Owners have filed 235 complaints
about the 2020 Nissan Rogue with NHTSA between 2020 and 2026.
The largest single group is the driver assist & collision avoidance.
Across this model's run it ranks 10 of 19 worst.
The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew
an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous
ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 22
Against the median year of the Nissan Rogue. 50 means typical for this
model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 64
12.3% of these complaints
involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of
9.7%.
Early failure — 100
80% of failures with a mileage on record happened under
36,000 miles, against a national rate of
29%.
NHTSA files every complaint against a named sub-assembly, not just a
system. This is the difference between knowing it was "the engine" and
knowing which part of it — the list to hand a mechanic.
Automatic Emergency Braking
4455.0%
Warnings
2126.3%
Body
78.8%
Warnings
33.8%
Adaptive Cruise Control
22.5%
Mass AIR Flow (Maf) Sensor
11.3%
Cybersecurity
11.3%
Assist
11.3%
When it fails
Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all
complaints include one.
Under 1,000 miles
1215.0%
1,000 – 9,999 miles
3037.5%
10,000 – 24,999 miles
1822.5%
25,000 – 49,999 miles
1215.0%
50,000 – 74,999 miles
33.8%
100,000 – 149,999 miles
56.3%
NHTSA crash tests
The agency crash-tested this model year itself. These are its own
photographs and star ratings.
Frontal crash test
Side barrier crash test
Side pole crash test
Photographs taken by NHTSA during its own New Car Assessment Program crash
tests of this model year. Public domain.
Configuration
Overall
Front
Side
Rollover
2020 Nissan Rogue SUV AWD
16.4% risk
2020 Nissan Rogue SUV FWD
16.9% risk
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Jan 2020peak 15May 2026
Recalls on the 2020 Nissan Rogue
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2014-2020 Rogue and 2017-2022 Rogue Sport vehicles equipped with a jackknife style ignition key. The jackknife key may collapse into a folded position while driving.
Risk: Driver contact with a key in the collapsed position could inadvertently shut off the vehicle while driving, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, if the vehicle shuts off while driving, the air bags may not deploy in a crash as intended, increasing the risk of injury.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 202307896,900 units in Canada
Accessories
Issue: On vehicles equipped with a jackknife-type folding key, over time the key blade may not stay locked in the fully extended (open) position. If you drive the vehicle with the key in the partially folded position, you could bump the ignition key and turn the engine off. This can cause a sudden loss of engine power, power steering and power brakes. This could also cause the airbags not to deploy in a crash. Note: This recall only affects vehicles that have an "S" trim level. Safety Risk: Airbags that do not deploy in a crash could create an increased risk of injury. A loss of power brakes can cause a sudden increase in brake pedal force and lead to an increase in stopping distance. A loss of power steering assist can cause a sudden increase in steering effort. A sudden loss of engine power could also increase the risk of a crash. Corrective Actions: Nissan will notify owners by mail and advise you not to attach any accessories to the key fob, and to ensure that the key is fully extended before driving. As an interim repair, a dealer will install a fastener in the key slot to prevent the key from folding. Once replacement parts are available, you will need to return to a dealership to have a spacer inserted into the slot of the key fob that will stop if from collapsing.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Bridgeport, CTFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The 2020 Nissan rogue as I was driving, started smoking, then stalled. I immediately got out and popped the hood and there was flames everywhere. Entire engine bay burned. I saved the car from burning completely by dumping water. As I was in a national forest, that is very acceptable to wildfires. Fire department and fire investigator came out. Fire investigator said it was of his opinion that it started on the passenger side, electric cooling fan for the radiator. Which I agree after looking at the aftermath and noticing where to fire was coming from as I was putting it out.
NHTSA complaint #11730273 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bridgewater, NJFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Started the car and then the engine caught fire. Front of the car is completely charred and fire had to be put out by the fire department. Car is totaled now. This complaint has been raised with Nissan Consumer Affairs.
NHTSA complaint #11705154 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bridgewater, NJFire
ENGINE
Started the car and then the engine caught fire. Front of the car is completely charred and fire had to be put out by the fire department. Car is totaled now. This complaint has been raised with Nissan Consumer Affairs.
