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2016 Nissan Rogue problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
50%
229 of 459 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

50% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2016 Nissan Rogue are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.

Worse than 64% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 81 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 42%).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2016 Nissan Rogue have transmission problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 229 of 459 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Nissan Rogue concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (50%), and the largest group is filed under power train (176). For comparison, the 2015 scores 43% and the 2017 scores 39%. On a test drive, check for shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
229
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
540
this model year
Fires reported
3
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
7
35 crashes · 36 injuries

Complaints by component

POWER TRAIN176 · 33%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM125 · 23%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER86 · 16%
ENGINE63 · 12%
AIR BAGS61 · 11%
STRUCTURE31 · 6%

The years either side

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

How the 2016 compares with other Nissan Rogue years

Of the 14 Nissan Rogue years with enough complaints to score, the 2016 is the 7th-best on engine and transmission share (50%). The worst is the 2022 (79%), the best the 2018 (17%). By volume, the 2016 drew 540 complaints (229 drivetrain), against 553 for the 2015 and 672 for the 2017.

Nissan Rogue years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2016 Nissan Rogue

  • The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2016 Nissan Rogue said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
  • What the repair costs. Typical transmission repair ranges, to price into your offer.
  • Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
  • Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
  • What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
  • Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.

What one owner reported

POWER TRAIN,ENGINE09/06/2022CRASH1 INJURED
The contact owns a 2016 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would stall upon the depression of the accelerator pedal without warning. The contact had taken the vehicle to an unknown dealer where they found no defect with the vehicle. The contact then stated that while maki…

One of 229 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

2016 Nissan Rogue engine and transmission recalls

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns on the 2016 Nissan Rogue, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

7 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
electrical system: ignition: anti-theft: immobilizer/proximity: key/sender23V093000 · Feb 2023
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…
electrical system: wiring: interior/under dash22V024000 · Jan 2022
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Rogue vehicles. The electrical connector for the under dash harness may corrode due to water and salt intrusion from the driver's…
seats17V716000 · Nov 2017
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2016 Nissan Rogue vehicles. The vehicles have front passenger seat frames that may be improperly welded. As such, these vehicles fail to…
seats17V663000 · Oct 2017
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Nissan Rogue vehicles. The recliner joints on the lower seat frame for the rear seats may have improper welds. As such, these…
air bags: sensor: occupant classification16V911000 · Dec 2016
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Altima vehicles manufactured January 3, 2013, to July 29, 2013, 2015-2016 Rogue vehicles manufactured October 14, 2014,…
air bags: sensor: occupant classification16V244000 · Apr 2016
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60,…
structure: body: hatchback/liftgate: support device/strut16V219000 · Apr 2016
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Nissan Rogue vehicles manufactured July 31, 2013, to January 16, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the rear lift gate…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.

Checking one particular 2016 Nissan Rogue? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.

Questions people ask about the 2016 Nissan Rogue

Does the 2016 Nissan Rogue have transmission problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 229 of 459 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Nissan Rogue concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (50%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the transmission and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

What is the most common problem with the 2016 Nissan Rogue?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2016 Nissan Rogue is power train: 176 of 540 complaints (33%) name it, followed by electrical system (125) and engine (63). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.

Is the 2016 Nissan Rogue reliable?

On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 50% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (high signal). That is worse than 64% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 Nissan Rogue years we score, it ranks 7th-best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2016 Nissan Rogue?

No. NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns on the 2016 Nissan Rogue, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Nissan Rogue years are better?

Among the Nissan Rogue years we track, the 2018 (17%), the 2019 (19%) and the 2020 (20%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2016 (50%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/nissan-rogue

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.