system uses forward-facing radar to monitor the roadway for vehicles and other objects that could cause a collision. The AEB system warns the driver of potential problems with audible and visual display warnings. It is capable of emergency braking if the driver does not respond or responds too slowly. 

The issue arises when the AEB system activates in the absence of any objects in the vehicle’s path, stopping the vehicle in traffic or rendering the vehicle immobile. As of August 10, 2020, the NHTSA found that the Nissan Rogue AEB issue has resulted in 14 crashes and five injuries. So far, Nissan has only issued a service campaign to correct the issue, not a safety recall.

Is the newest model free of brake problems?

There is little data available for the newest Nissan Rogue models, but there are already five complaints about 2020 Nissan Rogue AEB system issues with the NHTSA. Considering Nissan’s response to the issue, it would probably be best to avoid any Rogue with the AEB system onboard until the issue is addressed.