NHTSA complaint #11705154 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 27,000 milesStafford, VAFire1 injured
ENGINE
The contact owned a 2020 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH during rush hour traffic, the contact became aware of a chemical odor, and within seconds there was black smoke entering the cabin of the vehicle. The contact immediately pulled over and there were flames coming from under the hood. The contact stated that there was a MIL warning light illuminated after the flames started. The contact was locked and trapped inside the burning vehicle. The contact was frantically trying to roll the windows down because the vehicle failed to turn off. The contact was then able to roll the rear driver’s side window down and a bystander was able enter into the rear driver side window, unlock the door, and pull the contact from the vehicle. The Fire Department was called to the scene and extinguished the fire. The vehicle was first towed to Redmond Towing in Alexandria VA and was deemed to be a total loss. A Police Department and Fire Department report was taken at the scene. The contact refused treatment at the scene but was later taken to Urgent Care by her husband to be treated for smoke inhalation. The cause of the fire was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 27,000.
NHTSA complaint #11704685 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 140,000 milesLufkin, TXFire
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that the vehicle had been parked at the residence for approximately two hours when she looked out her window and noticed that the vehicle had caught fire. There were no warning lights prior to the failure. There were no reported injuries. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire. There was no reported crash, police report, or air bag deployment. The local dealer was not notified. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted regarding the incident. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000.
NHTSA complaint #11684485 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lakeland, FLCrash
SUSPENSION
I purchased finance my car july 2024. Took it for an oil change and tire rotation. Jenkin Nissan came upon a crack damage and bent front sub frame. Im am being told I should not be driving my car. I took it to Hgreg twice. Because I was loosing air in my passenger tire. They told me there was a nail in it. Hut never plug it. They zip tie the bottom where everything was hanging. My 5 days was up. For me to return my vehicle
NHTSA complaint #11642937 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Cleveland, TN
STRUCTURE:BODY
The door lock actuator no longer reliably locks or unlocks the driver's door.
NHTSA complaint #11736592 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Rocky Hill, CT
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Driver's side door locks intermittently will not lock or unlock with button or intelli key fob. Requiring to use manual key inside intelli key to unlock/lock car or manual inside lock itself. Multiple people have filed complaints about this. There is even a class action lawsuit. Something should be done to force Nissan to do a recall instead of saying we can fix it for $700. I understand that some may not see this as a specific safety issue but when coming to your car in a dark parking lot and having to search for the key to manually unlock it, feels a little like a safety issue to me. Thank you for your time.
NHTSA complaint #11734239 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Buckeye, AZ
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The front passenger door lock does not fully engage or disengage with the key fob or when putting the car in park. The lever must be maually controls by hand to unlock or lock the door.0
NHTSA complaint #11730252 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Buckeye, AZ
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The front passenger door lock does not fully engage or disengage with the key fob or when putting the car in park. The lever must be maually controls by hand to unlock or lock the door.0
NHTSA complaint #11730252 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bridgeport, CTFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The 2020 Nissan rogue as I was driving, started smoking, then stalled. I immediately got out and popped the hood and there was flames everywhere. Entire engine bay burned. I saved the car from burning completely by dumping water. As I was in a national forest, that is very acceptable to wildfires. Fire department and fire investigator came out. Fire investigator said it was of his opinion that it started on the passenger side, electric cooling fan for the radiator. Which I agree after looking at the aftermath and noticing where to fire was coming from as I was putting it out.
NHTSA complaint #11730273 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Titusville, FL
SERVICE BRAKES
Today when we attempted to back out of our driveway, the ABS came on unexpectedly and stopped the vehicle for no reason (spilling my hot coffee in my lap). I set the parking brake and got out of the car and walked around the back but there was no obstacle in the way or under the vehicle. I got back in, tried again and it locked up again. I then backed up the rest of the way, shifted to drive and drove it for a few minutes without incident. About 1/2 hour later, my wife experienced the exact same thing backing out of the driveway. Recently, the vehicle was struck in the rear corner (passenger side) and was repaired with no apparant issues by a professional body repair shop. I can see this is a common problem (many internet posts), and I want to report it since no recalls are in place. This is DANGEROUS and has also happed to drivers when driving at highway speeds. This MUST BE ADDRESSED or you guys (NTSB) have no purpose to exist anymore. Please make it happen.
