Almost every Frontier year is a good buy; 2018 and 2021 have the fewest complaints. The 2022 redesign drew the most, mainly driver-assist and ABS warning faults.
Best years: 20182021 Years to avoid: 2022
Every Frontier year compared
Owner complaints per 100,000 cars sold. Lower is better. The newest years have had less time to collect complaints, so they are marked too new to judge.
Year by year
| Year | Complaints | Per 100k sold | Recalls | Top issue | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 22 | - | 0 | Transmission and drivetrain | Too new to judge |
| 2023 | 68 | - | 0 | Electrical | Too new to judge |
| 2022 | 112 | 147 | 6 | Collision avoidance | Watch out |
| 2021 | 20 | 33 | 0 | Electrical | Good buy |
| 2020 | 23 | 42 | 0 | Transmission and drivetrain | Few reports |
| 2019 | 28 | 39 | 1 | Transmission and drivetrain | Good year |
| 2018 | 25 | 31 | 2 | Electrical | Good buy |
| 2017 | 38 | 51 | 1 | Fuel System | Average |
| 2016 | 44 | 51 | 1 | Other | Average |
| 2015 | 33 | 53 | 0 | Air bags | Average |
| 2014 | 42 | 57 | 2 | Air bags | Average |
| 2013 | 48 | 76 | 1 | Air bags | Average |
| 2012 | 80 | 144 | 3 | Air bags | Watch out |
About the Frontier
The Frontier is a simple, tough midsize pickup that Nissan sold with few changes from 2005 to 2021. Its complaint rate is one of the lowest of any model we track. The 2022 redesign added driver-assist systems and brought a wave of traction control and collision warning faults.
- 2005-2021: Second generation, little changed. Very few complaints; Takata air bag recalls on early 2010s trucks.
- 2022 on: Third generation. Driver-assist and ABS faults on 2022.
Frontier warranty extensions and special coverage
Carmakers sometimes extend the warranty on a part that fails too often, or pay for a fix outside a recall. These notices come from the dealer bulletins Nissan files with NHTSA. 315 Frontier bulletins are on file in total.
OBD II EVAP Tube Warranty Enhancement The update below was sent out to Regions and Dealers in August of this year.
Ask a dealer to check a specific car by VIN. Extensions usually have a time or mileage limit.
Frontier vs rivals
Questions
What is the best year for the Nissan Frontier?
2018 and 2021. Almost every Frontier year is a good buy; 2018 and 2021 have the fewest complaints. The 2022 redesign drew the most, mainly driver-assist and ABS warning faults.
Which Nissan Frontier years should I avoid?
2022. These drew far more owner complaints per car sold than the Nissan Frontier average.
Is the Nissan Frontier reliable?
Yes. The 2012-2021 Frontier has one of the lowest complaint rates per truck sold of any model we track. Most older complaints are about air bag recalls, which are free to fix.
Based on 583 complaints filed by owners with U.S. safety regulators for model years 2012 to 2024, and U.S. sales by calendar year. How we score.