Owner complaints pile up fast on some nameplates, and Nissan has plenty of examples. CarComplaints tallies reports by model, by year and by repair cost, and one federal recall rounds out the picture. Here are twelve Nissans that stand out, beginning with the Altima’s 5,369 complaints.
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1. Nissan Altima: Complaint Leader
The Altima sits at the top of the list with 5,369 complaints on file, the most of any Nissan. The worst model year is 2013 at 974 complaints, and the costliest fault that year was CVT shudder, which averaged $3,100 at 56,000 miles. The figures come from CarComplaints’ Altima page.
Sedan buyers weighing a used Altima can treat those numbers as a prompt to check the transmission history closely. The count reflects owner reports to one site rather than a measured failure rate, but the volume is still the largest in the Nissan lineup.
2. Nissan Pathfinder: Coolant In The Transmission
A 2005 Pathfinder made CarComplaints’ worst-complaints ranking for coolant leaking into the transmission, a fault that averaged $3,902 and showed up at 102,596 miles. Across all model years, the Pathfinder carries 2,190 complaints. CarComplaints’ worst complaints is the source for these numbers.
That repair bill lands well past the point where many owners expect major drivetrain trouble. The figure applies to the 2005 model year specifically, so later Pathfinders should be checked on their own record.
3. Nissan Maxima: Older Maxima Trouble
The Maxima has 1,427 complaints on file at CarComplaints, a pile big enough to rank it near the top of the brand’s models. The site singles out the 2004 Maxima among the worst model years. All of this traces back to CarComplaints’ Nissan overview.
Shoppers eyeing a used Maxima from that period have a clear year to be careful about. The overview gives counts rather than a single dominant fault, so a pre-purchase inspection matters more than any one number.
4. Nissan Rogue: Turbo Engine Recall
Unlike the rest of this list, the Rogue entry rests on a federal recall rather than a complaint tally. NHTSA recall 26V080 covers 323,917 Rogues from the 2023 through 2025 model years that carry the 3-cylinder 1.5L VC Turbo engine. The figures come from NHTSA’s recall report.
Owners of those years can check their vehicle identification number to see whether the recall applies. The report names the engine and model years but is the safety regulator’s own filing, which makes it a firmer source than owner reports alone.
5. Nissan Sentra: Compact Sedan Tally
The Sentra has 1,214 complaints on file with CarComplaints, placing it among the brand’s busier files. The count appears on the site’s Nissan overview alongside the other models in this gallery. CarComplaints’ Nissan overview is the source for these numbers.
A total on its own does not say which part fails or how much it costs to fix. Even so, a four-figure pile of reports is a reasonable reason for Sentra shoppers to dig into the model-year details before buying.
6. Nissan Xterra: Radiator Wrecks Transmission
The 2005 Xterra earned a spot on CarComplaints’ worst-20 list for a radiator leak that ends in transmission failure. The typical repair ran $3,880 at 106,248 miles. All of this traces back to CarComplaints’ worst-20 list.
The pattern echoes the Pathfinder’s 2005 trouble, with coolant contamination again leading to an expensive drivetrain repair. The listing covers one model year, so it describes a specific weak spot rather than the whole Xterra run.
7. Nissan Frontier: Pickup With Costly Cooling
The Frontier has 1,070 complaints on file, and 2005 is its worst year with 284 of them. The leading fault that year was radiator and transmission failure, averaging $3,700 at about 103,000 miles. The figures come from CarComplaints’ Frontier page.
Small pickups often get long service lives, which makes a failure near the 100,000-mile mark a notable cost. Buyers of an older Frontier can use the 2005 data point as a cue to inspect cooling and transmission records.
8. Nissan Murano: Crossover Complaint Count
CarComplaints lists 929 complaints for the Murano. That puts the crossover well below the Altima and Pathfinder but still in the high hundreds. CarComplaints’ Nissan overview is the source for these numbers.
The overview offers the total without naming a signature fault, so the number works best as a rough gauge of owner frustration. Anyone considering a used Murano should look up the specific model year they plan to buy.
9. Nissan Versa: Transmission Failure At 74,770
The 2012 Versa appears on CarComplaints’ worst-20 list for transmission failure. The repair averaged $3,563 and arrived at 74,770 miles. All of this traces back to CarComplaints’ worst-20 list.
For a budget-oriented car, that is a hefty bill at a relatively modest mileage, and it is one of the earlier failures on the list. The entry is tied to the 2012 model year, so it should not be read as a verdict on every Versa.
10. Nissan Quest: Minivan Complaint Count
The Quest minivan has 453 complaints on file at CarComplaints. That is a much smaller pile than the Altima’s, but it earns the van a place on the list. The figures come from CarComplaints’ Nissan overview.
The overview does not break the Quest total down by year or fault. Used-minivan shoppers can treat the figure as a starting point and pull the year-by-year complaint record before committing. Minivans tend to haul families, so repair histories deserve extra attention.
11. Nissan Juke: Few Complaints, Big Bills
The Juke has only 192 complaints on file, yet the repairs described are costly. A 2013 Juke transmission failure averages $4,000 at 59,000 miles, and its turbo fault runs $2,400 at 77,000 miles. CarComplaints’ Juke page is the source for these numbers.
A small complaint count can hide expensive problems, and the Juke shows how a low total still deserves scrutiny. Both faults come from the 2013 model year, so owners and shoppers should focus there.
12. Nissan Titan: Priciest Fault
The Titan has 331 complaints on file, with 2018 rated its worst model year. The standout there is a vibration fault that costs about $7,000, the highest repair figure in this gallery. All of this traces back to CarComplaints’ Titan page.
With a relatively low complaint total, the Titan’s problem is price rather than volume. The 2018 entry suggests full-size truck shoppers should ask about vibration repairs on that year specifically.
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