2015 Nissan Rogue’s issues aren’t incredibly common, with just 322 complaints and seven recalls on record with the NHTSA. But the problems can be quite severe, including major transmission failures and a massive airbag recall.
Key Points
- The 2015 Nissan Rogue‘s biggest problem is in the airbags, having been part of a Nissan recall covering over 3,000,000 units, and still generating complaints as late as 2021.
- Power train and engine issues are a big concern for 2015 Nissan Rogue drivers, with one recall and over 100 complaints total, mostly having to do with the car accidentally shifting out of Park, and potential transmission failure.
- Generally poor build quality has reportedly been an issue for a number of Rogue drivers, with latches failing to hold, gaskets and seals coming loose, and premature rusting.
- With its biggest issues being few and far between, the 2015 Nissan Rogue remains a solid buy on the used market, enjoying a four-star safety rating with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and low repair bills.
Massive Airbag Recall Leads List of Major Problems for 2015 Nissan Rogue
While the powertrain has generated more complaints overall, the 2015 Nissan Rogue’s biggest issue in terms of sheer numbers has always been in the airbag department.
The car was included in Nissan’s massive 2016 recall for more than 3,000,000 units, and airbag complaints make up the second biggest single issue on the complaints page, comprising 59 of 322 complaints total.
The initial airbag recall had to do with passenger-side airbags not deploying due to an error in the car’s onboard computer system. A follow-up recall was issued for this problem in December of 2016, covering just 757 Nissan units.
Checking out the complaints, the most common is that airbag warning lights will flash on for no apparent reason. In more cases than not, this would seem to point to the aforementioned software issues. In those instances, a simple software update may be the only fix required. In other instances, drivers are seeing broken clock springs.
Faulty airbags can be incredibly dangerous, so when shopping for a used 2016 Rogue, run the VIN to see if the SUV was addressed in the recall, and keep an eye out for warning lights during the test drive.
Powertrain Problems Make Up One-third of the 2015 Rogue’s Registered Complaints, Including Reports of the Transmission Randomly Shifting Out of Park
Powertrain complaints make up 84 out of 322 total complaints on the NHTSA website, with the engine category making up another 24, and vehicle speed control comprising 16. The car has also been hit with a sizable November 2015 recall for the powertrain, covering 33,880 units with shift selectors that had a tendency to move out of Park, which could see the car rolling down hills.
Besides complaints related directly to this recall, drivers have reported a burning smell on the highway followed by transmission failure in the car’s one-speed CVT, sudden unexpected acceleration, and hesitation when accelerating. All of these issues have been reported at under 100,000 miles.
These complaints occur often enough to suggest a pattern, but not frequently enough to suggest a high incident rate, hence, no further transmission or engine recalls have been issued since November 2015.
Build Quality Reportedly May Feel a Bit Cheap and Flimsy on the 2015 Rogue Compact SUV
After engine/powertrain and airbag complaints, structure takes third place with 24 reports from owners, and structural concerns make up three of the Rogue’s seven recalls.
A Kentucky driver reports moisture leaking into the vehicle, soaking their floor mat. In New Jersey, a driver tells the NHTSA that they’re seeing a lot of premature rust around the trunk door. An Oregon driver reports losing their sunroof lid seal at 60 mph.
In the recalls department, we have an April 2016 recall for 108,503 2014-2016 Rogues for lift gates popping open due to corrosion in the latch system. A July 2015 recall was issued for 6,595 units with doors failing to latch. And going back to January of that year: front hub assembly bolts may loosen and fall off. This owed to under-torqued fasteners in 893 units.
With all of the issues listed above, the incidence rate is low. The fidgety latch affected more than 100,000 units, but that’s over three model years, and the problem has already been recalled. But there is a pattern here that implies the possibility of countless build quality issues going unreported because they don’t affect safety. You might not bother filing with the NHTSA if all you have to worry about is, for instance, loose seat upholstery, or a rearview mirror that flops around with each bump in the road.
Just be sure to check the latches, glove boxes, mirrors, windows, and seating when test driving a 2015 Rogue. You might have no issues whatsoever, but you might as well be sure that everything is working as it should.
2015 Nissan Rogue is a Smart Used Buy, but Don’t Skip the Test Drive
Your biggest concern when buying a used 2015 Nissan Rogue is going to be the transmission, as the previous owner might not have understood that CVT fluid needs to be changed every 25,000 miles or so. But with the car holding a safety rating of four out of five stars with the NHTSA and Repair Pal estimating an annual repair bill of around $400, it’s safe to say that the 2015 Nissan Rogue is a smart buy.
Photos: Nissan
