2015 Nissan Rogue
Counts come from unverified consumer complaints filed with NHTSA and cannot be compared between models — how to read them.
Common problems reported on the 2015 Nissan Rogue
| Component group | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 133 | 26.7% |
| Unknown or Other | 117 | 23.4% |
| Air Bags | 84 | 16.8% |
| Electrical System | 73 | 14.6% |
| Engine | 53 | 10.6% |
| Structure | 35 | 7.0% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 22 | 4.4% |
| Seat Belts | 21 | 4.2% |
| Visibility/Wiper | 21 | 4.2% |
| Service Brakes | 19 | 3.8% |
| Seats | 14 | 2.8% |
| Suspension | 13 | 2.6% |
499 complaints filed between December 5, 2014 and December 5, 2024.
At what mileage the Nissan Rogue failed
| Component group | Median | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 70,000 | 85 |
| Air Bags | 36,000 | 37 |
| Electrical System | 39,918 | 35 |
| Engine | 40,000 | 35 |
| Structure | 43,000 | 20 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 62,000 | 14 |
| Seat Belts | 48,216 | 12 |
Across all components, half the reported failures happened before 50,000 miles, with the middle half falling between 19,501 and 76,487. Based on the 283 complaints (57%) that record a mileage.
A low figure does not mean the car stops working at that mileage. It means the reported failures clustered early, which most often points to a fault built into a production batch — usually the kind of thing a warranty repair or a recall campaign addresses.
How this mix compares with other model years
| Component group | Here | Typical |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 10.6% | 16.6% |
| Electrical System | 14.6% | 13.4% |
| Power Train | 26.7% | 10.2% |
| Unknown or Other | 23.4% | 10.2% |
| Service Brakes | 3.8% | 6.4% |
| Steering | 2.2% | 6.2% |
| Air Bags | 16.8% | 5.8% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 2.4% | 4.5% |
This compares the subjects of the complaints, not how many there are. A share needs no denominator, so unlike a count it can honestly be held against a norm — but a group sitting above the typical share means people complained about that part more often relative to everything else on this car, not that the car is worse than another.
How serious the complaints were
- 5.8% Crash reported 29 of 499
- 1.4% Fire reported 7 of 499
- 4.6% Injury reported 23 of 499
- 0.0% Death reported 0 of 499
Reported across all complaints on file: 40 injuries and 0 deaths. These shares sit within this model’s own complaints — they say nothing about how it compares to another model.
Recall campaigns
9 campaigns. A recall repair is free at a dealer regardless of how many owners the car has had. Check the car’s own VIN — a campaign listed here may already have been carried out on it.
23V093000 Electrical System: Ignition: Anti-theft: Immobilizer/Proximity: Key/Sender February 16, 2023
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2014-2020 Rogue and 2017-2022 Rogue Sport vehicles equipped with a jackknife style ignition key. The jackknife key may collapse into a folded position while driving.
Consequence: Driver contact with a key in the collapsed position could inadvertently shut off the vehicle while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, if the vehicle shuts off while driving, the air bags may not deploy in a crash as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will insert a spacer into the key slot of the jackknife key, free of charge. Interim notification letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed March 29, 2023. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 30, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R22C5.
Campaign covered 712,458 vehicles across model years 2014, 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
22V024000 Electrical System: Wiring: Interior/Under Dash January 21, 2022
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Rogue vehicles. The electrical connector for the under dash harness may corrode due to water and salt intrusion from the driver's side foot well.
Consequence: Corrosion in the electrical connector can result in power window/seat failure, all-wheel-drive warning light illumination, battery drainage, and electrical connector damage that increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will remove the harness tape and harness covering and replace both connectors and apply white lithium grease to the connectors as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 23, 2022. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R21B9.
Campaign covered 664,779 vehicles across model years 2014, 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
16V911000 Air Bags: Sensor: Occupant Classification December 19, 2016
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima vehicles manufactured January 3, 2013, to July 29, 2013, 2015-2016 Rogue vehicles manufactured October 14, 2014, to August 12, 2016, and 2016 Maxima vehicles manufactured June 4, 2015, to August 19, 2015. An incorrect Occupant Classification System (OCS) Electronic Control Unit (ECU) may have been installed in the front passenger seat. The incorrect ECU and seat combination may misclassify the front passenger seat occupant.
