2018 Nissan Rogue Sport Problems
Compared with other Nissan Rogue Sport years
Typical for this model
46/100 0.9× a typical year · 50 = typical
- Complaint rate is 0.9× that of a typical Nissan Rogue Sport year, weighted for crashes, fires, injuries, recalls and mileage, and allowing for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints.
- 19 of its 95 complaints were filed by the end of 2020.
- Most reported problem: Automatic emergency braking activates with nothing ahead (22 complaints, median 34,000 mi).
- 2 recall campaigns on record. A VIN search at nhtsa.gov/recalls shows open recalls for a specific vehicle.
Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2017
Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated
- Complaints
- 95filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 41,030miles, 40 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 2campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
- NHTSA crash rating
- 4 / 5stars overall, 2 rated versions
- EPA fuel economy
- 28 mpgcombined, 2.0L 4-cyl FWD · 26 city / 31 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error
What owners report
Complaints about the 2018 Rogue Sport cluster around two things: the radiator cooling fan stopping and the engine then overheating, and the automatic emergency braking system applying the brakes with nothing in the road ahead. Owners also describe CVT transmission trouble that leaves the car without power, plus intermittent warnings and starting problems. Many reports come in between roughly 20,000 and 70,000 miles, though fan failures are also reported earlier.
- Engine
Radiator cooling fan fails; engine overheats
- 21 complaints (22%)
- median 74,623 mi at 4.8 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
- filed 2021–2026
Owners describe the air conditioning blowing warm at idle and the temperature gauge climbing while stopped in traffic. Several say a shop found the radiator fan was not turning on or had failed altogether, and some note the engine then overheated and smoked. Complaints also describe parts being backordered and repairs costing over a thousand dollars, and a few report the fan getting noisy again a couple of years after replacement. Scattered from about 47,000 to 85,000 miles, with several reported while idling or in slow traffic.
What to check: Let the car idle with the A/C on and confirm the radiator fan spins up; listen for whining or squealing from the fan, and ask whether it has ever been replaced.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“While driving my 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport the car began to overheat when i slowed down or came to a stop. I brought it to my mechanic who informed me the radiator cooling fan failed and had to be replaced. I found out that many Nissan Rogue Sport models have had this issue. I think it is a saftey isse when you car overheats....”
NHTSA complaint #11741561, filed 2026-06“cooling fan is going out, safety put at risk as it can cause engine failure. it has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance, but a trusted mechanic. I have video of it going out. no warnings whatsoever came up. trusted mechanic showed me class action lawsuit in Tennessee from 2024. in regards to a Nissan Pathfinder. but this is a Nissan Rogue Sport. i have video, but no photo”
NHTSA complaint #11625621, filed 2024-11 - Forward collision avoidance
Automatic emergency braking activates with nothing ahead
- 22 complaints (23%)
- median 34,000 mi at 2.8 yrs old (12 state mileage)
- 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 2020–2025
Complaints describe a warning chime and a light on the dash, followed by the car braking hard on its own with no vehicle or obstacle in front. Owners say this happened on open roads and highways at speeds from about 25 to 60 mph, sometimes nearly causing a rear-end collision, and a few report the brake pedal feeling locked or unresponsive around the same time. Dealers were reported to have inspected or reset the system, with mixed results. Mostly reported between roughly 17,000 and 50,000 miles, often at highway or steady cruising speeds.
What to check: Ask whether the forward radar/lane camera software has been updated, and whether any AEB or lane-camera warning lights have come on; check that the radar and camera areas are clean and undamaged.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Emergency braking system triggers itself randomly. On several occasions, I was driving at night hours with no road hazards, or other vehicles on the road with me, and suddenly the warning emergency light comes on, and my car stops. This has happened on 3 separate occasions in the 8 months I've had the car.”
