The best and worst Nissan Frontier years, by the numbers
Short answer: among Nissan Frontiers old enough to judge (2005–2022), the 2018–2021 have the fewest owner complaints per 10,000 sold. The 2005–2008 have the most.
We counted every owner complaint filed with the federal government (NHTSA) for each model year and divided by how many were sold that year, so a year that sold more doesn’t look worse just for being popular. Years newer than 2022 are shown but not ranked — they haven’t been on the road long enough. How this is calculated.
Years with the most complaints
2005 Nissan Frontier · 62.3 per 10,000 sold (6.2× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Transmission cooler and fluid overheating, typically around 102,251 miles; then fuel pump and sending unit.
2006 Nissan Frontier · 69.0 per 10,000 sold (6.9× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Fuel pump and sending unit, typically around 65,000 miles; then transmission cooler and fluid overheating.
2007 Nissan Frontier · 75.8 per 10,000 sold (7.6× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Fuel pump and sending unit, typically around 57,450 miles; then transmission cooler and fluid overheating.
2008 Nissan Frontier · 28.2 per 10,000 sold (2.8× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported: Transmission cooler and fluid overheating, typically around 93,500 miles; then airbags, seatbelts and restraints.
Years with the fewest complaints
2018 Nissan Frontier · 3.1 per 10,000 sold (0.3× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Pads and rotors, typically around 5,122 miles.
2019 Nissan Frontier · 3.9 per 10,000 sold (0.4× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Airbags, seatbelts and restraints, typically around 24,540 miles.
2020 Nissan Frontier · 4.2 per 10,000 sold (0.4× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Automatic transmission internals, typically around 22,000 miles.
2021 Nissan Frontier · 2.8 per 10,000 sold (0.3× this model’s typical year)
Most-reported, even so: Airbags, seatbelts and restraints, typically around 2,000 miles.
Every year: complaints per 10,000 sold
Typical Nissan Frontier year: 10.0 per 10,000 sold.
Complaints are counted once each, even when an owner lists several parts. Sales are US units sold in the calendar year, a close stand-in for the model year.
Common questions
What is the worst year for the Nissan Frontier?
Among Nissan Frontiers old enough to judge (2005–2022), the 2007 has the most owner complaints per 10,000 sold: 75.8, about 7.6× a typical Nissan Frontier year. The 2005–2006 and 2008 also stand out.
What is the best year for the Nissan Frontier?
The 2021 has the fewest owner complaints per 10,000 sold among Nissan Frontiers from 2005–2022: 2.8, against 10.0 for a typical year. The 2018–2020 are also well below typical.
What goes wrong on the 2007 Nissan Frontier?
The most-reported problem on the 2007 Nissan Frontier is fuel pump and sending unit, typically around 57,450 miles.
Why aren't the newest Nissan Frontier years ranked?
The 2023–2026 haven't been on the road long enough. Newer cars have fewer complaints mainly because they're newer, so ranking them would flatter them.
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Source: NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; US sales from public industry figures. Complaints are self-reported and not independently verified. This is not an inspection and not a recommendation to buy or avoid any vehicle.