NHTSA complaint #11729612 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Today when we attempted to back out of our driveway, the ABS came on unexpectedly and stopped the vehicle for no reason (spilling my hot coffee in my lap). I set the parking brake and got out of the car and walked around the back but there was no obstacle in the way or under the vehicle. I got back in, tried again and it locked up again. I then backed up the rest of the way, shifted to drive and drove it for a few minutes without incident. About 1/2 hour later, my wife experienced the exact same thing backing out of the driveway. Recently, the vehicle was struck in the rear corner (passenger side) and was repaired with no apparant issues by a professional body repair shop. I can see this is a common problem (many internet posts), and I want to report it since no recalls are in place. This is DANGEROUS and has also happed to drivers when driving at highway speeds. This MUST BE ADDRESSED or you guys (NTSB) have no purpose to exist anymore. Please make it happen.
NHTSA complaint #11729612 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
West Chester, OH
SEATS
Driver Seat moves forward when brakes are applied - yes the seat and vehicle can be available anytime for inspection. When ever the brakes are applied the driver seat moves towards the steering wheel and windshield. I am concerned the seat will fail altogether and slam me into the windshield and steering wheel. It is not locked into place or something else is failing. Jeff Wyler Dealership in Fairfield Ohio provide an estimate of $2400 to replace the railings. I see this issue is occurring with other 2020 Rogues according to the internet. There is a recall for the 2021, 2022 and 2023 models for the issue. No lights or warnings on now or prior. We bought the vehcile used from a dealer in Nov 2025 and this occurred shortly thereafter. It is possible the dealer know about this issue and did not to fix or divulge to customer.
NHTSA complaint #11726698 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Moulton, AL
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Was driving west bound on I565 & heard a loud pop. Panoramic roof BURST spontaneously
NHTSA complaint #11725745 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Meridian, ID
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
UNKNOWN Driver door will not lock via key fob or button. Actuator appears to be faulty. Car has been left unlocked without me knowing numerous time. I have to manually lock/unlock the door. It does stay locked durning driving but, may be manually locked. The auto lock safety feature no longer works.
NHTSA complaint #11725414 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 60,000 milesWest Chester, OH
SEATS
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the front driver’s side seat failed to remain in a locked position as intended, and the seat moved while the vehicle was in motion. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000
NHTSA complaint #11724899 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Monroe, WA
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Rear windshield exploded when I closed my driver side door upon entering my car. After I had it replaced my door does not work properly now. It opens all the way then closes part way. Tried to reset but doesn't work.
NHTSA complaint #11719270 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Coral Springs, FL
STEERING
My 2020 Nissan Rogue has 28,000 miles. It was purchased new in June 2021. I began hearing a knocking noise that seem to migrate around most areas of the car almost a year ago (early 2025). The Nissan dealership now tells me that all the bushings in the suspension/steering system are failing. When I looked online, and there are apparently thousands of this failure reported for the Nissan Rogue dating back to before 2018 models. This is widely reported a systemic problem with the Nisan Rogue. It involves serious safety issues. How can it not be subject to recall?
NHTSA complaint #11718110 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Coral Springs, FL
SUSPENSION
My 2020 Nissan Rogue has 28,000 miles. It was purchased new in June 2021. I began hearing a knocking noise that seem to migrate around most areas of the car almost a year ago (early 2025). The Nissan dealership now tells me that all the bushings in the suspension/steering system are failing. When I looked online, and there are apparently thousands of this failure reported for the Nissan Rogue dating back to before 2018 models. This is widely reported a systemic problem with the Nisan Rogue. It involves serious safety issues. How can it not be subject to recall?
NHTSA complaint #11718110 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Elmira, NY
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Malfunction light appears. Car slows and full pressure on gas pedal causes car to "bulk" (increase then decrease in speed with jerking feeling). Eventually check engine light appears. Have taken to dealership, but because no lights appeared while there they could not find any problem. Told to bring to them when light is on , however this happens most often when they are not open. Now (12/26/25) being told they are booked out for 3 weeks before they can even check it and if no warning lights on, they can not diagnose problems. This problem is intermittent and started more than one year ago with at least 4 trips to dealership.1
NHTSA complaint #11707500 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bridgewater, NJFire
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Started the car and then the engine caught fire. Front of the car is completely charred and fire had to be put out by the fire department. Car is totaled now. This complaint has been raised with Nissan Consumer Affairs.
