ABNORMAL NOISE, VIBRATION AND/OR BINDING FEELING FROM REAR DIFFERENTIAL This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2009 Nissan Rogue powertrain problems
moderate 92 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
92
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$2,500
When does it fail?
Of the 92 powertrain complaints filed for the 2009 Nissan Rogue, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 100,000-125,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 92 powertrain complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Powertrain accounts for 29% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 11 categories tracked.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering powertrain on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
NISSAN AWD MODELS; ABNORMAL NOISE, VIBRATION AND/OR JUDDER FROM REAR DIFFERENTIAL This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗NISSAN AWD MODELS; ABNORMAL NOISE, VIBRATION AND/OR JUDDER FROM REAR DIFFERENTIAL This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗NISSAN; VIBRATION AND/OR NOISE WHEN MAKING LOW SPEED TURNS IF YOU CONFIRM There is a vibration or judder feeling from the rear of the vehicle during the following conditions: ï· When making turns ï· On dry roads ï· At low speeds (under 40 MPH) And ï· The above vibration does not occur if the Electric Controlled Coupling is electrically disconnected. NOTE: In some cases, electrically disconnecting the Electric Controlled Coupling may not eliminate the vibration as described above. In these cases, further confirm the incident by removing the rear propeller shaft and retest. If the vibration does not occur with the rear propeller shaft removed, the incident is confirmed. IMPORTANT: Tire siz
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗NISSAN; VIBRATION AND/OR NOISE WHEN MAKING LOW SPEED TURNS This bulletin applies only to vehicles equipped with AWD (All-Wheel Drive) or 4WD (4-Wheel Drive). This bulletin has been amended. The APPLIED VEHICLES and PARTS INFORMATION sections have been revised. No other changes have been made. Please discard all previous versions of this bulletin.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2009 Rogue's CVT transmission dominates these complaints. Loss of power is the central issue: owners describe the engine revving while the transmission simply won't engage, leaving the vehicle crawling at 5–40 mph on highways or nearly stalled at stoplights, regardless of how hard they press the accelerator. This typically strikes after an hour or two of driving, climbing hills, or in hot weather—situations that overheat the transmission fluid. Many owners hear a high-pitched whine, grinding, or clunking before power disappears; some smell burning fluid.
The scenario repeats across narratives: vehicle enters "limp mode" as a thermal safety shutdown, creating near-collision hazards when sudden deceleration occurs with fast-moving traffic behind them. Dealers frequently cannot duplicate the problem in cold conditions, frustrating owners and blocking repairs. When transmission does fail completely, replacement costs run $3,500–$4,100. Multiple owners report replacement transmissions failing again within weeks or months.
Nissan extended the CVT warranty to 120,000 miles and issued a 2014 technical service bulletin recommending a transmission oil cooler install (roughly $860 plus labor), but this was not a recall—many owners were never notified, fell outside the window, or weren't told about the cooler kit by their dealer. One brake pedal switch failure mimicked the loss-of-power symptom. A driveshaft U-joint and rear differential also showed early failure in isolated reports. Across all narratives, owners stress that Nissan knew about the CVT defect yet offered no proactive fix, leaving the safety risk on the road.
Same Nissan Rogue powertrain reports on nearby years: 2008 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012
Failure modes owners describe
CVT transmission loss of power and failure to accelerate
CVT transmission loses power completely or severely restricts acceleration, leaving vehicle crawling at 5–40 mph regardless of pedal input. Occurs during highway driving, after extended periods (1–2+ hours), on hills, or in hot weather. In many cases vehicle goes into 'limp mode' as a thermal safety measure after transmission fluid overheats. Owners report check engine lights, howling or whining sounds, grinding/clunking noises during attempted shifts. Many describe sudden power loss as a near-miss collision hazard.
