2005 Nissan Frontier Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Frontier years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 29 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 532 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Nissan Frontier. That ranks 2nd out of 29 Frontier model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (262 complaints, 49%), typically at around 102,118 miles. Complaints mention 9 crashes, 8 fires, 11 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
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- 532owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 9complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2005 Nissan Frontier problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train problems | 262 | 49% | 102,118 | “transmission radiator” (16%) | $6,950 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 119 | 22% | 57,933 | “fuel gauge” (45%) | $770 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 106 | 20% | 95,997 | “transmission radiator” (24%) | — |
| Engine problems | 80 | 15% | 107,450 | “radiator transmission” (13%) | $2,800 |
| Electrical System | 38 | 7% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 25 | 5% | 87,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 18 | 3% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 17 | 3% | 42,500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 15 | 3% | 96,651 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 14 | 3% | 101,001 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 14 | 3% | 113,500 | — | — |
| Steering | 5 | 1% | 121,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 4 | 1% | 84,390 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 4 | 1% | 33,209 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 1% | 59,600 | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 1% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 1% | 93,650 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 1% | 90,780 | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 1% | 94,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 0% | 14,100 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 0% | 97,400 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 0% | 160,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 0% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 0% | 123,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2005 Nissan Frontier recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Engine and engine cooling
Problem: Nissan is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 armada, titan, infiniti qx56 and model year 2005-2006 frontier, pathfinder and xterra vehicles. The intelligent power distribution module (ipdm) assembly contains an engine control module (ecm) relay that has a diode for electrical current noise reduction. The ecm relay may allow silicon vapor to form and, over time, the silicon evaporates from the diode molding which causes silicon oxide to develop on the ecm relay contact due to arcing.
Risk: This could cause engine stalling increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the ecm relay inside the ipdm assembly. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on december 6, 2010. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: Nissan is recalling 242,720 my 2005-2009 pathfinder, frontier and xterra vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. In those areas of the country which use heavy concentrations of road salt in the winter, a mixture of snow/water and salt can enter into the front crash zone sensor (czs) housing. If this occurs, the czs may internally rust resulting in a signal interruption. If this happens, the red air bag warning light will illuminate to alert the vehicle operator.
Risk: This issue could result in the non-deployment of the driver and passenger front air bags in a crash, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the front czs with a redesigned sensor. The recall began on january 26, 2009. Owners in the other states will receive extended warranty coverage for the sensor to 10 years. These owners will be notified of the warranty extension by mail and will receive a sticker to place in their warranty booklet explaining the extended warranty coverage. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly:filler pipe and cap
Problem: On certain king cab trucks, in a severe side impact crash, there is a possibility that deformation of the vehicle's body could cause the fuel filler cap tether to be stretched to the point of unscrewing the fuel filler cap.
Risk: This may result in a fuel spill which in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel cap tether pin assembly with a modified one free of charge. The recall began on april 24, 2006. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Transmission Failures (DP12004) — opened Jun 11, 2012, closed Oct 22, 2016.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
El emblema de resina en la cubierta del mãdulo airbag del conductor en los vehãculos afectados puede tener durabilidad reducida debido a posibles variaciones en el proceso de producciãn del proveedor. En esta condiciãn, con el tiempo, los postes del emblema pueden desarrollar grietas, y el…
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Frontier. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23E012000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of…
The timing chain has gone out. Other crankshaft sensor went out while driving the vehicle at about 30mph.
The truck loss power stalling,shuddering, bucking, want pick up speed even when excellerating, slow take off, loss of speed
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently decelerated. The contact then stated that the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to coast the…
Other Nissan Frontier years
← 2004 Frontier · 2006 Frontier →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Frontier | 11 | 1 |
| 2025 Frontier | 9 | 3 |
| 2024 Frontier | 22 | 3 |
| 2023 Frontier | 66 | 1 |
| 2022 Frontier | 112 | 6 |
| 2021 Frontier | 20 | 2 |
| 2020 Frontier | 23 | 2 |
| 2019 Frontier | 28 | 1 |
| 2018 Frontier | 25 | 2 |
| 2017 Frontier | 38 | 1 |
| 2016 Frontier | 43 | 1 |
| 2015 Frontier | 33 | 0 |
| 2014 Frontier | 42 | 2 |
| 2013 Frontier | 48 | 1 |
| 2012 Frontier | 79 | 3 |
| 2011 Frontier | 64 | 1 |
| 2010 Frontier | 59 | 4 |
| 2009 Frontier | 37 | 3 |
| 2008 Frontier | 136 | 5 |
| 2007 Frontier | 520 | 1 |
| 2006 Frontier | 617 | 4 |
| 2005 | 532 | 3 |
| 2004 Frontier | 66 | 1 |
| 2003 Frontier | 77 | 4 |
| 2002 Frontier | 124 | 4 |
| 2001 Frontier | 134 | 3 |
| 2000 Frontier | 189 | 3 |
| 1999 Frontier | 78 | 2 |
| 1998 Frontier | 129 | 2 |
See all Nissan Frontier problems by year, every Nissan model, or the Nissan VIN decoder.
Similar Nissan models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Nissan Frontier?
Owners most often report power train, fuel system, gasoline, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 262 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2005 Nissan Frontier?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2005 Nissan Frontier a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Frontier model years, the 2005 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.