Consequence: If the front passenger seat occupant is misclassified, the air bag may deploy incorrectly in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ECU and update the OCS software free of charge. The recall began February 13, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign covered 757 vehicles across model years 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
16V244000 Air Bags: Sensor: Occupant Classification April 26, 2016
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.
Consequence: If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
Remedy: Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669, Infiniti customer service at 1-888-833-3216 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.
Campaign covered 3,296,947 vehicles across model years 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
16V219000 Structure: Body: Hatchback/Liftgate: Support Device/Strut April 15, 2016
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Nissan Rogue vehicles manufactured July 31, 2013, to January 16, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the rear lift gate support stays may corrode due to insufficient anti-corrosion treatment.
Consequence: Corrosion of one or both of the rear lift gate support stays could cause a sudden release of pressure. If this occurs, the support stays may break off, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear tailgate stays, free of charge. The recall began on November 18, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign covered 108,503 vehicles across model years 2014, 2015, 2016 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
15V775000 Power Train: Automatic Transmission: Gear Position Indication (Prndl) November 20, 2015
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2015 Rogue vehicles manufactured February 10, 2015, to May 13, 2015. In the affected vehicles, due to a problem with the shift selector knob, it may be possible to shift out of the "Park" position without depressing the brake pedal. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Consequence: If the shift selector can be moved out of the "Park" position while the brake pedal is not depressed, the vehicle may unexpectedly roll, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the shift selector knob, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on January 15, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign covered 33,880 vehicles across model year 2015 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
15V453000 Latches/Locks/Linkages July 21, 2015
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2015 Nissan Rogue vehicles manufactured June 9, 2015, to June 10, 2015, and 2015 Nissan Sentra and Versa Note vehicles manufactured June 5, 2015, to June 13, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the driver side front and rear doors may not fully latch. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 206, "Door Locks and Door Retention Components."
Consequence: A door that does not fully latch may result in the door opening while the car is moving. The distraction may increase the risk of a crash and/or a vehicle occupant may fall out of the vehicle if they are not wearing a seatbelt, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the date, lot number, and cavity code on the left front and rear door latches, and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 31, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign covered 6,595 vehicles across model year 2015 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
15V368000 Equipment: Other: Labels June 12, 2015
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2015 Rogue Select vehicles manufactured November 17, 2014, to December 12, 2014 and equipped with seventeen-inch wheels. The affected vehicles have incorrect tire size information on the tire labels. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 110, "Tire Selection and Rims and Motor Home/Recreation Vehicle Trailer Load Carrying Capacity Information for Motor Vehicles with a GVWR of 4,536 kilograms (10,000 pounds) or less."
Consequence: The labels list the incorrect tire size. Installing tires of the incorrect size may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and will send them new labels with the corrected information, free of charge. The recall began on June 22, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign covered 110 vehicles across model year 2015 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
15V012000 Service Brakes January 14, 2015
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 vehicles manufactured August 14, 2014, to November 5, 2014, and 2014-2015 Nissan Rogue vehicles manufactured August 12, 2014, to November 15, 2014. During the assembly process, the front wheel hub assembly fasteners may not have been properly torqued.
Consequence: The under-torqued fasteners may result in a brake caliper separating from the wheel assembly causing a reduction in braking performance or reduced steering control. These conditions increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and tighten any loose bolts to the proper specification, free of charge. The recall began February 2, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Campaign covered 893 vehicles across model years 2014, 2015 — a count for the whole campaign, not for this model year alone.
NCAP crash-test ratings
| Variant | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Nissan Rogue SUV FWD | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| 2015 Nissan Rogue SUV AWD | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
Ratings are out of 5 stars.
Pre-purchase inspection checklist
Written and checked by someone who does this work; it is not derived from the data. The complaint counts decide only the order: the assemblies this model’s owners complain about most come first.
