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2012 Nissan Rogue Recalls, Issues & Maintenance

The 2012 Nissan Rogue carries 2 open NHTSA recalls — most recently covering electrical system and pressure monitoring and regulating systems. Owners report 5 recurring issue clusters, led by “Power door lock and latch malfunction.” Nissan owner's manuals split service into Schedule 1 (severe) and Schedule 2 (normal). Most US drivers fall under Schedule 1. The biggest preventable failure on Nissan vehicles is CVT transmission damage from extended fluid intervals — owners of Altima, Rogue, Sentra, Pathfinder, and Murano with CVT should not skip it.

2 Open Recalls

Source: NHTSA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Campaign #15V032000 · Jan 26, 2015

Issue: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 Nissan Rogue vehicles manufactured March 7, 2007, to November 26, 2013, and 2014 Nissan Rogue Select vehicles manufactured September 23, 2013, to July 2, 2014. The affected vehicles may experience an electrical short in the harness connector due to a mixture of snow/water and salt seeping through the carpet on the driver side floor near the harness connector.

Risk: An electrical short can cause a vehicle fire.

Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the kick panel wiring harness connector and will if necessary install a new harness connector and waterproof seal, free of charge. The recall began on February 26, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS

Campaign #12V068000 · Feb 22, 2012

Issue: NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 MURANO AND ROGUE VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 23, 2011 THROUGH JANUARY 11, 2012. DURING ASSEMBLY, THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS) WAS NOT ACTIVATED. THUS, THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 138,”TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM.”

Risk: A NON-ACTIVE TPMS CANNOT WARN A DRIVER THAT A TIRE IS UNDERINFLATED. UNDERINFLATED TIRES CAN RESULT IN TIRE OVERLOADING AND OVERHEATING, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A BLOWOUT AND POSSIBLE CRASH.

Fix: ALL OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES ARE STILL IN DEALER INVENTORY. DEALERS HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO ACTIVATE ALL OF THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS.

Recall data refreshed Sep 6, 2026.

Known issues for this vehicle

What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2012 Nissan Rogue.

Reported to NHTSA

Power door lock and latch malfunction

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

6 NHTSA complaints · 2017-08 → 2026-04

“The doors unlock or lock on their own. Some locks then don’t lock or unlock. Sometimes they have to be unlocked manually. The trunk does not unlock at all. I can’t open the trunk”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11733848
“DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LOCK MAKES A BUZZING SOUND WHEN LOCKING OR UNLOCKING DOOR USING KEY OR KEY FOB. DOOR WILL NOT LOCK WHEN USING KEY FOB. BAD ACTUATOR”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11306566
“STATIONARY, 1 YEAR OLD IN REAR OF VEHICLE AND THE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK. THE BUTTON ON THE P/S & D/S UNLOCKED EVERY DOOR EXCEPT FOR THE D/S REAR DOOR”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11012603

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Fuel gauge and range display inaccuracy

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

4 NHTSA complaints · 2018-12 → 2024-06

“There is a very strong odor of gas that I can smell inside the cabin and fuel consumption is at an all time high.I drove on a full tank less than 100 miles and it was on empty”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11596618
“12/16/18 FILLED FULL TANK OF GAS. RANGE SHOWED 297 WHEN NORMALLY IT SHOWS 320-330 MILES ON A FULL TANK. 12/18/18 AM, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON WHILE DRIVING TO WORK”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11162417
“Reported this issue to NHTSA 12/2018. Around 8/2022 incident started - full tank of gas, range 280 miles (typically 320 miles)”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11483091

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

CVT transmission loss of power and acceleration

POWER TRAIN

133 NHTSA complaints · 2017-07 → 2026-03

“The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated while driving at approximately 75 MPH, the transmission failed to operate as designed and the vehicle lost motive power. There were no warning lights illuminated”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11568572
“VEHICLE HAD CVT TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 90,000 MILES. CAR SPEED UNCONTROLLABLE BETWEEN SLOW OR TOO FAST ON THE HIGHWAY. NISSAN DEALER INDICATED TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING, BUT WOULD NOT REPLACE IT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11161724
“The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently decelerated while the RPM gauge increased. The contact was able to restart the vehicle to correct the failure”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11450469

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Passenger airbag occupant sensor failure

