Is the 2012 Nissan Rogue a bad year?
318 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 135, 3.3× a quiet Rogue year.
Keep it, but watch the transmission
Half of the transmission complaints for this year were filed at 66k–107k miles, where you are now. Few of them say the car was towed: 3 of 117 filed since 2016.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2012 Rogue owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 82,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 135 (42%) | 66k–107k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Speed controlSTANDS OUT | 41 (13%) | 65k–98k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Engine | 45 (14%) | 50k–118k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Electrical system | 43 (14%) | 44k–90k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Fuel system | 19 (6%) | 50k–94k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Body structure | 6 (2%) | 33k–82k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Air bags | 41 (13%) | 45k–69k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Brakes | 13 (4%) | 3k–52k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Wheels | 9 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seats | 8 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Tires | 7 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Stability control | 5 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 82,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 318 complaints: 8 mention a crash · 12 mention a fire · 4 report an injury · 11 say the car was towed.
6 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Oct 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
I was driving my car on a highway with speed limits of 70 miles per hour as I was going up an incline my car wouldn't accelerate past the speed I was going.
Tech publication NTR10-029C for rear differential failure.noise, vibrations, charter when stopping and starting, car drags abit.
Speed limit was 80 miles travel down the high way and the car begin to so down to 5 miles. So I drifted off to the side of the road because a tractor trailer truck was about 6 car links behind me.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 82,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2012 Nissan Rogue: 2
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. An electrical short can cause a vehicle fire.
During assembly, the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) was not activated. 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.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Nissan: 72
Repair instructions Nissan sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2012 Nissan Rogue. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Clicking noise from front or rear axle during take-off/acceleration
Abnormal noise, vibration and/or binding feeling from rear differential
EVAP leak DTC P0442, P0455, P0456 information
DTC P0456 caused by EVAP leak at vent control valve o-ring
Neighbouring years
2011 Rogue: 363 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission · 2013 Rogue: 610 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission.
Every Nissan Rogue year
2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Rogue years side by side
Other Nissan models: Nissan 350Z · Nissan 370Z · Nissan Altima · Nissan Armada · Nissan Cube · Nissan Frontier · Nissan Juke · Nissan Kicks · Nissan Leaf · Nissan Maxima · Nissan Murano · Nissan Pathfinder · Nissan Quest · Nissan Rogue Sport · Nissan Sentra · Nissan Titan · Nissan Titan XD · Nissan Versa · Nissan Versa Note · Nissan Xterra. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2012 Nissan Rogue a bad year?
318 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 135, 3.3× a quiet Rogue year. At 82,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the transmission. Half of the transmission complaints for this year were filed at 66k–107k miles, where you are now. Few of them say the car was towed: 3 of 117 filed since 2016.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Nissan Rogue?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: transmission and drivetrain (135), speed control (41), engine (45), electrical system (43), fuel system (19). Half of the transmission complaints were filed between 66k–107k miles.
How many recalls does the 2012 Nissan Rogue have?
2 recall campaigns list this model year: Electrical system (NHTSA 15V-032), Tires (NHTSA 12V-068). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.