NHTSA complaint #11297812, filed 2020-01, 6,000 miles“On four occasions my car has randomly started flashing a light on my dash and than grabbing the brakes as if someone or something was in front of me, on all four occasions there has been no one in front of me, but there has been people behind me that have had to swerve out of the way. The vehicle is brand new with less than 40k miles and is becoming more and more dangerous for my children and I.”
NHTSA complaint #11344255, filed 2020-08, 38,465 miles - Transmission and drivetrain
CVT transmission hesitation, loss of power, replacement
- 20 complaints (21%)
- median 54,000 mi at 5.2 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
- 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 2020–2026
Owners describe the car jerking, hesitating after a stop, or behaving as if it slipped into neutral so it would not accelerate. Some say the check engine light came on and a dealer diagnosed a CVT failure requiring replacement, with quotes reported in the several-thousand-dollar range. Others mention rough idling or stalling that could not be reproduced at the dealer. Reported from roughly 26,000 up to about 143,000 miles, with many clustered between 50,000 and 75,000 miles.
What to check: Test-drive from a stop and at steady speed for hesitation or jerking, ask for transmission service records, and have a pre-purchase inspection check for stored transmission codes.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“When I was driving, it was as though it had slipped into neutral. I was accelerating when it wouldn't accelerate anymore and just coasted like it was in neutral. Also when I accelerate from a stop, it took a minute to go. When it did finally go, it was very jerky and I was almost in an accident.”
NHTSA complaint #11395112, filed 2021-02, 50,000 miles“The vehicle experienced a sudden failure of the continuously variable transmission (CVT) while in operation. The failure occurred at a four-way stop during snowy conditions when I attempted to proceed through the intersection and the vehicle would not initially move or transmit power to the wheels, leaving me stopped in the roadway and unable to clear the intersection, creating a safety risk due to oncoming traffic and reduced traction and visibility. …”
NHTSA complaint #11705445, filed 2025-12 - Electrical system
Starting, key and electrical warning problems
Mentioned in 8 of 60 sampled complaints
Owners report the ignition key needing to be pushed and turned forcefully several times to start, and some link this to the jackknife key recall. Others describe the key not being detected, random stalling or loss of power, and multiple warning lights flashing on the dash at once, with dealers sometimes unable to duplicate the fault. Reported from about 2,000 up to 130,000 miles, with many between 28,000 and 68,000 miles.
Recall 23V0930003 related service bulletins
What to check: Confirm recall 23V093000 was completed, and start the car several times during the test drive, watching for warning lights or a key-not-detected message.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“I was driving my 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport s awd and out of the blue on the instrument panel pop up's chassis control system error and and all of the little instrument diagrams started flashing on and off the radio and clock turn off the car was making a buzzing sound. So I pulled over off the road took out the manual it say take to a Nissan dealer for complete scan of all the systems. Which I will be doing on wednesday 1/8/2020, which is the earliest that they could see me. …”
NHTSA complaint #11297105, filed 2020-01, 28,000 miles“I was traveling between SC and NY on June 29, 2022. Two hours into the trip I stopped at a rest stop. When I accelerated back to highway speed and entered the freeway the car began decelerating It kept decelerating and I had to pull over to the shoulder. The car shut off. The car would restart and then immediately shut off I tried 5 times with the same result. There were no warning lights display. I had to be towed to the dealership. They tested various systems and then told me that the battery was just weak so they replaced it. …”
NHTSA complaint #11476340, filed 2022-07 - Air bags
Airbag and seat belt warning light
- 6 complaints (6%)
- median 29,000 mi at 5.2 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
- 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 2020–2026
Complaints describe the airbag and seat belt warning lights staying on after the car is started, with owners taking the vehicle to a dealer more than once without a fix. Several separate complaints describe airbags not deploying in a collision, and one describes the airbags deploying unexpectedly while driving. Mostly reported between about 18,000 and 68,000 miles.
