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Nissan RogueModel year report

2009 Nissan Rogue Problems

Compared with other Nissan Rogue years

Fewer complaints than typical for this model

0/100 0.3× a typical year · 50 = typical

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
320filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
81,000miles, 251 complaints with mileage
Recalls
3campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
24 mpgcombined, 2.5L 4-cyl FWD · 22 city / 27 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2009 Nissan Rogue (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2009 Nissan Rogue most often describe two problems: a passenger air bag warning light that stays on or flashes even with an adult in the seat, and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that loses power, hesitates from a stop, or overheats on long drives or hills. Both tend to appear at higher mileage, though some owners report air bag warnings and transmission hesitation much earlier. Door handles that stop working from the outside, especially in freezing weather, are also reported repeatedly.

  1. Transmission and drivetrain

    Transmission loses power or hesitates from a stop

    • 137 complaints (43%)
    • median 88,900 mi at 6.7 yrs old (120 state mileage)
    • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $2,250 (median of 12 quotes)
    • filed 2009–2023

    Owners describe the car refusing to accelerate from a stop or suddenly losing speed while driving, sometimes after 30 minutes on the road or on an incline. Many report that pressing the accelerator has little effect until the engine revs and the car jerks forward, or that the vehicle shuts down and must be restarted after cooling. Complaints mention dealers replacing the transmission, installing an external transmission cooler, or telling owners the CVT behaves this way by design. Mostly reported between roughly 40,000 and 130,000 miles, often on long highway drives, uphill, or after the car is warm.

    5 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask whether the CVT fluid was serviced on schedule and whether the transmission or cooler was ever replaced; during a test drive, note any hesitation from a stop, whine, or shudder after the car is fully warm.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “When driving on the highway, the car suddenly loses all acceleration. Even with the accelerator completely depressed, the car just stops. Rpms won't go above 2500, and my husband and I have had to make several emergency stops on the side of the highway, sometimes in heavy traffic, and requiring us to cut across multiple lanes.”

    NHTSA complaint #11099027, filed 2018-05, 125,000 miles

    “Can would not accelerate once I was at a stop. Would try and go and vehicle would go an estimated speed of 5mph this is extremely dangerous when trying to turn or pull into an intersection. Not knowing if my vehicle would go without issues or lose power and pull in front of a car going dangerously slow. This has happen about 10times and random days/times. This is a continuing problem.”

    NHTSA complaint #11092759, filed 2018-05, 100,000 miles
  2. Air bags

    Passenger air bag light on or flashing

    • 95 complaints (30%)
    • median 84,100 mi at 8.3 yrs old (64 state mileage)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $2,000 (median of 23 quotes)
    • filed 2010–2026

    Owners report the passenger air bag indicator staying lit or flashing on the dashboard, sometimes with the console light showing the air bag as off even when an adult occupies the seat. Several complaints say the dealer diagnosed a failed occupant classification sensor in the passenger seat cushion and quoted a full seat or sensor replacement. Some owners note the same warning appeared on other Rogue model years that were recalled, while their 2009 vehicle was not included. Reported from as little as a few thousand miles to well over 100,000 miles, with many clustered around 60,000 to 110,000 miles; several owners say the light has been on for years.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: With the ignition on, watch whether the passenger air bag light stays on or flashes, and have the air bag system scanned for stored codes; ask whether the occupant sensor or seat cushion was ever replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The passenger side airbag indicator keeps on and the airbag light on the dashboard is flashing. We started noticing the issue in year 2015 and this has never been fixed. We hoped Nissan can fix the same issue as they recalled 2008 Nissan Rogue (08-095d).”

    NHTSA complaint #11375920, filed 2020-11, 50,000 miles

    “I am 5'1 and approx 105 lbs. When I or a friend (under 110 lbs) sits in the front passenger seat the passenger airbag off light goes on. I have taken it in to the dealer several times for this issue. Last time they replaced the seat and airbag sensor. The problem persists. I took it in again today and was told that there was nothing mechanically wrong/malfunctioning just that the seat and sensors are designed to turn the airbag off if an adult weighs under 110 lbs. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10405372, filed 2011-06, 24,000 miles
  3. Body and structure

    Doors will not open from the outside

    • 33 complaints (10%)
    • median 67,000 mi at 5.7 yrs old (29 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $625 (median of 8 quotes)
    • filed 2010–2021

    Owners describe the driver and front passenger doors failing to open from the outside, requiring entry through another door and manual unlocking from inside. Complaints often tie the problem to cold or freezing weather, and some mention the handle cable or latch mechanism coming loose. Owners report dealers quoting several hundred dollars for repairs. Mostly reported between about 40,000 and 125,000 miles, often in cold or below-freezing conditions.

