2018 Nissan Rogue Problems

What owners report

Owners of this 2018 Rogue most often describe the automatic emergency braking system engaging on its own, sometimes bringing the vehicle to a stop with nothing ahead. A meaningful share also report transmission shuddering or hesitation and various electrical and infotainment faults. Many of the braking complaints arrive at low mileage, while transmission and electrical reports tend to come in later.

1. 1
   Forward collision avoidance

   Automatic emergency braking activates with nothing ahead

   • 406 complaints (61%)
   • median 11,800 mi at 1.7 yrs old (291 state mileage)
   • 36 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,050 (median of 8 quotes)
   • filed 2018–2026

   Complaints describe the forward collision warning flashing and the automatic emergency braking applying the brakes without any vehicle or obstacle in front, at speeds from parking-lot crawl to highway travel. Owners say the vehicle slows abruptly or stops completely, sometimes accompanied by a beep and a grinding or rumbling sound, and that they had to press the accelerator to keep moving. Several report taking the vehicle to a dealer and being told the fault could not be duplicated, and some say a software update was performed without resolving the behavior. Mostly reported under 25,000 miles, across city streets, highways and parking maneuvers, in clear weather as well as rain or bright sun.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask the seller whether any forward-camera or radar software updates have been applied, and request the service history for the AEB and lane camera systems. On a test drive, note whether the collision warning or braking warning lights flicker, and confirm the setting can be adjusted to your comfort.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was sitting at a light with a car in front of me. The car in front of me started moving so I accelerated slowly and my car started beeping and then the breaks locked up. I was not too close to the car in front of me so I am worried as to why this happened. If there had been a car behind me, they probably would have hit us my car stopped so quickly.”

   NHTSA complaint #11377549, filed 2020-12, 55,000 miles

   “It happened twice - service brakes - 1 in the freeway (55 MPH) all of a sudden all of a sudden it slowed down and it looks like it was going to stop , good thing no cars infront of me , and other one in local street driving 35mph it stopped all of a sudden too . I read a lot of owners reviews or complaints and they're going through same issues .”

   NHTSA complaint #11342992, filed 2020-08, 55 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Infotainment reboots, sensor faults and no-start

   • 117 complaints (17%)
   • median 10,150 mi at 1.7 yrs old (84 state mileage)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,600 (median of 6 quotes)
   • filed 2018–2026

   Owners describe the infotainment screen freezing or rebooting on its own, taking the backup camera and navigation down with it, and door lock buttons that stopped working. Several report the vehicle failing to start or clicking repeatedly at the push-button start until it was jump-started, and others describe failed inspections or warning lights traced to sensors. In a few complaints, water entering through the rear hatch was found to have affected electrical components. Spread across the mileage range, from around 20,000 miles up to 80,000 miles, with no single clear pattern.

   Recall 23V0930006 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test every screen function, the backup camera and the key fob, and check for water staining or damp carpet near the rear hatch and spare tire well. Ask whether the jackknife key recall work and any infotainment software updates have been completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The infotainment system, which includes the cameras and navigation system randomly reboots itself. While using navigation the entire system will reboot itself. Sometimes the touch screen will freeze up and it has to be manually rebooted. The infotainment system is important because it has your backup cameras and navigation system. (the date, mileage on my vehicle and speed I was going was based on the most recent occurrence.)”

   NHTSA complaint #11327137, filed 2020-06, 50,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated while attempting to turn the vehicle on with the push-to-start button, the vehicle began to make a continuous clicking sound. The contact mentioned that the clicking sound appeared to be coming from the battery. The contact stated that the entire warning lights illuminated and flickered on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the push-to-start button had to be pressed again to make the sound stop and then the vehicle had to be jumpstarted. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11580477, filed 2024-04, 67,000 miles
3. 3
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission shudder, hesitation and jerking

   • 93 complaints (14%)
   • median 22,000 mi at 1.8 yrs old (45 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $4,600 (median of 7 quotes)
   • filed 2018–2026

   Complaints describe the continuously variable transmission shuddering, knocking or feeling like it is fighting itself while accelerating, with sluggish pickup and hesitation between gears. Some owners report the vehicle stalling outright and being diagnosed with transmission failure at moderate mileage. Others mention a broken transfer case component that came apart while driving, and a popping or breaking noise from the rear while slowing or turning. Reported from roughly 40,000 miles upward, often after several years of use and sometimes shortly after routine service.

   What to check: Have a pre-purchase inspection include a CVT fluid check and a scan for stored transmission codes, and drive the car through a range of speeds to feel for shudder or hesitation. Ask whether the transmission fluid has been serviced and whether any transmission work has been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Transmission constantly jerks. It is constantly feeling like it is fighting itself going down the road. Mechanics have test driven it and can't feel it sometimes or can't diagnose the problem. Been this way since I purchases the car. I bought it with 42 miles on the odometer.”

   NHTSA complaint #11299173, filed 2020-01, 40,000 miles

   “Vehicle transmission stutters and struggles to shift in higher gears. Occasionally knocks. The transfer case was faulty 3 months ago and broke/fell apart while I was driving down the highway. The vehicle almost lost control and the dealership said the transfer arm had snapped. The transmission still makes the same heavy knocking and occasionally 'slips' as the CVT transmission hesitates to shift. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11384897, filed 2020-12, 55,000 miles
4. 4
   Engine

   Stalling while driving and check engine light

   • 48 complaints (7%)
   • median 25,000 mi at 2.6 yrs old (31 state mileage)
   • filed 2018–2026

   Complaints describe the engine cutting out without warning at various speeds and then restarting normally, sometimes recurring several times, and in one case leading to a tow and a transmission diagnosis. Owners also report shuddering at speed with the check engine light on, and unusual noises or smoke from the rear. Dealers in these reports often asked for a repeat visit if the warning returns, or provided no confirmed cause. Reported from roughly 22,000 to 70,000 miles, with several cases near the lower end.

   Recall 21V8390001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask for any stored engine or powertrain codes to be read before purchase, and check the oil level and condition. Note whether the check engine light is working and whether it lights briefly at startup.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When I first got the vehicle last year a few days after having it my check engine light came on and I called the dealership and told them the issue, and the had me to bring it in the drive was over an hour . I get there they gave me a loaner. At first they said I could choose from a selection, but the I get there and I couldn't choose I could only get the truck they gave me because of the bankruptcy program. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11350384, filed 2020-08, 75,876 miles

   “The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle started to shudder. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11530874, filed 2023-07, 70,000 miles

Buying note. The most common theme in these complaints is unexpected automatic braking, so confirm which software updates have been applied and test the driver-assistance features carefully. Also budget time for a transmission and electrical check, since those reports tend to surface at higher mileage.

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.