Nissan Murano 2009–2014 problems by year and mileage
2nd generation (Z51) · Nissan D / Z51
NHTSA data through 24 September 20261,329 complaints, 1,012 with mileageMethod
Which year is yours? Tap it to see what breaks on it.
The 2009 Nissan Murano
Close- Median failure report
- 80,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 635
- Recalls naming this year
- 4
Most reported on the 2009
- Brakes253 reports · median 88,000 mi
- Airbag system91 reports · median 75,000 mi
- Electrical system83 reports · median 71,000 mi
4 recall campaigns name the 2009: Service brakes, hydraulic — antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip; Tires — pressure monitoring and regulating systems; Electrical system — software. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2010 Nissan Murano
Close- Median failure report
- 88,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 192
- Recalls naming this year
- 0
Most reported on the 2010
- Brakes56 reports · median 100,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline40 reports · median 88,000 mi
- Electrical system22 reports
The 2011 Nissan Murano
Close- Median failure report
- 85,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 148
- Recalls naming this year
- 0
Most reported on the 2011
- Brakes38 reports · median 87,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline37 reports · median 90,000 mi
- Problems owners could not categorise23 reports
The 2012 Nissan Murano
Close- Median failure report
- 65,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 135
- Recalls naming this year
- 1
Most reported on the 2012
- Transmission and driveline30 reports
- Airbag system26 reports
- Problems owners could not categorise23 reports
1 recall campaign names the 2012: Tires — pressure monitoring and regulating systems. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2013 Nissan Murano
Close- Median failure report
- 66,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 74
- Recalls naming this year
- 1
Most reported on the 2013
- Transmission and driveline13 reports
- Problems owners could not categorise13 reports
- Electrical system11 reports
1 recall campaign names the 2013: Steering — hydraulic power assist. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
The 2014 Nissan Murano
Close- Median failure report
- 58,000 mi
- Complaints filed
- 145
- Recalls naming this year
- 1
Most reported on the 2014
- Problems owners could not categorise39 reports
- Transmission and driveline31 reports
- Steering23 reports
1 recall campaign names the 2014: Steering — hydraulic power assist. Not every car in a campaign is affected — check the VIN at NHTSA. Recall repairs are free.
Each tile shows the median mileage at which that model year’s failures were reported. The 2010 reports latest and the 2014 earliest, but part of that gap is age: the 2010 has had 4 more years on the road to accumulate mileage.
The short answer
“Is the 2009–2014 Nissan Murano reliable?”
- Median of reported failures
- 77,000 mi
- 90% of reports came by
- 140,000 mi
- Reports with mileage
- 1,012
- Recalls
- 6
Most reported
- Brakes27.6% of complaints · median 88,000 mi
- Transmission and driveline16.6% of complaints · median 85,000 mi
- Airbag system11.8% of complaints · median 70,000 mi
Documented problems
- Transmission — Xtronic CVT2009–2014
- Glass — Panoramic Sunroof2009–2014
Owners filed 1,329 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009–2014 Nissan Murano; the brakes leads with 27.6% of them, and half of the 1,012 that record an odometer reading came by 77,000 miles. A count like this can’t rate reliability on its own: NHTSA records what owners chose to report, not how many of each car were sold.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 52,000 and 110,000 miles.
Before-you-buy checklist ↓At your mileage ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
How many miles does a 2009–2014 Nissan Murano last?
Complaint records can’t measure how long a car lasts; they show when reported failures happened. On the 2009–2014 Nissan Murano, half of the 1,012 complaints that record an odometer reading were filed by 77,000 miles and 90% by 140,000 miles.
76 reports came in past 150,000 miles and 9 past 200,000 — each one proof that a Murano reached that mileage, not that it failed there.
Figure 1 · Nissan Murano 2009–2014 · 1,012 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 10,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 121 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 9 complaints (0.9%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 23,000
- 25%
- 52,000
- Median
- 77,250
- 75%
- 110,000
- 90%
- 140,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 67 | 6.6% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 22 | 2.2% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 42 | 4.2% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 45 | 4.4% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 55 | 5.4% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 77 | 7.6% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 121 | 12.0% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 96 | 9.5% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 81 | 8.0% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 83 | 8.2% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 68 | 6.7% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 57 | 5.6% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 57 | 5.6% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 35 | 3.5% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 30 | 3.0% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 20 | 2.0% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 26 | 2.6% |
| 170,000–180,000 | 11 | 1.1% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 5 | 0.5% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 5 | 0.5% |
| 200,000+ | 9 | 0.9% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Common Murano problems, and when they happen
Figure 2 · Nissan Murano 2009–2014
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Steering81 reports66,00046,000–78,000Steering: 81 reports, median 66,000 miles, middle half 46,000 to 78,000 miles.
- Airbag system157 reports70,00049,000–94,000Airbag system: 157 reports, median 70,000 miles, middle half 49,000 to 94,000 miles.
- Electrical system148 reports70,00045,000–100,000Electrical system: 148 reports, median 70,000 miles, middle half 45,000 to 100,000 miles.
- Problems owners could not categorise154 reports74,00041,000–106,000Problems owners could not categorise: 154 reports, median 74,000 miles, middle half 41,000 to 106,000 miles.
- Body structure79 reports77,00048,000–111,000Body structure: 79 reports, median 77,000 miles, middle half 48,000 to 111,000 miles.
- Transmission and driveline220 reports85,00060,000–116,000Transmission and driveline: 220 reports, median 85,000 miles, middle half 60,000 to 116,000 miles.
- Brakes367 reports88,00065,000–116,000Brakes: 367 reports, median 88,000 miles, middle half 65,000 to 116,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
All systems in a table
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 367 | 27.6% | 88,000 | 65,000–116,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 220 | 16.6% | 85,000 | 60,000–116,000 |
| Airbag system | 157 | 11.8% | 70,000 | 49,000–94,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 154 | 11.6% | 74,000 | 41,000–106,000 |
| Electrical system | 148 | 11.1% | 70,000 | 45,000–100,000 |
| Steering | 81 | 6.1% | 66,000 | 46,000–78,000 |
| Body structure | 79 | 5.9% | 77,000 | 48,000–111,000 |
| Engine | 73 | 5.5% | 74,000 | 29,000–117,000 |
| Visibility/wiper | 53 | 4.0% | 52,000 | 34,000–75,000 |
| Suspension | 46 | 3.5% | 121,000 | 110,000–150,000 |
System by system, in words
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 77,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The brakes account for 27.6% of complaints (367 reports, 313 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 88,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 65,000 and 116,000 miles.
A single system taking 27.6% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 16.6% of complaints (220 reports, 170 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 85,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 60,000 and 116,000 miles.
The airbag system accounts for 11.8% of complaints (157 reports, 104 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 70,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 49,000 and 94,000 miles.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 11.6% of complaints (154 reports, 91 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 74,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 41,000 and 106,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 11.1% of complaints (148 reports, 119 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 70,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 45,000 and 100,000 miles.
The steering accounts for 6.1% of complaints (81 reports, 57 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 66,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 46,000 and 78,000 miles.
Known problems with the 2009–2014 Murano
Transmission — Xtronic CVT 2009–2014
Continued CVT failures. On the 2nd-generation JATCO unit the most commonly cited single root cause is failure of the flow control valve in the front pump — one estimate attributes up to 90% of failures to that part. Downstream, overheated fluid lets the steel belt slip against the pulleys, shedding metal debris through the unit. Symptoms: judder, delayed acceleration, sudden loss of power.
Glass — Panoramic Sunroof 2009–2014
Reports of spontaneous shattering of the panoramic sunroof glass, a complaint pattern shared across several Nissan models of this era.