NHTSA complaint #11705154 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bridgewater, NJFire
ENGINE
Started the car and then the engine caught fire. Front of the car is completely charred and fire had to be put out by the fire department. Car is totaled now. This complaint has been raised with Nissan Consumer Affairs.
NHTSA complaint #11705154 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 27,000 milesStafford, VAFire1 injured
ENGINE
The contact owned a 2020 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH during rush hour traffic, the contact became aware of a chemical odor, and within seconds there was black smoke entering the cabin of the vehicle. The contact immediately pulled over and there were flames coming from under the hood. The contact stated that there was a MIL warning light illuminated after the flames started. The contact was locked and trapped inside the burning vehicle. The contact was frantically trying to roll the windows down because the vehicle failed to turn off. The contact was then able to roll the rear driver’s side window down and a bystander was able enter into the rear driver side window, unlock the door, and pull the contact from the vehicle. The Fire Department was called to the scene and extinguished the fire. The vehicle was first towed to Redmond Towing in Alexandria VA and was deemed to be a total loss. A Police Department and Fire Department report was taken at the scene. The contact refused treatment at the scene but was later taken to Urgent Care by her husband to be treated for smoke inhalation. The cause of the fire was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 27,000.
NHTSA complaint #11704685 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Titusville, FL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Our 2020 Nissan Rouge SV has experienced a failure of the driver door electric door actuator. It will not lock using the electric door lock buttons inside the car, the button on the exterior door handle, or using the FOB. The result is that you think the car is locked, but the driver door is NOT locked and opening the door causes the car alarm to go off (the car thinks it is locked). The lock can be manually locked and unlocked using the manual actuator (inside the car on the handle). This problem is described on the internet and there is at least one class action lawsuit in discussion (https://sauderschelkopf.com/automotive/nissan-altima-and-rogue-door-lock-failure-class-action-investigation/). This failure could result in safety issues (thinking the door is locked when it is not) both while driving at highway speeds or during an emergency exit scenario where you cannot unlock the door. I think it should be a mandatory recall to fix these door locks by Nissan. In the meantime, I will try to "fix" it in our car (but will save the bad parts). I have not contacted my dealer (don't really like them). There were no warnings other than we started setting off the car alarm when we opened the door that should have been locked.
NHTSA complaint #11695578 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Collinsville, OK
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The car door lock actuator failed prematurely. Part should last 10 to 20 years. It's not locking the door or if it is locked it won't let you in or out. Big issue regarding safety. I know past models had a recall. Unfortunately haven't heard anything on it for my model year. Getting repair done for my own safety out of pocket.
NHTSA complaint #11690900 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 55,000 milesMonroe Township, NJ
AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where a diagnostic test was performed. The contact was informed that a module located underneath the passenger’s seat needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.
NHTSA complaint #11688369 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bakersfield, CA
SERVICE BRAKES
THE VEHICLE HAS ACTIVATED A FALSE AEB ON SEVERAL OCASSIONS SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT BACK TO NISSAN AND THEY STATED THERE WERE NO RECALLS AND THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO HAVE NO ISSUES. I'VE HAD THE VEHICLE FOR 5 YEARS AND IT CONTINUES TO OCCUR, NEARLY CAUSING A TRAFFIC COLLISION.
NHTSA complaint #11687714 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Bakersfield, CA
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
THE VEHICLE HAS ACTIVATED A FALSE AEB ON SEVERAL OCASSIONS SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT BACK TO NISSAN AND THEY STATED THERE WERE NO RECALLS AND THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO HAVE NO ISSUES. I'VE HAD THE VEHICLE FOR 5 YEARS AND IT CONTINUES TO OCCUR, NEARLY CAUSING A TRAFFIC COLLISION.
NHTSA complaint #11687714 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE VEHICLE HAS ACTIVATED A FALSE AEB ON SEVERAL OCASSIONS SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT BACK TO NISSAN AND THEY STATED THERE WERE NO RECALLS AND THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO HAVE NO ISSUES. I'VE HAD THE VEHICLE FOR 5 YEARS AND IT CONTINUES TO OCCUR, NEARLY CAUSING A TRAFFIC COLLISION.
NHTSA complaint #11687714 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Brooklyn, NY
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
while driving the car, sometimes the collision light will come on and the car will automatically stat braking even through there are no car in-front or around.
NHTSA complaint #11687385 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
