VehicleVerdict

2018 Nissan Rogue Sport problems

Verdict · NHTSA data

Worth extra scrutiny

The 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport sits mid-pack among Rogue Sport years: 130 NHTSA complaints against a model median of roughly 87, with 2 recalls and no defect investigations. Complainants reported 25 injuries in total across these filings.

No single system dominates the record — complaints spread across other (26), electrical system (22), and brakes (18), which usually points to general build quality rather than one defect. In government crash testing it earned 4 of 5 NCAP stars overall.

130

NHTSA complaints

2

Recalls

0

Investigations

15

Crash-involved

0

Fires reported

25

Injuries

0

Deaths

4

NCAP overall · of 5 stars

How does 2018 compare to other Rogue Sport years?

Rogue Sport NHTSA complaints by model year, 2018 highlighted148 complaints2017: 96 complaints2018: 130 complaints2019: 148 complaints2020: 78 complaints2021: 59 complaints2022: 17 complaints
Rogue Sport NHTSA complaints by model year, 2018 highlighted. Red bars are years to avoid.

See all Rogue Sport years to avoid →

What are the most common 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport problems?

ComponentComplaintsShare
Other2620%
Electrical System2217%
Brakes1814%
Engine1612%
Driver Assistance129%
Transmission118%
Airbags75%
Speed Control43%
Seat Belts43%
Fuel System22%
Latches & Locks22%
Seats22%
Tires & Wheels22%
Visibility & Wipers11%
Body & Structure11%

Does the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport have recalls?

2 NHTSA recall campaigns on file. Recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.

23V093000Electrical SystemFebruary 16, 2023 · 712,458 units

Defect

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.

Consequence

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.

Remedy

Dealers will insert a spacer into the key slot of the jackknife key, free of charge. Interim notification letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed March 29, 2023. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 30, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R22C5.

19V654000Driver AssistanceSeptember 12, 2019 · 1,228,830 units

Defect

Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consequence

The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy

Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.

Consumer complaints filed with NHTSA

Representative excerpts, cleaned of personal information. These are consumer statements, not verified defects.

“While driving my 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport the car began to overheat when i slowed down or came to a stop. I brought it to my mechanic who informed me the radiator cooling fan failed and had to be replaced. I found out that many Nissan Rogue Sport models have had this issue. I think it is a saftey…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Other · June 30, 2025

“WHEN APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS UNABLE TO BE USED, LOCKED UP. WITH NO BRAKES, THE RESULT WAS A COLLISION. THE FRONT COLLISION DETECTION THAT CONSTANTLY WARNED FALSELY ON THE DASH. THIS FAILED TO WORK PRIOR TO THE COLLISION AT THIS TIME. AUTOMATIC BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE EITHER…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Electrical System · January 23, 2021 · crash

“WHEN APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS UNABLE TO BE USED, LOCKED UP. WITH NO BRAKES, THE RESULT WAS A COLLISION. THE FRONT COLLISION DETECTION THAT CONSTANTLY WARNED FALSELY ON THE DASH. THIS FAILED TO WORK PRIOR TO THE COLLISION AT THIS TIME. AUTOMATIC BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE EITHER…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Brakes · January 23, 2021 · crash

“The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport. The contact stated that the air conditioning started to fail, and the vehicle started overheating and shut-off. The coolant fan had failed. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was informed that the fan was on backorder. The vehicle was…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · July 19, 2021

“WHEN APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS UNABLE TO BE USED, LOCKED UP. WITH NO BRAKES, THE RESULT WAS A COLLISION. THE FRONT COLLISION DETECTION THAT CONSTANTLY WARNED FALSELY ON THE DASH. THIS FAILED TO WORK PRIOR TO THE COLLISION AT THIS TIME. AUTOMATIC BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE EITHER…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Driver Assistance · January 23, 2021 · crash

2018 Nissan Rogue Sport — common questions

Is the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport reliable?

It is close to typical for the Rogue Sport: 130 NHTSA complaints, 2 recalls, and no investigations on file.

What are the most common 2018 Rogue Sport problems?

According to NHTSA complaint data, the leading problem areas are other (26 complaints), electrical system (22 complaints), brakes (18 complaints).

Does the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns affecting the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport. Recall repairs are free at franchised dealers; check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm the work was done.

Which Nissan Rogue Sport years should you avoid?

Based on complaint rates and open investigations, the Rogue Sport years to avoid are 2019. The cleanest record among Rogue Sport years belongs to 2022.

How safe is the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport?

In NHTSA's NCAP crash testing, the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport earned an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.