YearToAvoid

2013 Nissan Rogue Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

53/100

#8 most-complained of 16 Rogue years

The 2013 Nissan Rogue has a Complaint Index of 53 and ranks 8th worst out of 16 model years, earning a Caution verdict. Transmission & Powertrain issues make up 51% of complaints, with median failure mileage around 79,347 miles, plus one electrical recall.

Complaints
610
Recalls
1
Crashes / fires
14 / 16
Injuries / deaths
9 / 1
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
24.5
22.5 city / 27 hwy

Top 2013 Nissan Rogue problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Transmission & Powertrain314 (51%)
  2. Engine167 (27%)
  3. Airbags90 (15%)
  4. Electrical System68 (11%)
  5. Other62 (10%)
  6. Structure & Body36 (6%)
  7. Fuel System35 (6%)
  8. Seat Belts12 (2%)
  9. Steering12 (2%)
  10. Suspension, Wheels & Tires11 (2%)

What owners report

  • Airbags reportedly fail to deploy during moderate-to-severe frontal or side-impact collisions, leaving occupants with seatbelt and impact injuries.
  • Owners describe transmission problems developing after purchase, sometimes leading to loss of power or accidents once the vehicle is out of warranty.
  • Multiple owners report electrical fires starting in the dash or engine bay while the vehicle is parked and not running.
  • Some owners describe sudden loss of power while driving, which they link to later crashes and airbag non-deployment.
  • One owner reported the steering wheels locking up while attempting a turn at low speed, causing a crash into a guardrail early in ownership.
  • Structure and body fires have also been reported, in one case requiring a fire department response in a parking lot.
2013 Nissan Rogue complaints: complaints filed per quarter532013 Q22015 Q12017 Q12018 Q42020 Q32022 Q22024 Q12025 Q4
825 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2013 Q2 to 2026 Q3; peak 2018 Q3 (53).

2013 Nissan Rogue recalls

1 NHTSA recall campaign list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 15V032000Jan 26, 2015Electrical System468,815 vehicles

    Electrical system

    Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 Nissan Rogue vehicles manufactured March 7, 2007, to November 26, 2013, and 2014 Nissan Rogue Select vehicles manufactured September 23, 2013, to July 2, 2014. The affected vehicles may experience an electrical short in the harness connector due to a mixture of snow/water and salt seeping through the carpet on the driver side floor near the harness connector.

    Risk: An electrical short can cause a vehicle fire.

    Remedy: Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the kick panel wiring harness connector and will if necessary install a new harness connector and waterproof seal, free of charge. The recall began on February 26, 2015. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

2013 Nissan Rogue fuel economy and fuel cost

City
22.5 MPG
Highway
27 MPG
Combined
24.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,650
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2013 compared with other Rogue years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2011Best20362224
2012Best7318224
2013Caution53610124.5
2014Good334401026
2015Caution73553926

All Nissan Rogue years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Nissan Rogue reliable?
NHTSA data gives the 2013 Rogue a Complaint Index of 53 and a Caution verdict, ranking 8th worst among 16 model years of the Rogue. Transmission & Powertrain problems account for 51% of its 610 complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the 2013 Nissan Rogue?
Transmission & Powertrain issues are the top problem area, making up 51% of complaints (314 of 610), with a median failure mileage of 79,347 miles.
Does the 2013 Nissan Rogue have any recalls?
NHTSA lists one recall for the 2013 Rogue, campaign 15V032000, covering an electrical system issue with the kick panel wiring harness connector.
How does the 2013 Rogue compare to other years?
The 2013 Rogue's Complaint Index of 53 is higher than 2010-2012 (Complaint Index 7-20, Best verdict) but lower than 2017, 2018, and 2023, which carry Avoid verdicts with Complaint Indexes of 80, 87, and 100.
Are there airbag issues with the 2013 Nissan Rogue?
Yes, Airbags account for 15% of complaints (90 of 610), with 11 crashes reported and a median failure mileage of 67,500 miles, including reports of airbags failing to deploy in collisions.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.