AIR BAGS

26 NHTSA complaints · 2017-08 → 2024-06

“THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS FLASHING SO WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THE PASSENGER AIR BAG STAYS OFF EVEN WITH A PERSON IN THE SEAT. THEY STATED IT IS THE OCCUPANCY SENSOR AND WANTED OVER $2,000 TO FIX IT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11301950
“PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR FAILED. VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY BUT I NOTICED THAT OVER 3 MILLION NISSANS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR OCCUPANT SENSOR FAILURE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11142619
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ROGUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11376298

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Electrical system fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

7 NHTSA complaints · 2017-10 → 2024-03

“The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that 6 hours after their vehicle was parked around sometime after midnight the vehicle suddenly caught fire”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11575271
“12/22/2018 MY NISSAN ROGUE CAUGHT FIRE PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. WE WERE ONLY ALERTED BECAUSE THE HORN DEFAULTED BECAUSE OF THE FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE WITH SOME DIFFICULTY”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11163739
“MY VEHICLE, A 2012 NISSAN ROUGE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN MY DRIVEWAY WHILE MYSELF AND THE OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR HOME WERE SLEEPING”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11041544

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Issues on other model years

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 11, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 11, 2026.

We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.

Essential maintenance

Critical for safety and preventing major damage

Engine Oil & Filter

Every 5,000 mi

Replace synthetic-blend or full-synthetic oil every 5,000 miles under Schedule 1. Schedule 2: 7,500 miles. VR30DDTT (3.0L twin-turbo): full synthetic only.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$120–$160

Shop

~$85–$115

DIY

~$25–$55

Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.

Tire Rotation

Every 5,000 mi

Rotate tires every 5,000 miles. Front-wheel-drive Nissans (Altima, Sentra, Versa) wear front tires fast — don't skip rotations.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.

CVT Fluid (NS-3)

Every 60,000 mi

Nissan officially calls CVT fluid 'lifetime,' but independent technicians and Nissan TSBs recommend replacement every 60,000 miles to prevent CVT failure. Use Nissan NS-3 fluid only — substitutes destroy the belt-and-pulley system.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$360–$500

Shop

~$255–$355

DIY

~$80–$180

CVT fluid is manufacturer-specific and pricey — do NOT substitute conventional ATF.

Brake Inspection

Every 7,500 mi

Inspect brake pads, rotors, and parking brake every 7,500 miles. Rogue and Pathfinder front pads typically last 35,000-50,000 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.

Brake Fluid

Every 30,000 mi

Replace DOT 3 brake fluid every 30,000 miles or 2 years. Dark or amber fluid indicates moisture contamination.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$180–$200

Shop

~$125–$140

DIY

~$10–$25

DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.

Important maintenance

Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently

Engine Air Filter

Every 30,000 mi

Replace engine air filter every 30,000 miles, sooner if driving on dusty unpaved roads.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.

Spark Plugs

Every 105,000 mi

Iridium-tipped spark plugs are rated 105,000 miles on QR25, MR20, and VQ35 engines. VR30DDTT: 60,000 miles due to higher cylinder pressures.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$390

Shop

~$200–$275

DIY

~$25–$100

Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.

Long-Life Coolant

Every 75,000 mi

Nissan Long-Life Antifreeze/Coolant (blue/green): first change at 105,000 miles, then every 75,000. Do not mix with other coolant chemistries.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$330

Shop

~$200–$235

DIY

~$25–$60

Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.

Transfer Case / Rear Diff (AWD models)

Every 60,000 mi

Rogue AWD, Murano AWD, Pathfinder 4WD: replace transfer case fluid and rear differential fluid every 60,000 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$105–$140

Shop

~$75–$100

DIY

~$15–$40

AWD/4WD vehicles only. Easy drain-and-fill on most platforms.

Recommended maintenance

Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort

Cabin Air Filter

Every 15,000 mi

Replace cabin air filter every 15,000 miles. Located behind the glove box on Altima, Rogue, and Sentra.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.

Fatal crash history & reported problems

Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)

93 crashes 2010–2024

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number

Owner-reported problem signals

Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.

8

complaints mentioning a crash

10

complaints mentioning a fire

Reviewed known issues for this vehicle·Open recalls for this vehicle

Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.

How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.

This maintenance schedule for the 2012 Nissan Rogue reflects Nissan's published service intervals and the Maintenance Reminder system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.

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