2012 Nissan Rogue Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe transmission trouble — a loss of power or failure to accelerate, sometimes after long highway driving or in hot weather, with the dealer often diagnosing a transmission replacement. Airbag warning lights, electrical faults and intermittent stalling or no-start conditions also come up regularly, usually at higher mileage.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission loses power or won't accelerate (CVT)

   • 178 complaints (56%)
   • median 81,500 mi at 6.0 yrs old (130 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $4,000 (median of 26 quotes)
   • filed 2012–2026

   Complaints describe the vehicle slowing or failing to accelerate even with the accelerator pressed, sometimes with the engine revving while road speed drops. Several say it happens after an hour or more of highway driving or in hot weather, and that pulling over to let it cool restores power temporarily. Owners report dealers or independent shops diagnosing the continuously variable transmission as needing replacement; some say the dealer could not reproduce the problem. Mostly reported between roughly 50,000 and 160,000 miles, often on long highway drives or in warm weather.

   9 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for service records on the transmission and take a long test drive at highway speed, ideally on a warm day, watching for slipping, revving without acceleration or whining. Ask a mechanic to check transmission fluid condition and any stored codes.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving highway speed, engine RPM would go up without hitting accelerator, then no matter how much I pushed the accelerator I could not get the car up to speed to pass other vehicles. Took vehicle to dealership for evaluation. Either need to spend $3000 for a 'transmission fluid cooler' or $4000 for a new transmission.”

   NHTSA complaint #11111636, filed 2018-07, 101,000 miles

   “Cvt transmission failure. As I was driving on the parkway his car will just slow down to a crawl causing a dangerous driving condition. The car will barely move and many other vehicles have come very close to hitting me due to the slow speed that the car will go. Complained to Nissan but since car is 11 months past warranty was told they will not help even though this is a know problem with these cars.”

   NHTSA complaint #11102717, filed 2018-06, 74,500 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Electrical faults, no-start and smoke under hood

   • 56 complaints (18%)
   • median 81,000 mi at 5.8 yrs old (41 state mileage)
   • 13 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $5,000 (median of 5 quotes)
   • filed 2013–2026

   Complaints describe smoke from under the hood, loss of interior electronics such as windows, locks, seat adjustment and the key fob, and in some cases the vehicle catching fire while parked or shortly after starting. Owners also report stalling or needing several attempts to restart, and a dealer or mechanic tracing the problem to wiring or a starter coil. Scattered across the mileage range, from about 20,000 to over 200,000 miles.

   Recall 15V0320005 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check that all interior electronics, windows, locks and both key fobs work, and inspect the wiring and carpet on the driver's side floor for moisture, corrosion or a musty salt-water smell. Ask whether the electrical harness recall work was completed for this VIN.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Clock spring issues, as far as I know a clock spring should last as long as the life of the vehicle, unless there is an accident or something unavoidable. Due to this issue my horn stopped working; this happened while in motion. I hope Nissan takes responsibility and replaces my clock spring at no charge. Also, in less than a month two front signal bulbs had to be replaced (left and right.)”

   NHTSA complaint #11361015, filed 2020-09, 126,000 miles

   “My Nissan Rogue 2012 caught fire. Upon starting the car when the ignition turned over, the ignition coil caught fire! The vehicle was stationary and in the shop and I had brought it in as the check engine light went on. The mechanic stated it steemed from the electrical harness. There is a current recall for Nissan Rogue involving a problem with the electrical harness from 3/7/07-11/26/13. I was told that my VIN was not involved by the dealer and called Nissan to find out if my VIN could be added. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11182580, filed 2019-02, 94,000 miles
3. 3
   Air bags

   Airbag warning light / passenger airbag off

   • 36 complaints (11%)
   • median 58,000 mi at 5.8 yrs old (22 state mileage)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,614 (median of 7 quotes)
   • filed 2013–2024

   Owners describe the airbag warning light flashing and the passenger airbag showing off even with an adult seated in the front seat. According to complaints, dealers attribute this to the passenger seat occupancy sensor and quote high repair costs, and some owners say they were told their vehicle was not covered by a related recall. Reported from about 35,000 to 80,000 miles in the sample, with some at much lower mileage.

   What to check: With the ignition on, confirm the airbag warning light goes out and the passenger airbag indicator shows on when someone sits in the front passenger seat. Ask whether the occupancy sensor has been inspected or replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Vehicle in the shop for a major oil leak, 2 key fobs don't work, recall, leaking sunroof, and last but not least air bag light flashing. Quoted 3500 to replace seat/module, 350. For oil issue, 1400. Sunroof. I inherited this car in 2013 when my mother passed away and it only has 20000 miles on it. I could buy another newer used car at this rate!! This is rediculous for a vehicle with so low miles to have this many issues. At this rate I will never purchase or recommend Nissan again. Please advise. Thanks, deb”

   NHTSA complaint #11096803, filed 2018-05, 20,000 miles

   “My mother purchased this Nissan Rogue new in 2012. Now the airbag light is on, we're being told that none of the airbags inside the vehicle are working. South austin Nissan where we purchased the vehicle refuses to assist my mother, unless she pays a great deal of money. Nissan corporation refuses to assist, they just refer me back to the dealership. So many of these airbags have been recalled, therefore why is my mother having to pay a large amount of money. Same issues as the other year models which have been recalled. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11278742, filed 2019-11, 35,000 miles

Buying note. Give this model year a careful highway test drive and a pre-purchase inspection that includes transmission codes and fluid condition, since transmission complaints dominate. Also verify that open recalls were completed and that the airbag and electrical systems behave normally before buying.

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.