UsedScore

2011 Nissan Rogue: Solid

Owners filed 86 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Nissan Rogue in its first five years on the road, about 73 for every 100,000 sold: 0.9× the rate of a typical Rogue year. That's close to a typical year.

The biggest problem area, counting serious complaints more, is the powertrain (transmission and drivetrain) (48% of complaints, median 61,000 miles).

Complaint index
0.9×
per vehicle sold, vs. a typical Rogue year
Rank
6th of 14
1st = fewest complaints
Complaints
86
first five years; 73 per 100,000 sold
Recalls
2
campaigns
1st generation, 2008–2013 · Updated September 24, 2026 · How we rate
2008 Nissan Rogue

Photo: 2008 Nissan Rogue · IFCAR, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Problem areas

Ranked by severity-weighted complaints · share · median miles
  1. Powertrain48% · 41 complaints · median 61,000 miles
  2. Speed control22% · 19 complaints · median 50,000 miles
  3. Electrical13% · 11 complaints · median 42,000 miles
  4. Engine12% · 10 complaints · median 52,000 miles
  5. Brakes7% · 6 complaints · median 13,000 miles
  6. Air bags6% · 5 complaints
  7. Steering5% · 4 complaints
  8. Lights3% · 3 complaints
  9. Fuel and propulsion2% · 2 complaints
  10. Seats and belts2% · 2 complaints

Bars rank problem areas by complaints weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries and deaths count more). A complaint can name more than one area. Mileage is reported on about half of complaints.

What owners describe

Electrical

Owners of the 2011 Nissan Rogue report a range of electrical problems including stalling, door lock failures, airbag sensor faults, and in some cases fires. Many say dealers struggled to permanently fix these issues even after repeated repairs.

Warning signs:
Many report warning lights, flickering gauges, burning smells, smoke, clicking or trembling noises, and horns or radios cutting in and out before failures.
What shops did:
Dealers often replaced batteries, control units, door latches, or sensors, but owners say problems frequently returned or could not be diagnosed or repaired.
Mileage:
most between 65,000 and 120,000 miles, among 34 complaints that give it

“The power steering fluid was leaking on the inside of the vehicle and the electronic control panel was malfunctioning”

“she then lift the hood of her vehicle and saw 2 wires that were still burning in the engine compartment of the vehicle”

Powertrain

Owners describe their Rogue's transmission suddenly losing power or refusing to accelerate, often on highways at speed, sometimes with noises, shaking or burning smells beforehand. Many say dealers diagnosed a failed CVT transmission or torque converter, with some noting Nissan extended warranties for earlier model years but not 2011.

Warning signs:
Many report high or fluctuating RPMs, whining, grinding or clicking noises, shuddering, burning smells, and sudden deceleration before the loss of power.
What shops did:
Dealers and mechanics most often replaced the transmission or torque converter, installed transmission coolers, and in some cases could not duplicate or fix the problem.
Mileage:
most between 60,000 and 105,000 miles, among 160 complaints that give it

“With accelerator pushed to floor vehicle speed dropped from 70 down to 50-55 on inclines”

Speed control

Owners describe their Rogue suddenly losing power or acceleration, especially after prolonged highway driving or on hills in hot weather, sometimes forcing them to pull over. A smaller number report sudden unintended acceleration while parking, and repairs often fail to permanently resolve the issue.

Warning signs:
Many report whining or vibrating noises, high RPMs without matching speed, warning lights (sometimes none), and sluggish response after highway driving or hill climbs in warm weather.
What shops did:
Dealers often could not duplicate or diagnose the problem; some replaced transmission coolers, dipsticks, sensors, or entire CVT units, sometimes at owner expense, with issues frequently recurring.
Mileage:
most between 35,000 and 95,000 miles, among 53 complaints that give it

“Found a service bulletin stating 08-12 rogues have CVT failure when driving 65 MPH and higher”

“Vehicle decelerates on its own. Gas pedal to the floor, but still losing speed”

Summaries are written with AI from the owner complaints shown on NHTSA's site and checked against them; quotes are word for word.

Recalls (2)

Check a VIN on NHTSA ›
  • NHTSA 15V032000January 2015468,815 vehicles

    Electrical system

    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.

  • NHTSA 11V565000November 20117,365 vehicles

    Steering: electric power assist system

    Nissan is recalling certain model year 2011 rogue vehicles manufactured from august 17, 2010, through october 30, 2010. The circuit board may not have been installed in the correct position on certain electric power steering (eps) assist control units. This may cause additional stress on the solder of the terminal to the circuit board resulting in the solder cracking and separating completely from the circuit board.

    Risk: As the circuit board fails, the power steering assist feature will stop functioning, increasing the force needed to steer the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the eps control unit if necessary, free of charge.

A recall only helps if the repair was done. Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup before you buy.

Service bulletins

Nissan sent NHTSA 116 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2011 Rogue. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

  • NTB10-066C · May 2024CAN COMMUNICATION CODES – DIAGNOSTIC TIPS AND GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended.
  • NTB13-027D · May 2024CAN COMMUNICATION – NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended.
  • NTB13-107G · May 2024VEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended.
  • NTB23-049 · June 202312 VOLT BATTERY TESTING FOR IN-SERVICE VEHICLES SERVICE INFORMATION The following Service Information lists NNA procedural recommendations for establishing good connections while performing 12V…
  • NTB23-053 · June 2023SILICONE-BASED LUBRICANT OR GREASE CAN DAMAGE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SERVICE INFORMATION Do not apply Silicone-based lubricants or grease to, or around, any interior electrical components.
  • NTB13-107F · April 2023VEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended.
  • NTB16-003C · April 2023INTELLIGENT KEY REPLACEMENT OR SWAPPING BETWEEN VEHICLES This bulletin has been amended.
  • NTB12-055J · March 2023CLICKING NOISE FROM FRONT OR REAR AXLE DURING TAKE-OFF/ACCELERATION This bulletin has been amended.

All 2011 Rogue bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2011 Nissan Rogue reliable?
Owners filed 86 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Nissan Rogue in its first five years on the road, about 73 for every 100,000 sold: 0.9× the rate of a typical Rogue year. That's close to a typical year. Ratings compare Rogue years with each other using complaints filed with NHTSA; they don't measure every problem owners have.
What are the most common 2011 Rogue problems?
Owners' complaints most often involve the powertrain (transmission and drivetrain) (48%), speed control (22%) and the electrical system (13%). A complaint can name more than one area.
Has the 2011 Nissan Rogue been recalled?
Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2011 Nissan Rogue, the most recent in January 2015 (electrical system). Enter the vehicle's VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see whether the repairs were done.

Sources

Owner complaints, recalls and manufacturer communications from NHTSA's public data files, as of September 24, 2026. Complaints are counted once each, over the model year's first 60 months on the road. UsedScore is not affiliated with NHTSA or Nissan. The 2011 Nissan Rogue on NHTSA.gov · How we rate