2020 Nissan Murano: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
45 NHTSA owner complaints · 2 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
Avoid the 2015 Nissan Murano, which has 202 complaints, five safety-critical recall campaigns and a score of 37, and treat the 2016 and 2017 cars, at 107 complaints each and scores of 63 and 65, as CAUTION unless every brake campaign is documented. Buy a 2011 to 2013 car, which score 80, 80 and 89, or a 2018 or later car, where the 2018 has 15 complaints and scores 92 and the 2021 to 2024 cars score 91 to 93. Read the full note on the model page. 2020 specifically: a year the record favours — 45 complaints, score 83/100. The caveats in the note apply to other years of this nameplate more than to this one.
Read the guide
Used Nissan Versa and Murano: the years to avoid, including 2020 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 45 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 7.5
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
CVT Transmission failed at 82k miles. Diagnosed at Midas, specific Transmission shop and local Nissan dealership as needing full replacement. Notified Nissan Consumer Affairs, they created a case but refused to fully replace it, offered to pay only 50% of approximately $9k.
The sunroof leaks into the car causing a moisture issue. As someone with asthma and allergies this is a potential mold risk.
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Murano. The contact stated while the vehicle was at Now Auto Care for a service appointment, the contact was informed that the driver's and passenger's side control arms were unusually worn and failing. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN…
Recalls: 2 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 21V170000 | Steering:Linkages | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020 Nissan Murano vehicles. |
| 21V402000 | Suspension:Rear:Axle:Spindle | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020 Nissan Murano, INFINITI QX60, 2021 Nissan GT-R, INFINITI QX50, and Q50 vehicles. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size SUV of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 23 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,650
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Forward Collision Avoidance14 complaints · typical job: Radar or camera module replacement and calibration (3.0 h labour + parts)$780–$2,160
- Unknown Or Other10 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Suspension7 complaints · typical job: Struts, springs and control-arm bushings, one axle (4.0 h labour + parts)$780–$1,580
- Power Train4 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Steering4 complaints · typical job: Electric power-steering rack or column motor replacement (5.0 h labour + parts)$1,020–$2,500
- Service Brakes4 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
Other Nissan Murano years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2020 Nissan Murano?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Forward Collision Avoidance (14 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2020 Nissan Murano a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 83/100, computed from 45 NHTSA complaints and 2 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2020 Nissan Murano's most common problem?
14 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2020 Nissan Murano sit in the Forward Collision Avoidance group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is radar or camera module replacement and calibration: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $780–$2,160 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2020 Nissan Murano cost to run per year?
About $4,302 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $21,512 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2020 Nissan Murano have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for the 2020 Nissan Murano, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 11/03/2021. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other midsize suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2020 Nissan Murano really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Thin evidence — 45 complaints, 2 recalls on record
- 45 NHTSA complaints on record (7.5/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (7.5/yr)
- 2 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems
- Thin complaint record — this score is held close to the model's own average rather than read as evidence of quality