What to check: Turn the key to start and confirm the airbag and seat belt lights go out after the bulb check; ask whether the airbag system has ever been scanned or serviced.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport. The contact stated that on various occasions after starting the vehicle, the seat belt and air bag warning lights illuminated. The vehicle had not yet been taken to a local dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 68,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11517666, filed 2023-04, 68,000 miles“The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport. The contact stated while driving at 65 MPH, the contact noticed an abnormal loud sound. The contact stated that all the air bags independently deployed. The contact stated that the deployed air bags impaired the contact vision. The contact held the steering wheel tightly. The contact stated that the vehicle veered off the road and into a desert. The contact stated that the vehicle crashed into serveral hills of dirt, tree branches and trees before coming to a stop. …”
NHTSA complaint #11745101, filed 2026-06, 78,436 miles
Buying note. Check the cooling fan at idle, confirm the forward-collision software updates and recall 23V093000 are done, and have the transmission scanned for codes before purchase, since these are the most frequently reported areas.
Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.
NHTSA recorded 95 consumer complaints for the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport. 40 of the complaints include a mileage, and 57% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 41,030 miles. Of all complaints, 8 involved a crash, 14 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 130 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 4 Nissan Rogue Sport model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 46 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Other or unknown28 29%
- Electrical system19 20%
- Brakes18 19%
- Engine17 18%
- Air bags7 7.4%
- Seat belts4 4.2%
Also reported: Vehicle speed control (4), Engine cooling (2), Fuel system (2), Latches, locks and linkages (2), Seats (2), Body and structure (1), Tires (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1), Wheels (1).
Example complaints
Other or unknown: “2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT Cooling fan sudden stop and causing overheating in engine, warm air through AC, and AC clutch to shut off. Known problem with 2018-2020 NISSAN ROGUE models. Only an issue at lower speeds and when max air and coldest setting fan does not engage.”
NHTSA complaint #11738912, filed 2026-05, 74,623 milesElectrical system: “I was driving down the road and the brakes locked up in the car came to a complete stop and the sensor system detected something in front of me when there was nothing in front of me. I wais traveling at a speed of 30 MPH.”
NHTSA complaint #11325361, filed 2020-05, 20,000 milesBrakes: “I was on the highway driving to sheboygan , wi from chicago, il. I had the cruise control on. I was going 80 in the fast lane. My car out of nowhere slowed down on its own abruptly almost causing a 4 car collision. I quickly turned on to the shoulder and once my car came to a stop the car died. I tried to turn it back on and nothing happened. I had no sensors or warning lights to give me some type of clue as to what happened. About 3 months ago, going over railroad tracks my car abruptly slammed on the brakes on its own and came to a stop on the tracks. I was unable to accelerate. …”
NHTSA complaint #11385122, filed 2020-12, 38,000 milesEngine: “We have a 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport S fwd., and the AC began to cool off & on, then there was no air at all coming from the vents. Took the car to Firestone and they said it was the blower motor & blower motor resistor - so I had those replaced. Not even a week passes and there's a noise coming from the engine especially when ac is on and a vibration to go along with it. …”
NHTSA complaint #11675106, filed 2025-07Mileage when problems were reported
57% of the 40 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 28,000 and 67,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Side pole | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rogue Sport · SUV AWD | ★★★★☆ | 5 / 2 | 5 | 5 | 4 · 14.3% risk |
| Rogue Sport · SUV FWD | ★★★★☆ | 5 / 2 | 5 | 5 | 4 · 15.9% risk |
Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2018 model year: forward collision warning optional, lane departure warning not available, automatic emergency braking not available.
Neighbouring years: 2019: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rogue Sport AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | CVT | 26 | 30 | 27 | $2,500 |
| Rogue Sport FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | CVT | 26 | 31 | 28 | $2,400 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
- 23V093000Feb 16, 2023Electrical system › Ignition › Anti-theft › Immobilizer/proximity › Key/senderCovers: Nissan Rogue Sport 2017–2022, Rogue 2014–2020
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.
