NissanRogue2012Overview/nissan/rogue/2012/base/

2012 Nissan Rogue

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2012 Rogue.

Body SUVTransmission Automatic (variable gear ratios)

The 2012 Nissan Rogue is an SUV featuring an automatic transmission with variable gear ratios and an engine requiring 5.0 quarts of 5W-30 API oil. This configuration delivers an EPA-rated fuel economy of 22/26/23 mpg. Reliability for this model year is characterized by two recalls and 317 total owner complaints—concentrated primarily in the power train—placing it between the series low of one complaint in 1999 and the peak of 656 complaints in 2023.

Model year202520242023202220212020201920182012

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque72-87 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy22/26/23 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 35 · 585 CCA battery, OE oil filter 1520865F0E. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 35 · 585 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnLAMPOEM · verified
Tire sizeP225-55R18OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter1520865F0E
Engine air filter1654630P00
Spark plug22401JA01B
Front wiper blades28890JM00A alt 28890JM01A
Serpentine belt11720JG30B
Thermostat212306N20A alt 21200EA000
Cabin air filter27277VS00A

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (variable gear ratios)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length183.1 in
Overall width70.9 in
Overall height66.1 in
Wheelbase105.9 in
Curb weight3470 lb
Track (front / rear)60.6 / 61 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)59/41

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined22 / 26 / 23 mpg
DrivetrainAll-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Rogue of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.0–8.8 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.00 sec — 2008 SL
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2008SL 2.5L I-48.00 sec16.20 sec170 hpFWD
2008SL 2.5L I-48.20 sec16.40 sec170 hpAWD
2008SL 2.5L I-48.20 sec16.40 sec170 hpFWD
2008SL 2.5L I-48.80 sec16.90 sec170 hpAWD
2008SL 2.5L I-48.80 sec16.80 sec170 hpAWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.0 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential. Torque lug nuts to 72-87 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 22.0-26.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity1.2 Pints
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5.0 qt
Transfer Case Fluid80W-90 · GL-5
Transfer Case Fluid Capacity0.8 Pints

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts14 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts31 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug22.0-26.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs5 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts72-87 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug26.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug26.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub133-136 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub92 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub133-136 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Ignition Coil Primary ResistanceExcept 0 or Between terminals 1 and 2 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary ResistanceExcept 0 Between terminals 1 and 3

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.10 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity5.07 oz
Standard BCI Group Number35
Standard BCI Cranking Performance585 cca

Service checks

Radiator Cap Pressure ReliefRadiator leak pressure testing, 5 psi.
Injector Primary Resistance11.1-14.3 ohms
Engine Compression176-204 PSI. 14 Maximum variation PSI
Engine Oil Pressure14 psi @ Idle, 43 psi @ 2000 rpm psi
Intake Valve Lash0.009-0.013 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.010-0.013 in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket25 ft-lbs / 32 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle122 ft-lbs / 62 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.079; Rear: 0.059 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.059 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0008 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0014 in / 0.0028 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.024 in / 0.63 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.024 in / 0.63 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs — tightening sequence 1 stages
11.4 ft. lbs., Step 2: 4.3 ft. lbs., Step 3: 7.01.4 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
122 ft. lbs., Step 2: Back off 360 degrees, Step 3: 14 ft. lbs., Step 4: 9022 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
122 ft. lbs., step 2: 60 degrees 2014 Rogue, +622 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 6 stages
137 ft. lbs.37 ft. lbs
260 degrees60 degrees
3completely loosen bolts in reverse order
429 ft. lbs.29 ft. lbs
575 degrees75 degrees
675 degrees; Check diameter of bolts at two points, 12 mm and 55 mm from the end. Whenever the difference between these two points exceeds the limit of 0.23 mm, replace bolts. Apply new engine oil to threads and seating surface of mounting bolts.75 degrees
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
1Bolts 1-1029 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs at 105,000 mi; coolant at 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Transfer Case Assembly (inspect fluid level)
At 30,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 30,000 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Drive Belt (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Exterior Lighting (inspect)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
At 105,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 180,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2012 Nissan Rogue sits near the end of a comparatively stable early run in the federal record, with 317 complaints and 2 recalls—lower complaint volume than 2008 (429 complaints, 5 recalls), 2009 (320/3), and 2011 (361/2), and well below the 606 complaints and first NHTSA investigation that appear in 2013. Complaint counts trended down from the 2008 launch peak through 2010, ticked upward in 2011–2012, then accelerated sharply in 2013 and remained elevated for much of the following decade, placing 2012 just before the model's most troubled period in the record. Within 2012, Power Train leads complaint categories with 103 reports, followed by Air Bags (29), Unknown or Other (27), and Engine (16), though the data does not specify root causes; the year also records 8 crash-related and 10 fire-related complaints. With only 2 recalls and no investigations, 2012 is one of the cleaner first-generation model years relative to what follows. For a buyer weighing a used Rogue, 2012 is a comparatively attractive year in the federal record, but the high Power Train complaint count makes a thorough pre-purchase inspection prudent.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
118
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
317
Owner complaints
8 involved a crash · 10 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 317 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train103
Air Bags29
Unknown Or Other27
Engine16
Electrical System14
Vehicle Speed Control11
Fuel/Propulsion System9
Power Train,Vehicle Speed Control7

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

15V032000Electrical SystemReported 26/01/2015

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… 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…

12V068000Tires:Pressure Monitoring And Regulating SystemsReported 22/02/2012

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 MURANO AND ROGUE VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM NOVEMBER 23, 2011 THROUGH JANUARY 11, 2012. DURING ASSEMBLY, THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS) WAS NOT ACTIVATED. THUS… Remedy: ALL OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES ARE STILL IN DEALER INVENTORY. DEALERS HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED TO ACTIVATE ALL OF THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEMS.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 118 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
NTB09-131C2026-04-13StructureCERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision…
NTB09-131C2026-04-13StructureCERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision…
NTB13-107G2024-05-20Electrical SystemVEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been…
NTB13-027D2024-05-20Electrical SystemCAN COMMUNICATION – NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended. See…
NTB10-066C2024-05-20Electrical SystemCAN COMMUNICATION CODES – DIAGNOSTIC TIPS AND GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Rogue. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2012 Rogue take?

5.0 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2012 Rogue have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Rogue get?

EPA figures are 22 city / 26 highway / 23 combined mpg.