2008 Nissan Rogue: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2008 Nissan Rogue
On the 2008 Nissan Rogue, the failure owners report most often is other powertrain problem, and the reports cluster around 77,500 miles. The earliest to appear is other wheel or tire problem, reported by a median of 30,000 miles. Overall it scores 69 out of 100, high risk for a 2008.
High risk for a 2008 — 148th riskiest of the 356 2008 vehicles we can rate. 615 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What breaks on the 2008 Nissan Rogue
Owners have reported 48 named failure modes on the 2008 Nissan Rogue, and the three most-reported carry 34% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.
Other powertrain problem leads with 74 reports, about 0.9 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 44k to 115,000 miles.
CVT failure follows with 71 reports, usually reported between 68k to 120,000 miles.
Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault follows with 63 reports, usually reported between 49k to 110,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into transmission (180), airbag (88) and fuel (46).
When these failures get reported
502 of the reports on the 2008 Nissan Rogue came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 85,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 25% by 50,000 miles, 63% by 100,000 miles and 92% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 1 filed above the top of the chart.
The busiest stretch is between 80,000 and 90,000 miles, which alone holds 9% of the dated reports.
17% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.
In the order they tend to show up: other wheel or tire problem around 31k, seat belt or retractor failure around 42k, other fuel system problem around 65k and other body or interior problem around 68k.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 48. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 1 report came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
How bad it is when it goes
Across the named modes, 14 mention a crash, 4 a fire and 3 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.27, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other powertrain problem at $400–$4,500, CVT failure at $3,000–$8,500, airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault at $300–$1,600 and other body or interior problem at $200–$2,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
36% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 74 | 66 | 44k | 77k | 115k | 0.9 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| CVT failure | transmission | 71 | 67 | 68k | 90k | 120k | 0.9 | $3,000–$8,500 | Critical |
| Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault | airbag | 63 | 49 | 49k | 85k | 109k | 0.8 | $300–$1,600 | High |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 34 | 27 | 44k | 68k | 79k | 0.4 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Complete transmission failure | transmission | 27 | 26 | 87k | 118k | 135k | 0.3 | $2,800–$8,000 | Critical |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 27 | 24 | 62k | 85k | 128k | 0.3 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 25 | 21 | 46k | 80k | 108k | 0.3 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 20 | 15 | 50k | 65k | 108k | 0.2 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Fuel gauge or level sensor failure | fuel | 18 | 14 | 46k | 70k | 96k | 0.2 | $300–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 18 | 17 | 800 | 42k | 103k | 0.2 | $200–$900 | High |
| Other engine problem | engine | 17 | 12 | 68k | 86k | 135k | 0.2 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 12 | 8 | 93k | 99k | 127k | 0.1 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Tire pressure monitor failure | wheels | 10 | 6 | — | 80k | — | 0.1 | $80–$600 | Low |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 10 | 8 | 19k | 31k | 42k | 0.1 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Overheating | cooling | 9 | 9 | 64k | 72k | 85k | 0.1 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 9 | 9 | 75k | 90k | 99k | 0.1 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Other steering problem | steering | 9 | 7 | — | 113k | — | 0.1 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Differential or transfer case failure | drivetrain | 6 | 4 | — | 1k | — | 0.1 | $900–$4,200 | High |
| Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure | fuel | 6 | 4 | — | 96k | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure | steering | 6 | 3 | — | 120k | — | 0.1 | $700–$2,600 | High |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 5 | 2 | — | 22k | — | 0.1 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Parking brake failure | brakes | 4 | 1 | — | 170k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Tire blowout or tread separation | wheels | 4 | 4 | — | 14k | — | 0.0 | $200–$1,500 | Critical |
| Torque converter failure | transmission | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $1,100–$3,200 | High |
