2021 Nissan Rogue Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2021 Rogue report a broad spread of problems, with many filed at very low mileage (under 5,000 miles) and many others after 50,000 miles. The most common themes in the sample are engine warnings and stalling, abrupt power loss or unintended acceleration/deceleration, electrical and infotainment faults, and false automatic-emergency-braking events. Several complaints describe dealers unable to duplicate the fault, or repairs that did not resolve it.

1. 1
   Engine

   Engine malfunction warning with reduced power or stalling

   • 49 complaints (17%)
   • median 41,000 mi at 1.7 yrs old (17 state mileage)
   • filed 2021–2026

   Owners describe a "Engine Malfunction / Power Reduced / Service Now" or check-engine message appearing while driving, often with the vehicle slowing on its own, bucking, or shutting down; some say it restarted normally after cycling the ignition, others could not restart. Complaints mention the dealer sometimes finding a low or charging battery, coolant or EGR sensor issues, or no stored code at all. A few owners link the symptom to the engine-bearing recall on VC-Turbo engines. Reported from a few hundred miles up to roughly 100,000 miles, with many in the 15,000-60,000 mile range.

   Recall 25V4370002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether recall 25V437000 was performed and whether the engine has been inspected for bearing material. Scan for stored engine codes and confirm the vehicle starts and drives normally from cold.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “After parking in a driveway for a gift delivery my car would not start and the check engine light came on. I took it into coon rapids, mn nisson service on april 2nd and they still have it today ( april 15). No idea as to what is wrong. They provided me with a rouge to use but would like my new platinum back. It only has 838 miles on it. What is going on? …”

   NHTSA complaint #11408195, filed 2021-04, 838 miles

   “The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message Malfunction Error was displayed, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the rear brake pads and brake fluid were replaced, and an oil change was performed. The failure persisted, and the contact was informed that the coolant and EGR sensor needed to be replaced. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11663623, filed 2025-05, 90,000 miles
2. 2
   Forward collision avoidance

   Unintended braking or acceleration (AEB and speed control)

   • 31 complaints (11%)
   • median 61,500 mi at 2.4 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2021–2026

   Owners report the automatic emergency braking engaging with nothing in the path, bringing the vehicle to a sudden stop, and in some cases the vehicle lunging forward or shifting unexpectedly at low speed. Complaints also describe the accelerator failing to respond or the pedal catching on a floor mat, and warning messages about a blocked front sensor or disabled driving aids. Dealers often reported no fault found or applied software/sensor repairs. Spread from roughly 1,000 to 90,000 miles, and several reports mention rainy or snowy conditions.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the forward radar/lane camera software updates were applied, and verify the AEB and cruise-control systems operate without warning messages during a test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I've had issues since I purchased my Rogue (11/4/2020) with the AEB automatically stopping my Rogue when there is no obstacle in the way. It is mainly with the rear AEB, but has happened a few times with the front AEB.”

   NHTSA complaint #11572742, filed 2024-02

   “The contact owned a 2021 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle independently accelerated and the brakes failed to operate while the brake pedal was depressed, causing the front center of the vehicle to crash into a tree. No warning lights were illuminated. The air bags deployed as needed. The vehicle was deemed a total loss at the scene. Neither a Police report nor Fire Department report was filed. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11759453, filed 2026-08, 58,000 miles
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Infotainment reboots, blank screens, camera failures

   • 43 complaints (15%)
   • median 38,750 mi at 1.6 yrs old (14 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2021–2026

   Complaints describe the radio/infotainment screen going black or rebooting while driving, the instrument panel blanking and restarting, and the rear-view camera showing a black screen or an "X" when reversing. Some owners report door locks, windows or keyless entry intermittently failing at the same time, and dealers sometimes replaced the radio or battery or could not replicate the fault. Reported from roughly 400 miles to about 100,000 miles, with many under 50,000 miles.

   Recall 22V772000Recall 22V5270003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test the rear camera and screen on a cold start and after a restart, and ask whether the infotainment software updates or recall 22V772000/22V527000 remedies were completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have had several issues over the course of 2 years with the what appears to be an electrical or computer problem with this vehicle. The dashboard will light up and all the warnings constantly display. It is not always the same alert. It has also happened a couple times while I was driving and I had to pull over. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11533620, filed 2023-07

   “The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that after completing an IVI software update through an over-the-air (OTA) update, the rear-view camera became inoperable on several occasions. The contact also stated that after starting the vehicle or while driving at various speeds, the instrument panel failed to display and then rebooted inadvertently. No warning lights were illuminated. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11493477, filed 2022-11, 98,000 miles
4. 4
   Fuel system

   Stalls, no-start and fuel pump or fuel leak symptoms

   • 35 complaints (12%)
   • median 52,000 mi at 2.0 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • filed 2021–2026

   Owners report the engine stopping while driving or failing to start, sometimes with a fuel odor, and dealers diagnosing fuel pump failure or fuel-system leaks. Some complaints note the vehicle lunging or stalling at low speed and a battery or alternator issue found at the same time. Mostly reported under about 10,000 miles, with a few higher-mileage examples.

   Recall 21V957000Recall 21V0680002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check whether recalls 21V957000 (fuel pump) and 21V068000 (fuel hose/tank lock ring) were completed, and look for a fuel smell around the filler neck and under the rear of the car.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “A family member was driving at 65 MPH a brand new 2021 Nissan Rogue with less than 3,000 on us rte 95 (4 lane highway) in waltham ma when the engine stopped running/ lost power and they were able quickly pull into breakdown lane. They exited the vehicle and climbed over the guard rail, called aaa and had it towed to the nearest Nissan dealer. The problem was diagnosed as a fuel pump failure due to an electrical problem. The dealer replaced the fuel pump.”

   NHTSA complaint #11413335, filed 2021-04, 3,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that the fueling system was leaking. There was an abnormal odor of fuel detected. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lunged forward and stalled but restarted. The alternator warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 5,500.”

   NHTSA complaint #11488158, filed 2022-10, 5,500 miles
5. 5
   Body and structure

   Tie rod and steering rack failures

   • 17 complaints (6%)
   • median 56,000 mi at 5.0 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2021–2026

   Complaints describe the steering wheel pulling to one side, a popping or loud noise, and the front wheels pointing inward while driving; several owners were told the tie rod, steering rack or struts had failed and needed replacement. One owner reported a complete loss of power steering at highway speed and replacement of the steering assembly. Mostly reported between about 16,000 and 79,000 miles.

   What to check: Have a shop inspect the tie rods, steering rack and front suspension on a lift, and check the alignment and for uneven front tire wear before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that while driving at 10 MPH, there was a loud sound coming from the vehicle, with the collision warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to go forward or reverse as needed. After inspecting the vehicle, the contact became aware that a metal object had detached from the vehicle near the front driver’s side wheel. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11724743, filed 2026-03, 66,996 miles

   “The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that while his wife was pulling out of the parking lot, the steering wheel suddenly pulled to the right and the front passenger's side tire became misaligned. The contact stated that the vehicle became undrivable. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the tie rod was bent and needed to be replaced. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11554914, filed 2023-11, 16,655 miles

Buying note. A 2021 Rogue can be a reasonable used buy, but confirm that all open recalls were completed and have a mechanic scan for stored engine, transmission and infotainment codes. Pay particular attention to the engine warning/reduced-power symptom and the front steering components, and test the camera and driver-assist systems thoroughly on a test drive.

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.