There’s not much negative that can be said of the Nissan Rogue, especially since it’s one of the most dependable SUVs on the market, with high marks from both the NHTSA and the IIHS. But the 2014-2016 models have a number of engine complaints on record that can’t all be explained away by drivers being unfamiliar with the one-speed CVT.
Key Points
- The Nissan Rogue has an excellent track record with few complaints and recalls, but the 2014-2016 models mark a stretch where the car had more issues than usual.
- Engine stall has been a leading issue in all three models, with a recall for the 2014 and dozens of reports in the 2015 and 2016.
- Following engine stall, the car’s most persistent issue has been airbags, with all three model years having been included in the infamous 2016 recall affecting over three million Nissan and GM vehicles.
2014 Nissan Rogue has been Recalled Eight Times, Including over Engine Stall and Airbag Problems
With eight recalls and 320 complaints on file with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the 2014 Nissan Rogue kicks off a three-year streak of Rogues that were a bit less reliable than you’d expect of the nameplate. Of course, we’re going by Nissan Rogue standards here, so in terms of dependability, the 2014 still runs circles around most of its competitors. But from 2014 to 2016, Nissan had a run of Rogues with more recalls and more complaints than in years prior or since.
The 2014’s biggest issue: recurring engine stall thanks to improper plating on the fuel pump. The vehicle was recalled in April of 2015 for this issue, covering around 30,000 2014 Rogues, and again in March of 2016, this time covering over 46,000 2014 Rogues.
Of the SUV’s 320 complaints, 85 concern the powertrain, 40 the engine, and 30 vehicle speed control, with many of these complaints pointing directly to the engine stall issue. One driver reports that the vehicle “hesitated upon depression of the accelerator pedal.” Another claims that the SUV “will not accelerate or shift” even with the pedal pressed to the floor.
Every recalled unit was a 2014 Nissan Rogue. With Nissan having sold roughly 200,000 units that year, that adds up to more than one in three Rogues having been affected by these recalls. In other words, check your VIN.
The car was also subject to the infamous 2016 recall for faulty airbag control modules, covering more than three million units across several Nissan and General Motors nameplates.
Airbag and Engine Stall Issues Resurface for 2015 Nissan Rogue, Possible Random Electrical Glitches
The 2015 Nissan Rogue was subjected to the same airbag recall as the 2014, and it also saw a follow-up recall for 757 units in December of 2016, owing to further software issues in the airbag control units.
There are no recalls on record for engine stall, but engine, speed control, and powertrain complaints are a leading concern, making up a combined 143 complaints out of 328 total.
Some of these complaints point to engine stall, and these reports sound quite similar to what you’ll read about the 2014: the vehicle stalls without warning at various speeds, gets stuck in gear and won’t accelerate, engine stops running in traffic, etc.
Whether these issues are related to the fuel pump issues discovered in the 2014 model, or they’re a handful of isolated incidents, or they’re something else entirely, there may not be enough data to determine as yet. The NHTSA has not launched an investigation into the matter, and there are no recalls for engine stall in the 2015 Rogue.
A number of drivers have also reported that the car’s electrical system will shut down at random while driving. With one driver reporting “three times now, the car has shut down entirely when driving in traffic. Engine stops running, all lights and power are off, power steering and power brakes are lost.”
The catch-22 with a low rate of incidence: it’s less likely that it’s going to happen to you, but because it leaves the NHTSA with less data to compile into an investigation, and less reason to launch an investigation in the first place, leaving affected drivers in “wait and see” mode to determine whether the automaker will take steps to correct the problem.
2016 Rogue is an Improvement on the 2014 and 2015, but Engine Stall Reports Continue to Roll In
For 2016 we’re down to five recalls and 266 complaints. Lower than the previous two years, but still a bit high for a Rogue.
The 2016 was included in both of the airbag recalls affecting the previous model years, as well as a recurring issue with insufficient welding on the seat frame. The 2016 Rogue, along with the 2017, was recalled first in October of 2017 for a total of nearly 5,000 units with poorly welded seats, and again the next month for 210 more units.
In the complaints department, the biggest issue, after airbags, is in the powertrain, with 84 reports. You can probably guess where we’re going with this by now: engine stall. A number of reports in late 2021 point to the transmission stalling out for several seconds at a time before getting into motion.
It should be noted that while there have been a handful of documented issues with engine stall in this generation of Nissan Rogues, when you buy a used CVT, there’s no guarantee that the previous owner understood that you’re supposed to change the transmission fluid every 25,000 miles or so. In other words, with these SUVs passing the five-year mark, and many of them on their second, third, or even fourth owner by now, some of the new owners are inheriting the maintenance neglect of the previous owner.
That’s not to say that this accounts for each and every instance of engine stall, but it’s not uncommon for a poorly-maintained CVT to be mistaken for a defective CVT.
Despite Recalls, 2014-2016 Rogues Still Rank Among the Best SUVs in Their Class
Even at its worst, the Nissan Rogue is still one of the best compact crossovers on the market today. Efficient, low-maintenance, reliable, and safe, with the 2015 earning a Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. If you have any say in the matter, you might as well skip the 2014-2016 models for a 2017, but even if you wind up with one of the models listed above, you could do a whole lot worse.
Photos: Nissan