When: Typically after 70,000–140,000 miles; often after 1+ hours of highway driving, climbing hills, or in warm/hot weather; some failures as early as 12,000 miles on replacement units
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of acceleration despite full pedal depression; Vehicle crawls or only reaches 5–40 mph even with accelerator floored; High-pitched whining, howling, grinding, or clunking sounds from transmission; Smell of burning transmission fluid; Vehicle enters 'limp mode' and shuts down power; RPMs do not increase with pedal input; Delayed acceleration from stops (5–10 seconds or more); Vehicle shuddering or juddering when accelerating; Check engine light illumination
Codes mentioned: Intermittent torque converter circuit codes (reported by some), No hard fault codes (dealers often report inability to diagnose without codes)
Repairs/costs cited: Nissan dealerships performed transmission replacements (cost $3,500–$4,100 reported by owners). Some vehicles replaced transmission 2–3 times. Replacement transmissions sometimes failed again within months or years. Extended warranty on CVT to 120,000 miles offered by Nissan but many owners were not notified and fell outside window; dealers often claim 'cannot duplicate' when vehicle brought in cold.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan extended CVT transmission warranty from 60,000 to 120,000 miles. In 2014, Nissan issued a technical service bulletin (NTB14-002) recommending installation of transmission oil cooler and cooler kit (cost ~$860 without labor) but this was not a recall and dealers often did not proactively inform owners. Some service campaigns mentioned for transmission-related repairs but described as not matching actual symptoms. Nissan refused to cover repairs for vehicles over warranty mileage despite extending warranty period. Multiple owners report Nissan stating 'no reports of this issue' despite widespread complaints online.
CVT transmission complete failure and replacement
CVT transmission fails completely, vehicle becomes immobilized or severely undriveable, requiring full replacement. Vehicle makes loud grinding, clunking, howling, or banging sounds. Owner may be stuck in park, unable to shift, or transmission may be stuck in one gear.
When: Reported from 74,300 miles to 139,000 miles; one replacement transmission failed again within 2 weeks; some vehicles had multiple replacements within 7–10 year ownership period
Symptoms owners cite: Loud grinding, clunking, howling, or banging noise from transmission area; Vehicle jerks or lurches when attempting to shift; Transmission stuck in one gear or won't shift; Vehicle won't move even when in gear; Complete loss of drive capability; Transmission fluid leak
Codes mentioned:
Repairs/costs cited: Full transmission replacement performed at dealerships. Costs ranged from $2,500–$4,100. One owner reported transmission replaced 4 times in 85,000 miles. After replacement, some vehicles exhibited same symptoms within weeks to months. One owner's transmission was overhauled rather than replaced due to cost, then failed again.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan performed replacements under extended transmission warranty (120,000 miles) for qualifying owners, but replacement warranty coverage reported as limited to 12,000 miles or 12 months. Nissan refused to cover failures that occurred beyond 120,000 miles even if they were rapid repeat failures.
Brake pedal switch failure causing loss of acceleration
Faulty brake pedal switch sends erroneous signal to vehicle that brakes are being applied even when accelerating, causing transmission to cut power and vehicle to creep or fail to accelerate. Most dangerous at intersections and on busy roads. Symptom resolved by replacing brake pedal switch.
When: 121,000 miles (one case); timing not specified in others
Symptoms owners cite: Failure to accelerate despite full pedal depression; Vehicle creeps slowly as if starting in high gear; Nearly no acceleration response; Manual downshift attempts have no effect; Brake lights non-functional; Vehicle behaves as if engaged in 4th gear from a stop
Codes mentioned:
Repairs/costs cited: Brake pedal switch replacement resolved the acceleration issue in at least one case. Extended warranty covered repair in one instance but owner still had to pay for labor.
Driveshaft and U-joint failures
Driveshaft U-joint breaks, typically covered in rust, while still spinning. Snapped U-joint then severs shifter cable, preventing vehicle from coming out of park and making vehicle immobilized.
