2018 Nissan Rogue Sport Safety Report
2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT Safety Report
Safety Decision Cockpit for the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport
This page is the hub for deciding what to inspect next on the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport. It connects recall campaigns, owner complaint patterns, service bulletins, sibling model years, component issue hubs, and the model buying guide so a shopper or owner can move from a single report into the wider safety graph.
| Signal | Value | What to inspect next |
|---|---|---|
| Recall burden | Moderate (2) | Review campaign numbers, affected components, and dealer remedies below. |
| Owner complaints | Moderate (83) | Scan complaint narratives for recurring symptoms, mileage, crashes, fires, injuries, and dates. |
| Crash and fire reports | 7 | Treat any crash, fire, injury, or fatality-linked pattern as a priority pre-purchase inspection item. |
| Primary component hub | Unknown Or Other | Compare unknown or other issues across vehicles. |
| Cleaner nearby model year | 2022 | Compare against the 2022 Nissan Rogue Sport with 10 complaints and 1 recalls. |
| Riskier nearby model year | 2019 | Check the 2019 Nissan Rogue Sport before buying across this generation. |
Nissan Rogue Sport Year-by-Year Comparison
The safest purchase decision usually comes from comparing neighboring model years, not reading a single page in isolation. The table below uses only validated Nissan Rogue Sport years already present in the cleaned NHTSA dataset, so each comparison links to a real vehicle safety report rather than a generated combination.
| Model Year | Complaints | Recalls | Use case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 Nissan Rogue Sport | 94 | 2 | Inspect as a potentially higher-complaint year. |
| 2017 Nissan Rogue Sport | 72 | 1 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2020 Nissan Rogue Sport | 49 | 1 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2021 Nissan Rogue Sport | 35 | 3 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
| 2022 Nissan Rogue Sport | 10 | 1 | Compare as a potentially cleaner alternative. |
2018 Nissan Rogue Sport Complaint Theme Map
Complaint counts become more useful when they are grouped into inspection themes. For the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport, these are the component areas with the clearest NHTSA complaint signals. Use each link to jump from this single vehicle into broader component hubs and make-specific issue pages.
Unknown Or Other
13 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Unknown Or Other issues Nissan onlyEngine
8 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Engine issues Nissan onlyElectrical System
7 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Electrical System issues Nissan onlyPower Train
6 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Power Train issues Nissan onlyService Brakes
4 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Service Brakes issues Nissan onlyService Brakes,Forward Collision Avoidance
4 owner complaints mention this component in the current safety profile.
All Service Brakes,Forward Collision Avoidance issues Nissan onlyAI Safety Analysis for the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport
Reliability Score
The 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport receives a reliability score of 75 out of 100 based on analysis of NHTSA complaint data, recall history, crash reports, and safety ratings. This indicates above-average reliability relative to comparable vehicles.
NHTSA Safety Ratings for the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) evaluates vehicles through controlled crash tests and assigns star ratings from 1 to 5, with 5 being the safest.
Known Issues for the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport
The following issues have been identified from NHTSA complaint data and owner reports for the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport:
| Issue | Severity | Frequency | Typical Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine Overheating Several reports indicate engine overheating and smoking, particularly around 30,000 to 60,000 miles. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Cvt Transmission Failure A serious safety hazard, the CVT transmission has failed suddenly, causing the vehicle to hesitate and lose power. |
High | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Electrical System Issues Anti-theft and immobilizer systems have experienced problems, leading to engine issues and difficulty starting the vehicle. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
| Service Brakes Malfunction Forward collision avoidance and service brakes have been reported to malfunction, posing safety risks. |
Medium | Common | 30k-60k miles |
Common Problems Reported by Owners
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the following components account for the majority of reported issues with the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport:
Engine issues, including overheating and smoking, are common.
CVT transmission failures have been reported, causing the vehicle to hesitate and lose power.
Anti-theft and immobilizer issues have been reported, leading to engine problems and difficulty starting.
Forward collision avoidance and service brakes have experienced malfunctions.
Recall Details for the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport
The following 2 recalls have been issued for the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport by NHTSA:
Summary: 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.
Summary: 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 an...
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.
NHTSA Complaint Summaries for the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport
Below are complaint narratives filed by owners of the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 2 complaints involved crashes. 2 reported injuries or fatalities.
While driving my engine began to smoke, I had to pull over on a very dangerous highway. After getting the vehicle towed my mechanic determined that the engine over heated due to a faulty cooling fan on the engine. The head gasket now needs to be replaced, as well as the whole engine. He informed me this is a common issue they see in Nissan Rogue Sports. There were no warnings or issues noted. Only...
On June 5th 2025, the radiator fan in my 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport stoped working while my idling in traffic and caused my engine to overheat and smoke. I immediately pulled over and turned off the engine to allow it to cool down. This problem could lead to catastrophic engine failure, warped cylinder heads, blown gaskets, and could even cause a fire, which places my safety and the safety of others ...
