Head-to-head reliability
Nissan Rogue vs Nissan Frontier
How the Nissan Rogue and Nissan Frontier compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Nissan Rogue vs Nissan Frontier: The Rogue has 3,336 complaints over 10 years (334/year) and 43 recalls, while the Frontier has 499 complaints (50/year) and 22 recalls. The Rogue also has 188 crash-related complaints and 181 injuries, versus 32 and 12 for the Frontier. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Nissan Rogue or Nissan Frontier more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Nissan Rogue
The Nissan Rogue is a compact SUV with a high complaint volume: 3,336 complaints over 10 years, averaging about 334 per year. That's a lot of owner-reported problems, spanning engine, brakes, and advanced driver-assist systems. Recalls are also frequent (43), and there are 188 crash-related complaints and 181 injuries reported. For a used buyer, this means the Rogue demands a thorough inspection and a budget for potential repairs.
Nissan Frontier
The Nissan Frontier is a midsize pickup with far fewer complaints: 499 over 10 years, about 50 per year. That's roughly one-seventh the Rogue's rate. Recalls are also lower (22), and crash-related complaints (32) and injuries (12) are much smaller. However, there was 1 death reported, so safety concerns still exist. Overall, the Frontier appears less troublesome in terms of complaint frequency.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Nissan Rogue | Nissan Frontier |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 3,336 | 499 Better |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 43 | 22 Better |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 188 | 32 Better |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 333.6 | 49.9 Better |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 181 | 12 Better |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 1 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Nissan Rogue
- 01UNKNOWN OR OTHER758
- 02ENGINE678
- 03SERVICE BRAKES569
- 04FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE503
- 05ELECTRICAL SYSTEM410
Owners report sudden, violent acceleration while parking, with brake pedal application ineffective. This is a serious safety concern that could lead to crashes, as described in multiple complaints.
The same sudden acceleration incidents often involve brake failure, where the pedal goes to the floor or doesn't stop the vehicle. This pattern suggests a potential defect in the braking system that buyers should test thoroughly.
Complaints about the ProPilot assist system include lane-keeping that veers over lines and fails to stop for stopped cars at traffic lights. This means the driver-assist features may not work reliably, requiring constant vigilance.
While not detailed in the sample, electrical system complaints are high (410). Owners may experience issues with door locks, infotainment, or other electronic components, adding to ownership frustration.
“My car was sitting in a parking lot facing the south. It was over 100 degrees that day. I had a front window shade in the front window, and both front windows were down about 2 inches. I went to my car to grab something around 1:30pm and all was fine. When I…”
“Vehicle Information: 2020 Nissan Rogue Component: Structure/Doors Latch/Lock/Linkage Description of Incident: I am writing to report a serious safety defect regarding the front door lock actuators on my 2020 Nissan Rogue. Without warning, the front door lock…”
Nissan Frontier
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM131
- 02POWER TRAIN121
- 03SERVICE BRAKES81
- 04UNKNOWN OR OTHER76
- 05FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE65
Owners report the engine and electrical system shutting off randomly while driving, causing loss of power and requiring restarts. This can be dangerous if it happens in traffic, and the issue is hard to reproduce.
Complaints include failure to accelerate properly, engine jerking, and idle issues. One owner found a cracked high-pressure AC line, but the power train symptoms suggest transmission or engine management problems.
Brake pedal can go almost to the floor when depressed, and the accelerator pedal sits too close to the brake. This could lead to unintended acceleration or difficulty stopping, a serious safety risk.
Although fewer complaints, some owners report issues with the forward collision avoidance system. This includes potential failures in automatic braking or warnings, which could reduce effectiveness in preventing rear-end collisions.
“Issue: engine and electric system completely shut off randomly while vehicle is driving. Cannot reliably reproduce, but all electric is lost and engine shuts off or at best resets in low gear until things come back alive. This has happened about 4 times to me…”
“The contact owns a 2019 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the infotainment system was inoperative; the contact had to restart the infotainment system several times for the infotainment system to return to normal operat…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Nissan Rogue — 43 recalls
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2026 Rogue vehicles. The incorrect-size spare tire may have been installed, which does not match the tire size and inflation pressure information on the tire placard. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Mot…
The risk: Incorrect spare tire pressure information on the placard may lead to incorrect inflation of the spare tire, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the spare tire assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 25, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261. Nissan's number for this recall…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2026 Rogue vehicles. The instrument panel may not display the transmission gear selection indicator. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 102, "Transmission Shift Lever S…
The risk: A missing gear selection indicator may lead to unintended vehicle movement or a vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the transmission control valve assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 31, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261. Nissan's number fo…
The 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.
