Problems · by component
2008 Nissan Rogue power train problems
156 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2008 Nissan Rogue cite power train, 36% of all 429 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
156
36% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the power train
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“On February 6, 2025, while driving at highway speed, the lower radiator hose ruptured, causing complete coolant loss. The CVT transmission overheated, seized, and the engine was destroyed. Vehicle lost motive power at speed without warning. Repair estimate: $20,356.16. Vehicle declared total loss and sold for salvage at $400. Nissan Technical Service Bulletin NTB14-002b acknowledges this identical failure chain in 2008-2012 Rogues and prescribes a supplemental cooler kit (cost under $85) as the fix. Nissan has not included this VIN in any recall despite the identical mechanism. Loss of power at highway speed constitutes a safety-related defect under 49 U.S.C. § 30118.”
“My CVT transmission is having major problems and I need to check if there is a recall please email [XXX].”
“The transmission shudders, jerks, whines, roars loudly. Yes it’s available for inspection. I was driving up a hill with my grand children in the car, and it started shuddering. Didn’t seem to be getting gas at all. The tank was full. Then it started rolling backwards down the hill. Needless to say my grand children were scared to death as I was also. No I haven’t spoken to anyone about the problem, as I don’t know who to talk to? Nobody has looked at it yet. I figured the transmission went, so I haven’t bothere$ with reaching out, until a friend told me hers did the exact same thing. So we looked it up. Yes it seemed to be shuddering before but never lost power and rolled backwards. There were no warning lights, or signs of it quitting. There was no acceleration at all. Just slowly lost power. It was still running but when you push the gas pedal you got nothing. Not even the reving of the motor!03/29”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN ROGUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING, THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK UNCONTROLLABLY UPON DEPRESSION OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO SEVERAL INDEPENDENT MECHANICS WHO ALL LINKED HER FAILURE TO THE CVT TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO SEVERAL UNKNOWN DEALERS HOWEVER, EACH DEALER ASKED FOR A DIAGNOSTIC FEE WHICH SHE DECLINED EACH TIME. THE MANUFACTURER HAD YET TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD YET TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 105,000.”
“I HAVE A 2008 NISSAN ROGUE. HAVE HAD IT LESS THAN A YEAR. 3 DAYS AGO, WITHOUT WARNING, THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SHAKING AND JERKING WHEN I WAS TAKING OFF FROM A RED LIGHT ON THE WAY TO TAKE MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL. PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND SAT A COUPLE MINS, SINCE I WASNT SURE WHAT WAS HAPPENING. AS I TRIED TO PULL BACK ONTO THE HIGHWAY THE ROGUE WOULDNT GO. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED BACK HOME. HAD A TECHNICIAN PUT MY VEHICLE ON A COMPUTER. THE TRANSMISSION IS OUT OF IT.”
“WE TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO VAVOLINE AND THEY TOLD US THAT THE CAR'S TRANSMISSION PAN IS ALMOST RUSTED OUT AND WE HAVE A 4 MAJOR LEAKS UNDER OUR VEHICLE SO BAD THAT THE BLOCK UNDER THE VEHICLE AND THE FRONT AXEL IS WET FROM THE FLUID LEAKS. WE BOUGHT THE CAR TWO DAYS AGO AND BROUGHT IT BACK TO RETURN IT TODAY BECAUSE WE WERE NOT TOLD ABOUT ANY OF THESE ISSUES AND THEY TOLD US WE WERE NOT GOING TO GET OUR MONEY BACK. EVEN THOUGH IT WOULD NOT PASS A STATE EMISSIONS TEST WITH ALL THOSE LEAKS AND SHE NOT HAVE BEEN SOLD TO US.”
Showing 6 of 156 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.