Early years of Rogue production were water-logged with transmission issues that usually meant a death knell for the original drivetrain at around 150,000 miles. Fortunately, newer models’ improvements should take drivers beyond the 250,000-mile mark.
Key Points
- First and second-generation Rogues will probably only last drivers 150,000 miles before substantial repairs need to be made to original transmissions.
- Nissan was hit with a class-action lawsuit over the defective and dangerous continuously variable transmissions produced by JATCO that are found on the Rogue.
- Early Rogues equipped with OEM transmissions will likely need to have them replaced well before the 200,000-mile mark, giving drivers a hefty bill to expect.
- Third-generation Rogues come without the transmission woes and carry an extended lifespan as a result, likely beyond the 250,000-mile mark.
Rogue’s History is Plagued with Transmission Problems, Drivers Should Expect 200,000 Miles at Most
The Rogue was first introduced by Nissan in 2008 as a family SUV to rival the Ford Escape, Subaru Outback, and other compact utility vehicles, but since its inception, the Rogue has been dogged by problems and defects. Co Pilot lists 10 model years to avoid for the Rogue, including the first nine model years following its inception.
The most widespread of these problems lasts through the first and much of the second generation of Nissan Rouges, stemming from the continuously variable transmissions found in the SUV.
The CVTs produced by Nissan subsidiary JATCO have been the catalyst for a host of class-action lawsuits, which claim the Rogues “shudder, lurch, shake and suffer from [potentially dangerous] acceleration problems.”
The CVT transmissions were so bad that Nissan extended its initial drivetrain warranty from 60,000 miles to 120,000, indicating that the CVT transmissions were prone to failure with relatively low mileage.
Nissan knew about these issues for years yet did virtually nothing to mitigate them. While recent model years have shown some improvement, the Rogue’s early history with reliability means it takes a haymaker on longevity scores.
The early Rogue drivetrains were underpowered and done so shoddily that most drivers of these first-generation Nissan SUVs are only operating them out of necessity with breakdowns looming over their shoulders.
Despite these major issues, the Rogue could still last drivers 200,000 miles or more, but normal longevity considerations like timely oil changes and other maintenance go out the window with the Rogue. Owners could do everything right and still see their Nissan SUVs fail at 95,000 miles due to poor manufacturing.
It’s a shot in the dark until the CVT transmission is replaced, and this is going to need to happen for Rouges made from 2008 to 2018 by the 150,000-mile threshold.
Despite the Transmission Woes, there are Few Other Problems Affecting the Rogue’s Longevity
The Nissan Rogue’s drivetrain has a plethora of problems and persistent worries, but the rest of the SUV is generally very reliable, with only three reported problems on Repair Pal, none of which affect the lifespan of the Rogue, though drivers may want to heed reports of inaccurate fuel gauge readings.
Given that there has been no recall on the JATCO CVT transmissions, owners will have to pay out of pocket if they fail, unless the SUV is still under warranty. This could come with a repair cost of $3,000 or more.
If owners are willing to bite the costly bullet of a transmission replacement, the Rogue seems to get its groove back. Drivers reportedly expect to get up to 300,000 miles following the repair, but it isn’t one that drivers should have to make to ensure a high-mileage car out of their sizable investment in a Nissan.
Newer Improved Rogues are Much More Reliable and Should Take Drivers Further without the Heartache
Nissans manufactured after 2018 don’t come prepackaged with inevitable transmission issues, so their lifespans should see a boon in mileage as a result.
J.D. Power gives the third-generation Rogue a “Great” score for reliability in the 2020 model year, ranking it fifth overall in the compact SUV class and keeping pace with high-mileage models like the Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester.
Once Nissan shed the weight of the CVT transmission and improved its quality control, the Rogue was able to perform as should be expected of an SUV in its class.
The Rogue’s engine, though always underpowered, was never in question. Drivers of newer year models likely should see their revamped Rogue, if properly maintained, take them to 250,000 miles or more, now that it doesn’t come with the need for an eventual complete transmission replacement.
The Rogue, overall, excluding the past transmission woes, is a tightly-fitted and well-made SUV. The problems Rogue owners face as it gets into high mileage are no different than what drivers of any vehicle in the six-figure mileage range face: Paint begins to wear, fabric begins to tear, and creaks and groans start to get louder.
And, given Nissan’s improvements in quality control, these issues are a little quieter now, less noticeable, and drivers shouldn’t be nearly as wary of recent years as they should of the early days of the Rogue’s manufacturing.
Photos: Nissan
