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Nissan: reliability & common problems

#8 of 24
Longevity rank#1 Tesla holds up to ~185k
~123k
Trouble-free mileageacross all body styles
254
Nissans inspectedreal pre-purchase inspections
62/100
Average conditionall cars we check: 61/100



Based on 254 used Nissans we inspected, they are in about average shape — average condition 62/100 vs 61 for all cars we check. Every number on this page comes from real pre-purchase inspections — cars people were about to buy and paid an independent inspector to go through point by point, engine to underbody, paint depth to error codes. Not owner surveys, not warranty statistics, not forum lore: what we actually found.

What we found

Most common faults

Oil leaks · Engine
49%
Tires condition & wear · Brakes and tires
37%
Active error codes · Electronic equipment
33%
Fuel trim out of range · Engine
24%
Low coolant / cooling system issues · Engine
18%

Share of inspected Nissans where each item was flagged.

How they score

Excellent 22% Good 35% Mediocre 27% Poor 17%
Hidden history

What the seller might not mention — how often we find it on Nissans.

77%had a repainted or replaced panelall cars: 75%
7%showed structural repairall cars: 4%
23%had fault codes recently clearedall cars: 23%

Compare with another brand:

Cross-shopping? Nissan vs Toyota · Nissan vs Honda · Nissan vs Ford

How long does a Nissan last?

Across every Nissan body style we've inspected — sedans, SUVs and anything else pooled together — the average one's condition dips below decent (a 55/100 score) around ~123k miles. It ranks Nissan #8 of 24 brands we have enough data to rate; the longest-lasting, Tesla, holds up to ~185k. Shopping a Nissan near that mileage? Expect more wear ahead — see which makes give the best odds at your budget.



Good cars by mileage
0 25 50 75 100 0–20k mi: 100% in good shape (12 cars) 20–40k mi: 89% in good shape (18 cars) 40–60k mi: 81% in good shape (32 cars) 60–80k mi: 66% in good shape (41 cars) 80–100k mi: 73% in good shape (40 cars) 100–120k mi: 37% in good shape (35 cars) 120–140k mi: 38% in good shape (32 cars) 140–160k mi: 29% in good shape (17 cars) 160–180k mi: 17% in good shape (12 cars) 180–200k mi: 13% in good shape (8 cars) 40k 80k 120k 160k 200k mileage when we inspected it
Good cars by age
0 25 50 75 100 1 years old: 91% in good shape (11 cars) 2 years old: 100% in good shape (15 cars) 3 years old: 87% in good shape (15 cars) 4 years old: 50% in good shape (22 cars) 5 years old: 74% in good shape (19 cars) 6 years old: 71% in good shape (24 cars) 7 years old: 64% in good shape (28 cars) 8 years old: 42% in good shape (24 cars) 9 years old: 52% in good shape (23 cars) 10 years old: 73% in good shape (11 cars) 11 years old: 40% in good shape (15 cars) 12 years old: 22% in good shape (9 cars) 13 years old: 20% in good shape (10 cars) 14 years old: 25% in good shape (8 cars) 15 years old: 13% in good shape (8 cars) 2y 4y 6y 8y 10y 12y 14y 16y vehicle age when we inspected it

Share of Nissans in good shape (scoring 60+/100) by mileage and by age when we inspected them (each dot ≥5 cars; rolled-back odometers excluded from the mileage curve). The dashed grey curve is all cars we check.

Is Nissan getting better?
↘↗ Dipped in the mid-2010s — the newest generation recovered 40% 60% 80% 2012–14: 60% in good shape (age-adjusted; 29 cars, raw 55%) 60 2015–17: 50% in good shape (age-adjusted; 45 cars, raw 49%) 50 2018+: 68% in good shape (age-adjusted; 50 cars, raw 76%) 68 2009–11 2012–14 2015–17 2018+

Share of Nissans in good shape (60+/100) when inspected at the same age — 5–10 years old, age-adjusted — by model-year generation; the dashed line is the all-brand average. Compare every brand's trajectory →



Nissan models we've inspected
Rogue 34 cars · 70% good Sentra 34 cars · 62% good Versa 26 cars · 62% good Altima 48 cars · 42% good Frontier 22 cars · profile soon Pathfinder 20 cars · profile soon Maxima 12 cars · profile soon Murano 10 cars · profile soon

Recently inspected:

1996 Nissan Pickup · 214k mi — flagged: exhaust system leaks, oil leaks, fuel trim out of range. Inspected Aug 6.
2023 Nissan Rogue · 41k mi — flagged: tires condition & wear, steering wheel, audio and video unit. Inspected Jul 31.
The bottom line

Nissans hold up decently long-term, staying serviceable past 120k miles, but the real story is under the hood. Nearly half show oil leaks, with fuel-trim and cooling issues piling on, so start every inspection there and treat active codes as a red flag for deferred work. Body panels are almost always repainted and structural repairs run a bit high, so insist on a full underbody check. Skip the 2015-17 cars when you can; the 2018-and-newer generation comes through in clearly better shape at the same age. Use any engine seepage or panel work to negotiate hard, or walk if the leaks are already advanced.

FAQ
?
Is Nissan reliable?
57% of the 254 Nissans we inspected scored 60/100 or higher, averaging 62/100 — they are in about average shape.
?
What are the most common problems with a used Nissan?
Across the Nissans we inspected, the items we flag most often are oil leaks (49%), tires condition & wear (37%), active error codes (33%).
?
Are newer Nissans more reliable than older ones?
The mid-2010s Nissans were the weak patch — the newest generation has recovered, comparing all of them at the same age (5–10 years old).
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Based on 254 inspections · updated Aug 12, 2026