There appears to be a problem with the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), while driving on 2 occasions, my Nossan 2018 roque automatically slowed down by itself and flashed a warning on the dash board and made an audible beeping sound. The tires also had friction against the road, showing the breaks activated on their own although there was no risk of an accident or obstacle in the way so t should...
I was stationary at a red light, and car traveling behind me at full speed (approximately 50-60 mph) did not stop and crashed into my car (rear-ending me). My airbags did not deploy: not even the side airbags, even though the trunk was crashed/pushed up into the middle of the car, damaging the side supports between the front and back seats. ALSO, the driver's seat reclined fully upon impact! Thi...
The vehicle experienced a sudden failure of the continuously variable transmission (CVT) while in operation. The failure occurred at a four-way stop during snowy conditions when I attempted to proceed through the intersection and the vehicle would not initially move or transmit power to the wheels, leaving me stopped in the roadway and unable to clear the intersection, creating a safety risk due t...
The CVT transmission in my 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport is malfunctioning and poses a serious safety hazard. The vehicle hesitates, loses power during acceleration, and displays warning lights while driving. This failure creates extremely dangerous situations, especially when merging into traffic, accelerating from a stop, or crossing intersections. Despite the widespread CVT issues in Nissan vehicles ...
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport. The contact stated that while her brother was driving 55 MPH on the Interstate, the hood flew open, struck and shattered the front windshield. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the contact’s residence. There were no reported injuries. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufac...
The car would not start after it rained all day.I had it towed from my job at Walmart to Firestone and they said it was an electrical problem and that I need to have it towed to the Dealership .So I had it towed to the Dealership and they called me the next day and said it was an engine Harness.They also told me that this car was bought in March the 12th by the previous owner for the same problem....
In 2023, the car started rattling, smoke appeared near the engine, fluid leaked from the bottom of the car (front), the coolant tank began to overheat and bubble, and then the car would not turn on. Scheduled a maintance check at local auto shop, informed me a hose was loose and needed replacement. Hose was replaced. The same symptoms occurred a few months later. If the car is in idle, the coolant...
The radiator cooling fan on 2018- 2020 Nissan Rogue Sports has failed and does not turn on, which causes the vehicle to overheat and the air conditioning system to stop functioning properly. This problem creates a significant safety risk, as the vehicle can quickly overheat when idling or driving in traffic, potentially leading to engine damage, vehicle breakdowns in unsafe locations, or even fire...
I was driving on a highway when my car began to stutter. It felt like the vehicle was struggling to accelerate, so I attempted to pull over to a side street for safety. However, before I could do so, the car completely lost the ability to accelerate and gradually came to a full stop. I managed to get it onto the shoulder just in time, but this occurred on a bend in the road, where visibility was l...
We have a 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport S fwd., and the AC began to cool off & on, then there was no air at all coming from the vents. Took the car to Firestone and they said it was the blower motor & blower motor resistor - so I had those replaced. Not even a week passes and there's a noise coming from the engine especially when ac is on and a vibration to go along with it. I carried it back to Firesto...
Last year our AC stopped working intermittently, took it to the Nissan dealership and they charged me almost $2,000 to replace the AC compressor. This year the Engine Radiator Coolant fan became an issue, the coolant fan bearing has something wrong with it and causes it to turn the ac off and overheat the engine. Possible causing catastrophic internal damage to the engine. It wasn’t until I was lo...
For about a year now when starting my car I sometimes get a message that states No Key detected. I have two keys in the vehicle with new batteries. I does not do it all the time but often. Yesterday the car would not start at all. I pressed the buttons on the key fob several times to lock and unlock the doors and the car finally recognized the key was in the car. Once i started rolling out th...
The radiator fan quit working around 116000 miles, causing engine to overheat, a/c to not work, coolant tank to boil all contents out each time the engine overheats. Starting the car is difficult now, have to pump the gas to get the engine to turn over. Battery dies often now.
cooling fan is going out, safety put at risk as it can cause engine failure. it has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance, but a trusted mechanic. I have video of it going out. no warnings whatsoever came up. trusted mechanic showed me class action lawsuit in Tennessee from 2024. in regards to a Nissan Pathfinder. but this is a Nissan Rogue Sport. i have video, but no photo
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport. The contact stated while driving approximately 5 MPH in a parking lot, the vehicle lost motive power. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was d...
I was driving my vehicle on the expressway and it suddenly and without warning started losing power and acceleration was not occurring nearly causing a extremely bad accident. I spoke with Nissan and they told me that my Nissan Rogue sport has a bad CVT Transmission. Many of their Rogues have this issue and a class action lawsuit was filed against them. Nissan should be held liable for knowingl...