| Instrument cluster or gauge failure | infotainment | 3 | 1 | — | 178k | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Airbag failed to deploy in a crash | airbag | 3 | 3 | — | 100k | — | 0.0 | $1,000–$5,000 | Critical |
| Airbag inflator rupture | airbag | 3 | 3 | — | 80k | — | 0.0 | $0–$0 | Critical |
| Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure | suspension | 3 | 3 | — | 101k | — | 0.0 | $400–$2,200 | High |
| Rust or structural corrosion | body | 3 | 1 | — | 77k | — | 0.0 | $500–$6,000 | High |
| Exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin | emissions | 3 | 3 | — | 71k | — | 0.0 | $250–$2,000 | High |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 3 | 2 | — | 69k | — | 0.0 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Engine bay fire | engine | 2 | 2 | — | 118k | — | 0.0 | $4,000–$20,000 | Critical |
| Stalling while driving | engine | 2 | 2 | — | 78k | — | 0.0 | $300–$2,500 | Critical |
| Radiator or coolant leak | cooling | 2 | 1 | — | 13k | — | 0.0 | $350–$1,900 | High |
| Transmission slipping | transmission | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $1,200–$5,500 | High |
| Transmission will not engage a gear | transmission | 2 | 2 | — | 129k | — | 0.0 | $1,500–$6,000 | Critical |
| CV axle or driveshaft failure | drivetrain | 2 | 2 | — | 115k | — | 0.0 | $450–$2,200 | High |
| Fuel pump failure | fuel | 2 | 2 | — | 89k | — | 0.0 | $600–$2,600 | High |
| Steering column or shaft failure | steering | 2 | 2 | — | 95k | — | 0.0 | $600–$2,500 | Critical |
| Sunroof failure or glass breakage | body | 2 | 1 | — | 750 | — | 0.0 | $700–$4,500 | High |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 2 | 1 | — | 12k | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Shifter, linkage or stuck-in-park failure | transmission | 1 | 1 | — | 73k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,400 | High |
| Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure | electrical | 1 | 1 | — | 147k | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,500 | High |
| Strut, shock or spring failure | suspension | 1 | 1 | — | 57k | — | 0.0 | $500–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Air conditioning failure | hvac | 1 | 1 | — | 80k | — | 0.0 | $400–$2,800 | Moderate |
| Headlight failure or clouding | lighting | 1 | 1 | — | 4k | — | 0.0 | $150–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Other seat belt problem | airbag | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $200–$900 | High |
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| Unclassified problem | other | 80 | 63 | 64k | 90k | 120k | 1.0 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2008 Nissan Rogue draws about 7.5 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 86th percentile of complaint rates among 2008 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 81,829 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2008 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Other powertrain problem
Tl*the contact owns a 2008 nissan rogue. While driving between 20-45 MPH, the contact heard a knocking sound coming from the vehicle. The dealer stated that the transmission needed to be replaced. There were no warning indicators prior to the failure. She is in the process of having the vehicle repaired. The failure and current mileages were 1,968.
I purchased a new 2008 nissan rogue sl AWD in march of 08. It has 3100 miles on it. About a month ago I started hearing a rattle coming from what sounded like under the front of the car. I brought it into the dealer, they stated they could not hear anything on the test drive. As days went by the noise got louder. I brought it back again, this time I went with the tech. He heard it. After hours of looking at the car they decided, they needed to keep the car for a day or two to diagnose the issue. I got a rental and they had it for a day and a half. I started reading up on this on rogue forums and the are 100's over people having this same problem. Svc mgr told me the problem was a problem with the transmission tnat nissan usa was aware of, and they were going to replace it. They thought the car was safe to drive since there had not been reported failures. So, they gave me the car back while I waited for the new tranny. A week later after not hearing from the dealer, I called and was told, as it turns out they were not going to replace the tranny because it has been done in other rogues and not fixed the issue. He stated, there is…
CVT failure