The risk: 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 int…
The fix: 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 3…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Rogue vehicles equipped with 3-cylinder 1.5L variable compression turbo (VC-Turbo) engines. Increased temperatures can break down the engine oil, which may cause the engine bearings to seize and become damaged, leading to engine fai…
The risk: Engine failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. A bearing failure may cause a breach in the engine block, allowing hot oil to be discharged, increasing the risk of an engine fire.
The fix: Dealers will reprogram the engine control module (ECM) software, inspect for diagnostic trouble codes, and test drive the vehicle, free of charge. The dealer may also inspect the oil pan for metal debris, and replace the engine if necessar…
Nissan Frontier — 22 recalls
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2017 Nissan NV200, Sentra, NV3500 Van, NV3500 Bus, NV200 Taxi, NV1500, NV2500 Van, Chevrolet City Express, 2017-2018 Frontier, Versa Note, and Versa Sedan vehicles that have a mechanical (physical) key ignition system. In these models, over t…
The risk: If the vehicle stalls, it can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the production information on the ignition switch, and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7…
The 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. Additio…
The risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: 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-…
The 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. Additio…
The risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: 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-…
The defect: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2017 Nissan NV200, Sentra, NV3500 Van, NV3500 Bus, NV200 Taxi, NV1500, NV2500 Van, Chevrolet City Express, 2017-2018 Frontier, Versa Note, and Versa Sedan vehicles that have a mechanical (physical) key ignition system. In these models, over t…
The risk: If the vehicle stalls, it can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the production information on the ignition switch, and replace it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2018. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7…
Buyer analysis
Nissan Rogue or Nissan Frontier: which should you buy?
The Nissan Frontier has far fewer issues per year (about 50 complaints/year) compared to the Nissan Rogue (about 334/year). In practice, this means a used Frontier is likely to have fewer owner-reported problems, but it still has its own serious issues like random electrical shutdowns and brake concerns. The Rogue's higher complaint rate suggests a higher risk of encountering multiple problems.
Key differences
- Complaint volume: Rogue averages 334 complaints/year vs Frontier's 50/year, a huge difference in reported problems.
- Serious safety issues: Rogue has reports of sudden acceleration and brake failure; Frontier has random electrical shutdowns and brake pedal issues.
- Recalls: Rogue has 43 recalls vs Frontier's 22, meaning more potential unresolved safety defects.
- Crash/injury reports: Rogue has 188 crash-related complaints and 181 injuries; Frontier has 32 crashes and 12 injuries, but 1 death.
- Test for sudden acceleration: during a test drive, ensure the vehicle doesn't lunge forward when parking or at low speeds, and that brakes respond firmly.
- Check forward collision avoidance: if equipped, verify that lane-keeping and adaptive cruise control function correctly without veering or failing to stop.
- Look for electrical gremlins: ask if the engine or electrical system has ever shut off while driving; check for infotainment or dashboard light issues.
- Inspect brake pedal feel: press the brake pedal firmly; it should not go to the floor. Also check accelerator and brake pedal spacing for interference.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and check for open recalls on the NHTSA website using the VIN.
- Have a trusted mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection, focusing on brakes, engine/transmission behavior, and electrical systems.
- During a test drive, simulate parking and low-speed maneuvers to check for sudden acceleration or brake issues.
- For the Rogue, test all driver-assist features (lane keeping, adaptive cruise) on a highway to ensure they work as expected.
- For the Frontier, check for any signs of electrical problems: flickering lights, infotainment resets, or warning lights on the dash.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Nissan Rogue | Nissan Frontier |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 41 | 20 |
| 2025 | 176 | 16 |
| 2024 | 193 | 44 |
| 2023 | 699 | 132 |
| 2022 | 256 | 112 |
| 2021 | 285 | 38 |
| 2020 | 149 | 46 |
| 2019 | 332 | 28 |
| 2018 | 609 | 25 |
| 2017 | 596 | 38 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Nissan Rogue or Nissan Frontier in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Nissan Rogue vs Nissan Frontier
- Nissan Rogue total complaints
- 3,336
- Nissan Frontier total complaints
- 499
- Nissan Rogue total recalls
- 43
- Nissan Frontier total recalls
- 22
- Nissan Rogue avg complaints/year
- 333.6
- Nissan Frontier avg complaints/year
- 49.9
- More reliable overall
- Nissan Frontier
- Nissan Rogue top complaint area
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Nissan Frontier top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM