NHTSA Complaint #11667075 — 2018 NISSAN ROGUE

The CVT transmission in my 2018 Nissan Rogue failed catastrophically at 92,000 miles, far below industry standards for drivetrain reliability. This failure, tied to known defects and past class-action litigation, caused severe safety risks and financial hardship. Despite these issues being well-documented and covered in extended warranties for some vehicles, Nissan never informed me of any potential risk, leaving me unprepared. The failure caused a sudden loss of power, limiting the vehicle to 40mph, creating a dangerous situation, especially on highways where maintaining speed is critical. I had to drive the compromised vehicle to a Nissan dealership for diagnosis, putting myself & other motorists in danger. The issue was confirmed and reproduced during diagnostics, with an estimated repair cost of nearly $10,000. Before this, an independent mechanic had also diagnosed the problem, citing transmission failure with documented codes. However, Nissan refused to accept outside documentation, requiring diagnosis from their service center. No warning lights or dashboard messages appeared before the failure. Symptoms like difficulty accelerating and erratic RPM fluctuations began about a week prior but offered no formal alerts. Nissan’s refusal to provide assistance after the diagnosis cited the vehicle being out of warranty and my failure to use Nissan dealerships for regular service. This ignored challenges such as the rural location of their service centers and COVID-related limitations during my ownership. This failure highlights a broader safety & reliability issue with Nissan’s CVT transmissions, which the company has failed to address adequately through recalls or customer notifications. I urge the NHTSA to investigate these defective transmissions and require Nissan to take necessary actions, including recalls, to protect consumers from safety risks and financial burdens. The faulty transmission remains in my possession and is available for inspection upon request