Within 1 month of taking delivery of a 2008 nissan rogue sl AWD, we started hearing a faint rattle that was intermittent from the front end at approx. 1000 mi. When the noise became more regular and louder, took it to nissan to have them check it out. Tech's heard the noise on 2nd trip there, but said nissan was aware of a problem but there was no fix as of yet and will let us know when there was a fix. Two months later, no word from the dealer, we took it to another dealer and was told there they had experienced it and replaced a transmission for another rogue. They kept it for nearly 3 weeks and only replaced a transfer case--it turns out the transfer case only echoed the noise from the CVT/transmission. Was told by the dealer that nissan requested them to return the car back to us with so-called added comfort that "it is safe to drive until they find a fix because there haven't been any reported failures". Noise is still there, and seems even louder than before. "rattle noise" is heard when foot is lifted off gas pedal at slow speeds below 35-40 MPH. Current mileage: 6350. *tr
I purchased a 2008 nissan rogue sl AWD in november 2008. I began hearing a noise emanating from the front end of the vehicle at approximately 3000 miles. The noise occurs consistently when decelerating from about 20 MPH to 5 MPH. As the vehicle begins to decelerate, the noise sounds like a bicycle chain rattling against metal. The noise changes to a grinding sound like metal rubbing against metal as the vehicle loses speed. The grinding sound appears more pronounced when making a left turn at slow speed, such as when turning into a parking lot. Service manager acknowledges the noise but has no explanation for it and no interest in trying to resolve it. I believe the noise comes from the CVT transmission, and it is probably caused by a defective CVT push belt or a CVT push belt slipping on the variator pulleys. Either cause could lead to catastrophic failure of the CVT push belt and result in an immediate and total loss of response to driver accelerator input. My nissan rogue currently has approximately 7000 miles, and the noise is becoming more evident. *tr
Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault
My wife and I leased a 2008 nissan rouge two years ago. An issue has since transpired. In october of 2009 we noticed that the passenger airbag light occasionally goes on regardless of the size of the person sitting there. This light indicates that the airbag is off. We took it to nissan and they could not duplicate the problem. Over this last year the issue continues to arise. I decided to take the vehicle in this past monday with a routine check. Prior to my dropping the vehicle off I decided to record it on my phone as we were driving seeing as though I could not bring the car to the dealership as soon as it was happening. After the car was there for a few hours, I got a call back saying that there is nothing wrong with the car and they are ready to release. I am still not comfortable driving the vehicle so I left it there and call customer affairs. Finally after 4 days, they returned my call. They indicated that they spoke to the shop and are not authorizing any repairs or paying for the rental vehicle as they could not duplicate the problem. They are refusing to fix this issue and are saying that my 125 lb wife may be too…
My wife and I leased a 2008 nissan rouge two years ago. An issue has since transpired. In october of 2009 we noticed that the passenger airbag light occasionally goes on regardless of the size of the person sitting there. This light indicates that the airbag is off. We took it to nissan and they could not duplicate the problem. Over this last year the issue continues to arise. I decided to take the vehicle in this past monday with a routine check. Prior to my dropping the vehicle off I decided to record it on my phone as we were driving seeing as though I could not bring the car to the dealership as soon as it was happening. After the car was there for a few hours, I got a call back saying that there is nothing wrong with the car and they are ready to release. I am still not comfortable driving the vehicle so I left it there and call customer affairs. Finally after 4 days, they returned my call. They indicated that they spoke to the shop and are not authorizing any repairs or paying for the rental vehicle as they could not duplicate the problem. They are refusing to fix this issue and are saying that my 125 lb wife may be too…
Recalls on the 2008 model year
NHTSA has issued 5 recall campaigns covering the 2008 Nissan Rogue, affecting an estimated 179,690 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover electrical system, equipment:electrical:navigational system(global positioning , steering:gear box:shaft pitman and tires:pressure monitoring and regulating systems. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
468,815 vehicles 2015-01-26- Defect
- 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.
- Consequence
- An electrical short can cause a vehicle fire.
- Remedy
- 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. The recall began on February 26, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM)
7,948 vehicles 2010-09-10- Defect
- Nissan is recalling certain vehicles that were equipped with a garmin nuvi model 750 navigation system. The batteries contained in the affected gps units can overheat.
- Consequence
- Overheated batteries could result in a fire.