Automatic transmission
Related complaint groups: Power Train (133)
Checking the fluid level during an inspection is usually not possible — many cars need a lift, some have no dipstick at all, and Honda’s procedure differs from the rest. So this assessment is built on behavior, not on fluid.
With the car parked
- Move the selector P → R → D and back with the brake held. Each engagement should be a soft nudge, without a thump and without delay. Repeat two or three times in each direction.
On the road
- Shifts without noticeable delay or thump, both under acceleration and when slowing down.
- Pay particular attention to the 1-2-3 and 3-2-1 transitions — they carry the most load.
- Hard acceleration at full throttle: the revs should not flare without the car gaining speed.
- On a CVT the revs should rise smoothly, without steps, droning or jerking.
Questions for the seller
- Has the fluid been changed, and is there proof. Regular changes are a substantial plus for the car; their absence at high mileage is reason for caution.
Red flags
- A stored transmission fault code (a scan tool is worth having)
- Slipping under load in any form
- Recently cleared codes with no explanation
- The seller offering to "just change the fluid" when it is black and burnt — that is cosmetic cover over wear that has already happened
Cost if it needs work: Expensive. The most expensive of the likely assemblies; a repair is often comparable to the value of the car.
Axles and CV joints
Related complaint groups: Power Train (133)
With the car parked
- Turn the steering to full lock and inspect the outer CV boots on both sides for cracks, splits and thrown grease on the inner face of the wheel and in the wheel arch. A split boot on a joint that is still sound is a cheap repair today and an expensive one in six months.
On the road
- Empty parking lot, steering at full lock, slow circles in both directions. A rhythmic clicking points to an outer CV joint; the side is identified by the direction of the turn.
- Vibration under acceleration in a straight line that disappears when you lift off may indicate an inner CV joint.
Cost if it needs work: Relatively low. A good indicator of how the car has been treated overall.
Airbags and the VIN recall check
Related complaint groups: Air Bags (84), Seat Belts (21)
The most reliable procedure in this library — it does not depend on hearing, experience or inspection conditions.
Required procedure
- Take the VIN from the car itself — the windshield on the driver’s side, the door pillar, the paperwork — not from the listing.
- Check that VIN in NHTSA’s official recall lookup.
- A recall repair at a dealer is free regardless of how many owners the car has had. An open recall is a reason to visit a dealer, not a reason to haggle.
- An open airbag recall is grounds not to buy the car until it has been fixed.
Inspection
- The SRS light should come on with the ignition and then go out. Not coming on at all probably means it has been disabled deliberately.
- Airbag covers on the wheel and dash: uneven gaps, mismatched texture, marks from removal.
- Seat belts: pull each one out to full length and check for chafing, tears and water marks. The inertia reel should lock when pulled sharply.
Electrical system
Related complaint groups: Electrical System (73), Exterior Lighting (8)
With the car parked
- With the ignition on, before starting, every warning light should come on and then go out once the engine runs. None coming on at all is worse than one staying lit: the bulb may have been removed or disabled in software.
- Click through everything: windows from every switch, mirrors, heated elements, climate control on all settings, the radio, the camera, the parking sensors, cruise control.
- Every exterior light, including running lights, brake lights, side repeaters and the license plate lamp.
- Battery terminals for corrosion, and the date on the battery.
- Cabin and trunk for signs of water: damp carpet under the mats, condensation in the headlights, rust on the seat mounts. Water in the electrics causes faults that are extremely hard to trace.
On the road
- Whether anything dims when several high-draw consumers are switched on at once.
- A second hot start after the drive.
Red flags
- A dashboard with no warning lights at all when the ignition is on
- Signs of water ingress
- Homemade wiring, twisted joints, tape under the dash
- Several small non-working functions at once — usually one common root cause
Engine and cooling system
Related complaint groups: Engine (53), Engine and Engine Cooling (1)
Come to a cold car. A warmed-up engine hides a hard start, smoke and knocking. If the car is already warm, that is a yellow flag: ask for 30–40 minutes to let it cool. A refusal to let it cool is a red flag.
With the car parked
- Oil: level, color, consistency. Level above maximum plus a smell of fuel on the dipstick means the oil is being diluted with fuel.
