Nissan Frontier 2005–2021

2nd generation (D40) · D40 (Nissan F-Alpha) · 3,166 complaints, 2,660 with mileage

When failures happen

What fails, and when

By model year

Which systems, and when

Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 81,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.

The transmission and driveline accounts for 27.4% of complaints (868 reports, 775 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 100,150 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 80,196 and 121,000 miles.

A single system taking 27.4% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.

The fuel system accounts for 13.5% of complaints (428 reports, 390 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 54,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 42,700 and 74,000 miles.

The engine accounts for 9.9% of complaints (312 reports, 261 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 99,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 77,558 and 120,000 miles.

The engine and its cooling system accounts for 8.1% of complaints (256 reports, 232 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 97,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 80,000 and 116,589 miles.

The airbag system accounts for 7.2% of complaints (229 reports, 148 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 65,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 35,000 and 105,549 miles.

The fuel and propulsion system accounts for 6.5% of complaints (207 reports, 170 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 73,488 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 52,000 and 97,000 miles.

Differences between model years

Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2006 model year drew the most — 836 complaints — while 2021 drew the fewest at 25. The median year sits at 56.

That makes 2006 an outlier: roughly 14.9 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.

Recalls and what they cover

NHTSA records 15 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.

The campaigns cluster around the electrical system (3), the transmission and driveline (2), the suspension (2). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.

Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.

Reported severity

Of the 3,166 complaints filed against this generation, 98 reported a crash; 32 reported a fire; 90 reported an injury; 5 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 3.1% of the total.

These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.

What this means if you are buying one

For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 49,000 and 110,000 miles, with a median of 81,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.

On inspection, the transmission and driveline and the fuel system are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The fuel system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 54,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.

None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.

Documented problems

Recalls (15)

What owners reported

Other generations

• Nissan Frontier 1998–2004
• Nissan Frontier 2022–2025