The emergency braking engaged the brakes for no reason. Was driving down the road with no other vehicles near me and my vehicle beeped at me and engaged the brakes hard causing a skid. I have read this is a known problem and that Nissan is failing to address this serious safety concern.
The problem that the ABS system suddenly applies the brakes is back depsite the recall a few years ago on the Nissan Rogues. This happens ont he highway and on back streets at whatever speed. Yes the car is availabel for inspection. It happends when alone or in traffic, no rhyme or reason. I have not had the time to take it to the dealer yet to investigate. The light may come on or the car brakes...
Showing 20 of 83 complaints. Additional complaints are available via the NHTSA database.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport
Has the 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT been recalled?
Yes, the 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT has 2 recalls on record with NHTSA. Each recall addresses a specific safety defect identified by the manufacturer or NHTSA.
How many complaints does the 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT have?
The 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT has 83 complaints filed with NHTSA. Of these, 7 involved crashes. 13 injuries and 0 deaths have been reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT?
The 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT received an overall NHTSA safety rating of good (4/5). Frontal crash: 4/5. Side crash: 5/5. Rollover: 4/5.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT?
The most commonly reported problems with the 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT involve unknown or other (13 complaints), engine (8 complaints), electrical system (7 complaints). Other affected components include power train, service brakes, service brakes,forward collision avoidance.
How many crash reports does the 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT have?
There are 7 crash reports associated with the 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT out of 83 total complaints (8.4% of complaints involved crashes).
How many fire reports does the 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT have?
There are no fire reports for the 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT in the NHTSA database.
Are there any deaths reported for the 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT?
No deaths have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT.
How many injuries are reported for the 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT?
13 injuries have been reported in NHTSA complaints for the 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT. These are self-reported by vehicle owners as part of their safety complaints.
Should I buy a 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT is acceptable with caveats. It has 83 complaints, 2 recalls, and a good (4/5) safety rating. Always have a pre-purchase inspection done by a qualified mechanic.
What components fail most on the 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT?
The components with the most failures on the 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT are: 1. UNKNOWN OR OTHER (13 complaints), 2. ENGINE (8 complaints), 3. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (7 complaints), 4. POWER TRAIN (6 complaints), 5. SERVICE BRAKES (4 complaints). UNKNOWN OR OTHER is the single most-reported problem area with 13 complaints.
What should I know before buying a 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT?
Be cautious of engine overheating and CVT transmission issues, which can pose serious safety hazards. Regular maintenance is crucial. The 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT has 83 NHTSA complaints and 2 recalls on record. NHTSA rates it good (4/5).
How reliable is the 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT?
The 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT receives a reliability score of 75/100, indicating above-average reliability. This is based on 83 owner complaints, 2 recalls, and 7 crash/fire reports in the NHTSA database. Key known issues include Engine Overheating and CVT Transmission Failure.
What are the known issues with the 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT?
Known issues with the 2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT include: Engine Overheating, CVT Transmission Failure, Electrical System Issues, Service Brakes Malfunction. These are based on patterns found across 83 NHTSA complaints. 2 of these patterns resulted in formal recalls.
What are the most common engine issues with the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport?
Engine overheating and smoking are the most common issues, particularly around 30,000 to 60,000 miles.
Are there any known issues with the CVT transmission?
Yes, the CVT transmission has failed suddenly, causing the vehicle to hesitate and lose power.
What should I do if I experience electrical system issues?
Check for anti-theft and immobilizer problems, as these can lead to engine issues and difficulty starting the vehicle.
Buyer Advice
Our recommendation: Be cautious of engine overheating and CVT transmission issues, which can pose serious safety hazards. Regular maintenance is crucial.
NHTSA Data Summary for 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport
This safety report is based on a comprehensive analysis of data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport. The data includes 83 consumer complaints filed by vehicle owners, 2 manufacturer-initiated safety recalls, 7 reported crashes, 13 reported injuries, and safety rating assessments associated with this vehicle.
The NHTSA has assigned the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars, with a frontal crash rating of 4 stars, a side crash rating of 5 stars, and a rollover rating of 4 stars. These ratings are determined through controlled crash testing conducted by the NHTSA.
All data presented in this report is sourced from public NHTSA databases. Our AI analysis identifies patterns across complaint narratives, correlates them with recall history, and produces the safety assessment above. This analysis is updated as new complaints and recalls are filed with the NHTSA.
Consumers are encouraged to report vehicle safety problems to the NHTSA at nhtsa.gov. If your vehicle is subject to a recall, contact your dealer to schedule the free repair.
Disclaimer: This analysis is AI-generated from NHTSA public data and does not constitute professional automotive or safety advice. Always verify recall status at NHTSA.gov and consult a qualified mechanic.
Analysis last updated: 2026-05-16