Nissan Frontier: which model years draw the most owner complaints?
3,149 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Nissan Frontier, model years 2000 to 2026. 4 model years stand out for the engine or transmission: 2006 (engine 15×, transmission 22×); 2005 (engine 18×, transmission 26×); 2007 (engine 13×, transmission 22×); 2008 (transmission 5.4×). Quietest mature years by complaint count: 2018, 2019, 2015. Counts of unverified owner reports, compared only with other years of the same model; not failure rates.
Complaints by model year
| MODEL YEAR | COMPLAINTS | VS OTHER YEARS | STANDS OUT | RECALLS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 Frontier | 188 | — | 6 | |
| 2001 FrontierFEW REPORTS | 134 | — | 7 | |
| 2002 FrontierFEW REPORTS | 124 | — | 8 | |
| 2003 FrontierFEW REPORTS | 77 | — | 7 | |
| 2004 FrontierFEW REPORTS | 66 | — | 4 | |
| 2005 Frontier | 532 | engine 18×, transmission 26× | 6 | |
| 2006 Frontier | 617 | engine 15×, transmission 22× | 7 | |
| 2007 Frontier | 520 | engine 13×, transmission 22× | 2 | |
| 2008 FrontierFEW REPORTS | 136 | transmission 5.4× | 6 | |
| 2009 FrontierFEW REPORTS | 37 | quiet: 4 of 20 | 5 | |
| 2010 FrontierFEW REPORTS | 59 | — | 6 | |
| 2011 FrontierFEW REPORTS | 64 | — | 1 | |
| 2012 FrontierFEW REPORTS | 80 | — | 3 | |
| 2013 FrontierFEW REPORTS | 48 | — | 1 | |
| 2014 FrontierFEW REPORTS | 42 | quiet: 6 of 20 | 2 | |
| 2015 FrontierFEW REPORTS | 33 | quiet: 3 of 20 | 0 | |
| 2016 FrontierFEW REPORTS | 44 | quiet: 7 of 20 | 1 | |
| 2017 FrontierFEW REPORTS | 38 | quiet: 5 of 20 | 1 | |
| 2018 FrontierFEW REPORTS | 25 | quiet: 1 of 20 | 2 | |
| 2019 FrontierFEW REPORTS | 28 | quiet: 2 of 20 | 1 | |
| 2020 FrontierFEW REPORTS | 23 | — | 2 | |
| 2021 FrontierFEW REPORTS | 20 | — | 2 | |
| 2022 FrontierFEW REPORTS | 112 | — | 6 | |
| 2023 FrontierFEW REPORTS | 60 | — | 1 | |
| 2024 FrontierFEW REPORTS | 21 | — | 3 | |
| 2025 FrontierFEW REPORTS | 10 | — | 3 | |
| 2026 FrontierFEW REPORTS | 11 | — | 1 |
"Stands out" = 40 or more complaints naming that system and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share seen across every vehicle of that model year. Newer years have had less time on the road. "Quiet" ranks only years with 7+ years on the road and 20+ complaints. NHTSA data through November 2026.
Check your Frontier at your mileage
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Source: NHTSA public complaints, recalls, service bulletin and investigation databases, data received through November 2026. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not failure rates: sales volumes are unknown, so a model year is only compared with other years of the same model. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Year pages: 2000200520062007