- Remedy
- Nissan will notify owners and the repairs will be performed by garmin technicians by replacing the battery and inserting a spacer on top of the battery free of charge. The safety recall began on september 16, 2010. Owners may contact garmin directly at 1-866-957-1981 or nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT PITMAN
163,659 vehicles 2009-10-19- Defect
- Nissan is recalling certain model year 2008-2009 rogue vehicles. A screw in the steering gear housing cover may loosen over time and could fall out. As it loosens, the steering response of the vehicle may be compromised but the driver will retain steering control.
- Consequence
- The screw may eventually come out of the steering gear cover. If large steering inputs are made with the cover screw missing the pinion shaft may come out of the steering gear resulting in a complete loss of steering control and increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect whether the steering gear cover screw is loose and will be retightened to the proper specification. Dealers will also install a cover plate to prevent the screw from possibly coming out of the steering gear. This service will be performed free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during november 2009. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS
143,223 vehicles 2009-10-05- Defect
- Nissan is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, iowa, illinois, indiana, massachusetts, maine, maryland, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, washington d.c., west virginia and wisconsin. The material in the nut used to secure the sensor-transmitter of the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) may corrode and potentially crack in areas with heavy concentrations of road salt. If this occurs, the nut may come…
- Consequence
- If the TPMS lamp is disregarded and the vehicle continues to be driven in this condition, the tire will quickly lose air pressure at a consistent rate resulting in a flat tire increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- The dealer will replace the TPMS nut with a new, more robust nut. This service will be performed free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on or before november 9, 2009. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261 and infiniti at 1-800-662-6200.
AIR BAGS
204,361 vehicles 2008-10-07- Defect
- Nissan is recalling 204,361 my 2007-2008 altima, altima hybrid, 350z, 350z roadster, my 2008 altima coupe, rogue, my 2009 murano, and infiniti my 2007-2008 g35 sedan, my 2008 g37 coupe and ex35 passenger vehicles equipped with continental automotive systems' occupant classification system (ocs) control units. A varistor in the ocs control unit located in the passenger seat cushion may have been manufactured out of specification. Under certain conditions, this could cause an interruption of signal between the ocs and the air bag control unit (acu).
- Consequence
- This could result in the passenger air bag being suppressed which could fail to provide adequate protection in the event of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will test the signal between the ocs and acu systems using a special tool to check that it is functioning as designed. If necessary, the seat cushion (containing ocs hardware) will be replaced with a new one manufactured to specification. The recall began on november 4, 2008. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261 or infiniti at 1-800-662-6200.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2008 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
How 2008 compares with the other years
High risk for a 2008 — 148th riskiest of the 356 2008 vehicles we can rate. The comparison is always within the same model year, so an older car is never penalised for having had longer to break.
Across the 19 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2025 comes out best at 64 and 2018 worst at 80, with 2008 itself at 69.
If the model year is negotiable, 2025 scores lower than 2008 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 2007–2013 generation specifically, 2009 is the strongest year at 69 and 2013 the weakest at 73.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2007-2013 generation, 2009 Nissan Rogue scores best at 69 and 2013 Nissan Rogue worst at 73.
What to look at before buying one
The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: seat belt or retractor failure from about 800, other wheel or tire problem from about 19k, other body or interior problem from about 44k and other powertrain problem from about 44k.
On a 2008 Nissan Rogue with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether seat belt or retractor failure has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.
Treat it as where to point the inspection, not as a prediction. A well-maintained example can sail past every mileage on this page, and a neglected one can fail well before the first of them.
What this page cannot tell you
615 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 615 reports, 502 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 82% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Nissan Rogue?
The most-reported failures are other powertrain problem (74 reports, median 77,500 miles), cvt failure (71 reports, median 90,000 miles) and airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault (63 reports, median 85,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
At what mileage do 2008 Nissan Rogue problems start?
Other wheel or tire problem is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 30,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 20,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 85,000 miles.
Is the 2008 Nissan Rogue reliable?
It scores 69 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 148th riskiest of the 356 2008 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2008 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Nissan Rogue is best?
Within the 2007–2013 generation, 2009 scores best at 69 out of 100 and 2013 worst at 73. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed