2006 Nissan Frontier Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Oct 9, 2026 · 617 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Frontier years
Far more complaints than other years 1st of 29 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 617 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006 Nissan Frontier. That is the most of any Frontier model year in the database (29 years). The most reported problem area is power train (220 complaints, 36%), typically at around 103,100 miles. Complaints mention 13 crashes, 2 fires, 13 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.

Nissan Frontier
Nissan_Frontier_(D41)_Pro-4X at Automesse Ludwigsburg 2022. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2006 Nissan Frontier problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Power Train220 · ~103,100 mi
Fuel System, Gasoline174 · ~51,000 mi
Engine82 · ~106,000 mi
Engine and Engine Cooling74 · ~92,000 mi
Fuel/propulsion System61 · ~80,000 mi
Steering34 · ~51,000 mi
Electrical System31 · ~105,701 mi
Air Bags26 · ~66,850 mi
Fuel System, Other22 · ~62,300 mi
Unknown or Other19 · ~103,000 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Power Train problems22036%103,100“transmission fluid” (24%)$6,000
Fuel System, Gasoline problems17428%51,000“fuel gauge” (57%)$620
Engine problems8213%106,000“transmission radiator” (17%)—
Engine and Engine Cooling problems7412%92,000“transmission radiator” (16%)—
Fuel/propulsion System problems6110%80,000“fuel gauge” (49%)—
Steering346%51,000——
Electrical System315%105,701——
Air Bags264%66,850——
Fuel System, Other224%62,300——
Unknown or Other193%103,000——
Service Brakes, Hydraulic163%38,984——
Vehicle Speed Control142%97,738——
Suspension91%52,000——
Seat Belts81%84,847——
Structure81%72,000——
Service Brakes51%79,000——
Equipment41%48,050——
Tires41%47,000——
Latches/locks/linkages30%41,800——
Visibility20%37,000——
Wheels20%25,442——
Chest Clip, Buckle, Harness10%———
Electronic Stability Control (esc)10%109——
Insert, Padding10%———
Parking Brake10%79,000——
Seats10%173,000——
Service Brakes, Electric10%38,500——
Trailer Hitches10%22,750——
Visibility/wiper10%65,000——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2010, with 120 complaints
2006: 9200692007: 552008: 212008212009: 46462010: 12020101202011: 53532012: 562012562013: 66662014: 512014512015: 42422016: 412016412017: 17172018: 282018282019: 26262020: 122020122021: 772022: 5202252023: 552024: 3202432026: 44

n = 617 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2006 Nissan Frontier recalls (4)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Engine and engine coolingOct 28, 2010 · NHTSA campaign 10V517000 · 747,480 vehicles

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.

Fuel system, gasoline:storage:auxillary tankMar 3, 2010 · NHTSA campaign 10V075000 · 80,689 vehicles

Problem: Nissan is recalling certain model year 2006 and model year 2008 frontier, xterra and pathfinder vehicles. The molded fuel tank shells can deform, causing the fuel sender float arm to contact an embossment molded into the tank shell causing the instrument panel fuel gauge to show that the vehicle has approximately one quarter tank when the fuel tank is empty.

Risk: This could cause the vehicle to run out of gas and stall in traffic, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel level sending unit inside the fuel tank with a new one that has a modified float arm. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before march 22, 2010. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

Air bags:frontalDec 29, 2008 · NHTSA campaign 08V690000 · 242,720 vehicles

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 capMar 30, 2006 · NHTSA campaign 06V092000 · 42,000 vehicles

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

  • Fuel smell and loss of motive power (DP26003) — opened Mar 30, 2026, closed Oct 9, 2026.
  • 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.

I have two recalls, I´m living in [XXX] and I drive this vehicle here. I don´t know where they can solve this problems. NHTSA Recall Number23E-012 NHTSA Recall Number10V-517 I have set a letter in the Upload Files section INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5…

Air Bags · received Sep 16, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11764830

Whenever I fill ip the tank I get a fuel smell inside the vehicle. I do not overfill the tank and always stop filling when the fuel pump stops the first time. I have not been able to identify a leak and have not seen fuel leaking under the vehicle. The smell is strong for about the first 1/4 tank…

Fuel/propulsion System · received Apr 1, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11728559

See attached document for complaint.

Fuel System, Gasoline · received Apr 1, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11728571

The truck has been stalling while driving or won't start. The ECM relay was recalled and was taken care of Thursday, February 19. However, the truck still stalls while driving and won't start at times. I've asked Nissan to look at the IPDM to see if there was any consequential damage, but they…

Electrical System · received Feb 24, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11720086

The contact owns a 2006 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaking oil. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact drove the vehicle to a local dealer who diagnosed that the valve cover gasket needed to be replaced. Additionally, the…

Engine and Engine Cooling · received Feb 12, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11571478

Other Nissan Frontier years

← 2005 Frontier · 2007 Frontier →

See all Nissan Frontier problems by year, every Nissan model, or the Nissan VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2006 Nissan Frontier?

Owners most often report power train, fuel system, gasoline, engine problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 220 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2006 Nissan Frontier?

Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2006 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 2006 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.