- A whitish film on the oil filler cap alone is usually condensation from short trips in cold weather, not cause for alarm. What matters is the dipstick: a coffee-with-milk emulsion on the dipstick requires serious further inspection. A further indication is coolant hoses that are hard and under excess pressure.
- Coolant: level, color, no oil film. Open the reservoir only on a fully cooled engine.
- Leaks: under the engine, along the sump seam, around the valve cover, along the hoses and the radiator.
On the road and after
- Cold start: how long the starter cranks, smoke in the first seconds, knocking that goes away as it warms up.
- Temperature over the whole drive. Idle with the air conditioning on: the fan should cut in and the needle should not climb.
- After the drive, switch off, wait a couple of minutes and look for fresh drips under the car.
Red flags
- A freshly washed engine bay on a high-mileage car
- Thick white smoke after warm-up
- Temperature climbing in traffic
Suspension, control arms, steering
Related complaint groups: Suspension (13), Steering (11)
With the car parked
- Rock the steering wheel briskly left and right. Knocking and free play point to ball joints, tie rod ends or the rack. This is the most productive check of this assembly without a lift.
- Rock each wheel at 12 and 6 o’clock (ball joint, wheel bearing) and at 3 and 9 o’clock (steering linkage).
- Inspect the bushings for cracks and separation, and the ball joint boots for damage.
On the road
- Dull knocking from the front over small bumps. The cause cannot be determined without a lift: sway bar links are inexpensive, control arms cost several times more, and by ear the two are indistinguishable. A knock is grounds to require an inspection on a lift before purchase — not grounds to walk away from the car.
- Whether it pulls to one side on a level road, and whether the wheel returns to center after a turn.
Red flags
- Uneven tread wear — almost always alignment
- A recent alignment in the paperwork with no explanation of why
- One control arm noticeably newer than the rest
Cost if it needs work: Low to moderate. Depends on what turns out to be the source. Plus an alignment after the replacement.
Brakes
Related complaint groups: Service Brakes (19)
With the car parked
- Brake fluid level and color. Clear yellow is fresh; dark brown has not been changed in a long time.
- Fluid at the lower mark with no leaks usually means worn pads: the pistons have extended and the fluid has moved into the calipers.
- Pad thickness through the spokes of the wheel. Check the disc for a lip at the outer edge and for deep scoring.
- Inside face of the wheels: an even dark dust film is normal; one wheel noticeably dirtier than the others may indicate a sticking caliper.
- Hoses for cracks and bulges, lines for corrosion.
On the road
- First stop at low speed: the pedal should be firm, with no sinking.
- Accelerate to 40–45 mph and brake moderately. Pulsing through the pedal or the steering wheel usually means warped discs.
- Braking on flat dry pavement: pulling to one side requires further inspection.
- The ABS light should come on with the ignition and go out after the engine starts.
- A feeling that the car is driving "as if towing a trailer" may indicate binding brakes.
- The car squatting at the rear when pulling away may indicate parking-brake cables or stuck rear shoes.
After the drive
- Hold your palm near each wheel without touching the disc or the caliper — after braking they will burn you. Compare only left against right on the same axle: the front is always hotter than the rear, and that is normal. A noticeable difference between the two wheels of one axle requires further inspection.
Red flags
- The pedal slowly sinks to the floor when held down
- An illuminated ABS or brake system warning light
- Fresh fluid together with completely worn pads
Cost if it needs work: Moderate. Confirm actual cost against local prices at the time of purchase.
The Nissan Rogue year by year
| Model year | Complaints | Median mileage | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 355 | 80,543 | 2 |
| 2012 | 307 | 71,000 | 2 |
| 2013 | 586 | 74,000 | 1 |
| 2014 | 417 | 50,000 | 10 |
| 2015 (this page) | 499 | 50,000 | 9 |
| 2016 | 484 | 50,000 | 7 |
Read the mileage column down this table with care. A newer year has simply been driven less, so its median sits lower for that reason alone — the figure is censored from above by how long the cars have been on the road, not only by how they were built. The same applies to the complaint counts: an older year has had more years in which to collect them.
Where the mileage figure does compare cleanly is between different models of the same year, which have had the same time to accumulate miles.