2021 Nissan Rogue: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
285 NHTSA owner complaints · 10 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The Rogue is an unusual case: its complaint counts through the CVT era (2013–2018) are moderate rather than severe, because the Rogue's transmission calibration and cooling were revised earlier than the Altima's. The 2013–2018 years score between 65 and 83. Read the full note on the model page. 2021 specifically: 285 complaints on record, score 61/100 — read the year table on the model page to see where it sits among its siblings.
Read the guide
Nissan's CVT problem: the Altima, Sentra, Rogue and Pathfinder years to avoid, including 2021 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-01.
Owner complaints: 285 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 57.0
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
Constant strong fuel smell that last for day I'm a disabled veteran and I had really bad headaches after driving each time. I have taken vehicle in to dealership and told them about fuel smell problem and they reported they couldn't find issue but even after my vehicle still smells like fuel so much that I can taste it and get headaches from it also family gets headaches to. At the current moment there are no warning…
The contact owned a 2021 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle independently accelerated and the brakes failed to operate while the brake pedal was depressed, causing the front center of the vehicle to crash into a tree. No warning lights were illuminated. The air bags deployed as needed. The vehicle was deemed a total loss at the scene. Neither a Police report nor Fire Depar…
Last year we had engine problems and the head gasket was bad, had it replaced and it ran for another year. It currently has a cracked head and needs repaired again.
Recalls: 10 campaigns (5 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 22V666000 | Seat Belts: Rear/Other:Buckle Assembly | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Rogue vehicles. |
| 21V957000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021 Rogue vehicles. |
| 21V068000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021 Nissan Rogue vehicles. |
| 22V772000 | Back Over Prevention:Display Function | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2022 Titan, Titan XD, Frontier, and 2021-2022 Rogue vehicles. |
| 21V186000 | Wheels:Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021 Nissan Rogue vehicles. |
| 22V527000 | Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Rogue, 2022 Frontier, Pathfinder, and Titan rental vehicles. |
| 21V286000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Caliper | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021 Rogue vehicles. |
| 23V791000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Caliper | Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021 Rogue vehicles. |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a compact 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 29 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,100
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.
- Unknown Or Other78 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Electrical System60 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Engine51 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Fuel/Propulsion System33 complaints · typical job: Fuel pump or injector replacement (3.5 h labour + parts)$680–$1,620
- Forward Collision Avoidance29 complaints · typical job: Radar or camera module replacement and calibration (3.0 h labour + parts)$780–$2,160
- Power Train26 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
Other Nissan Rogue years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Nissan Rogue?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Unknown Or Other (78 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2021 Nissan Rogue a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 61/100, computed from 285 NHTSA complaints and 10 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2021 Nissan Rogue's most common problem?
78 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2021 Nissan Rogue sit in the Unknown Or Other group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is diagnosis and mixed repair: about 2.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $360–$940 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 2021 Nissan Rogue cost to run per year?
About $4,553 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $22,765 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 2021 Nissan Rogue have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 10 recall campaign(s) for the 2021 Nissan Rogue, 5 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 01/09/2022. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other compact suvs of about the same age.
What will a 2021 Nissan Rogue 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.
Strong evidence — 285 complaints, 10 recalls on record
- 285 NHTSA complaints on record (57.0/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (53.8/yr)
- 10 recall campaigns, 5 touching safety-critical systems