Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Nissan Murano owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Murano. The contact stated while driving approximately 15 MPH and making a left turn, she heard a sound like loosened bolts coming from the rear driver's side tire. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the rear end subframe was severely rusted and parts of the suspension had fractured and detached from the subframe. The mechanic determined that the entire rear end needed to be replaced. The contact previously had the brake pads, rotors, and calipers replaced on the rear of the vehicle prior to the frame failure and was informed by the mechanic that the stress of having had brakes installed might have contributed to the frame being fractured. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Murano. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, a loud clunking type noise was present coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the rear subframe had separated due to severe corrosion and rusting and advised that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 133,000.
The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Murano. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, he heard abnormal sounds coming from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the entire subframe was severely corroded and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 190,000.
The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Murano. The contact stated that while inspecting the vehicle, it was discovered that the entire subframe was rusted. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 160,000.
The contact owns a 2009 Nissan Murano. The contact stated while having routine brake service performed, the mechanic notice that the rear subframe was rusted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but the manufacturer provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 119,000.
Right rear subframe rusted out - suspension has become disconnected from chassis. Car is unsafe to drive. The car is available for inspection. We could have lost control of the car because of this issue. Nissan did not identify the rust and sub-frame issue, another independent auto repair shop did (Worldwide Auto: bloomington, IN). Nissan missed this when we brought it in for investigation but rather blamed it on a steering wheel sensor malfunctioning. The component hasn't been inspected by police or insurance rep. Dashboard light came on before we brought it to Nissan, who then misdiagnosed the issue.
After noticing a noise on the left rear of my car after hitting a pothole, I took my 2009 Nissan MURANO to my local mechanical garage. What was found was a rusted sub frame. Obviously this could have resulted in injuries
My college age daughter was driving home from college and heard a noise under the car. It is a miracle she made the 4 hour drive without a serious accident. We immediately had the car inspected by a local garage with an excellent reputation. They called me back to the repair bay and told me the main rear subframe or 'rear cradle' had rusted completely in half. The car has 111,000 miles in it and has been well maintained. The engine and interior are in perfect condition and should provide many more years of service. The car is unsafe to drive and the local repair shops are unwilling to make repairs because of the risk of bolts breaking off in the unibody frame. There are many many reports of this online and Nissan refuses to fix the situation after calling and working through their phone process. This is a consumer life safety problem on par with stuck accelerators. …
When traveling down the road you can hear a very audible squeak and clunk coming from the passenger rear of the vehicle. After arriving home I pulled into the garage to determine the location of the noise, I placed a jack under the rear door on the pinch weld and raise the wheel off the ground and removed the tire. Upon further inspection I noticed the the right rear subframe which connects to the rear frame of the vehicle was completely rusted from top to bottom with only a fraction of the metal remaining around the bushing. The driver side rear subframe connection is also rusted from top to bottom, the subframe on the driver is contacting about 90 percent of the bushing the passenger side of the subframe is contacting about 10 percent of the bushing. The rust on the rest of the vehicle frame and front subframe is slightly rusted. My vehicle is 2009 Nissan Murano with 160,000 miles. …
I have never owned a vehicle with this many blind spots! I have had so many "close calls" and it finally caught up to me. I was backing out of a parking place and backed into a car. The car was double parked but I looked in my mirrors and over my shoulder and never seen the car. This being said, I was already scared of my Murano prior to this because of the side blind spots. I have almost hit pedestrians, cars, and bicyclists crossing the street on numerous occasions. The vehicle where the side mirrors are is way to big, along with the mirrors, there is a huge blind spot. I have been very cautious when turning because of this but never realized how the blind spot in the side rear was I till I hit that car. The rear back windows are small but the issues is the windows are to high and the body is at an upward slant leaving no view when looking over your shoulder. …
Body complaints in other Murano years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2009 Nissan Murano?
NHTSA has 29 complaints about the body & structure of the 2009 Nissan Murano, 5% of the model year's 635 complaints. The component named most often is body (18 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2009 Nissan Murano body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2009 Nissan Murano, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2009 Nissan Murano body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 100,000 miles, and 8% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.