Nissan Frontier Problems by Year
NHTSA has 3,361 owner complaints and 39 safety recalls on file for the Nissan Frontier, across 29 model years (1998–2026). The 2006 model year has the most complaints (617). The most reported problem area overall is power train.
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Nissan Frontier years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Frontier year: 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 2006 Frontier: 617 complaints, 4 recalls
- 2005 Frontier: 532 complaints, 3 recalls
- 2007 Frontier: 520 complaints, 1 recall
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2025 Frontier: 9 complaints, 3 recalls
- 2026 Frontier: 11 complaints, 1 recall
- 2021 Frontier: 20 complaints, 2 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Nissan Frontier problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train problems | 992 | 29 | 16 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 505 | 16 | 1 |
| Engine problems | 350 | 25 | 7 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 325 | 14 | 3 |
| Electrical System problems | 313 | 27 | 7 |
| Air Bags problems | 299 | 26 | 70 |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 242 | 22 | 1 |
| Vehicle Speed Control problems | 126 | 24 | 16 |
| Structure problems | 123 | 26 | 11 |
| Suspension problems | 120 | 23 | 7 |
| Tires problems | 116 | 19 | 4 |
| Steering problems | 112 | 23 | 5 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 105 | 17 | 17 |
| Service Brakes problems | 100 | 23 | 16 |
| Fuel System, Other | 65 | 8 | 0 |
| Seat Belts | 61 | 20 | 7 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 52 | 8 | 6 |
| Wheels | 41 | 23 | 3 |
| Exterior Lighting | 37 | 15 | 1 |
| Seats | 37 | 17 | 2 |
| Visibility | 37 | 13 | 0 |
| Equipment | 25 | 10 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 20 | 12 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 14 | 8 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 12 | 9 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention | 11 | 6 | 0 |
| Parking Brake | 10 | 7 | 2 |
| Traction Control System | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Trailer Hitches | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Child Seat | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Lane Departure | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Insert, Padding | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Nissan Frontier problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2008: power train (54)
- 2007: power train (222) · fuel system, gasoline (113) · fuel/propulsion system (75) · engine (72) · engine and engine cooling (62)
- 2006: power train (220) · fuel system, gasoline (174) · engine (82) · engine and engine cooling (74) · fuel/propulsion system (61)
- 2005: power train (262) · fuel system, gasoline (119) · engine and engine cooling (106) · engine (80)
All Nissan Frontier model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Frontier | 11 | 1 | — | Power Train | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2025 Frontier | 9 | 3 | — | Power Train | |
| 2024 Frontier | 22 | 3 | — | Power Train | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2023 Frontier | 66 | 1 | — | Electrical System | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2022 Frontier | 112 | 6 | 4★ | Forward Collision Avoidance | More complaints than other years |
| 2021 Frontier | 20 | 2 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2020 Frontier | 23 | 2 | — | Power Train | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2019 Frontier | 28 | 1 | 4★ | Power Train | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2018 Frontier | 25 | 2 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2017 Frontier | 38 | 1 | 4★ | Fuel/propulsion System | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2016 Frontier | 43 | 1 | — | Air Bags | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2015 Frontier | 33 | 0 | — | Air Bags | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2014 Frontier | 42 | 2 | — | Air Bags | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2013 Frontier | 48 | 1 | — | Air Bags | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2012 Frontier | 79 | 3 | — | Air Bags | More complaints than other years |
| 2011 Frontier | 64 | 1 | — | Air Bags | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2010 Frontier | 59 | 4 | — | Air Bags | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2009 Frontier | 37 | 3 | — | Air Bags | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2008 Frontier | 136 | 5 | — | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2007 Frontier | 520 | 1 | — | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2006 Frontier | 617 | 4 | — | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2005 Frontier | 532 | 3 | — | Power Train | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2004 Frontier | 66 | 1 | — | Power Train | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2003 Frontier | 77 | 4 | — | Fuel System, Gasoline | More complaints than other years |
| 2002 Frontier | 124 | 4 | — | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2001 Frontier | 134 | 3 | — | Fuel System, Gasoline | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2000 Frontier | 189 | 3 | — | Tires | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1999 Frontier | 78 | 2 | — | Tires | More complaints than other years |
| 1998 Frontier | 129 | 2 | — | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
More from Nissan: all Nissan models · Nissan VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Nissan Frontier years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 1998 (129), 2000 (189), 2001 (134), 2002 (124), 2005 (532), 2006 (617), 2007 (520), 2008 (136) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Frontier year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Nissan Frontier?
Power Train, with 992 complaints across 29 model years.
How many recalls does the Nissan Frontier have?
39 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.