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2018 Nissan Rogue Sport Recalls, Issues & Maintenance

The 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport carries 2 open NHTSA recalls — most recently covering camera and key/sender. Owners report 7 recurring issue clusters, led by “CVT transmission failure requiring replacement.” 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

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

Campaign #19V654000 · Dec 9, 2019

Issue: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:IMMOBILIZER/PROXIMITY:KEY/SENDER

Campaign #23V093000 · Feb 16, 2023

Issue: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2014-2020 Rogue and 2017-2022 Rogue Sport vehicles equipped with a jackknife style ignition key. The jackknife key may collapse into a folded position while driving.

Risk: Driver contact with a key in the collapsed position could inadvertently shut off the vehicle while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, if the vehicle shuts off while driving, the air bags may not deploy in a crash as intended, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: Dealers will insert a spacer into the key slot of the jackknife key, free of charge. Interim notification letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed March 29, 2023. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 30, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R22C5.

Recall data refreshed Sep 13, 2026.

Known issues for this vehicle

What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport.

Reported to NHTSA

CVT transmission failure requiring replacement

POWER TRAIN

15 NHTSA complaints · 2021-02 → 2026-07

“WHEN I WAS DRIVING, IT WAS AS THOUGH IT HAD SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL. I WAS ACCELERATING WHEN IT WOULDN'T ACCELERATE ANYMORE AND JUST COASTED LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. ALSO WHEN I ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, IT TOOK A MINUTE TO GO. WHEN IT DID FINALLY GO, IT WAS VERY JERKY AND I WAS”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11395112
“CVT transmission failed. Dealer says not repairable and requires a new transmission priced at $7000. Nissan settled class action suit in 2022 for this particular model and year equipped with CVT transmissions. Nissan has offered no compensation to me”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11537394
“CVT issue my Rogue Sport has 81000 miles and now needs a transmission according to the mechanic shop. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11748091

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Folding ignition key and fob detection failure

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

6 NHTSA complaints · 2021-08 → 2024-12

“The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport. The contact stated that since she had taken ownership of the vehicle from the dealer, the ignition key was loose and required to be pressed and turned several times forcefully inside the ignition switch to start the vehicle. The”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11517916
“Not sure where to start with complaint.....I just bought a 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport, and talked to a key-smith about getting a duplicate Fob....was told that the 2014 - 2018 Rogues have an issue with Fobs possibly causing an malfunction in the car system, and if it did the”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11430500
“The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Roque Sport. The contact received recall notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V093000 (Electrical System), however, the parts to do the recall repair were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11513966

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Radiator cooling fan failure and engine overheating

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

21 NHTSA complaints · 2021-01 → 2026-07

“The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport. The contact stated that the air conditioning started to fail, and the vehicle started overheating and shut-off. The coolant fan had failed. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was informed that the fan was on backorder. The”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11429438
“Engine Cooling fan stops working without giving any warning of its failure Car engine then over heats and car AC stops working. Fire hazard potential. u can smell burning rubber coming from the engine due to the excessive heat”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11526994
“Radiator cooling fan completely stopped working in 2023 and caused my car to overheat. Also caused all coolant to evaporate from the heat. Can not use AC at all without car overheating”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11746364

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Automatic emergency braking activation without obstruction

SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

14 NHTSA complaints · 2020-01 → 2025-12

“WHILE DRIVING AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF DAY, MY 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT WOULD RANDOMLY BRAKE TO COMPLETE STOP, CAUSED BY THE ACCIDENT PREVENTION SYSTEM BEING ACTIVATED FOR NO OBSTRUCTIONS IN VEHICLE'S ROUTE. THIS ALWAYS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 25 TO 55 MPH SPEEDS”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11309476
“I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY DOING 60 MPH AND ALL WARNING LIGHTS SOUNDS AND THE BREAKS CAME ON AND STOPPED ME WITHOUT ME TOUCHING THEM”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11351817
“My car braked automatically while driving 50 mph”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11545240

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Rear-view and back-over-prevention camera failure

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, BACK OVER PREVENTION

7 NHTSA complaints · 2021-01 → 2026-08

“THE REARVIEW CAMERA IS NOT WORKING; THE IMAGE IS NO LONGER VISIBLE INCREASING THE RISK OF CRASH”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11390216
“Back over prevention. The back over camera becomes disabled and will not turn back on”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11450577
“The backup camera clarity is poor during the day and has no visibility at night. I took the car to the dealership in 2021 and was told that’s how it is and is normal. This is a safety issue that needs to be reviewed and a recall determination made”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11513144

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Air bag non-deployment during collision

AIR BAGS

4 NHTSA complaints · 2020-09 → 2025-12

“THIS NISSAN ROGUE SPORT WAS INVOLVED IN A HIGH-IMPACT CRASH AUGUST 30, 2020. THE DRIVER THAT STRUCK OUR ROGUE SPORT WAS EXITING HIGHWAY 635E IN DALLAS, TX. AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT IS DOCUMENTED WITH THE IRVING”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11352659
“The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport. The contact stated that while approaching a stop sign at an unknown speed the vehicle was involved in a collision where another vehicle collided with the front passengar side of the vehicle. The contact stated that the air bags did not”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11525890
“I was stationary at a red light, and car traveling behind me at full speed (approximately 50-60 mph) did not stop and crashed into my car (rear-ending me). My airbags did not deploy: not even the side airbags, even though the trunk was crashed/pushed up into the middle of the”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11706540

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Brake pedal non-response resulting in collision

SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

3 NHTSA complaints · 2020-01 → 2021-02

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLES ABS DID NOT ACTIVATE THEREFORE THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11299268
“THERE WERE CLICKING NOISES WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE AT THE PREVIOUS STOP BEFORE THE COLLISION. ABOUT 100 YARDS BEFORE A RED LIGHT I WAS PUSHING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT IT WOULD ONLY GO HALF WAY DOWN. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE ON THE BRAKES. ENDED IN COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11389553
“WHEN APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS UNABLE TO BE USED, LOCKED UP. WITH NO BRAKES, THE RESULT WAS A COLLISION. THE FRONT COLLISION DETECTION THAT CONSTANTLY WARNED FALSELY ON THE DASH. THIS FAILED TO WORK PRIOR TO THE COLLISION AT THIS TIME. AUTOMATIC BRAKES DID”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11390979

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Issues on other model years

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 13, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 13, 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.

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 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport 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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