Nissan Frontier Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 992 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the Nissan Frontier across 29 model years. The 2005 model year has the most (262). The words owners use most often: “transmission fluid” (19% of reports).
- 992power train complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 16mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 4related recalls
- $6,450typical repair cost reported by owners
- 33%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Transmission fluid: mentioned in 189 of 992 complaints (19%)
- Radiator coolant: mentioned in 54 of 992 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the Nissan Frontier at $6,450, and half of them between $4,150 and $7,800.
Based on 89 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2005–2022), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 821 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 992 complaints, 16 mention a crash, 8 a fire, 4 an injury.
Nissan Frontier power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Frontier | 3 | 27% | — |
| 2025 Frontier | 2 | 22% | — |
| 2024 Frontier | 6 | 27% | — |
| 2023 Frontier | 13 | 20% | 24,500 |
| 2022 Frontier | 24 | 21% | 598 |
| 2021 Frontier | 5 | 25% | 99,172 |
| 2020 Frontier | 12 | 52% | 28,000 |
| 2019 Frontier | 7 | 25% | 9,337 |
| 2018 Frontier | 2 | 8% | 16,000 |
| 2017 Frontier | 6 | 16% | 4,200 |
| 2016 Frontier | 3 | 7% | 35,000 |
| 2015 Frontier | 5 | 15% | 20,000 |
| 2014 Frontier | 6 | 14% | 17,250 |
| 2013 Frontier | 6 | 13% | 30,801 |
| 2012 Frontier | 20 | 25% | 32,215 |
| 2011 Frontier | 9 | 14% | 54,000 |
| 2010 Frontier | 15 | 25% | 54,319 |
| 2009 Frontier | 8 | 22% | 96,000 |
| 2008 Frontier | 54 | 40% | 95,500 |
| 2007 Frontier | 222 | 43% | 108,000 |
| 2006 Frontier | 220 | 36% | 103,100 |
| 2005 Frontier | 262 | 49% | 102,118 |
| 2004 Frontier | 13 | 20% | 72,500 |
| 2003 Frontier | 7 | 9% | 56,000 |
| 2002 Frontier | 7 | 6% | 121,750 |
| 2001 Frontier | 8 | 6% | 125,000 |
| 2000 Frontier | 26 | 14% | 119,179 |
| 1999 Frontier | 12 | 15% | 60,078 |
| 1998 Frontier | 9 | 7% | 110,323 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (4)
Power train:automatic transmission
Model years: 2020, 2021, 2022
Problem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2023 Titan, 2020-2022 Frontier, and 2023 Z vehicles. The transmission parking pawl may not engage when the vehicle is shifted into park, which can result in a vehicle rollaway.
Risk: A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners are advised to apply the parking brake every time they park their vehicle. Dealers will perform the applicable repairs below, free of charge: Â Model Year 2020-2022 Frontier vehicles: reprogram Transmission Control Module (TCM) Â Model Year 2020-2022 Titan vehicles: reprogram TCM and Engine Control Module (ECM) Â Model Year 2023 Titan vehicles: reprogram TCM Â Model Year 2023 Z vehicles: reprogram TCM. Owner notification letters were mailed October 28, 2022. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669.
Power train:automatic transmission
Model years: 2020, 2021, 2022
Problem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Frontier and Titan vehicles. The transmission parking pawl may not engage when the vehicle is shifted into park, which can result in a vehicle rollaway.
Risk: A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners are advised to apply the parking brake every time they park their vehicle. Dealers will replace the transmission parking pawl pin, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 2022. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R22A2 R22A3.
Power train:automatic transmission
Model years: 2000
Problem: Vehicle description: pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions fail to comply with the requirements of fmvss no. 102, "transmission shift lever sequence, starter interlock, and transmission braking effect. " these vehicles could have a shift cable lock plate that is too brittle and can break. The gear shift lever and the "prndl" indicator may move, but the transmission will not shift out of the park position. Over a period of time, the transmission could shift out of the park position, but the gear indicated on the display may differ from the gear engaged in the transmission.
Risk: If the driver selects 'drive' and the transmission is actually in 'reverse', a vehicle crash could occur.
Fix: Dealers will replace the automatic transmission shift cable lock plate.
Power train:automatic transmission:gear position indication (prndl)
Model years: 1998
Problem: Vehicle description: light duty passenger trucks equipped with automatic transmissions. A securing pin inside the automatic transmission control device assembly can come loose allowing the shift lever to be inadvertently moved out of the park position with the key in the ignition.
Risk: This could result in a crash if the parking brake is not engaged.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the automatic transmission control device assembly and replace it if necessary.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
While driving my 2026 Nissan Frontier PRO-4X at highway speeds, the vehicle intermittently loses the ability to accelerate. The engine remains running, but pressing the accelerator produces no increase in vehicle speed or engine RPM. No warning lights or diagnostic messages appear when the…
My 2025 Nissan Frontier SV with 4,300 miles is experiencing an ongoing drivetrain issue related to the driveshaft and transfer case. There is a defect related to these parts that results in the drivetrain binding causing the vehicle to have rough shifting and at times, lunge forward when braking to…
Started rolling in park, then would not start towed to dealer , no word and no help!!!!
Muffler developed hole in the top of it prematurely and melted the main wiring harness due to a known design flaw. The vehicle is still at the dealer awaiting repair. All warning lights came on, 4 wheel drive was disabled, center console lost power and hvac was disabled. Safety was put at risk as…
This is a nine speed transmission which basically shifts up each gear every 5 to 6 MPH until you hit 9th gear about 52 MPH. The transmission will not shift to next gear fast enough causing the vehicle to be very slow. The transmission has to go through 5 gears to get to 30 MPH. Each gear shifts at…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Nissan Frontiers have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 992 owner complaints about power train for the Nissan Frontier. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Nissan Frontier power train?
Yes: 4 safety recalls list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the Nissan Frontier?
Owners report a typical cost of $6,450 (half paid between $4,150 and $7,800), from 89 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the Nissan Frontier?
The most frequent phrase is “transmission fluid”, in 189 of 992 complaints, followed by “radiator coolant” (54).
Other Nissan Frontier problems
See all Nissan Frontier problems.