Before you buy a 2009–2014 Murano: the 3-minute check
Generated from 1,012 mileage-tagged complaints, 6 recall campaigns, 2 documented problem areas. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 6 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Check transmission — xtronic CVT on 2009–2014 cars. Continued CVT failures. On the 2nd-generation JATCO unit the most commonly cited single root cause is failure of the flow control valve in the front pump — one estimate attributes up to 90% of failures to that part.…
- Check glass — panoramic sunroof on 2009–2014 cars. Reports of spontaneous shattering of the panoramic sunroof glass, a complaint pattern shared across several Nissan models of this era.
- Complaint reports are not spread evenly across model years here — see the by-model-year table below before you settle on a year.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 52,000 and 110,000 miles, with a median of 77,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the brakes and the transmission and driveline are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The transmission and driveline in particular shows a median failure mileage of 85,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Murano problems by mileage: where your car sits
Type your odometer reading, or read the common mileages in the table. Your marker lands on the timing chart above and on the curve below.
| System | Middle half of reports, mi | At 60k mi30% below | At 90k mi60% below | At 120k mi80% below | At 150k mi92% below | At 200k mi99% below |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 65,000–116,000 | later | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Transmission and driveline | 60,000–116,000 | later | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Airbag system | 49,000–94,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 41,000–106,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Electrical system | 45,000–100,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Steering | 46,000–78,000 | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier | earlier |
| Body structure | 48,000–111,000 | in window | in window | earlier | earlier | earlier |
Figure 3 · Nissan Murano 2009–2014 · 1,012 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 30% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 60% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 80% of reports below
- 150,000 mi — 92% of reports below
- 200,000 mi — 99% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it above
The staircase tops out at 99%: the remaining 0.9% of reports (9) came above 200,000 miles.
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
2009–2014 Nissan Murano recalls (6)
NHTSA records 6 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the tyres (2), the hydraulic brake circuit (1), the steering (1). Several campaigns against one area can mean a remedy that did not hold, or separate defects in parts filed under the same heading; the summaries below name each defect.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Dec 2018 · 2009 · Service Brakes, HydraulicIf the valves do not properly close, additional brake pedal travel may be required to stop the vehicle…
The defect. Nissan of North America, Inc (Nissan) is recalling certain 2009 Murano vehicles. The valves within the ABS Hydraulic Control Units (HCU) may react with brake fluids containing specific corrosion preventative additives. This reaction may cause the valves to…
What can happen. If the valves do not properly close, additional brake pedal travel may be required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Nissan has notified owners, and dealers will flush the brake system with DOT 4 fluid. The HCU will then be tested to detect a possible stuck valve condition. If necessary, the HCU will be replaced…
Mar 2017 · 2013–2014 · SteeringIf the power steering fluid leaks onto a heat source such as hot engine or exhaust components, there could be…
The defect. Nissan North America (Nissan) is recalling certain 2013-2014 Murano and Murano Cross Cabriolet vehicles. The power steering hose clamp may not adequately secure the hose, allowing the hose to detach and leak power steering fluid.
What can happen. If the power steering fluid leaks onto a heat source such as hot engine or exhaust components, there could be an increased risk of a fire.
The free fix. Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will install a power steering high pressure hose kit, free of charge. The recall began May 10, 2017. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at…
Feb 2012 · 2012 · TiresA non-active TPMS cannot warn a driver that a tire is underinflated.
The defect. 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, these vehicles fail to comply with the…
What can happen. A non-active TPMS cannot warn a driver that a tire is underinflated. Underinflated tires can result in tire overloading and overheating, which could lead to a blowout and possible crash.
The free fix. All of the affected vehicles are still in dealer inventory. Dealers have been instructed to activate all of the tire pressure monitoring systems.