    What to check: Try every door handle from the outside, including after the car has sat in the cold, and ask whether any latch or handle assembly has been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The driver's, passenger's and rear driver's door locks do not lock/unlock properly. It began with the driver's side door failing to operate properly once every 3-4 weeks. I had the door handle recall work completed in march 2011 so I thought the remote's battery was weak and replaced it in december 2011. Then the malfunction started to occur more frequently. After a few months, the driver's door lock would not unlock for entry to the car or lock once I was inside. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10468266, filed 2012-07, 54,000 miles

    “Driver and front passenger doors fail to open from the outside of the vehicle. I have to open back passenger door and manually engage the driver door lock from the inside. Took car to dealer and dealer stated that the charge to fix both doors would be $650. I do not understand how this can not be a safety issue that should be addressed by Nissan and our government. I guess when it comes time to purchase another vehicle I will not visit a Nissan nor infinity dealership. Nissan should be ashamed!”

    NHTSA complaint #10572841, filed 2014-03, 56,000 miles

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 320 consumer complaints for the 2009 Nissan Rogue. 251 of the complaints include a mileage, and 22% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 81,000 miles. Of all complaints, 5 involved a crash, 5 a fire, 1 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 98 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 15 Nissan Rogue model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 0 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (fewer complaints than 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.

Also reported: Seat belts (8), Brakes (7), Latches, locks and linkages (7), Suspension (7), Engine cooling (5), Electronic stability control (4), Equipment (4), Exterior lighting (3), Tires (3), Wheels (3), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (2).

Example complaints

Air bags: “Takata recall. Air bag light stays on all the time. Brought to dealer. Charged me $160 to tell me of a sensor pad malfunction and entire passenger seat would need to be replaced due to failure of srs system that would cost approx 1,900. I understand 2008 and 2010 models were recalled for this problem but not 2009. Why not??”

NHTSA complaint #11252732, filed 2019-09, 64,937 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “Driving on the freeway the engine reved to high rpms and lost power. There were two babies in the car. We were in the carpool lane and with no power we had to cross 3 lanes of traffic and wait on the side of the freeway with babies for tow truck. Was towed to a friends auto shop where we were told about numerous known issues with the CVT transmission.”

NHTSA complaint #11119375, filed 2018-08, 100,000 miles

Engine: “I have had my car for four years now, and early this last year, my engine light came on, had it checked out, and they stated I had a leak near my gas cap, so they advised me to purchase a new gas cap, because the suction was go on the old one, I did that, and the next day, I though came back on, I went back to them, and they stated that the way that the leak is, overtime I got gas, I would need to push in the cap and that should seal it. …”

NHTSA complaint #10928960, filed 2016-12, 10,000 miles

Electrical system: “After a very cold day in tennessee, the front drivers side and passengers side doors in my Nissan Rogue would no longer open from the outside. After visiting the Nissan dealership, I was told that this was not a safety issue and that the bracket and the cable actuator in both doors had gone bad and that the cost for the repair would be over $1,000. The fact that this is not considered a safety hazard and that Nissan is not standing behind its product is appalling. …”

NHTSA complaint #10577055, filed 2014-04, 64,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

22% of the 251 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 55,892 and 113,500 miles.

7%0–106%10–259%25–5021%50–7524%75–10024%100–1509%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (251 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 81,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’10’1344’16’19’22’26
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2009 Nissan Rogue. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Rogue · sedan FWD/AWDnot rated5 / 4——4 · 17.9% risk

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2009 Nissan Rogue version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Rogue AWD2.5L 4-cylCVT212623$2,900
Rogue FWD2.5L 4-cylCVT222724$2,800

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

Recall details for the 2009 Nissan Rogue → · 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. 98 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 98 bulletins →

Other model years of the Nissan Rogue

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2026531,4442—32Too new to compareToo new
202519812,1003533Too new to compareToo new
202422129,8504533Too new to compareToo new
202375343,0006533100 · MoreToo new
202226950,50064–53347 · TypicalRising
202129329,7521043265 · MoreRising
20201539,200142916 · FewerStable
20193396,008442966 · MoreFalling
201866914,144442990 · MoreStable
201760028,408642984 · MoreStable
201654351,100742858 · TypicalFalling
201555452,000942856 · TypicalFalling
201444050,0001042853 · TypicalFalling
201361074,00014256 · FewerFalling
201231970,92024250 · FewerFalling
201136380,54224240 · FewerFalling
201028270,0002—244 · FewerFalling
200932081,0003—240 · FewerFalling
200842981,9065—2419 · FewerFalling

All Nissan Rogue model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2009 Nissan Rogue?

Owners of the 2009 Nissan Rogue most often describe two problems: a passenger air bag warning light that stays on or flashes even with an adult in the seat, and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that loses power, hesitates from a stop, or overheats on long drives or hills. The issues reported most often: Transmission loses power or hesitates from a stop; Passenger air bag light on or flashing; Doors will not open from the outside.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2009 Nissan Rogue have?

NHTSA recorded 320 consumer complaints for the 2009 Nissan Rogue as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2009 Nissan Rogue is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 101 complaints (32% of the total), followed by transmission and drivetrain with 101.

Has the 2009 Nissan Rogue been recalled?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2009 Nissan Rogue get?

The EPA rates the 2009 Nissan Rogue (Rogue FWD, 2.5L 4-cyl) at 24 mpg combined, 22 city and 27 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,800 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2009 Nissan Rogue reported?

Among the 251 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 81,000 miles and the middle half falls between 55,892 and 113,500 miles; 22% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 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.