3 Nissan Engines You Should Steer Clear Of
By Bob Sharp
Published on April 11, 2026.
Nissan has a reputation for building vehicles that are generally reliable, with many owners receiving 100,000 miles or more from their vehicles. However, there are some older (and newer) Nissan engines that are best avoided. In February, the NHTSA issued a safety recall report for 318,781 Nissan Rogue vehicles equipped with a 1.5-liter 3-cylinder VC Turbo engine, which could cause fractured gears and a loss of power. This isn't the first time that Nissan's VC-motor has made headlines for the wrong reasons. The Nissan QR25DE engine, used in Nissan models from the early 2000s to present, can only be considered reliable if you ignore its tendency to eat the pre-catalyst component of its catalytic converter. The VQ40 engine has a history of problems, with its origins being in Nissan Pathfinders and Frontiers.
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3 Nissan Engines You Should Steer Clear Of
Nissan's reliability and reputation are bolstered by its reliable engine systems, but these often come under scrutiny for flaws like engine failures and catalytic converters.