Oct 2009 · 2009 · TiresIf the TPMS lamp is disregarded and the vehicle continues to be driven in this condition, the tire will…
The defect. Nissan is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, iowa, illinois, indiana, massachusetts, maine, maryland, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new…
What can happen. If the TPMS lamp is disregarded and the vehicle continues to be driven in this condition, the tire will quickly lose air pressure at a consistent rate resulting in a flat tire increasing the risk of…
The free fix. The dealer will replace the TPMS nut with a new, more robust nut. This service will be performed free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on or before november 9, 2009. Owners may contact…
Oct 2008 · 2009 · Electrical SystemThis could result in the passenger air bag being suppressed which could fail to provide adequate protection…
The defect. Nissan is recalling 204,361 my 2007-2008 altima, altima hybrid, 350z, 350z roadster, my 2008 altima coupe, rogue, my 2009 Murano, and Infiniti my 2007-2008 G35 sedan, my 2008 G37 coupe and ex35 passenger vehicles equipped with continental automotive systems'…
What can happen. This could result in the passenger air bag being suppressed which could fail to provide adequate protection in the event of a crash.
The free fix. Dealers will test the signal between the ocs and acu systems using a special tool to check that it is functioning as designed. If necessary, the seat cushion (containing ocs hardware) will be…
Feb 2008 · 2009 · Air BagsThis could result in the passenger air bag not inflating in a crash in which it was designed to do so, and…
The defect. Nissan is recalling 16,365 my 2008 Infiniti ex35 and my 2009 Nissan Murano vehicles. Due to incorrect software programming, the air bag control unit (acu) may cause the passenger air bag not to operate as designed if the vehicle battery becomes significantly…
What can happen. This could result in the passenger air bag not inflating in a crash in which it was designed to do so, and increasing the risk of injury.
The free fix. Dealers will reprogram the acu in affected vehicles. The recall began on february 19, 2008. Owners may contact Infiniti at 1-800-662-6200 or Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Crashes, fires and injuries owners reported
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 1,329 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 53 (4.0%)
- Fires
- 7
- Injury reports
- 30
- Fatality reports
- 2
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Murano problems by model year
The 2009 drew the most complaints of this generation, 635, most of them about the brakes, and the 2013 the fewest, 74. A typical year drew about 146.
That makes the 2009 stand out at roughly 4.3 times a typical year. A count like this follows how many cars of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as how often they failed, so it is not by itself evidence of a worse year; what each year's reports name, in its card and row, is the useful part.
| Year | Complaints | With mileage | Median miles | Most reported | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 635 | 525 | 80,000 | Brakes (253) | 4 |
| 2010 | 192 | 142 | 88,000 | Brakes (56) | 0 |
| 2011 | 148 | 106 | 85,000 | Brakes (38) | 0 |
| 2012 | 135 | 97 | 65,000 | Transmission and driveline (30) | 1 |
| 2013 | 74 | 54 | 66,000 | Transmission and driveline (13) | 1 |
| 2014 | 145 | 88 | 58,000 | Problems owners could not categorise (39) | 1 |
What Murano owners reported
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Murano. The contact stated that while parking or making right turns, a clicking noise was heard coming from under the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the power steering hose was leaking and needed to be replaced. The contact…
2014 · 165,000 miles · Steering
The contact owned a 2009 Nissan Murano. The contact stated that several years ago, the vehicle was stolen, and the contact was informed that the vehicle was involved in a crash and that the air bags should have deployed; however, the air bags failed to deploy. The contact was unaware of several details associated with…
2009 · 130,000 miles · Airbag system
The contact owns a 2012 Nissan Murano. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, the contact and the front seat passenger attempted to exit the vehicle, but all the doors failed to unlock. Additionally, the steering wheel was locked upside down. The contact stated that the engine started to overheat, and the…
2012 · 136,000 miles · Electrical system
The contact owns a 2014 Nissan Murano. The contact stated that multiple issues were experienced with the vehicle while driving, including the following: the transmission has odd noises, is not changing gears properly, and emits a burning smell; the vehicle randomly overheats; the brake fluid bubbles when the vehicle…
2014 · 126,000 miles · Engine
Built from 1,012 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-09-26 · open data · how it is built
Other Murano generations
- Murano 2003–2007 3,329 reports with mileage, most about seats
- Murano 2015–2024 364 reports with mileage, most about problems owners could not categorise