- 19V654000Sep 12, 2019Back over prevention › Sensing system › CameraCovers: Nissan Rogue Sport 2018–2019, Infiniti QX30 2018–2019, Nissan Armada 2018–2019 +23 more
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti…
Recall details for the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 130 on record; the latest 10 are shown.
- 11031705Apr 13, 2026Body and structure. CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “Certification Label” or “VIN Plate/Label” may be needed. HINT…
- 11031704Apr 13, 2026Body and structure. CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement “Certification Label” or “VIN Plate/Label” may be needed. HINT…
- 11031699Mar 30, 2026Electrical system. TELEMATICS SERVICE INFORMATION HINT: This bulletin applies to vehicles equipped with a 4G network compatible TCU. TCUs compatible with 3G network only are no longer supported. SERVICE INFORMATION…
- 11014472Feb 20, 2025Brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Electrical system. AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING WARNING LIGHT BLINKING APPLIED SYSTEMS: Vehicles equipped with a lane camera (see Figure 1) SERVICE INFORMATION If the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) warning light or…
- 11014471Feb 20, 2025Electrical system, Brakes, Forward collision avoidance. INTELLIGENT CRUISE CONTROL INOPERATIVE AND AEB/FEB WARNING LIGHT ON OR RADAR OBSTRUCTION MESSAGE DISPLAYED WITH DTC C1A16 OR C2582 IF YOU CONFIRM IMPORTANT: The purpose of ACTION (on the next page)…
- 11013264Jan 21, 2025Forward collision avoidance. FALSE ACTIVATION OF AEB, FEB, OR FCW IF YOU CONFIRM The following system(s) falsely activated or the customer reports false activation of: AEB (Automatic Emergency Braking); FEB (Forward…
- 11009069Oct 4, 2024Lane departure, Electrical system. LANE CAMERA AIMING VEHICLE REFERENCE VALUES NOT IN ESM SERVICE INFORMATION If the lane camera requires aiming, the values in Table A on page 4 must be used. For all other models/model years…
- 11009068Sep 19, 2024Air bags. DTC B00A0-00 STORED This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin. IF YOU CONFIRM DTC B00A0-00 (OCCUPANT DETECTION SENSOR…
- 11001192Jun 7, 2024Transmission and drivetrain. CVT/TCM CALIBRATION DATA “WRITE” PROCEDURE This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 11004962May 21, 2024Electrical system. VEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
Other model years of the Nissan Rogue Sport
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 13 | 35,000 | 1 | 4–5 | 28 | — | Not enough data |
| 2021 | 35 | 17,000 | 3 | 5 | 28 | 61 · Typical | Rising |
| 2020 | 59 | 3,500 | 1 | — | 28 | 50 · Typical | Rising |
| 2019 | 100 | 12,000 | 2 | 4 | 28 | 72 · More | Stable |
| 2018 | 95 | 41,030 | 2 | 4 | 28 | 46 · Typical | Stable |
| 2017 | 74 | 48,000 | 1 | — | 28 | 0 · Fewer | Rising |
All Nissan Rogue Sport model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport?
Complaints about the 2018 Rogue Sport cluster around two things: the radiator cooling fan stopping and the engine then overheating, and the automatic emergency braking system applying the brakes with nothing in the road ahead. The issues reported most often: Radiator cooling fan fails; engine overheats; Automatic emergency braking activates with nothing ahead; CVT transmission hesitation, loss of power, replacement.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport have?
NHTSA recorded 95 consumer complaints for the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport is reported most often?
Other or unknown is named most often, in 28 complaints (29% of the total), followed by electrical system with 19.
Has the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport been recalled?
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
How did the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport do in NHTSA crash tests?
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport 4 out of 5 stars overall, across 2 rated versions (body style and drive). Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.
What gas mileage does the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport get?
The EPA rates the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport (Rogue Sport FWD, 2.0L 4-cyl) at 28 mpg combined, 26 city and 31 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,400 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport reported?
Among the 40 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 41,030 miles and the middle half falls between 28,000 and 67,000 miles; 57% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.