When: Low mileage (specific mileage not provided by owner, but described as unusually low for such failure)
Symptoms owners cite: Banging noise from underneath vehicle; Vehicle stuck in park; Inability to shift out of park; Broken U-joint covered in rust
Codes mentioned:
Repairs/costs cited: Owner disputed that Nissan should have to cover this. Dealership parts manager with 20 years of Nissan experience stated he had never seen U-joint failure at such low mileage.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan attempted to offer owner a settlement deal but owner refused, believing the failed part was a manufacturing defect. Nissan did not acknowledge fault.
Rear differential failure
Rear differential fails at relatively low mileage with grinding and whirring sounds from rear of vehicle. Vehicle not used for towing or demanding activities.
When: 74,300 miles
Symptoms owners cite: High-pitched whirring sound from rear of vehicle while driving; Grinding sound from rear
Codes mentioned:
Repairs/costs cited: Rear differential replacement cost owner $2,121 out of pocket.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan dealership stated rear differential is not part of extended powertrain warranty despite owners being told Nissan extended powertrain coverage. Owner had to pay full repair cost.
Transmission vibration and binding axle shaft
Vehicle exhibits persistent vibration, described as similar to out-of-round tire or suspension issue. Later diagnosed as binding axle shaft. Nissan dealers and the manufacturer initially denied problem existed, claiming vibration is 'designed behavior' and refusing to repair.
When: Within first two weeks of lease inception
Symptoms owners cite: Strong vibration while driving at any speed; Vehicle shakes or vibrates; Sensation similar to out-of-round tire
Codes mentioned:
Repairs/costs cited: Owner had to drive out of state to have issue properly diagnosed as binding axle shaft. Nissan and dealerships refused to repair and claimed it was normal design behavior.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Nissan told dealership not to repair the vehicle. Nissan stated in BBB complaint that there is no problem. Owner had to pursue legal action (arbitration); arbitrator agreed to inspect vehicle but never followed up. Nissan refused to disclose what inspections were performed or by whom.
Synthesized from 92 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 6 most recent
I purchased vehicle new from dealer. At approx 83,000 miles I began to experience acceleration problems. I was not able to accelerate from a stop w/ pedal fully depressed. Extremely dangerous as I was almost in a car accident because car would not move. Took it to dealer and I was informed there was a recall on the transmission. Dealer replaced transmission. Now at 115,000 miles I experienced the…
The Nissan rogue had a CVT transmission replaced by the dealer after it stopped running on the highway in 2013 with only 70,000 miles on the vehicle. The transmission failed again, 2 years later, while driving on the highway again. Nissan failed to do anything to assist me the second time with this vehicle. The vehicle was in motion on the freeway both times. There have been many issues with the…
3rd failure - same problem with 2009 Nissan rogue 4cyl w/CVT. Car loses power - when stepping on gas, car only creeps forward, accelerating very slowly as if it's not getting gas or as if you are starting off in a high gear. Attempts to manually downshift have no effect; shifting into neutral allows engine to rev freely. Last two incidents occurred with wife and 2 young children in car on busy…
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Nissan rouge. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle would not respond. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for inspection or repairs. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000.
During the cold weather, and it happens in every winter that the transmission was not shifting in the morning, it stayed at high RPM when gas panel was applied. It was very dangerous since my commute started with a highway. *tr
My car would not accelerate after driving on the highway (75 MPH) for more than 2 hours no matter how hard I stepped on the gas. It only happened when driving after 2 hours on the highway and did not have an issue again since I usually do not take long trips. This happened twice for my road trip to and from houston and dallas. A few months later, the car jerks when coming to a stop and…
Had powertrain trouble with your 2009 Nissan Rogue?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2009 Nissan Rogue?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 92 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Across the 78 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most powertrain failures cluster between 74,000 and 123,400 miles, with the median around 100,099. A quarter of owners report trouble before 74,000; a quarter make it past 123,400. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2009/Nissan/Rogue.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.